Governor Imposes Safety Measures to Protect Consumers

Governor Imposes Safety Measures to Protect Consumers

by | Apr 27, 2020 | Uncategorized

Governor Gretchen Whitmer Banner - headshot with bridge graphic

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 26, 2020

Contact: [email protected]

 

Governor Whitmer Imposes Safety Measures to Protect Consumers During the COVID-19 Crisis

Provides temporary relief for food sellers and pharmacies.

 

LANSING, Mich. – Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed Executive Order 2020-60 to establish strategies to reduce exposure to COVID-19 for both customers and employees. The order also provides temporary relief by suspending certain licensing requirements and regulations for food service industries.

 

“While Michiganders fight this virus, we must continue to take aggressive action to reduce exposure and prevent a second spike in cases,” said Governor Whitmer. “This is not the time to slow our efforts; we must continue to be smart. By establishing these guidelines, we can protect Michigan families and our frontline workers. When we come together, we can slow the spread of this virus and save lives.”

 

Under the order, customers are strongly encouraged to wear a face covering over their nose and mouth when entering a food establishment. Grocery stores and pharmacies must allocate at least two hours per week of shopping time for vulnerable populations. Additionally, if an employee tests positive for COVID-19, the establishment must notify other employees without infringing on private personal-health related information of an employee.

 

In an effort to protect the health and safety of consumers, the order also outlines strategies food establishments and pharmacies must take to reduce possible exposure of COVID-19 to their customers. As outlined under Executive Order 2020-42, establishments must do the following:

 

  • Require checkout employees to wear some form of covering over their nose and mouth, such as a homemade mask, scarf, bandana, or handkerchief;
  • Ensure that both employees and customers remain at least six feet apart to the maximum extent possible;
  • Close self-serve prepared food stations such as salad bars and eliminate free samples and tasting stations;
  • Adopt procedures to meet the environmental cleaning guidelines set by the CDC, including by cleaning and disinfecting frequent touchpoints throughout the day such as point of sale terminals at registers, shopping carts, and shopping baskets;
  • Prohibit employees who are sick from reporting to work and send employees home if they display symptoms of COVID-19.
  • Accommodate employees who fall within a vulnerable population by providing lower-exposure work assignments or giving them the option to take an unpaid leave of absence with a return date coinciding with the end of the states of emergency and disaster.
  • Develop and implement a daily screening program, as described herein, for all staff upon or just prior to reporting to work sites.
  • And more.

 

Due to the increased strain on Michigan’s food service industry, local health departments, and the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the governor has extended the deadline for certain forms of licensing and registration.

 

Executive order 2020-60 is effective immediately. To view the order, click the link below:
Governor Signs Order Extending Validity of Personal Protection Orders

Governor Signs Order Extending Validity of Personal Protection Orders

by | Apr 27, 2020 | Uncategorized

Governor Gretchen Whitmer Banner - headshot with bridge graphic

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 27, 2020

Contact: [email protected]

 

Governor Gretchen Whitmer Signs Executive Order Extending Validity of Personal Protection Orders During COVID-19 Pandemic

 

LANSING, Mich. — Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed Executive Order 2020-63, which extends validity of existing personal protection orders that would otherwise expire during the continuing COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Governor Whitmer’s order coincides with a Michigan Supreme Court administrative order extending the validity of personal protection orders until 90 days after Michigan’s emergency declaration is lifted. The orders takes immediate effect.

 

“Michiganders who file for personal protection orders due to threats, stalking, and abuse should have peace of mind in their homes during the ongoing health crisis,” Governor Whitmer said. “By extending the expiration of existing personal protection orders, we are helping secure the safety of vulnerable residents as we continue to flatten the curve and plan for Michigan’s resurgence.”

 

Governor Whitmer’s order requires law enforcement agencies to extend the validity of personal protection orders to July 21, 2020.

 

“Unfortunately, these victims are particularly vulnerable to stalking and harassment — which is why they sought protection in the first place,” Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said. “Until today, victims were unable to effectively seek extensions of PPOs during this health care crisis – building upon the anxiety of an already fearful situation.”

