More pandemic news items will be added through Sunday.
'Get this city back on its feet'
Detroit has enough drive-through Covid testing capacity at the State Fairgrounds to broaden screening beyond those with symptoms.
Drive-through testing at Woodward and State Fair Boulevard. (Photo: Michael Lucido)
"Starting Monday, I want every business in the City of Detroit to know that if you have to be open because you're essential, that we will test all of your employees," Mayor Mike Duggan says. Priority goes to "businesses like restaurants and food-handling centers — places where it can spread," he adds.
Appointments for nasal swab tests can be made by calling (313) 230-0505. No doctor's order is needed now.
Remarks during Friday afternoon's daily mayoral briefing at Eastern Market are reported by the Free Press:
"If we're going to get this city back on its feet, it means we need to have a lot broader testing. We've got folks going to work every day at gas stations, grocery stores, banks — a whole series of businesses that we need. They aren't able to shelter in place. They have to be out and interact. ...
"We're going to do everything we can to make sure the employees coming to work are not at risk."
Tips bring Detroit enforcement
"Thank you, Detroit, for being the eyes and ears of our community," says a police department tweet about citations and warnings to stay-home order violators. Tipsters reported some.
As of Friday, officers have issued 736 tickets, broke up over two dozen parties and closed 27 businesses. In addition, more than 1,600 people in Detroit were warned not to gather in groups at playgrounds, parks and porches.
Eviction ban lasts 4 more weeks
The governor extends a ban on apartment and mobile home evictions until May 15. It had been due to expire Friday, and now is in effect four more weeks "so people can focus on staying home and staying safe," a statement says.
'Difficult financial decisions'
Michigan State and Central Michigan University are the first state campuses to recognize the obvious: This is no time to hike tuition.
Each freezes the cost of attending at its 2018-19 rate. "In the coming months many families will be facing difficult financial decisions as a result of the pandemic," MSU's president says in a statement Friday, a day after CMU pioneered the step. "We are doing what we can to ensure students can stay in our Spartan family. The core of a land-grant university's mission is to provide access to quality, affordable education for all – no matter the challenge or circumstance," adds Samuel Stanley.
Settling child-support debts
Here's a break for divorced parents owed child support: Federal stimulus money intended for noncustodial parents who owe child support will be redirected to custodial parents and children.
Michigan's Department of Health and Human Services will intercept all or part of pandemic "economic impact payments" if they go to people who owe child support. Funds will be distributed to the custodial parent or guardian, as is done with federal income tax refunds in such cases.
The CARES Act passed by Congress authorizes money to address economic issues and unemployment due to the health crisis.
