In Case You Missed It: Top Stories from The Week (Feb. 1-5)

Detroit artist Charles McGee dies, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announces that high school contact sports can resume this month, and Henry Ford cardiologists make a big discovery about the iPhone
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Charles McGee
Work by Charles McGee — the beloved Detroit artist who died at the age of 93 this week — stands outside the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. // Photograph courtesy of the Wright Museum

Detroit artist Charles McGee dies at the age of 96.

The co-founder of the Contemporary Art Institute of Detroit’s career spanned 70 years. McGee was the first recipient of the Kresge Eminent Artist award, and he showed his art in exhibitions around the world. His large-scale works are installed in public places as well as the Detroit Institute of Arts and the Wright Museum.

SiriusXM debuts channels for Black History Month that pay tribute to Detroit artists.

The satellite music service has added Motown and Aretha Franklin channels to its platforms. The channels will stream through March 1.

Wayne County dismisses 1,681 cases involving violations of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s lockdown order.

Wayne County Prosecutor Kim Worthy says there “is not a legal basis to proceed” with the cases after the Michigan Supreme Court ruled in November that Whitmer did not have authority to issue the executive order.

iphone cardiology
Henry Ford Health System cardiologists shared a major discovery about the iPhone 12 this week. // Photo:IStock

The iPhone 12 can disrupt implantable defibrillators.

Cardiologists at the Henry Ford Heart & Vascular Institute found that a magnet in the iPhone 12 model can cause the interference. Officials with the health system say the research could potentially save the lives of more than 300,000 people.

Michigan is launching a free community college tuition program for those 25 and older.

The Michigan Reconnect program will pay tuition costs for eligible adults who want to pursue an associate degree or skills certificate at their in-district community college or a $1,500 scholarship at more than 70 private training schools that offer certificates.

Welp, we’ve got six more weeks of winter, folks.

Over at the Howell Nature Center, Woody the woodchuck saw her shadow on Groundhog Day — which, as the tradition goes, means spring isn’t coming early this year. Considering this has been a fairly calm season so far, maybe it won’t be too bad? *Knocks on wood*

Greyson’s Clothiers will open a new location in downtown Detroit.

The brand is relocating from its small shop in the First National Building to a space on Woodward Avenue that was, in part, occupied by the John Varvatos shop. Greyson’s sells golf and activewear.

contact sports - michigan
Gov. Whitmer announced that contact sports can resume this month. Here, she is joined by River Rogue basketball player Legend Geeter at a press conference. // Photograph courtesy of Gov. Whitmer

High school contact sports can resume Feb. 8.

Gov. Whitmer announced Thursday contact sports are allowed as long as participants wear masks during practice and competition. If masks cannot be worn, all participants must be regularly tested for COVID-19.

Detroit Public Schools Community District will remove Fs to help online students.

In an effort to address student disengagement and rising rates of failure during remote learning, the district is now allowing students to retake exams up to two times, changing letter grades D and F to G (grade pending) or No Credit, and limiting homework.

Motown Records is reviving its spoken-word and poetry label.

Motown Records is relaunching its Black Forum subsidiary, which ran for three years in the early ’70s. The label will release new works by writers and poets, while also reissuing some of its classic archives.


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