September 4, 2020 An unexpected announcement came from former Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder yesterday morning. Via an op-ed published with USA Today, the Republican very publicly voiced his support for Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden. His stance was clearly stated and his words for President Donald Trump were not flattering. Calling Trump a "bully," Snyder said he was supporting Biden because of his "strong moral character and empathy." The announcement wasn't some revelation that Snyder has decided to switch parties. In fact, he made it very clear that he is still a Republican and will support other Republicans running for office. After the op-ed published, MLive chatted with Snyder to ask some follow-up questions on his endorsement and the reaction it received. MORE Next week, gyms across Michigan will once again be allowed to open their doors and let patrons inside. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer made the much-anticipated announcement Thursday, setting a date of Sept. 9 for fitness centers to reopen. Business owners said they were very much ready for a return to normalcy. Of course, it won't truly be normal, since masks are required and other safety measures will need to be in place for facilities that do decide to resume indoor workouts. MORE This year, wet weather and high temperatures have combined with high water levels on the Great Lakes and in many Michigan inland lakes to create the ideal conditions for beach closures. As of Thursday, a total of 115 beach closures have occurred across Michigan this year; at beaches as far north as the Keweenaw Peninsula in the U.P., to metro Detroit, where one beach in Macomb County has been closed six times. Unfortunately, state environmental staff say that amount of closures has become fairly typical. MORE ►Flooding chaos hits third year around 'hundreds' of Michigan lakes When Gov. Whitmer announced gyms would be allowed to reopen next week (see above), it opened the door for all of the regular fall high school sports to resume. Yes, that includes football. The Michigan High School Athletic Association announced that football has been moved back to the fall, with games starting Sept. 18. There will be an adjusted six-game schedule and practice starts next week. Soccer, volleyball and swimming also now have the green-light to resume. MORE High water on the Great Lakes has caused trouble for parks, beaches and homes. Now the water levels are making problems for one of Michigan's beloved lighthouses. If you've taken a ferry to Mackinac Island, you've seen the Round Island Lighthouse. Right now, the lighthouse is in need of more protection from the waters of lakes Michigan and Huron. That protection comes in the form of really big rocks and supporters are hoping they can raise funds for the riprap. MORE ►Lighthouse mystery: Air Force pilot crashes, leaves heartbreaking note before vanishing 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. |