Michigan News

Michigan unemployment is revised higher, above US rate

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — The federal government has corrected Michigan’s unemployment rate upward by 1.7 percentage points, above the U.S. average, citing an outlier in statistical modeling amid sharp job swings during the coronavirus pandemic.

The September jobless figure, now 6.3%, had been 4.6% — below the national rate. The October number, also released Wednesday, dipped to 6.1%.

The problem stems from inputs into the model for the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn metropolitan area for January, which produced “distortions” in benchmarking factors used for Michigan, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

State officials said they notified the agency of the issue in May.

Continue reading over at -> WXYZ.com

Michigan redistricting commission to weigh input from Black voters

Michigan’s redistricting commission will soon decide whether it wants to heed the calls it heard during its statewide tour to make wholesale changes to how it drew Black voters in its draft congressional and legislative districts.

Some of the loudest criticism the commission received targeted the draft districts it drew in Detroit that would pair predominantly Black neighborhoods in the city with whiter suburban communities.

Many of those draft districts would be safe Democratic seats. But civil rights activists, Detroit voters and lawmakers from the city are doubtful Black candidates could win primary elections in the proposed political boundaries.

“Being a Democrat and being Black sometimes is two separate things,” said Michigan state Rep. Tyrone Carter, D-Detroit, explaining his opposition to the commission’s maps.

The federal Voting Rights Act requires redistricting plans that ensure minority voters have an opportunity to elect their preferred candidates. The current maps dilute the influence of Black voters by unnecessarily concentrating them, according to an analysis that drove the commission’s decision to eliminate majority-Black districts.

Continue reading over at -> Freep.com

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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.

Continue reading on -> MLive.com

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.

Continue reading at MLIVE ->

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.

Continue Reading at Real America’s Voice ->