Trump keeps pushing election conspiracies, but it’s not too late for Republicans to end ‘the big lie’

Former President Donald Trump continued using false claims to dispute his election loss in his first speech since leaving office, encouraging Republicans to dig in on misinformation that motivated an attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Falsehoods about the presidential election being stolen triggered a mob of Trump supporters to storm the U.S. Capitol two months earlier in a bid to stop the electoral process. But speculation that the Republican Party would have a reckoning over its support for conspiracy theories has so far been proven wrong: Trump still stands at the head of the GOP and Michigan Republicans remain hesitant to push back on inaccurate fraud allegations. MORE
►County GOP groups feel ‘betrayed’ by Michigan Republicans who went against grain

Mask mandates and restaurant restrictions linked to lower COVID-19 cases and deaths, CDC study says

Mask mandates and closing restaurants are associated with lower COVID-19 cases and deaths, according to a new study by the federal Centers for Disease Control. The study, which looks at cases and deaths through the United States from March to December last year, found that cases and deaths decreases when and where mask mandates are implemented, while cases increased when restaurants reopened. MORE
►Vaccinated people can gather without masks, CDC says in new guidance

 I guess you can't just decide to call yourselves champions. Really, the signs tell the story. Michigan’s “Big Ten champions” poster looked professionally made, a large cardboard-like structure that looked good in celebratory photos. Illinois’ version was scribbled on a piece of scrap paper. And yet, Illinois seems to think they're co-champions. Too bad for things like facts. MORE

►Under weight of 22-year streak, Michigan State rallies for likely NCAA Tournament berth
►Big Ten Tournament 2021 men’s basketball bracket

Apparently, it's more than just some other sandwich and hot dog joint. People seem to be obsessed with all things Portillo's. Lucky for those obsessed, Portillo’s will open its first Michigan restaurant on March 16 on Hall Road in Sterling Heights. Now MLive has learned this location is just the beginning. We talked to Mr. Portillo himself, who revealed there are plans to expand all over Michigan with up to a half-dozen more restaurants. So, why did it take so long to bring Portillo’s to Michigan in the first place?

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►The food at a Grand Rapids bar that’s a finalist for Michigan Best’s Fish Fry is a ‘happy surprise’