 

Information around this outbreak is changing rapidly. The latest information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

 

To view executive order 2020-63, click the link below:

MDOT Update: Restore M-24 (Lapeer Road) Project Begins

by | Apr 24, 2020 | News

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                               FRIDAY, APRIL 24, 2020

 

CONTACT: Diane Cross, MDOT Office of Communications, [email protected]

 

Update: Restore M-24 (Lapeer Road) project begins

in northern Oakland County

 

COUNTY:

Oakland

 

COMMUNITIES:

Orion Township

Oxford Township

Village of Lake Orion

Village of Oxford

 

ROADWAY:

M-24 (Lapeer Road)

 

START DATE:

Thursday, April 23, 2020

 

PROJECT COMPLETION DATE:

Late Fall 2020

 

PROJECT DETAILS:

MDOT will invest $33 million to reconstruct and resurface parts of M-24 in Oakland County. The project limits along M-24 are between Goldengate Street in Orion Township to Harriet Street in Oxford Township, with the villages of Oxford and Lake Orion also being affected.

 

Project map

 

Beginning Thursday, signal work will be performed at the right and center left-turn lanes at the M-24/Drahner Road intersection in preparation of reconstruction at the intersection. Next week, work will move to two locations for approximately four weeks: northbound and southbound M-24 at Drahner Road will have one lane open and northbound M-24 from Indianwood Road to Goldengate Road will have two lanes open while southbound M-24 will have one lane open.

 

Drahner Road will be closed at the M-24 intersection for approximately four weeks.

Westbound Drahner Road traffic will be detoured to northbound Oxford Lake Drive, then northbound Glaspie Street and westbound Broadway Street to southbound M-24.

 

Eastbound Drahner Road traffic will be detoured to northbound M-24, then eastbound Broadway Street to southbount Glaspie Street, then southbound Oxford Lake Drive to Drahner Road.

 

Northbound M-24 traffic will not be allowed to turn onto westbound Drahner Road and will be detoured to westbound Burdick Road, then southbound Pontiac Street back to Drahner Road.

 

This spring and last fall, multiple utility companies performed needed relocation work in anticipation of this project, which required closures through downtown Oxford with other intermittent lane closures.

 

The public will be kept informed on this project via the project website at www.RestoreM24.info and e-mail updates can be requested at the website.

 

SAFETY BENEFIT:

Extending the center left-turn lanes, improving the pavement surface, adjusting lane widths, and consolidating driveways will increase motorist safety by reducing the number of crashes in this area.

 

ESSENTIAL WORK:

This road construction project is an essential function. Transportation workers in the field follow Centers for Disease Control guidelines to limit their risk of getting sick.    

 

###

 

When you see barrels, people are fixing your roads. Drive like you work here.

www.Michigan.gov/WorkZoneSafety

 

www.twitter.com/MDOT_MetroDet | www.facebook.com/MichiganDOT | www.youtube.com/MichiganDOT

DNR Wildlife Division and Pheasant Restoration Annual Reports

by | Apr 23, 2020 | News

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working for wildlife
If you’ve run short of reading material, check out these two reports detailing important work the DNR and its partners have accomplished for Michigan’s wildlife and the people who enjoy wildlife.

Wildlife Division Annual Report

The 2019 Wildlife Division Annual Report (see accessible version at the link below) highlights work the division completed from Oct. 1, 2018, to Sept. 30, 2019.

We are pleased to revisit the October 2019 removal of the Kirtland’s warbler from the federal list of endangered and threatened species – a truly monumental achievement made possible by many conservation organizations! The DNR manages 90,000 acres of dedicated Kirtland’s warbler habitat and has planted more than 60 million jack pine trees to provide habitat for this rare songbird since the 1970s.

Wildlife Division annual reports ►

Michigan Pheasant Restoration Initiative Annual Report

Michigan Pheasant Restoration Initiative Coalition partners recently compiled an MPRI annual report (see accessible version at link below), sharing 2019 accomplishments. The coalition worked together to enhance over 4,400 acres and restore nearly 3,000 acres of grassland habitat, among many other important achievements.

The Michigan Pheasant Restoration Initiative is a conservation initiative to restore and enhance Michigan pheasant habitat, populations and hunting opportunities on private and public lands through pheasant cooperatives. The initiative works by acquiring state, federal and other resources to assist landowners in the cooperatives to improve wildlife habitat on their properties and by improving habitat on selected state game areas, recreation areas or other public lands.

