Salt level rising in Michigan groundwaters, endangering crops, homes
by Alex Walters, Capital News Service (Bridge Michigan) A worrisome environmental issue is bubbling up from deep below Michigan’s ground with little public awareness, experts say. The salinity of the state’s groundwater is on the rise, raising concerns about killed crops and corroded pipes. The problem is increasingly severe and requires action, but Michigan residents […]
Squatters' rights in Michigan: What homeowners should know
by Janelle D. James (Bridge Michigan) Lawmakers across the country are cracking down on squatting, or people living in unoccupied properties without permission. Michigan has had a law on the books for 10 years that makes squatting a crime, but homeowners can't physically remove unwanted occupants from their property. State Rep. Ken Borton, R-Gaylord, proposed a bill this month […]
As opioid funds flood Michigan, tensions rise over how best to reverse ODs
by Robin Erb (Bridge Michigan) As the street-drug supply in Michigan grows more potent, a proposed state law could open access to treatments that some argue are more powerful than traditional Narcan in saving lives. But others say such naloxone — the drug known by the brand name option, Narcan, and available to the public […]
Democrats retake Michigan House with special election wins
by Jordyn Hermani (Bridge Michigan) LANSING — Democrats are back in control of the Michigan House – and the full state government – for the rest of the year after their candidates in two special elections won big Tuesday night. The contests put an end to a months-long partisan stalemate with Republicans in the lower chamber after […]
New push to reform Michigan corporate subsidies, this time from Republicans
by Paula Gardner (Bridge Michigan) New proposals from Michigan Republicans take aim at the state’s once-acclaimed $2 billion incentive program and the agency that oversees it. Republicans this week said they plan to introduce legislation this spring to increase oversight of the Strategic Outreach and Attraction Reserve (SOAR) fund, along with adding performance-based funding for the Michigan Economic Development […]
Michigan’s morel mushroom season: Where to find them and how to identify them
by Janelle D. James (Bridge Michigan) People in Michigan should soon be able to collect prized morel mushrooms as foraging season begins. Morels, known for their distinctive pitted, honeycomb-like caps, begin to appear in late spring through the beginning of summer. Morel mushroom foraging season lasts long, beginning in mid-April and continuing through mid-June. Hunters in southern […]
EPA sets first limits on PFAS in drinking water, drawing praise in Michigan
by Janelle D. James (Bridge Michigan) The Environmental Protection Agency set the first-ever national standards limiting PFAS contaminants in drinking water on Wednesday. The move drew immediate praise from officials in Michigan, which was one of the first states to regulate the compounds. The federal agency proposed standards over a year ago that would require […]
Michigan schools hired 874 mental health staffers — under program set to end
by Isabel Lohman (Bridge Michigan) Distance learning. Disrupted routines. Death of loved ones. Such were the realities for students in 2021 when Michigan lawmakers approved a $240 million program to help schools hire more counselors, social workers, psychologists and nurses in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. New data obtained by Bridge Michigan shows schools across the state […]
New study: Great Lakes beaches are littered with plastic trash
by Kelly House (Bridge Michigan) In news unlikely to surprise Great Lakes beachgoers, plastic litter is a large and growing problem in the lakes. A new report from the Alliance for the Great Lakes adds a new data point to the growing body of evidence that America’s plastic addiction and waste-disposal habits are polluting our land […]
Whitmer under fire for ‘intentional attack’ on Michigan government watchdog
by Jordyn Hermani (Bridge Michigan) LANSING — A government watchdog responsible for auditing state departments and programs is staring down a potential $8.3 million cut, and the head of that agency has one question: Why? Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s office is not saying why her budget proposes to slash funding to Auditor General Doug Ringler’s office, […]
