Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette Tony Sleeman, owner of Flowers by Sleeman in Houghton, stands in the business’s greenhouse Friday. He will spend the weekend developing a plan for reopening safely after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer eased restrictions on which businesses can open during the COVID-19 state of emergency.

HOUGHTON — As new COVID-19 cases are plateauing in Michigan, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer Friday announced the easing of some restrictions on businesses, while extending the state’s stay-at-home order until May 15. 

At a press conference Friday, Whitmer said the state would look at data, including from expanded testing from COVID-19, to decide how else to reengage the economy. 

“If we continue to see our numbers decline, we can responsibly consider additional steps we can take,” she said at the press conference. “If we see an increase, we have to be nimble enough to go backward on occasion. My hope, though – my fervent hope – is that people still take this incredibly seriously.”

Under Friday’s orders, certain businesses are able to reopen, such as landscaping businesses, plant nurseries, lawn care businesses and bicycle repair shops. They must still observe social distancing guidelines. 

Motorized boating, which had been one of the most frequent targets in recent protests, will again be allowed. Golf courses can also re-open, though the use of carts is still banned. 

Big-box stores will be able to reopen sections such as garden or paint that had been closed off under order since mid-April. 

Retailers that sell non-essential supplies can also re-open for curbside pickup or delivery. 

Tony Sleeman, owner of Flowers by Sleeman in Houghton, said the business would be developing a plan this weekend for how to reopen safely. 

“We’ll take all the precautions we can for the amount of people who are allowed in the greenhouse at one time,” he said. “Safe masks for employees and customers, and keep everyone as spread out as possible, as safe as possible.”

As it is still early in the spring, the restrictions on plant nurseries had yet to have much impact, Sleeman said.  

“With the ban being when we still had snow on the ground, we couldn’t sell plants at that time anyway,” he said. 

Mark Maroste, manager of the Portage Lake Golf Course, declined to comment until a timetable had been set for reopening. 

Friday’s order did add one restriction. People going to enclosed public spaces such as supermarkets will now be required to wear cloth, non-medical masks covering their nose and mouth. People will not be subject to criminal penalties for not wearing the masks, but businesses can refuse them service, Whitmer said Friday.

People are also able to travel to other residences in the state, Whitmer said Friday. However, she would still “strongly discourage” it. Those who do make the step should stay out of local grocery stores, limit their exposure and observe proper hygiene.

“While it’s understandable to be lured by the phenomenal beauty of this great state and hit the road, we know that our rural hospitals are simply not equipped to meet an influx of people who may bring or spread the virus,” she said. 

Some of the restrictions pulled back Friday, such as closing sections of big-box stores and banning the use of motorboats, had been cited as examples of overreach by recent protestors. A Michigan Conservative Coalition-sponsored rally in Lansing drew  thousands to the Capitol building last week, while about 60 people protested the stay-at-home order outside Whitmer’s state-owned residence Thursday. Locally, boaters in Baraga County took to the water Sunday to protest the motorboat ban.

The Republican-majority state Legislature planned to form an oversight committee to investigate Whitmer’s actions during the emergency. They also met Friday to discuss bills that would reduce the governor’s ability to declare a state of emergency. Whitmer has said she will veto the bill. 

Whitmer said Friday only a “small minority” was not complying with the orders. However, she acknowledged part of the easing was to maintain necessary buy-in from the public. 

“We want people to be able to get out and garden, and if that helps keep people at home and give people some peace of mind, that may be an activity that is low enough for us that we can start that process,” she said. 

In a release Friday, State Rep. Greg Markkanen said the order was a positive step. 

“These are the types of unreasonable restrictions that never made sense. I’m glad to see them loosened,” said Markkanen, R-Hancock. “None of the surrounding states had stay-at-home orders as restrictive as ours. These changes, which reflect the best practices used in other states, will help many people whose jobs can be done safely get back to work so they can pay their bills and provide for their families.”

Markkanen reiterated his call for tiered restrictions that would allow for lighter restrictions in places such as the western Upper Peninsula that have had fewer diagnoses. As of Thursday night, there were 35,291 positive cases in Michigan, and 2,977 deaths. There have been six positive cases in the five-county area, and one death.

At Friday’s press conference, state Chief Medical Executive Joneigh Khaldun was asked how much economic sectors were considered in Friday’s order versus the geographic disparity in COVID diagnoses. 

Khaldun said some rural areas without the hospital capacity of southeast Michigan were starting to see a significant rise in cases. Talk of region-specific openings are premature, she said. 

“I’ve talked to some of our hospital leaders who are very concerned that that even though they have few cases, their hospital capacity is very small, and they do have patients in the ICU right now,” she said.