MPRI reports and publications ►
DNR COVID-19 RESPONSE: For details on affected DNR facilities and services, visit this webpage. Follow state actions and guidelines at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus.
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Governor Whitmer and Michigan’s Financial Institutions Agree to Partnership for Providing Borrowers 90-day Mortgage-Payment Forbearance

by | Apr 23, 2020 | News

Governor Gretchen Whitmer Banner - headshot with bridge graphic

Media Contact: Andrea Miller

Media: 517-284-8668

Consumer Hotline: 877-999-6442

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 23, 2020

Governor Whitmer and Michigan’s Financial Institutions Agree to Partnership for Providing Borrowers 90-day Mortgage-Payment Forbearance

Governor Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS) today announce the creation of the MiMortgage Relief Partnership with over 200 of Michigan’s financial institutions to recognize and expand upon the measures that these institutions have been taking to assist customers to ensure that no one experiencing financial hardship due to COVID-19 will lose their home during this public health crisis.

Michigan’s financial institutions have been working hard to assist their customers during these unprecedented times. This partnership will encourage uniformity in available options for consumers in need of assistance, regardless of financial institution.

“No one should have to worry about losing their home during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Governor Gretchen Whitmer. “With the MiMortgage Relief Partnership, Michigan’s credit unions, banks, and lenders have stepped to the plate to help our residents who are suffering financial losses due to COVID-19 by providing a 90-day grace period for mortgage payments.”

By signing onto Governor Whitmer’s MiMortgage Relief Partnership, participating financial institutions have agreed that they will continue to work with their impacted residential mortgage loan borrowers in at least the following ways:

Providing affected borrowers with a 90-day grace period for all mortgage payments. Financial institutions will offer mortgage-payment forbearance for 90 days, allowing borrowers to reduce or delay their monthly mortgage payment. In addition, the financial institutions will:

  • Provide a streamlined process for requesting forbearance for COVID-19-related reasons, supported with available documentation;
  • Confirm approval of and terms of their forbearance program (which should include reasonable solutions for resuming payments at the end of the forbearance term); and
  • Where appropriate, provide the opportunity for borrowers to extend a forbearance agreement if they continue to experience hardship due to COVID-19.

Providing relief from mortgage-related late fees and charges for 90 days. For affected borrowers who reach an agreement with their financial institution, financial institutions will waive or refund mortgage-related late fees for at least 90 days.

Foregoing new foreclosures for 60 days. Financial institutions will not initiate any foreclosure sales or evictions for 60 days for affected borrowers who reach an agreement with their financial institution.

Refraining from reporting adverse credit scoring information based upon the borrower’s accessing relief. Financial institutions will not report adverse credit scoring information for affected borrowers who reach an agreement with their financial institution. Financial institutions will report other credit information consistent with Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) or other federal agency guidance.

Working with borrowers on their specific needs or concerns. If a financial institution varies from these provisions to the benefit of the borrower or to address specific borrower requests, concerns, or individual financial health, this would be deemed in the spirit of the partnership. In particular, issues surrounding escrow and tax and insurance payments may require more individualized assistance.

As of April 22, 2020, over 200 financial institutions have signed onto the partnership. Participating financial institutions are listed on the MiMortgage Relief Partnership Financial Institutions page.

“The strength of our financial system will be an important factor in how Michigan recovers economically from COVID-19,” DIFS Director Anita G. Fox said. “Through the MiMortgage Relief Partnership, financial institutions will continue to help customers find the solutions that best fit their needs, and to focus relief efforts on those most impacted by the crisis. Michigan residents who can meet their financial obligations can continue to do so, while those who need assistance will be able to work with their financial institutions to access relief.”

Michigan borrowers experiencing a financial hardship due to COVID-19 are encouraged to reach out directly to their financial institution to learn the details of the relief options available to them, and to work out with the institution an agreement applicable to their loan. Borrowers are encouraged to reach out before their loan becomes delinquent. DIFS never advises borrowers to stop paying their loan payments.

Please note that financial institutions and their servicers are experiencing high volumes of inquiries and may recommend using online services when available for the quickest service. Loans held by a financial institution may be serviced by another company.

Lenders who service federally-backed mortgages are subject to federal rules. Borrowers with these loans may wish to visit the CFPB guide to coronavirus mortgage relief options.

For more information on COVID-19 related mortgage relief, see: www.michigan.gov/MiMortgageRelief or call DIFS toll-free at 877-999-6442.