| October 7, 2021 
 President Joe Biden pitched his “blue-collar blueprint” in a deeply red area of Michigan on Tuesday, promoting a pair of trillion-dollar spending packages that the president said will cost most Americans nothing. The president seeks to use taxes on big business and the wealthy to fund investments in roads and bridges, child care, health care, education, broadband internet and mitigating the effects of climate change. Biden attempted to assuage concerns about the cost of his agenda -- a $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill and a larger social spending package expected to cost more -- saying he came to Michigan to “set some things straight.” “The cost of these bills, in terms of adding to the deficit, is zero. Zero. Zero,” Biden said, repeating himself for emphasis. CONTINUE READING ►In Michigan, Biden says America risks 'losing our edge' without big investments in roads and people  Last week, MLive announced it would begin taking -- and answering -- reader questions related to COVID-19. Soon after, inquiries about coronavirus vaccines, booster shots, and hospital capacities started trickling in. Do you have a question? Send it to covidquestions@mlive.com for our public health team to answer and perhaps feature in an upcoming story. Here, we answer questions regarding the amount of time a person is contagious with COVID-19, the timeline for young children being able to receive vaccines and more: READ MORE  Canadian smugglers are going to increasingly sophisticated lengths to get marijuana into the U.S., where there is a state-to-state patchwork of marijuana laws ranging from full legalization to total prohibition, creating unique profit motives. “It’s about profit,” Detroit-based Homeland Security Investigations Assistant Special Agent in Charge Matthew Stentz said. “I think in Canada right now there is just so much of it and there’s profit to be had in the United States ... especially with the high-grade, potent stuff that’s being grown within the greenhouses. That is still very desirable in states where it’s not necessarily legal." READ MORE  Residents said they had five minutes to grab their belongings Wednesday morning before they were escorted off a city-owned property that has, for many months, been the site of a large homeless encampment along the Kalamazoo River. Officers with the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety started telling residents early on the morning of Oct. 6 that they had to leave the property along Kalamazoo’s Ampersee Avenue. Residents could only leave with what they could carry, and for hours Wednesday were not allowed to reenter the encampment. Multiple residents said their tents were pulled down on top of them as officers told them to leave. READ MORE ►Why Kalamazoo Gospel Ministries shelter isn't a fit for all who are unhoused  The Michigan Senate passed part of an election bill package that would require additional steps from absentee voters on Wednesday before cutting its session short in an accidental adjournment. The GOP-backed bills make changes to Michigan voting laws they say are aimed at tightening election safeguards. They have been vehemently opposed by Democrats, who quickly moved to adjourn mid-session on Wednesday. Some Republicans mistakenly voted along with them to adjourn, according to the Associated Press, and Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II ended the session. READ MORE ►Petition to tighten Michigan voting rules can begin collecting signatures after OK from canvassers
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