LANSING — State residents can't travel to their Up North cottages, but Illinois residents who own one in Michigan apparently can.

In-store purchases of Michigan Lottery tickets are still permitted, but buying a can of paint or a bag of seeds is off limits.

Though many Michigan residents applaud Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's extended and expanded "stay home" order, handed down Thursday, plenty of them are questioning the inconsistencies and others are outright opposed to the new travel restrictions.

At least two Capitol protests were announced and Republican lawmakers stepped up their warnings Friday about the impact on Michigan's economy, which has tanked amid the coronvirus pandemic and measures enacted to control the spread of the virus.

Beginning Saturday morning, previously permitted travel between two Michigan residences will end, including jumping in the car to visit a friend, or even walking across the street to watch TV with a neighbor. Exceptions include purposes such as caring for a relative, an elderly friend or a pet, visiting a nursing home or similar facility, attending a funeral with no more than 10 people, or complying with a court order related to child custody.

"I don't think that's right," said Hal Hughes, 88, a retired manufactured home salesman in Plymouth. "You should be able to visit who you want to visit."

More:New Whitmer order bans 'travel between residences,' with a few exceptions

More:Whitmer extends Michigan's stay home order until May 1

Hughes said he can't understand how the state has imposed still more restrictions on the movement of people and the sale of nonessential goods, without shutting down in-store lottery sales.

"You can't go visit your friends. You can't buy seeds ... but you can sneak out and buy lottery tickets," Hughes said. "I don't understand it, unless it's hypocritical greed."

The state is encouraging Michiganders to buy their lottery tickets online and has cautioned merchants about letting people congregate around lottery terminals in violation of social distancing guidelines, but in-store sales continue. Lottery proceeds largely support K-12 education.

Though the new order prohibits trips from a Michigan residence to a Michigan cottage, travel between states is still permitted, and by the words of the order, only "individuals currently living within the State of Michigan," but not residents living in other states, are subject to the order. That would suggest that residents of other states who own cottages Up North can continue to visit, unless banned by a "stay home" order in their own state.

But Ron Miakinin, a retired dentist in Rochester Hills, said the expanded order is appropriate, much of what it requires is "common sense," and it is impossible to micromanage the pandemic by having a specific rule for every scenario.

"I was kind of shocked people were actually allowed to visit between residences" previously, Miakinin said.

"I think the harder you hit this thing, the easier it's going to be to get things changed."

Still, others say a better balance must be found between protecting health and protecting the economy.

Bob Wilke of Franklin, managing director of an aircraft consulting firm, said he is thankful Whitmer extended the stay home order until May 1 but was not happy she had asked the Legislature to extend Michigan's broader emergency declaration by a much longer period — 70 days. Doing so, which the Legislature rejected, would have been too damaging to the economy, he said.

"Ms. Whitmer seems obsessed with power and gaining a position on the national stage and as a Democrat," Wilke said. "Those objectives aren’t in the best interest of our state or the people she had sworn to serve."

At least two Capitol protests are planned. One is at noon Wednesday, a car-based demonstration organized by the Michigan Conservative Coalition. Another is at 9 a.m. on April 30, planned by the Facebook group Michigan United for Liberty.

Violations of the order can bring a civil fine of up to $1,000 and also could be treated as a criminal misdemeanor, but many questioned how practical it is to enforce the expanded travel restrictions.

House Speaker Lee Chatfield, R-Levering, appearing on the Dave Akerly Show on WILS-AM Friday, said the focus should shift away from the types of businesses deemed essential or nonessential to "what can be done safely and what is unsafe."

Chatfield questioned how it could be safe for an 85-year-old woman to cut her own lawn, but unsafe for her to hire a 22-year-old to perform the same chore.

He said he also could favor a regional approach, under which more activity is permitted in parts of the state less hard-hit by the virus.

Sen. Dale Zorn, R-Ida, said he is opposed to the ban on family gatherings, especially right before Easter.

“I am shocked and deeply disturbed about the severe restrictions on people’s freedoms and lives included in the governor’s extended stay-at-home order, even on those in communities with little or no cases of COVID-19," Zorn said in a Friday news release.

“Michigan families have done a great job adjusting to life during this extraordinary time, and they deserve to be able to return to their normal lives safely and with proper precautions."

Contact Paul Egan: 517-372-8660 or pegan@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @paulegan4. Read more on Michigan politics and sign up for our elections newsletter.