DETROIT, Michigan, April 22 -- The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Michigan issued the following news release: In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and 26 Michigan hospitals are collecting comprehensive clinical data on COVID-19 patients to be included in an extensive registry that will provide insight into best practices in treating patients with the virus. Titled MI-COVID19, the comprehensive, multi-site registry will likely be one of the largest collections more PR

YPSILANTI, Michigan, April 23 [TNSgrants] -- Eastern Michigan University issued the following news: Eastern Michigan University faculty members will pursue 10 special projects with the second round of funding from the GameAbove alumni group, part of an overall gift of $2 million to EMU to support faculty development. The GameAbove Faculty First awards for this winter semester total $50,112. These 10 awards represent the second of several funding opportunities made possible by the GameAbove Fac more PR

ALLENDALE, Michigan, April 23 -- Grand Valley State University issued the following news: The local housing marketing was heating up in January and February before the COVID-19 pandemic brought everything to a halt, said Paul Isely, associate dean and professor of economics in the Seidman College of Business. Isely said earlier in the year, the housing market in West Michigan was strong and home prices were starting to rise. "Much of that was because of millennials," he said. "They are reachi more PR

ALLENDALE, Michigan, April 25 -- Grand Valley State University issued the following news: Grand Valley State University has named B. Donta Truss as its new vice president for Enrollment Development. The university's Board of Trustees approved his appointment at its April 24, 2020 meeting, held virtually due to the COVID-19 Stay Home, Stay Safe order in Michigan. Truss is currently the senior vice president for Enrollment Management, Students Affairs and Student Success at Shippensburg Universi more PR

ALLENDALE, Michigan, April 21 -- Grand Valley State University issued the following news on April 20: In a global pandemic, it can be hard for scientists, policymakers and governments to effectively communicate accurate information about complex topics to the general public, but the growing field of data science and analytics is helping to make information easier to understand. "Right now, big data and analytics contains incredibly powerful tools to help us in the face of a pandemic," said Ed  more PR

ALLENDALE, Michigan, April 24 -- Grand Valley State University issued the following news: The multitude of numbers related to COVID-19 -- cases, deaths, recoveries, hot spots -- can be overwhelming, even for a researcher. Peter Wampler, professor of geology and Meijer Honors College faculty-in-residence, said COVID-19 graphs and images from national organizations were difficult to analyze quickly. So, Wampler created his own graphics to tell the story of how coronavirus spread throughout the c more PR

ALLENDALE, Michigan, April 22 -- Grand Valley State University issued the following news: A regional workplace climate study uses a systems lens to address institutional behaviors that prove counterproductive to attracting, retaining and promoting diverse talent with a focus on women of color. Sisters Who Lead, a regional affinity and wellness movement for women of color, released its report, "From Knowing to Doing Better: Closing the Opportunity Gap for Women of Color in the Workplace through more PR

HOLLAND, Michigan, April 22 -- Hope College issued the following news release: The Boerigter Center for Calling and Career at Hope College has been named a Program of Distinction by Colleges of Distinction. As it notes on its website, Colleges of Distinction bestows the recognition on programs that have a "superior ability to think ahead about how their students will succeed after they graduate." Criteria for selection include providing integrated career exploration across a student's entire t more PR

LANSING, Michigan, April 24 -- Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, D-Michigan, issued the following news release: Governor Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS) announce the creation of the MiMortgage Relief Partnership with over 200 of Michigan's financial institutions to recognize and expand upon the measures that these institutions have been taking to assist customers to ensure that no one experiencing financial hardship due to COVID-19 will lose their ho more PR

LANSING, Michigan, April 22 -- Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, D-Michigan, issued the following news release: Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced a partnership with CVS Health to provide drive-through Rapid COVID-19 Testing in Dearborn, part of the ongoing effort to expand testing for the virus statewide during the continuing pandemic. Testing will be conducted in the parking lot of the Henry Ford Centennial Library, 16301 Michigan Ave., at no cost to eligible Michiganders. A doctor's referral is not r more PR

