Michigan medical debts, anger soar as hospitals spend billions on expansions
by Robin Erb, Bridge Michigan NEWPORT— A thin white scar runs from just below Debbie Watson’s throat to under her shirt, a reminder of the open heart surgery at 54. The pink at her throat is damaged tissue from her months in a coma when she was 49. Her thumb and forefinger — gone. Amputated […]
Michigan created a buck-centric culture regulators now want to change
by Laura Herberg, Bridge Michigan Elliot Hubbard and his wife own a small hobby farm in Michigan’s Thumb region where Hubbard said “it’s not uncommon to see 30 to 40 does in our fields and a handful of bucks.” The Michigan Department of Natural Resources doesn’t know the ratio of does to bucks in the […]
Michigan Supremes weigh fate of nine blocked bills
by Simon D. Schuster, Bridge Michigan LANSING — Nearly 18 months later, the Michigan Supreme Court is set to decide whether nine bills passed by the Legislature but not immediately sent to the governor’s desk should become law. The nine measures would place corrections officers in the state police pension system, require governments to pay […]
Michigan drug deaths drop; $154M more in opioid-fighting funds on way
by Robin Erb, Bridge Michigan Michigan’s drug deaths are falling to the lowest in more than a decade, according to new federal and state data. The state is finalizing data but — if trends hold — the state will have logged fewer than 1,700 deaths in 2025, down from 1,938 the year before. That’s the […]
Appeals court issues split ruling in Michigan solar permitting suit
by Kelly House, Bridge Michigan A state appeals panel on Thursday upheld the bulk of Michigan’s regulations limiting local control over renewable energy projects, while rejecting narrow aspects that critics had decried as regulatory overreach. The three-judge Michigan Court of Appeals panel ruled that state regulators followed proper legal processes when they set rules to […]
Michigan revives EV charger expansion after fed funding reversal
by Isabella Figueroa Nogueira, Bridge Michigan Michigan’s push to build a statewide electric vehicle charging network is moving forward again after a federal judge forced the Trump administration to release tens of millions in funding it had held back for more than a year. Officials with the Michigan Department of Transportation say they plan to […]
Psychedelics move into the spotlight. What to know in Michigan
by Robin Erb, Bridge Michigan Psychedelic drugs may be having a moment in Michigan and nationwide. In April, President Donald Trump signed an executive order making them available to treat mental health conditions including depression and anxiety. And in Michigan, the Democratic Party recently nominated Washtenaw County Prosecutor Eli Savit for state attorney general. In […]
Michigan farms ‘losing money on every acre’ as war spikes costs
by Ron French, Bridge Michigan MONROE — On a windy April morning, John Delmotte’s eyes focus on a conveyer belt loading corn into an open-top semi-trailer while his mind does math. When full, the trailer will hold 1,000 bushels of corn from Delmotte’s harvest last fall. At the grain elevator in Toledo, he can get about […]
Supreme Court ruling may change Michigan redistricting for years to come
by Hayley Harding, Votebeat A U.S. Supreme Court decision in a major redistricting case Wednesday reshaped the Voting Rights Act, raising the bar for when race can be considered in drawing voting districts. That change is likely to ripple into Michigan’s next redistricting cycle — and could even shape elections before that. At its core, […]
They sought help for son with mental illness. He ended up in jail
by Lauren Gibbons, Bridge Michigan GRAND HAVEN — With their son in the throes of a mental health crisis last November, Bill and Faith Piersing did what they’d been told to do countless times before: They dialed 911. The couple were hoping for a helping hand to deescalate the situation and transport him to a […]
