ClickOnDetroit Morning Briefing -- April 16, 2020

Here are this morning’s top stories

Oakland County launches first drive-up COVID-19 testing site

Oakland County is opening its first drive-thru COVID-19 testing site Thursday at the county’s main campus in Pontiac.

Testing will begin at 9 a.m. Thursday for first responders, essential or critical infrastructure employees, adults age 65 or older, those with underlying conditions and residents of Pontiac.

The tests are by appointment-only and made through the Health Division’s Nurse on Call hotline, 800-848-5533. It is expected the Health Division will perform between 50-100 tests on Thursday and Friday.

Chief James Craig says he is recovered from COVID-19

Detroit Police Chief James Craig said Thursday that he is recovered from the coronavirus (COVID-19).

Craig said in a statement to Local 4 that he underwent a test on Wednesday and the result has returned negative for COVID-19.

Mayor Mike Duggan announced that the chief had the virus back on March 27. Craig has been recovering at home since. However, Duggan has repeated that the chief has remained in control of Detroit Police Department operations throughout his recovery.

Record 22 million have sought US jobless aid since virus

The wave of layoffs that has engulfed the U.S. economy since the coronavirus struck forced 5.2 million more people to seek unemployment benefits last week, the government reported Thursday. Roughly 22 million have sought jobless benefits in the past month — easily the worst stretch of U.S. job losses on record. All told, roughly nearly 12 million people are now receiving unemployment checks, roughly matching the peak reached in January 2010, shortly after the Great Recession officially ended.

Fiat Chrysler recalls pickups, SUVs to fix windshield wipers

Fiat Chrysler is recalling more than 550,000 pickup trucks and SUVs worldwide because the windshield wiper arms can come loose and stop the wipers from working properly.

The recall covers certain 2019 and 2020 Ram 1500 pickups, 1500 Classic pickups and Jeep Compass SUVs. Documents posted Tuesday by the U.S. government’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration say loose wiper arms can reduce a driver’s visibility.

WEATHER: Sunshine returns, but another round of snow tonight

Beaumont Wayne Hospital temporarily closes

Beaumont Wayne currently has no patients, the hospital system announced Wednesday.

MORE: Michigan representatives condemn temporary closure of Beaumont Wayne

According to officials, the remaining coronavirus (COVID-19) patients were discharged or transferred to other hospitals Tuesday.

Northern Michigan sheriffs say they won’t strictly enforce Executive Orders

Several sheriffs in northern Michigan voiced their opposition of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s coronavirus (COVID-19) Executive Orders, saying they won’t strictly enforce them.

VIEW: A timeline of closures, event bans, stay-at-home orders

Sheriffs in Leelanau, Benzie, Manistee and Mason counties released a statement Wednesday regarding orders issued by the governor.

Gov. Whitmer stands by stay-at-home order despite large protest in Lansing

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is standing by her coronavirus (COVID-19) stay-at-home order despite thousands of protesters rallying for hours in the state’s capital.

“Operation Gridlock” lived up to its name Wednesday, as the rally made national headlines and left traffic backed up for about a mile. The car horns didn’t stop blaring after they started around 10 a.m. Wednesday.


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