Governor Gretchen Whitmer visited Marquette on Wednesday, making a stop at the Jacobetti
Home for Veterans to announce funding for a new veterans home in the city.
Whitmer made her remarks at the current veterans home, although she kept her distance due to being “on the tenth day of COVID”.
“Now we don’t know exactly where it’s going to go yet. That work is being done right now,” Whitmer said. “But the new home will replace the Jacobetti building, and we’re going to replace it with a modern complex with a neighborhood design to make it feel and look more like a home in a community. It’ll match the design of the homes both in Grand Rapids and in Macomb County. And it will house 100 or so veterans, offering each their own bedroom and bathroom.”
There are no plans in place yet regarding the current site once the new facility is
complete. The location for the new facility has also yet to be determined.
State Senator Ed McBroom (R-Norway) says the hard work of our U.P. representatives made sure the funding was secured. McBroom says it’s a vital investment for our local communities.
“It wasn’t in the governor’s originally-proposed budget,” McBroom said. “I’m very grateful to my U.P. team, and to one of my Detroit colleagues, (State Senator) Adam Hollier in getting this done. It wouldn’t have happened without the legislative team from the U.P. stepping up and forcing the administration and our colleagues to know this was here.”
Later on Wednesday, the governor hosted a roundtable discussion with Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Director Gary McDowell, Office of Rural Development Deputy Director Sarah Lucas, community leaders, and elected officials to discuss the strategic needs of rural Michigan, including economic and workforce development, infrastructure, public health, and environmental sustainability. The CEO of InvestUP, Marty Fittante, was also on hand at the event.
Whitmer will attend the Upper Peninsula State Fair in Escanaba on Thursday, including the U.P. Veteran of the Year ceremony at 11 a.m. She will deliver her annual speech at the Chamber of Commerce luncheon at the activities tent at noon. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel will also be on hand.
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