LANSING, Mich. Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced Friday a new initiative that will provide free face masks to vulnerable populations amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Vulnerable populations may have difficulties buying masks and our schools need face coverings to keep students, staff and community members safe. Face masks have been scientifically proven to significantly reduce a persons chance of spreading COVID-19, officials say. (MDHHS)Michiganders in need can obtain a free face mask a distribution location near them. Whitmer and other Michigan officials have been pushing for residents to wear face coverings amid the pandemic through the Mask Up Michigan initiative.

LANSING, Mich. Michigans top health official is calling on superintendents to require students to wear face masks this fall amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Gretchen Whitmer released guidelines for schools to reopen this fall, which do require face masks to be worn by most students during most occasions. Under Whitmers MI Safe School Roadmap, schools whose regions are in phase four of the pandemic must require students in grades 6-12 to wear face masks in classrooms. The MI Safe Schools Roadmap does require all school staff members to wear face coverings at all times, except during mealtimes. Whitmer signed an executive order requiring children and workers to wear face masks at Michigan childcare centers and camps.

UTICA, Mich. A suspect has been arrested following an altercation in Macomb County between restaurant staff and a customer after the customer was asked to wear a face covering. A man allegedly assaulted a manager and bartender at Black Rock Bar & Grill in Utica on July 10 after being asked to put on a face mask to comply with their coronavirus (COVID-19) safety protocols. The suspect in question entered the restaurant with a group of eight more people -- none of them complying with social distancing or face covering requirements, officials said. When the group headed to the bar, staff asked the group to return to the lobby and put on face masks. Most of the group complied, but one man became infuriated and began verbally assaulting the female staff members.