By CHRISTIE MASTRIC

Journal Staff Writer

MARQUETTE — Michigan is to receive $89 million in federal funding to help K-12 schools, universities and colleges hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The U.S. Department of Education administers the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund, which was announced on Tuesday and is part of the federal CARES Act. Funding may be used to provide emergency grants to schools, universities, colleges and other educational organizations.

“It’s never been more important to ensure every Michigan student has access to a high-quality education, and this funding will help our continued efforts to provide remote and other critical educational services to all students in every corner of our state during the ongoing pandemic,” Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in a statement. “In the weeks ahead, I will identify strategies that ensure this federal funding provides much-needed support to our schools hit hardest during this unprecedented crisis.”

Whitmer also on Tuesday signed Executive Orders 2020-48 and 2020-49, which extended two executive orders signed in March.

These orders relax the requirements of the Open Meetings Act to allow public bodies to conduct meetings remotely while facilitating public participation and relax regulatory requirements on hospitals and care facilities to ensure hospitals have the people and facilities they need to provide care to COVID-19 patients.

Both orders are extended until May 12.

“These orders help give our front line health care workers the support they need to do their jobs safely, and help local officials conduct the people’s business during this unprecedented crisis,” Whitmer said in a statement.

Testing criteria expanded

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services announced on Tuesday it is expanding testing criteria for COVID-19 to include individuals with mild symptoms and has published a test site finder at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus.

“Expanded testing is needed to learn more about how COVID-19 is spreading in our state,” said Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, chief medical executive and chief deputy for health, in a news release.

Criteria now includes: hospitalized patients; symptomatic healthcare workers; patients in congregate facilities with symptoms, including those at long-term care or elderly living facilities, jails or prisons, homeless shelters, residential foster care facilities and other group living settings; patients age 65 and older with symptoms; patients with underlying conditions with symptoms; first responders with symptoms; critical infrastructure workers with symptoms; and individuals with mild symptoms.

The testing site finder was developed by Castlight, a health navigation platform that connects the information of hundreds of health vendors, benefits resources and plan designs into an online tool.

Salvation Army

donations doubled

An anonymous donor will provide a matching grant to The Salvation Army of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan’s COVID-19 response efforts. To receive the $125,000 donation, WUM must raise up to $125,000 by June 1.

“With a record number of layoffs and reduced work hours, the need for assistance continues to rise,” said Capt. Doug Winters, Marquette County Corps officer, in a news release. “Providing meals for hungry families, the elderly and the homeless is a top priority.”

Due to another anonymous donor, The Salvation Army of Marquette County will be able to help families who need gasoline to get to food pantries. Winters said this came in response to the request of some families who mentioned they were struggling to get gas to travel to the pantries.

The Feeding America mobile food pantry is scheduled for to 5 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday with a drive-through process to limit personal exposure. Clients are asked to arrive at 5 p.m. instead of coming in early and to clear places in their trunks or back seats for volunteers to place the food.

The Superior Health Foundation provided the gift to pay for the pantry.

Also, a new Chaplain Support Line has been set up to provide emotional and spiritual care. Individuals may call 888-651-7294 from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. CST seven days a week.

Christie Mastric can be reached at cbleck@miningjournal.net.