Under Governor Gretchen Whitmer's new executive order, gyms can reopen Wednesday in Northern Michigan, but it doesn't say anything about the rest of the state.
RESTAURANTS AND BARS ARE OPEN.BARBER SHOPS AND SALONS HAVE SIXDAYS TO GO... BUT GYMS ARE INLIMBO.SO NOW... INSTEAD OF COMPETINGFOR CLIENTS -- THEY'RE WORKINGTOGETHER TOASK THE STATE FOR FINANCIALASSISTANCE -- AND PERMISSION TOOPEN.FOX 47'S KYLIE KHAN HAS THESTORY.FOR NOW, GYM DOORS ARE STAYINGLOCKED WHICH IS MAKING OWNERSANXIOUS AS OTHER BUSINESSES HAVEBEEN GIVEN THE GREEN LIGHT TOREOPEN.IT HAS BEEN FRUSTRATINGESPECIALLY SINCE WE UNDERSTANDTHE IMPORTANCE OF FITNESS INFIGHTING THE DISEASE ANDBUILDING UP YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM.UNDER GOVERNOR GRETCHENWHITMER'S NEW EXECUTIVE ORDER -GYMS CAN REOPEN WEDNESDAY INNORTHERN MICHIGAN BUT IT DOESN'TSAY ANYTHING ABOUT THE REST OFTHE STATE.WHAT WE ARE OUT HERE TO DO ISOBVIOUSLY MAKE PEOPLE BETTER ANDTO HELP GET PEOPLE STRONGAND FIT AND SO IT'S REALLY TOEVERYBODY'S BENEFIT THAT WE AREABLE TO GET BACK TOGETHER AND TOSTART MEETING SO THAT WE CANFOCUS ON THOSE THINGS AGAIN.
INTHE PAST MONTH TWO GROUPS OF GYMOWNERS HAVE FORMED.THE LEAGUE OF INDEPENDENTFITNESS FACILITIES AND TRAINERS- FOR FITT - HAS FILED ALAWSUIT AGAINST THE GOVERNOR'SEXECUTIVE ORDER TO CLOSE GYMS,BARS AND RESTAURANTS.ANOTHER GROUP CALLED THEMICHIGAN FITNESS CLUBASSOCIATION IS ALSO PUSHING TOREOPEN GYMS. MEMBERS WILL BEPART OF A WORK GROUP THURSDAYWITH THE LABOR AND ECONOMICOPPORTUNITYDEPARTMENT WHICH WILL GIVERECOMMENDATIONS TO THE GOVERNOR.FOR THE TIME BEING, SOME PLACESARE HOSTING OUTDOOR WORKOUTS.IT WAS LIKE ALMOST STARTING OVERIN SOME WAYS BECAUSE WE'REHAVING TO DEVELOP A WHOLE NEWSET OF PROCEDURES AND GETTINGEVERYTHING SET UP.
IT WAS A BIGTASK BUT OBVIOUSLYWE'RE GOING TO BE WILLING TO DOANYTHING THAT WE CAN.
CRUNCHFITNESS IS HOLDING WORKOUTCLASSES IN FRONT OF THE CAPITOLSATURDAY AT NINE A-M WITHTHE GOAL OF SENDING A MESSAGE.THE WHOLE POINT OF US GOING OUTTHERE IS TO SHOW THE GOVERNORAND THE STATE THE PEOPLE DO WANTTO GET BACK INTO FITNESS AND WECAN DO SO IN A SAFE MANNER.OWNERS SAY MEMBER OR NOT ANYONEIS WELCOME TO JOIN THAT WORKOUTAT THE CAPITOL ON SATURDAYMORNING.THE "MICHIGAN FITNESSASSOCIATION" IS ASKING FOR HELPCOVERING RENT FOR GYMS THATWERE FORCED TO CLOSE.THE GOVERNOR HASN'T SAID WHENTHEY'LL BE ABLE TO OPE
Stephanie Stahl reports.