Michigan Business Groups Urge Biden to Reconsider Mandate

Michigan business groups are urging President Joe Biden to reconsider a plan to require most workers to get vaccinated or regularly tested for COVID-19 but say, if it is enacted, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer should ensure related state rules are no stricter.

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan business groups on Monday urged President Joe Biden to reconsider a plan to require most workers to get vaccinated or regularly tested for COVID-19 but said, if it is enacted, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer should ensure related state rules are no stricter.

The Michigan Chamber of Commerce and six local chambers raised a host of concerns and questions over the pending federal mandate, which will apply to employers with at least 100 employees. They cited the cost, the logistical challenge of checking workers’ vaccination status and test results at a time human resources or other staffing is limited, and said the 100-employee threshold is arbitrary.

The organizations also asked how employees will be counted, whether the unvaccinated will be able to work while awaiting weekly test results and how long companies will have to comply with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s rule.

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Grand Rapids Public Schools sets virtual panel to answer questions about youth COVID-19 vaccines

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – Grand Rapids Public Schools will host a virtual panel of local clinicians to answer questions from the community about youth COVID-19 vaccinations.

The GRPS Parent University and the Grand Rapids African American Health Institute partnered to organize the virtual informational events, which are scheduled for 9:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 26, according to a district announcement.

School leaders said the sessions will give GRPS caregivers “an opportunity to receive non-biased information about the COVID-19 youth vaccination” in a Q&A format.

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Michigan Gov. Whitmer may be forced to return $3.4 million in excess contributions

Democrat Attorney General Dana Nessel argues the excess contributions must be returned or donated if a recall election isn’t called.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer may have to return $3.4 million in campaign funds received from major donors.

Whitmer’s 2022 re-election campaign war chest accepted the monies through what the GOP calls a loophole by which she avoided campaign donation rules. The so-called loophole relaxes contribution limits if an officeholder is faced with an ongoing reelection recall effort.

While several recall petitions have been filed against the governor, none are active or funded.

Whitmer raised a record $8.65 million in 2021 with $10.7 million cash on hand. Her strategy raised $3.4 million from 119 large donors including Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who gave $250,000. Attorney Mark Bernstein, brother of Michigan Supreme Court Justice Richard Bernstein, donated $257,150. Michigan election law caps campaign contributions at $7,150 per person.

In a Wednesday court filing on behalf of Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, Attorney General Dana Nessel’s office argued the $3.4 million in excess must be “returned” or donated to a party or a charity if a recall election isn’t called.

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Michigan Trump supporters line streets chanting ‘F*** Joe Biden’

Residents sporting MAGA apparel in Howell, Michigan, gave President Joe Biden a rude awakening on Tuesday.

F*** Joe Biden,” could be heard in the crowd as the president’s motorcade drove by. A crowd member was even seen giving the middle finger as the car passed.

BIDEN MAKES BIZARRE GAFFE WHILE INTRODUCING GRETCHEN WHITMER

“We the people are pissed off,” one sign held by a woman reads.

Biden went to Howell to tour the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 324 training facility in Howell before speaking to a crowd about restoring U.S. infrastructure through his multitrillion-dollar infrastructure legislation, the Detroit Free Press reported.

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Washtenaw County Health Department: School emergency orders still in effect

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Public health emergency orders remain in effect for schools and educational settings in Washtenaw County.

On Thursday, the Washtenaw County Health Department released a statement about the legality of its emergency orders for educational settings.

The department said it had received “numerous inquires” about the orders after Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed the Fiscal Year 2022 budget bill.

“While the recently enacted state budget for Fiscal Year 2021-2022 contains language addressing the effect that an emergency order may have on appropriated funds, the Health Department retains the authority to issue and enforce its emergency orders,” the Health Department said.

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New petitions initiatives, a redistricting time crunch and confusing budget language

LANSING, MI — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed the state’s 2021-22 budget agreement this week, which included language inserted by Republicans that attempts to prohibit health departments from issuing mask mandates.

The provisions, which the governor has said are unenforceable and unconstitutional, has triggered some health departments to do away with health orders over concerns they may not receive state funding.

Meanwhile, two new Michigan petition initiatives have been launched, one to make Michigan voting laws more stringent and another to award the state’s electoral votes to the winner of the national popular vote in presidential elections.

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Michigan bills would give sex abuse victims more time to sue

State lawmakers are poised to consider bipartisan bills aimed at helping potentially thousands of sex abuse victims sue for damages, including those molested by a University of Michigan sports physician.

It is the second time since 2018 that the Legislature may overhaul laws in the wake of a major abuse scandal. Similar legislation was enacted following the conviction of Larry Nassar, who sexually abused hundreds of female athletes under the guise of medical treatment, including at Michigan State University.

Under the new measures, victims of the late Dr. Robert Anderson at the University of Michigan and others would get additional time to bring lawsuits that might be barred by a statute of limitations. Government entities could not use the immunity defense if they knew or should have known of an accused’s prior sexual misconduct and failed to intervene.

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Police identify, interview person behind ‘active shooter’ threat toward University of Michigan

ANN ARBOR, MI — Police have identified and interviewed a person responsible for a social media post that police say threatened violence against women on the University of Michigan campus.

The University of Michigan Division of Public Safety and Security about 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 2 said there is no longer anything to indicate imminent harm to the university community.

University police at 12:45 p.m. Saturday issued an initial advisory after they learned of a social media post on a “Russian-operated confessions website” that talked about carrying out an “active shooter” incident on campus that target women.

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VA nurse accused of stealing vaccination cards and selling them

Bethann Kierczak is accused of selling the proof of vaccination cards to veterans, and non-veterans alike for upwards of $200.

Michigan registered nurse has been arrested and charged with the left of COVID-19 vaccination cards from a Department of Veterans Affairs hospital she used to work at.

According to the Justice Department, Bethann Kierczak is accused of selling the proof of vaccination cards to veterans, and non-veterans alike for upwards of $200. It appears that vaccine lot numbers were also stolen in order to make the cards appear more legitimate.

VA police services received a tip from a confidential source alleging Kierczak’s involvement in a scheme to forge vaccination records for people who may be required to be vaccinated but object to getting the vaccine.

According to the Military Times, the criminal complaint against the registered nurse consists of numerous social media messages where the defendant appears to be discussing the logistics of selling the cards to potential buyers, one of them the confidential source.

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