March 12, 2021 On a recent Friday, Toya Aaron was in the midst of her new weekend ritual: setting up for movie night in the finished basement of her Madison Heights home. Before the pandemic, going to the local AMC theater was a favorite outing for Aaron and her 12-year-old son, Jordan. The potential health risk makes that problematic now, so she’s turned her basement into a home cinema, complete with a new 65-inch television and snacks that mimic a concession stand. On this night, the latter included big boxes of candy, a popcorn bucket, a cherry Icee for Jordan. Aaron’s story is not usual. This week marks a grim anniversary for Aaron and every other Michigander: It was exactly a year ago that the state confirmed its first two cases of coronavirus. It was a year ago today that everything changed. READ MORE ►12 months of coronavirus in Michigan: A look back by the numbers We set out to find Michigan's best fish fry. We got THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS of votes and had to decide between 362 places! And wow do we have some fish fries to share with you! No matter where you live in The Mitten, here you go: A federal judge ruled the city of Detroit failed to provide evidence that protesters who organized demonstrations against police brutality last summer conspired to obstruct police and destroy public property. The ruling ends a counterclaim filed by Detroit against members of Detroit Will Breathe, an activist group formed in the wake of George Floyd’s death, and which sued the city for alleged mistreatment by police. U.S. District Judge Laurie Michelson determined the city provided no evidence to back up claims that protesters planned to incite riots and commit acts of violence against Detroit police officers. The counterclaim was dismissed with prejudice, meaning the claims can’t be brought back to court. Michigan Senate Republicans are gearing up to sue Gov. Gretchen Whitmer if her administration attempts to allocate federal funds tied to policy bills limiting the state health department’s authority without signing them. During the Senate’s Thursday session, lawmakers voted 20-14 along partisan lines to give Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, R-Clark Lake, the authority to take legal action if Whitmer tries to spend money tie-barred to the passage of House Bill 4049 and Senate Bill 1. MORE ►Whitmer signals vetoes likely on parts of COVID-19 relief plan that limit executive powers Sipping wine, soaking in the gorgeous scenery: Is there anything not to love about a trip through Michigan wine country? And with two distinct destinations to choose from — southwest Michigan and northwest Michigan are both home to robust wine trails — there are tons of possibilities when it come to planning a great trip. MORE Get your local news 24/7 Connect with MLive To ensure receipt of our emails, please add newsletters@update.mlive to your address book or safe sender list. |