Sara Swanson

Michigan teachers tackle Wednesday’s insurrection: ‘I don’t want my students to be alone’

by Lori Higgins, Chalkbeat Detroit, Eleanore Catolico, Chalkbeat Detroit (Bridge Michigan) Owen Bondono’s language arts classes were supposed to focus on text structures Thursday, but there was no way the Oak Park teacher was going to ignore the insurrection that took place in the nation’s capital the day before. “I think about me at age […]

 Sara Swanson

Michigan Republicans who pushed false fraud claims: Don’t blame us for riots

by Madeline Halpert, Kelly House (Bridge Michigan) Michigan Republicans who spent months pushing false claims of voter fraud condemned violence that erupted Wednesday at the U.S. Capitol, but denied their actions influenced rioters who supported President Donald Trump. “Are we not allowed to look into election concerns?” said Sen. Tom Barrett, R-Potterville, one of 11 […]

 Sara Swanson

Michigan officials faced violent threats well before U.S. Capitol siege

by Madeline Halpert (Bridge Michigan) After pro-Trump rioters stormed Washington’s Capitol to disrupt an Electoral College vote count, several public officials and security experts in Michigan said they aren’t surprised by the mayhem. Wednesday’s siege at the Capitol followed weeks of post-election threats to public officials in Michigan and other battleground states that left many […]

 Sara Swanson

Thousands of Michigan health workers are turning down COVID vaccines

by Robin Erb, Mike Wilkinson (Bridge Michigan) Thousands of health care workers across Michigan who would be first in line for a coronavirus vaccine are declining to take it, potentially slowing efforts to curb a pandemic that has killed over 352,000 nationally and more than 12,600 in Michigan. In Wayne County, just over half of […]

 Sara Swanson

Gov. Whitmer urges Michigan schools to offer in-class learning by March 1

by Ron French (Bridge Michigan) Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Friday urged Michigan schools to offer all K-12 students an option of returning to classrooms by March 1. The guidance was not an order — local school districts will continue to be allowed to make their own decisions about what is best for their communities — […]

 Sara Swanson

After chaos, democracy affirmed, as challenges to Michigan, other states fail

by Jonathan Oosting, Madeline Halpert (Bridge Michigan) President Donald Trump’s desperate campaign to overturn the Michigan election failed again late Wednesday in Congress, where Senate Republicans refused to join a House objection to the state’s Electoral College count. Shortly before midnight, after the Capitol was secured following violent riots, more than 70 House Republicans formally […]

 Sara Swanson

Michigan’s $3.5B road plan on track despite pandemic, state official says

by Jonathan Oosting (Bridge Michigan) LANSING — The coronavirus may leave Michigan with less tax revenue to fix local roads, but it isn’t slowing down Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s $3.5 billion bond plan to rebuild state highways and bridges, according to Department of Transportation Director Paul Ajeba. Traffic volumes plummeted precipitously in the early days of […]

 Sara Swanson

St. Joes Chelesa begins COVID-19 vaccinations

St. Joseph Mercy Chelsea has received and administered its first shipment of the FDA-approved Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. The hospital received 1,700 doses, joining six other Trinity Health Michigan hospitals that have begun administering COVID-19 vaccines to front line workers. The vaccines are being administered on a voluntary basis to health care personnel who meet the […]

 Sara Swanson

January 2021 Gardening Advice

submitted by Jennifer Fairfield, Garden Mill and Manchester Community & School Gardens I am very optimistic about the upcoming gardening season. Why? Because I’m a gardener, which is the very definition of optimism! I’m always optimistic about the new season. I spend hours dreaming about what new plants I am going to grow, how I […]

 Sara Swanson

Photo: Snowy start to 2021