Michigan lawmakers pass $84B budget, 67 bills in marathon session
by Simon D. Schuster, Bridge Michigan LANSING — After working for nearly 24 straight hours, Michigan lawmakers on Friday morning passed a compromise budget to fund the state government and schools for the next fiscal year. The Legislature began session Thursday and worked through the night, giving final approval to more than 60 policy bills […]
Medicare rolls out $50 GLP-1 drugs. ‘Pandemonium’ ahead for Michigan doctors?
by Robin Erb, Bridge Michigan Some Medicare beneficiaries will be able to get weight loss drugs at just $50 a month starting Wednesday — a big win if compared to sticker prices of $1,000 or more without insurance. But eligibility is limited, meaning some patients who need the drugs — diabetics or those with severe […]
Mallory McMorrow ends Senate campaign, narrowing Michigan Democratic primary
by Lauren Gibbons, Bridge Michigan State Sen. Mallory McMorrow has suspended her campaign for US Senate, leaving Haley Stevens and Abdul El-Sayed to compete for the Democratic nomination. In a video posted to social media Sunday afternoon, the two-term state lawmaker stopped short of endorsing either of the other candidates for the Democratic nomination but […]
Ever tried Claude.AI? Meet the Michigander who inspired its name
by Blace Carpenter, Bridge Michigan In 1948, mathematician and Gaylord native Claude Shannon theorized that information could be transmitted using ones and zeros. The small-town northern Michigander’s research helped develop the internet, wireless phones and artificial intelligence. According to the New York Times, Anthropic’s AI model Claude is an homage to him. Known as the […]
U-M shrinks pay for Dearborn, Flint chancellors as it doubles it in Ann Arbor
by Kim Kozlowski, Bridge Michigan The University of Michigan has doubled the pay of its presidents in recent years, but reversed the trend at its regional campuses. While U-M ‘s presidential base salaries have increased from $927,000 under Mark Schlissel in 2021 to $2 million awarded this year to a candidate who later stepped aside, […]
Dam safety reforms, millions for repairs advance in Michigan Legislature
by Kelly House, