Students are returning to colleges throughout Michigan. That means partying is inevitable. But state, business and local leaders are working to find a way to ensure that doesn’t lead to coronavirus outbreaks.

Michigan may not get any more help from the federal government as it seeks to balance a projected multibillion budget deficit by October, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing, according to the most powerful Republican in the state Legislature.

Michigan school districts would have the ability to choose in-person, remote or hybrid instruction this fall under a plan being negotiated by Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the Republican-led Legislature.

A new audit faults Michigan for failing to ensure the effectiveness of schools’ online-only learning plans. It’s gained some significance because numerous districts are opting for remote learning-only amid the pandemic.

A new campaign ad from Democratic U.S. Sen. Gary Peters highlights his work alongside Michigan cherry farmers fighting a flood of cheap Turkish imports. The ad is factual but glosses over that the fight hasn’t been successful.

Sen. Tom Barrett says he took “reasonable precautions” before he contracted the coronavirus, but less than two weeks before he was diagnosed, he didn’t wear a mask at a petition drive event that drew hundreds. Public health officials say there’s no indication that it caused an outbreak.

Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Director Robert Gordon on Thursday apologized and took responsibility for initially contracting with a political firm to conduct contact tracing at the height of the state’s COVID-19 crisis.

Both races make less than they did 40 years ago when adjusted for inflation. But wages for Black workers have declined more since the 1970s, in part because of a loss of manufacturing and widening gap in educational opportunities.

A look at public filings shows that the leaders of the state’s largest auto businesses don’t yet see the end to COVID-19 slowdowns and sales contraction.

The beverage industry is pushing for legislation that would give it a piece of the $40 million-plus from Michigan’s unclaimed bottle deposit money, diverting it away from state environmental cleanups.

Cereal is selling well for Kellogg amid coronavirus, but many other public companies in the state are still struggling with low earnings.

Saying they are underpaid and unprotected, union members of SEIU Healthcare Michigan say they’re ready to walk. State nursing home advocate says pay has increased; COVID made staffing and PPE a struggle.