George James

TCF Closer to Merge Into Huntington

Regional banking is changing once again with the merger of two banks with presence in the Blue Water Area. The merger of Huntington Bank and TCF Bank is one step closer to completion after each company’s shareholders approved the merger of TCF into Huntington last week.

Chemical bank merged into TCF just two years ago. Before that, Talmer bank merged with Chemical in 2016.

TCF Bank is a Detroit-based financial holding company with $48 billion in assets and 470 branches. Huntington, headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, has $123 billion in assets and 839 branches.

Branch closures are expected, particularly those that are within stores like Meijer, along with layoffs. Huntington Bank will have their commercial banking headquarters in a new building in downtown Detroit.

Stock holders are the big winners in the merger. Stephen D. Steinour, Huntington’s chairman, president, and CEO said he is “very pleased Huntington shareholders support this partnership, as it provides a compelling opportunity to accelerate shareholder value creation, while enabling us to help more people and businesses throughout our local communities.”

The merger is expected to be finalized later this year.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Rebuilding Michigan Dashboard Shows Road Construction Progress

The Michigan Department of Transportation has launched a new online dashboard to track road projects and keep the public informed of the Rebuilding Michigan program, which finances new projects and frees up funding to expand projects and reduce construction time.

MDOT Director Paul C. Ajegba said that the program allows MDOT to “completely rebuild some important freeways that we otherwise could only afford to resurface.” He said the bond funding allows MDOT to accelerate the rebuilding of many other non-freeway projects.

Ajegba said, “In keeping with the governor’s objectives, this dashboard gives people a clear view of the program’s impact across the state in an open and transparent fashion.” 

The Rebuilding Michigan Program aims to rebuild state highways and bridges that are critical to the economy and are used the most. The project is funded by a $3.5 billion bond sale. Longer road life and improved infrastructure are expected from the accelerated projects.

The online dashboard explains the Five-Year Plan and features an interactive map that shows the location, scope, and progress for each project along with a statewide tally of the impact on jobs supported by the plan. 

A link to the dashboard:

Michigan.gov/RebuildingMichigan 

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

MI Symptoms Tracker Logs 3 Million Entries, Provides County-level Data

Over 3 million entries have been logged into the MI Symptoms COVID-19 symptom screening tool. The tool is mainly used by employees to maintain compliance with workplace screening rules.

The mobile and desktop app was created by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and the University of Michigan. It is updated as needed to reflect the changing state and CDC guidance. The app is getting around 20,000 entries per day.

Dr. Joneigh Khaldun of MDHHS said, “While vaccination efforts are ongoing, it is important that people get tested if they have been exposed or have symptoms, and to continue to wear masks, socially distance and wash hands frequently.”

Screening is still required by MISOHA. Employers use the app to keep local health departments updated about workplace outbreaks.

Sarah Lyon-Callo, MDHHS state epidemiologist remarked, “Instead of a local health department having to wait for lab tests to come back, the department will have an indication if there is a group of individuals working in a place where symptoms have been reported.”

The MI Symptoms tracker has a map that shows users what symptoms have been tracked in their community.

https://misymptomapp.state.mi.us/

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Benson, Clerks Association Denounce Voter Reform Bills

A series of voting reform bills are making their way through the state legislature. The bills aim to pare down the state’s voter list, clarify absentee voting laws, and make voter fraud a 5-year felony.

The attempt by Republican lawmakers to amend the voting laws well in advance of the next election has not been well-received by Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson.

Benson has maintained that the 2020 election was completely free and fair. Benson said, “Many of the bills in this package will make it harder for citizens to vote. Rather than introducing bills based on disproven lies and copied from other states, lawmakers should be codifying what worked in 2020.”

Some of the bills are focused on the responsibilities of municipal clerks and would publicize whether or not the clerks have met accreditation standards.

Chris Swope, President of the Michigan Association of Municipal Clerks disagreed with the idea, saying, “This package of bills contains some of the most egregious voter suppression ideas Michigan has seen. With nearly 30 percent of Michiganders not participating, we need to focus on expanding ballot access, not attempts to disenfranchise certain voters.”

The bills have passed the House and have been referred to the Senate Committee on Elections.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Treasury Urges Unemployment Beneficiaries to File Taxes Soon

Waiting until the last minute to file taxes could be a mistake this year. The Michigan Department of Treasury is urging those who collected unemployment benefits in 2020 to get their taxes done and filed.

State Treasurer Rachael Eubanks said, “Please don’t hesitate to file your individual income tax return. Taxpayers who think they owe taxes often wait to file right up to the filing deadline. The American Rescue Plan changes the dynamic of the 2020 tax year and this year’s filing season. A larger than anticipated refund could provide much-needed assistance during the pandemic.”

According to the Treasury, the federal American Rescue Plan Act excludes unemployment benefits up to $10,200 from income for tax year 2020 for those within certain income brackets. 

If taxes are already filed, taxpayers who collected unemployment should not file an amended state or federal return. The Treasury awaits federal guidance as to how to process refunds but expects to have more information soon.

Filing online and choosing direct deposit is the fastest and the Treasury’s preferred way to file. 2020 taxes are due at 11:59 p.m. on May 17, 2021.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland