Eastern Wayne Today

Rep. Jason Wentworth (R-Farwell) asked Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to clarify her executive order that closed small businesses and to address residents' concerns.  

“If the Governor wants to extend the stay-at-home order, the people of Michigan deserve answers and they need them now,” Wentworth said in a statement on April 4. “She needs to explain to the people who are counting on her what the plan is to help people who have been hurt by her actions, what her plan is to ease restrictions so small businesses can plan ahead, and how she is making these decisions so families can have peace of mind about the changes they are facing.”

In an April 2 Facebook post, Wentworth answered some concerns about the governor's executive order. 

Wentworth said schools remain closed for the year but will continue with remote learning. 

"The decision to close schools was a difficult but necessary one. While the right decision was made, it has left several questions unanswered regarding the remainder of the 2019-2020 academic year," he said on Facebook. "To allow for home-learning options, school districts are granted a waiver from requiring students to be physically in their school buildings. Teachers and administrators are being urged to created plans to address the needs of all students, including special education and students who lack access to technology."

School districts will also be forgiven for 15 days of instruction in addition to the snow days already allowed. Wentworth also asked parents to continue their at-home dedication to their children's education. 

"I can’t stress enough how impressed I’ve been by the dedication of our teachers and parents during this unprecedented time," he said on Facebook. "Across my Facebook feed, I have seen wonderfully creative solutions for educating our students at home, and an incredible effort from parents to ensure kids keep growing their minds while quarantined. Over the coming weeks, and possibly months, we will rely heavily on parents to continue that dedication."

Wentworth, however, couldn't clarify everything on Facebook for Michigan residents, especially when it concerns small businesses closing. 

“Many of the businesses who have been forced to close don’t even belong under the guidelines, while others are left in limbo because of unclear direction from the state,” Wentworth said in the release. “They are all waiting for the governor to clarify her executive orders and provide answers, but no one knows if those answers will ever come. With warmer weather coming, this is a large concern for seasonal business owners, especially in our community.”

Wentworth said he continues to work with House and Senate to bring and sort out issues directly with the governor to help bring clarity to Michiganders. 

“Hard-working families are hurting in Northern Michigan and throughout the state, because the governor is failing to provide answers to the people her policies have impacted,” Wentworth said in the release. “Good people are simply trying to put food on the table while their businesses sit closed due to COVID-19, and state government should not make that any harder than it absolutely has to be.”