LANSING, MI— Tens of thousands of customers remain without electricity in the northern Lower Peninsula and parts of the U.P. because of the weekend’s ice storm.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer on Monday declared a state of emergency for the counties of Alpena, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Crawford, Emmet, Mackinac, Montmorency, Oscoda, Otsego and Presque Isle to help with response and recovery efforts. She added Alcona and Antrim counties to the list on Tuesday. Whitmer has deployed the Michigan National Guard to help clear roadways and debris.
The governor has postponed a speech she was due to give in Washington Thursday called “Build, America, Build.” Whitmer says she wants to stay in Michigan and coordinate the state’s emergency response efforts.
The Department of Natural Resources has closed 19 state parks and facilities in the affected areas because of downed trees and power lines.
