Name: Michigan movie theaters, bowling alleys can reopen Oct. 9, Gov. Whitmer says
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Michigan movie theaters, bowling alleys can reopen Oct. 9, Gov. Whitmer says

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Detroit Free Press LANSING&nbsp;–&nbsp;Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced Friday that Michigan movie theaters, closed since March, can reopen Oct. 9.Also reopening on that date: other indoor theaters, performance venues, ice rinks, arcades, bingo halls, bowling centers, indoor climbing facilities, trampoline parks, and more.&nbsp;The new order also eases capacity restrictions for indoor gatherings, allowing for more weddings and large banquets as temperatures cool. And it will allow larger funeral gatherings.Depending on the size of the venue, the order allows gatherings of up to 500 people indoors and up to 1,000 people outdoors, though&nbsp;gatherings at most venues will be capped at numbers much smaller than those.Until Friday's announcement, indoor meetings and banquets, involving people not from the same household, have been limited to 10 people statewide.Outdoor meetings and banquets have been limited to 100 people in most of Michigan, including the Detroit area, with outdoor gatherings of up to 250 people permitted in the Upper Peninsula and the northern Lower Peninsula.Theaters and bowling alleys Up North&nbsp;— which for the purposes of Whitmer's order is the Upper Peninsula plus&nbsp;Alpena, Antrim, Benzie, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Crawford, Emmet, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Leelanau, Manistee, Missaukee, Montmorency, Otsego, Presque Isle, Roscommon and Wexford counties in the northern Lower Peninsula&nbsp;— had been given the OK to open earlier, on June 10.“Michigan took some of the most aggressive action against COVID-19 in the country, and as a result, the health of our families and our economy are faring better than our neighbors in other states," Whitmer said in a news release."As a result, we are now able to reopen movie theaters and performance venues with strict safety measures in place. I know these business owners have made incredible sacrifices during this crisis to protect our families and front-line workers, and my administration will continue working to help them get back on their feet."Friday's order allows&nbsp;20 people per 1,000 square feet or 20%&nbsp;of fixed seating capacity, with a maximum of 500 people in Michigan’s largest venues. Face coverings are required.&nbsp;Nonresidential outdoor gatherings must limit attendance to 30 people per 1,000 square feet or 30%&nbsp;of fixed seating capacity, with a maximum of 1,000 people.Up North,&nbsp;indoor venues may allow up to 25 people per 1,000 square feet or 25%&nbsp;of fixed seating capacity, with a maximum of 500 people in the region's largest venues. The rules for outdoor gatherings are the same across the state.&nbsp;More:&nbsp;More:Michigan's reopening from the coronavirus pandemic has slowed in recent months as daily cases have frequently been in the 700 to 900 range, which is below the April&nbsp;peak, but also higher than a trough the state experienced around June.Justin Winslow, president and CEO of the Michigan Restaurant and Lodging Association, thanked the governor for the order. He said the changes would give the industry a better chance at surviving as approaching colder weather may limit outdoor availability.&nbsp;“We welcome the governor’s announcement today to increase capacity for meeting and banquet spaces and appreciate her willingness to listen to an industry that has been decimated since the onset of the pandemic," Winslow said.An additional order Friday&nbsp;mandates that&nbsp;all students attending in-person classes wear a mask. Previously, the governor required older students to wear a mask, but the new order requires&nbsp;students in kindergarten through fifth&nbsp;grade&nbsp;to don a facial covering as well, except for Up North, where facial coverings are still not required for the youngest students.“With the 2020-2021 flu season approaching, we are in a precarious moment in our fight against COVID-19,” said Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, the state's chief medical executive and chief deputy for health at the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.JD Loeks, president of Studio C, the parent company of Celebration Cinema, said he applauded the move and the governor's guidance.“Nothing is more important to us than the safety of our employees, patrons&nbsp;and their families," he said. "We are eager to reopen our doors with strict safety measures in place and look forward to working closely with the governor and her team as we continue to fight this virus.”Phil Douma, executive director of the Michigan Funeral Directors Association, said an unfortunate effect of the pandemic is that "bereaved families across Michigan have not had the opportunity to attend the rituals, services, and ceremonies that allow them to pay their respects and process their grief over the loss of a loved one."The order will allow families across the state to "more properly mourn their losses and honor those they love," he said.Most recently, on Sept. 3, Whitmer announced that gyms and pools could&nbsp;reopen on a limited basis starting Sept. 9.&nbsp;Organized sports also were&nbsp;allowed to resume, Whitmer announced at that time, but&nbsp;movie theaters, bowling alleys and arcades were generally kept closed. Bowling alleys, ice rinks and other similar venues are only allowed to open at present for organized sports with limited guests, according to the orders.&nbsp;Michigan's coronavirus state of emergency is set to expire at the end of the day Thursday, but is expected to be extended. Whitmer has said it could last several more months.The inability to host most weddings, banquets and meetings has been a hardship for many&nbsp;businesses.Chris McCrumb said he and his family were just starting to hit their stride with their business, BlueBridge weddings and events outside Traverse City, when the virus hit. In August, McCrumb fought back tears as he told state lawmakers about the impact of the economic shutdown on his family's business.&nbsp;Even though his business received some federal aid, by late August, the venue had 43 cancellations or postponements at a cost of $750,000 or more this year.“Because of the constant changes and the lack of clarity, we’ve been engaged in countless, highly emotional communications to let everyone know where things stand, for the moment, at least as we understand it,” McCrumb said during the Aug. 26 legislative hearing.&nbsp;“It feels I’m in a perpetual state of being between a rock and a hard place — no easy answers, no confident decisions, no peace.”&nbsp;Contact Paul Egan: 517-372-8660 or pegan@freepress.com.&nbsp;Follow him on Twitter .&nbsp; and sign up for our .&nbsp;.

Detroit Free Press LANSING&nbsp;–&nbsp;Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced Friday that Michigan movie theaters, closed since March, can reopen Oct. 9.Also reopening on that date: other indoor theaters, performance venues, ice rinks, arcades, bingo halls, bowling centers, indoor climbing facilities, trampoline parks, and more.&nbsp;The new order also eases capacity restrictions for indoor gatherings, allowing for more weddings and large banquets as temperatures cool. And it will allow larger funeral gatherings.Depending on the size of the venue, the order allows gatherings of up to 500 people...

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The Detroit Free Press is the largest daily newspaper in Detroit, Michigan, US. The Sunday edition is titled the Sunday Free Press. It is sometimes referred to as the Freep (reflected in the paper's web address, www.freep.com). It primarily serves Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Livingston, Washtenaw, and Monroe counties.  The Free Press is also the largest city newspaper owned by Gannett, which also publishes USA Today. The Free Press has received ten Pulitzer Prizes and four Emmy Awards. Its motto is "On Guard for 189 Years".

Michigan movie theaters, bowling alleys can reopen Oct. 9, Gov. Whitmer says

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