After weeks of mostly positive COVID trends, the governor allows bars, restaurants and retail stores to open at 50 percent capacity and eases limits on casinos and exercise facilities. Some worry the limits last too long.
Paula Gardner
As Bridge Michigan's senior business reporter, Paula Gardner covers Michigan's business landscape, focusing on topics such as the auto industry, electric vehicles and economic development. She came to Bridge in 2020 after covering business and environment for MLive.com and previously served as editor of the Ann Arbor News and news director of the startup AnnArbor.com.
A metro Detroit native, Paula moved to Ann Arbor to attend the University of Michigan and has called it home for more than 25 years.
Posted inBusiness Watch
Business leaders to Whitmer: Time to ease Michigan restaurant restrictions
In a Monday letter, chambers of commerce statewide urge the governor to allow long-suffering restaurants to ‘open as soon as we can in ways that are safe.’
Posted inBusiness Watch
Michigan looks for new CEO for economic development
Mark Burton leaves the Michigan Economic Development Corporation for dual roles at Honigman. The departure adds to the list of vacancies in the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity.
Posted inBusiness Watch
Southwest Michigan First admits it has ‘work to do’ after Chatfield flap
The business group isn’t saying if the former House speaker got a severance after quitting, but it is taking stock of the controversy his hiring engendered. ‘It’s abundantly clear that the search process fell below standards.’
Posted inMichigan Government
Lee Chatfield quits Southwest Michigan First amid uproar over his politics
The former House Speaker submits a letter saying he can’t ‘apologize for various conservative beliefs I espoused while in office,’ as groups withdraw funding over his opposition expanding LBGTQ rights.
Posted inBusiness Watch
Lee Chatfield fought LGBT rights in Lansing. He’s on board in Kalamazoo.
As Republican Speaker of the House, Chatfield rose to political prominence through his opposition to gay marriage. But after backlash to his hire as CEO of an economic development group, Chatfield said he’ll support the group’s endorsement of adding LGBT protections to state law.
Posted inBusiness Watch
Business leaders seek federal aid to rebuild Michigan’s unemployment fund
Jobless claims during the pandemic cost the state billions and put pressure on business to keep the fund solvent. But there’s hope that federal aid will fund the relief instead of business owners.
Posted inBusiness Watch
Affordable housing crisis hits rural Michigan. Newaygo project offers hope.
Jobs are booming in tiny Newaygo in west Michigan, but housing hasn’t followed. So builders and city leaders got creative to put less expensive homes on the market — and other cities may follow.
Posted inBusiness Watch
Michigan unemployment system surprised by so many COVID claims. Again.
What happens when you tell jobless workers to log in on Monday? They log in. Up to 340,000 login attempts per hour set a new record, crashing the state’s system as workers tried to reset benefits that expired in December.
Posted inBusiness Watch
Michigan workers endure another glitch in unemployment's computer system
The state’s computer system Monday was unresponsive for many workers seeking access to the unemployment benefits system. It’s the latest in a series of technology failures impacting workers put out of work by COVID.