Friday News Hit: A third shelter-in-place, Detroit Schools gets massive donation, and an FBI raid of improper virus treatments

At a press conference Friday, the Michigan Governor will announce another extension on her stay-at-home order. Gretchen Whitmer's second prolonging of the state restrictions will last until May 15. However, it's also likely the governor will reopen some businesses at the beginning of May - prioritizing those that have limited contact with the general population. Following her first extension on the order, which was scheduled to end April 30, Whitmer became a magnet of local and national criticism that jettisoned the governor into the national spotlight.

It's likely that Whitmer's second extension will attract more of the same. Residents have expressed their displeasure through protests in front of the capitol building and the governor's mansion while local GOP officials have sought to strip the governor of her emergency powers entirely. The governor has even had verbal entanglements with President Donald Trump who followed up prepared guidelines for reopening states with a call to "LIBERATE MICHIGAN" last week.

Despite three straight days of higher daily totals of new COVID-19 cases, public officials are confident that social distancing, the CDC and state-recommended guidelines behind many of the governor's executive orders. She's shuttered schools, closed businesses, and restricted travel between residences, drawing the ire of many. However, amid Michigan's downturn of new cases, the state and City of Detroit has expanded who is eligible for a test while hospitals have reported a decline in new admissions. 

As the state sits in the limbo of self-quarantine, lawmakers have begun planning for the state's economic reopening. Facing immense pressure from a state unemployment rate among the highest in the nation, GOP politicians have been especially eager to start reopening the economy. Both the House and Senate have released roadmaps that rebuke a blanket order like the one Whitmer has enforced for a more localized plan. A roadmap released four days would divide counties by a tier system, depending on the level of risk a municipality faces. 

The governor is expected to release her own version of an economic reopening plan next week.

Even with citizens itching to go back to work, it's unclear how long schools will be out of session. A lot of uncertainty remains around how COVID-19 impacts students. Following an end to the school year, lawmakers and the governor agreed that some form of summer school done online or remotely was necessary for students to continue. That isn't easy for many of the 51,000 Detroit Public School students who lack access to a computer or the Internet.

On Thursday, a partnership of business leaders and nonprofits coalesced to spend $23 million getting every student a tablet and online access. 

"The ability to raise $23 million in such a short time to have an impact for such a long time is indeed miraculous, coming out of this mayhem. This is one sure way of defeating COVID-19. The disease may have taken our bodies but it can never take the spirit out of the City of Detroit," said Rev. Wendell Anthony, president of the Detroit branch of the NAACP. 

Many believe COVID-19 will completely alter the way of life that many of us know. How that looks is still unclear, but facing down decades of systemic inequality in the City of Detroit, leaders from the Skillman Foundation, DTE Energy, Quicken Loans decided it was time to put a dent in that historic trend. The program, dubbed Connected Futures will enable students to continue learning over the summer.

"I have to be the luckiest mayor in America, where most of the country is reeling from a health and economic crisis the religious and corporate and philanthropic community in Detroit is rallying together to address an inequity that's plagued our children for many years. It's remarkable how far we've come," Mayor Mike Duggan said.

With rumors surrounding cure drugs like hydroxychloroquine, several officials have discussed potential treatments and cures to COVID-19 symptoms since the spread of the virus was amplified across the country. Last week, Dr. Charles Mok, owner of the Allure Medical Spa made an appearance on FOX 2 to discuss vitamin C infusions as a possible treatment for the coronavirus.

But due to skepticism over the information, FOX 2 never aired the story. It turns out, the FBI shared a similar skepticism for Mok's treatment. His promise of shortening the virus and even protecting people from it got the unwanted attention from the feds, who made an appearance at the Shelby Township facility Thursday when law enforcement raided the establishment. 

"The investigation includes allegations that the clinic provided fraudulent treatments for COVID-19 and that the clinic did not observe proper protocols to protect staff," said Mara Schneider, FBI spokesperson.

Daily Forecast

Along with some spotty showers, residents will see temperatures begin to climb over the weekend.

Poll: Few Americans support easing virus protections

Despite pockets of attention-grabbing protests, a new survey finds that Americans overwhelmingly favor stay-at-home orders and other efforts to slow COVID-19. Even as a handful of governors have announced plans to ease restrictions, a majority say lifting such rules would not be safe.