Detroit Free Press from Detroit, Michigan • A1

Volume 190 No. 226 $2.50 Home delivery pricing inside Subscribe: 800-395-3300 Classified: 586-977-7500; 800-926-8237 A 1 8 9 A WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2020 FREEP.COM PART OF THE USA TODAY NETWORK Seidel: Spielman brings heart and soul to Lions SPORTS, 1B WEAHII-11000v Weather High Low Snow. Forecast, 2A Inside Free Press Obituaries Puzzles For nearly 80 years, Beltone has been the leader in personalized care and award-winning technology, featuring amazing sound quality. Beltone is the best value in the industry. Metro Detroit Downriver Flint Area Adrian HURRY! Call now to schedule your FREE appointment! one hearing aid.

Gift card value $10.00, valid at your nearest Kroger or Walmart location. See store for details. Beltone 2020 248-963-0125 586-981-0951 LIMITED TIME OFFERINVENTORY REDUCTION SALE Starting at FREE HEARING SCREENING ($150 value) EXPIRATION DATE FREE IN-OFFICE TRIAL Newest Technology EXPIRATION DATE Receive a FREE PIE Upon completion of your FREE Hearing CALL US DIRECTLY TO MAXIMIZE YOUR MEDICARE BENEFIT! DF-GCI0542420-05 Infection totals Michigan: 10,935 deaths, 442,715 cases U.S.: 303,453 deaths, 16,710,514 cases World: 1,633,180 deaths, 73,406,636 cases (As of 9 p.m. Tuesday) Sources: Johns Hopkins University and state of Michigan The employees at Beaumont Health Care received the much-anticipated CO- VID-19 vaccine Tuesday after months of bat- tling a merciless virus that at one point killed more people on their watch than in any other hospital system in Michigan: more than 450 deaths in one month alone 15 people a day. those dark days that had many over- come with emotion at a Beaumont center in where more than two dozen em- ployees lined up at 2 p.m.

to take their turn at the needle, welcoming the shot that they hope will help end the pandemic that has killed nearly 300,000 Americans, and restore some normalcy to upended lives. feels like a relief, a signaling to the end of this long Dr. Nick Gilpin, Beau- director of infection prevention and epidemiology, said moments after getting the COVID-19 vaccine. Gilpin was the at Beaumont to get the shot, a thumbs up and smiling as the nurse applied the Band-Aid. to it, just like every other shot said Gilpin, who urges all Americans to get the vaccine when it becomes more readily available.

lost a lot of he said. lost a lot of people who, in my opinion, did not have to die. And been really hard and hum- COVID-19 vaccine bolsters Beaumont Beaumont Health nurse Susan Grant administers a dose of the vaccine to respiratory therapist Tamara Allen on Tuesday. RYAN FREE PRESSSee BEAUMONT, Page 6A Doctor says front-liners see at the end of the Tresa Baldas and Georgea Kovanis Detroit Free Press USA TODAY NETWORK President-elect Joe Biden has selected for- mer Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm to be his energy secretary.

The Washington-based news website Poli- tico was among the to report the story, which then appeared to be in a news release from U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Dearborn, who is a close friend of both Bi- and Granholm is the right choice to lead the Depart- ment of Energy under the Bi- den Dingell said in the release, citing the former relation- ships with automakers and ex- perience in clean energy tech- nology. understands how energy and environmental policies can be used to support working families, and she knows how to craft solutions to the most pressing issues we face today. This appoint- ment is good news for Michigan and good news for our A request for comment to transi- tion team was not immediately returned to the Free Press on Tuesday evening.

The news came the same day that Biden selected for- mer South Bend, Mayor Pete Buttigieg to be his transportation secretary. Granholm served as governor from 2003 to 2011 and has often been men- tioned as a possible Cabinet member in the past. Since leaving she has been a com- mentator for CNN, taught at the University of California Berkeley law school and served as co-chair of Priorities USA Action, a Super PAC that supported Hillary 2016 run for Biden picks Granholm for energy secretary Granholm Former Michigan governor has deep clean-energy chops Todd Spangler Detroit Free Press USA TODAY NETWORK See GRANHOLM, Page 6A ome sale prices are rising fast in some city of Detroit neigh- borhoods and making it easier for ordinary buyers to get a mortgage and not rely on all-cash deals or risky land con- tracts. Real estate agents say that mortgage availability has improved from just a few years ago, when obtaining purchase loans for houses not in the most desirable neighborhoods was tough for even buyers, largely because of depressed home values and low appraisals. Mortgage lenders are DETROIT LOANS EASIER TO COME BY William Marquez and Mahja Zeon smile with their 2-year-old daughter, Nyla, in the backyard of their home in the Boston-Edison Historic District.

ANTRANIK DOOR OPENS TO HOMEBUYERS Rising prices put mortgage lenders more at ease JC Reindl Detroit Free Press USA TODAY NETWORK See MORTGAGES, Page 7A WASHINGTON Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, recognized former Vice President Joe Biden as the president- elect for the time Tuesday, one day after the Democratic ticket sealed an Electoral Col- lege victory. Electoral College has McConnell said during a speech on the Sen- ate in which he also praised President Donald accomplishments. McCon- nell said he wanted to Presi- dent-elect Joe and Vice President- elect Kamala Harris. President-elect is no stranger to the Senate. He has devoted himself to public ser- vice for many McConnell said of Bi- den.

Also, just hours after the Electoral College elected Biden, Russian leader Vladimir Putin on Tuesday acknowledged victory, saying he the president-elect every and was for interaction and Putin was one of the last world leaders who McConnell, Putin accept Biden win Silence broken after Electoral College action Nicholas Wu and Kim Hjelmgaard USA TODAY Electoral College has Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said as he recognized Joe Biden as president-elect. NICHOLAS VIA GETTY IMAGES See BIDEN, Page 6A Top recruit promise, late wish SPORTS, 1B.