Nearly 385,000 more file unemployment claims in Michigan
LANSING (AP) — Nearly 385,000 people filed initial claims for unemployment in Michigan last week amid continued punishing economic consequences of the coronavirus pandemic — the third straight week of historically high claims.
More than 817,000 sought jobless benefits over the past three weeks. The state's 3.6 percent unemployment rate will skyrocket when monthly employment reports are released in May and June.
The state has been overwhelmed by a flood of applications, and some of those out of work have had trouble applying online or by phone.
The Unemployment Insurance Agency is adding staff — nearly quadrupling the call center workforce to 500 total by the end of this week — and expanding call center hours.
“The third straight week of record unemployment claims shows the deep impact the COVID-19 pandemic is having on Michigan working families,” said Jeff Donofrio, director of the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity. “We’re committed to making sure every eligible Michigander receives their full unemployment benefits during this crisis.”
U.S. to buy 30,000 ventilators from GM
The federal government will buy 30,000 ventilators from General Motors by the end of August for $489.4 million.
GM says it will cover its costs but won't make a profit on the devices, which will cost the Department of Health and Human Services just over $16,300 each. That includes the parts that hook the ventilators to patients.
HHS says in a statement that the ventilators will go into the Strategic National Stockpile for distribution to where they are needed most to treat coronavirus patients.
GM will start by delivering 6,132 ventilators by June 1.
On March 18, GM began working with Seattle-area ventilator maker Ventec Life Systems to increase the company's production. A short time later the automaker began lining up parts suppliers and retooling an electronics factory in Kokomo, Indiana, to build the devices.
The ventilators that GM will sell to the government are capable of caring for critically ill coronavirus patients, GM said.
New ABA book helps lawyers develop writing skills
Just published by the American Bar Association, “The Modern Rules of Style, Second Edition” is a pocket-sized guide that gives readers the fundamental skills they need before putting pen to paper or fingers to keyboard.
Lawyers write every day, but often they do not have a sense of style, according to Author Paul Marx, who currently works as professor emeritus of English at the University of New Haven, where he teaches non-fiction writing.
This handbook will change all that, according to the ABA.
It provides examples of the good, the bad and the questionable through journalistic and narrative formatting. Marx details the proper use of parallelism, em dashes, semicolons, colons, modifiers, similes and noun clauses.
In addition to explaining grammar rules, he also illustrates how sentence structure, repetition and word choice can impact writing style.
Small and foundational changes can help make writing more focused, enjoyable and interesting, Marx said.
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