| May 5, 2021 
 The week of April 4-10, Michigan was averaging more than 56,000 first doses of COVID-19 a day, a new record for the state’s vaccination program. Last week, it was down to about 19,000, a 66% drop in three weeks. While last week’s number may grow slightly as more reports come in, it’s still a frustrating trend for health-care officials anxious to protect Michigan residents against a virus that’s taking an average of 64 deaths a day and has more than 3,000 people currently hospitalized. Officials have said they expect it to only get more difficult to up vaccination numbers in Michigan, as most of the residents who were eager to get the COVID-19 vaccine have already received it. READ MORE ►Political resistance to vaccine mandates and passports continue to gain traction in Michigan  While the world is trying to crawl out of a pandemic recession, the stock market is doing just fine. Michigan is no outlier, as 14 of Michigan’s 16 public Fortune 500 companies have seen gains in share price since the start of 2020. “The broader economy might not have had a V-shaped recovery, but the stock market bounced back very quickly last April and May and even more so this fall,” said Matthew Roling, Wayne State adjunct business professor. “The market tanked last March and then it just climbed right out.” MORE  After getting COVID-19 last fall, Nick Tompkins’ kidney function plummeted to 10%. He began dialysis immediately. Tompkins has IgA nephropathy, a kidney disease that causes a lack of filtration and a weaker immune system. The 24-year-old father is signed up for the Michigan and Ohio transplant lists, but the lists have waiting times anywhere between two to eight years, according to his wife, Kelsey. So now, they are looking for their own donor. Could you be a match? MORE
 The No. 1-ranked prospect in the 2022 recruiting class, a player who graced the cover of Sports Illustrated as a sophomore in a story that called him a once-in-a-generation talent, has re-opened his college recruitment. He is, of course, Emoni Bates, and he lives just down the road from the University of Michigan campus. Consider it a public service announcement, a friendly reminder, that Bates holds a Michigan scholarship offer. Could he become a Wolverine? That would cause quite a stir, since the basketball star recently decommitted from Michigan State. MORE ►Franz Wagner declares for NBA draft, leaves Michigan after sophomore season  The fabulous flower-themed festival held in Holland each spring, Tulip Time, is underway this week. The festivities in this West Michigan town are centered around the peak time for tulips. There are so many of the beautiful blooms that blossom at the very end of April. We have a timelapse video that captures the growth of these magnificent tulips on Holland's Windmill Island. If you can't make it to Holland this week for a scaled-back pandemic version of Tulip Time, you can watch this video as many times as you'd like from the comfort of your home. WATCH HERE Get your local news 24/7 Connect with MLive
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