Closed businesses testify to Michigan lawmakers about reopening safely

With no word on when gyms and entertainment centers will be able to open, businesses owners took to the Capitol once again to ask lawmakers to do something about it.

IN MID-AUGUST.FITNESS JUNKIES FRUSTRATED.ACROSS THE NATION--- STATES HAVEOPENED UP GYMS.... BUT INMICHIGAN... THE DOORSREMAINED CLOSED.AND WITH NO WORD ON WHEN THEYWILL BE ABLE TO OPEN--BUSINESSES OWNERSTOOK TO THE CAPITOL ONCEAGAIN... TO ASK LAWMAKERS TO DOSOMETHING ABOUT IT..

FOX 47'SCHRISTIANA FORD WAS AT THEMEETING TODAY AND HAS A RECAP.FOR A GYMNAST FOUR MONTHSOUTSIDE THE GYM---"IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT FOR SUREAND ALL I COULD THINK ABOUT WASGYMNASTICS OBVIOUSLY."THE DESPERATION TO GET BACK TOTRAINING IS LEADING TO SOPHMORESAVANNAH MIOOER TOTESTIFY IN FRONT OF STATELAWMAKERS WITH THE OWNER OF HERPRIVATE GYNASTICS CLUB."OUR MESSAGE IS THAT WE ASPRIVATE GYMNASTICS CLUBS CANOPEN SAFELY.THAT SAME MESSAGE--- COMING FROMBOWLING ALLEYS"SOME OF THE CONCERNS MIGHT BETHE TOUCH POINTS AND I'D LIKE TOUSE THE COMPARSON THAT THEBOWLING BALLS AND SHOES THAT YOUMIGHT USE IN BOWLING IS SIMILARTO A SHOPPING CART OR ABASKET AT A GROCCERY STORE WECAN CLEANSE THOSE AND DISINFECTTHEM EVEN INDOOR POOLS...."WE'VE SUBMITTED OUR ACTIONPLAN, OUR PREPAREDNESS PLAN, WEWORKED WITH A POOLSWORK GROUP FOR THE STATE OFMICHIGAN.

WE'RE GOING ABOVE ANDBEYOND WITH EVERY SAFETYMEASURE WE CAN"AND FITNESS CENTERS"OUR CEILINGS ARE GENERALLY MUCHHIGHER AND OUR HVAC SYSTEMS AREFAR SUPERIOR TO THEAVERAGE BUSINESS"THEIR COMMON FRUSTRATION--COMMUNICATION WITH THEGOVERNOR'S OFFICE."THE LACK OF COMMUNICATION, THELACK OF COLLABORATION THAT WE'REFEELING""I JUST DONT THINK THAT WE AREAPART OF THE CONVERSATION THEWAY THAT WE SHOULD BE""WE HAVEN'T HEARD WORD BACK FROMTHE AMINISTRATION.

IT WOULD BEKIND OF THEM TO AT LEASTGIVE US SOME GUIDELINES ORCOMMUNICATION"CURRENTLY THERE ARE ONLY 6 OTHERSTATES WITHOUT GYMS OPENSTATEWIDE.WITH MICHIGAN STILL STRUGGLINGTO FLATTER THE CURVE OFCORONAVIRUS THERE'S NOWORD ON WHEN THEY WILL REOPEN."WE WILL DO WHATEVER WE CAN TOGET BACK IN THE GAME"CHRISTIANA FORD, FOX 47TODAY'S MEETING WAS JUST FORLAWMAKERS TO LISTEN TO WHAT'SGOING ON.THE FINAL DECISON WILL COME FROMTHE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE --- AND SOTHAT'S WHOTHEY'LL HAVE TO CONVINCE.THE JOINT SELECT COMMITTEE ONTHE COVID-19 PANDEMIC WASCREATED TOOVERSEE THE OPERATIONS OF THEEXECUTIVE BRANCH -- AND THESTATE'