| June 22, 2021 
 For 463 days, restaurants were at the mercy of COVID-19. That all changed today. For the first time since March 2020, capacity restrictions and mask mandates are lifted here in Michigan. The restaurant industry knew the landscape would be leveled by the pandemic. The flux of opening and closing as capacity limits inched up by percentages, and as rules changed on outdoor versus indoor seating, put restaurant owners in a bind. As the dust starts to settle, it’s estimated one in six restaurants didn’t survive the pandemic, according to the Michigan Restaurant & Lodging Association. The restaurants that did survive are struggling with a labor shortage and will likely not be open to the full extent they were pre-pandemic. READ MORE ►One of Michigan's oldest Coney Island restaurants is closing after 100 years serving the community  Same-sex couples comprise about 1.1% of Michigan couples who share the same households, which is below the national average of 1.5%, according to U.S. Census estimates. Among Michigan couples who are married, about 0.7% are same-sex couples, according to the Census. But same-sex couples comprise about 4% of unmarried couples who live together. In all, the Census estimates that Michigan has about 23,700 same-sex couples sharing a household, of which 53% or 12,500 are married and 47% or 11,200 are unmarried. We have more data from the Census here, including a look at counties: READ  Finding your summertime bliss in Michigan often involves the perfect piece of beach, meals with friends, and finding new places to explore. Southwest Michigan offers an abundance of these, and the city of St. Joseph can be a great place to start. We’ll show you how this area’s unique mix of water, wine and delectable places to dine make it a perfect spot to enjoy a Michigan’s Best Day. If you explore this guide, complete with a video tour of all the fun, you really will be able to have one of the best days a Michigan summer can provide. MORE ►VIDEO: Water, wine and delectable dining combine for a Michigan's Best Day
 What Akil Baddoo did in early April was fun, but not particularly meaningful. What he’s doing right now is the reason why the Detroit Tigers may have found a gem, a player to dream about, a player to build around. Hyperbole? Skeptics may think so after riding the Baddoo rollercoaster in April. But after the big flash and subsequent collapse, Baddoo’s progress over the last six weeks has been so consistent that you might not have even noticed it. The 22-year-old outfielder who had never played above the Class A level before this season has become one of the Tigers’ best hitters. READ MORE  As you might have already read (in this very newsletter), the state has a new reigning Miss Michigan. In an effort to get to know Vivian Zhong a little better, we had her answer some of our classic Michigan questions. Zhong, 24, of Northville, was crowned Miss Michigan 2021 during the scholarship competition Saturday at the Frauenthal Center in downtown Muskegon. Is she a Spartans fan or a Wolverines fan? Which Great Lake calls her name during the summer months? You can find the answers to those questions and more right here: TAKE A LOOK Get your local news 24/7 Connect with MLive
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