Capitol News

As Easter weekend approached, Kathy Dwan looked forward to celebrating her 61st birthday in the Elk Lake cottage that she owns with her husband, Jeff Dwan, near Travers City. But instead of celebrating her birthday on the water, the empty nesters are staying home in Freeland—not out of choice, but because they are required by law. 

“We cannot travel between two residences or to a vacation rental, use a motor on the lake and can only go fishing on a boat or from the shore and yet people in neighboring states like Illinois are allowed to cross over into Michigan if they have a lake house in the state,” Kathy Dwan told Capitol News.

The new restrictions for Michigan residents are a result of Executive Order No. 2020-42, which temporarily suspends activities that are not necessary to sustain or protect life, as signed by Governor Gretchen Whitmer on April 9, 2020.

“Our governor has gone off the deep end,” said Ms. Dwan in an interview. “I pay almost $13,000 in taxes. I expect a taxpayer holiday for those days that I am being denied use of my cottage.”

The governor’s proclamation specifically bans travel between two residences within the state after April 10.

“Individuals may  travel: (1) To return to a home or place of residence from outside this state. (2) To leave this state for a home or residence elsewhere. (3) Between two residences in this state, through April 10, 2020. After that date, travel between two residences is not permitted. (4) As required by law enforcement or a court order, including the transportation of children pursuant to a custody agreement. (c) All other travel is prohibited, including all travel to vacation rentals," states the order.

The drastic measures are a result of the rise in the number of COVID-19 cases in the state, according to language in the mandate.

“This virus is both aggressive and persistent: on April 8, 2020, Michigan reported 20,346 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 959 deaths from it,” the governor states in the executive directive. “To win this fight, and to protect the health and safety of our state and each other, we must be just as aggressive and persistent. Though we have all made sacrifices, we must be steadfast.”

The number of reported COVID-19 cases has since increased. In only three days, 23,993 people tested positive for COVID-19 and 1,292 have died as of April 11 at 3 p.m., according to a press release.

Still, critics cry the governor has overstepped her boundaries.

“My heart goes out to everyone who has the virus but we don’t want our rights infringed upon,” said Janet Stoney who.lives in Hemlock and owns a cottage on Lake McCoster with her husband Scott Stoney.

In response to the mandate, the Stoneys intend to support a protest planned for April 15 in Lansing.

“It is a gridlock protest that people statewide are participating in to oppose quite a few things the governor has curtailed,” Stoney told Capitol News. “We are driving to Lansing where we will petition from our cars.”

Catherine Zemanek, who lives with her husband in Saginaw and owns an Elk Lake cottage, also voiced frustrated by the governor’s order. 

“She is trying to control people,” Zemanek said in an interview. “She has little faith in people's ability to make decisions for themselves and their families. I hope she will loosen her grip.”