Protest takes aim at stay-at-home order

It is called "Operation Gridlock."

That is the name of a protest planned against Governor Gretchen Whitmer's stay-at-home order.

The event is scheduled to take place Wednesday, April 15 at Michigan's State Capitol.

The Michigan Conservative Coalition is asking anyone who is not working to join their protest.

The coalition says Gov. Whitmer's strategy for keeping Michigan residents safe is costing those same residents money in the process.

Meshawn Maddock, a spokesperson for the group, says there has been no action from Gov. Whitmer to promote both physical and economic health while the stay-at-home order is in effect.

She says, "There is no reason why she can't be looking at some safe ways to be opening up businesses. Instead of talking about what's essential and nonessential, let's talk about what's safe and not safe."

Maddock adds, "Safe businesses and safe workers need to get back to work."

The Michigan Conservative Coalition Facebook page says more than three thousand people plan on attending to the protest.

Event organizers say they will have participants drive around the capitol in their cars to adhere to the state's social distancing guidelines.

Meanwhile, Gov. Whitmer is asking for patience, "I want you to have your freedom, I want mine too. We will get to a place where we can be with our friends and family again, where restaurants will open again, where we can go back to work safely again."

She added, "We have a few tough days ahead of us, but those days where we can resume some normalcy, they are on the horizon if we keep doing what we need to do to get past this moment."

Gov. Whitmer says there are four main factors to consider for re-opening Michigan. She says we need to have sustained reduction in case counts, the state needs an enhanced ability to test and trace for the virus, there needs to be sufficient health care capacity, and employers must have set best practices for the workplace.

The state has confirmed 25,635 cases of COVID-19.

Most of those cases are in the Detroit area.

Ingham County has 254 cases and four deaths.

Jackson County has 172 cases and six deaths.

Eaton County now reports 69 cases and four deaths, and Barry County,, which has eight cases, reported its first death on Monday.

Michigan's death toll now stands at 1,602.

This week, state health officials say 433 people have recovered from the Coronavirus.

This new statistic will be updated every Saturday.