LANSING, Michigan, April 23 -- Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, D-Michigan, issued the following news release: Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed Executive Order 2020-56 extending her previous order which gives pharmacists increased operational capacity and increases access to prescriptions. Executive Order 2020-56 continues to allow pharmacists to dispense emergency refills of prescriptions for up to 60 days' worth of supply for patients and require insurers to cover early refills for up to 90 days' wort more PR

LANSING, Michigan, April 20 -- Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, D-Michigan, issued the following news release: Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed Executive Order 2020-54 and 2020-53 to extend her previous orders to suspend evictions and enhance restrictions on price gouging. Executive Order 2020-54 continues to allow tenants and mobile home owners to remain in their homes during the COVID-19 pandemic even if they are unable to stay current on their rent. To ensure front line workers and Michiganders have more PR

LANSING, Michigan, April 25 -- Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, D-Michigan, issued the following news release on April 24: Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed executive order 2020-59, extending her "Stay Home, Stay Safe" order through May 15. The new order will require people to wear homemade face coverings when they enter enclosed public spaces. It will also lift some restrictions on outdoor activities and allow some workers who perform previously suspended activities to go back to work. "Data shows that  more PR

LANSING, Michigan, April 24 -- Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, D-Michigan, issued the following news release: Governor Gretchen Whitmer issued Executive Order 2020-57, extending and building upon her earlier executive order expanding eligibility for unemployment benefits during the continuing COVID-19 pandemic. The order expands the state's workshare program, offering more tools to employers to reduce layoffs. It also extends unemployment benefits to workers who voluntarily left a job after accepting n more PR

LANSING, Michigan, April 21 -- Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, D-Michigan, issued the following news release: Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed Executive Order No. 2020-55 creating the Michigan Coronavirus Task Force on Racial Disparities. The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted communities of color throughout our state. While African Americans represent 13.6% of Michigan's population, they represent a staggering 40% of the deaths from COVID-19. The task force will act in an advisory capac more PR

LANSING, Michigan, April 24 -- Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, D-Michigan, issued the following news release: Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed Executive Order 2020-58, to extend the deadline of case-initiation in civil and probate matters, in accordance with Administrative Order 2020-3 of the Michigan Supreme Court. The order broadly extends all deadlines pertaining to case initiation in civil and probate matters during the state of emergency and is effective immediately. Nothing in the order preclud more PR

LANSING, Michigan, April 21 -- Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, D-Michigan, issued the following news release: The Michigan National Guard has received a request to support the South Michigan Food Bank in Battle Creek. Approximately five Airmen from the 110th Wing, Battle Creek Air National Guard Base, started serving at this site beginning April 17. Support is expected to continue through mid-May. The South Michigan Food Bank in Battle Creek will be the sixth food distribution site supported by the Mic more PR

LANSING, Michigan, April 23 -- The Michigan Public Service Commission issued the following news release: The Michigan Public Service Commission put on hold Enbridge Energy LP's application seeking siting approval to replace and relocate the portion of the Line 5 pipeline under the Straits of Mackinac while the MPSC takes public comment and considers the company's request for a declaratory ruling on whether new siting authority from the MPSC is needed for Enbridge to construct this segment. Enb more PR

LANSING, Michigan, April 21 -- The Michigan Public Service Commission issued the following news release: Michigan has seen considerable growth since 2018 in renewable energy qualifying facilities (QFs) that have projects, or are planning projects, with electric utilities, according to a Michigan Public Service Commission report released. The MPSC's 2020 Report on Implementation of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA) found significant growth in the number of QFs, mainly d more PR

EAST LANSING, Michigan, April 24 -- Michigan State University issued the following news release: In an atomic nucleus, protons and neutrons, collectively called nucleons, are bound together by nuclear forces. These forces describe the interactions between nucleons, which cause them to occupy states grouped in shells, where each shell has a different energy and can host a certain number of nucleons. A nucleus is said to be magic when the neutron or protons happen to exactly fill up their respec more PR

EAST LANSING, Michigan, April 23 -- Michigan State University issued the following news release: Michigan State University was recognized - the 50th anniversary of Earth Day - for achieving its goal of reducing energy use by 20% in its 20-million-square-foot building portfolio by 2020. The effort was part of the U.S. Department of Energy's Better Buildings Challenge, which the university completed two years ahead of schedule. The federal program works with more than 360 partners nationwide to more PR

EAST LANSING, Michigan, April 21 -- Michigan State University issued the following news release: A team of researchers, including scientists from the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams, or FRIB, and the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory, or NSCL, at MSU have made a discovery that could change how scientists understand fundamental forces acting inside atomic nuclei. The breakthrough revealed that the mirror, or isospin, symmetry that explains the similarity between protons and neutron more PR

EAST LANSING, Michigan, April 24 -- Michigan State University issued the following news release: Shawn Loewen - professor of Second Language Studies in Michigan State University's College of Arts and Letters - became enamored with languages at age 13 when his parents hired a private tutor to teach him Spanish. Despite his passion for being multilingual, he knew he couldn't make a living as a professional language learner. But, he knew he could teach. Loewen came to MSU in 2005 to join the facu more PR

COLUMBUS, Ohio, April 24 -- Ohio State University issued the following news: The Ohio State University College of Nursing is partnering with Trusted Health, a career platform for the modern nurse, on a new initiative to promote mental health and well-being for travel nurses on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. The program will be piloted with nurses in New York and Michigan - two of the states hit hardest by the pandemic - and rolled out nationwide in the coming weeks. Even before the more PR

ANN ARBOR, Michigan, April 24 -- The University of Michigan issued the following news release on April 23: Three University of Michigan faculty members have been elected as new members of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, a prestigious society that recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions in scholarly and professional fields. The Fellows, all affiliated with the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, are: * Lorna Goodison, professor emerita of English langu more PR

ANN ARBOR, Michigan, April 23 -- The University of Michigan issued the following news release on April 21: The University of Michigan continues to expand its portfolio of online programs with the support of the Center for Academic Innovation, launching three new programs in the fields of public health, social work, and sustainability and development. Master's-level learners will have new innovative and flexible options through one online master's degree program and two online MasterTrack Certi more PR

ANN ARBOR, Michigan, April 24 -- The University of Michigan issued the following news release: Researchers have unveiled the precise shape of a key player in human metabolism, which could open the door to better treatments for obesity and other metabolic disorders. The research, scheduled to publish April 24 in the journal Science, centered on a protein in the brain called the melanocortin 4 receptor, or MC4R. This receptor plays a crucial role in regulating the body's energy balance by contro more PR

ANN ARBOR, Michigan, April 23 -- The University of Michigan issued the following news release: Collaborative crowdsourcing has become a popular way to advance a technology idea or to spin it off for new uses, but University of Michigan research shows when faced with extreme interest, team leaders must often rely on traditional organizational management structure to get the work done. When a collaborative crowdsourced project is thrust into the limelight, the impact--or shock--of so much attent more PR

ANN ARBOR, Michigan, April 23 -- The University of Michigan issued the following news release: COVID-19 antibody testing that's portable, fast, cheap and highly precise--four attributes that are usually mutually exclusive--could be possible with a microfluidic device invented at the University of Michigan and developed by U-M startup Optofluidic Bioassay. A microfluidic device, or "lab on a chip," shrinks multiple lab functions onto a single chip just millimeters or centimeters in size. The te more PR

DETROIT, Michigan, April 25 -- Wayne State University issued the following news: With the COVID-19 pandemic putting life as we knew it on hold, many Wayne State researchers are aggressively shifting their focus to addressing the virus. To date, researchers have proposed more than 60 research projects to detect, prevent, treat and recover from COVID-19. Several of those proposals have already been submitted to federal agencies and other funding organizations for consideration. "I am impressed more PR

KALAMAZOO, Michigan, April 24 -- Western Michigan University issued the following news: Right now the world is in the middle of a health crisis. A novel virus--one that has not been identified in humans before--has swept the globe. While that means our bodies don't have preexisting defenses to COVID-19, there are natural ways to boost your immunity in general. During the pandemic, several companies have popped up, selling supplements promising extra protection. There's reason to question such  more PR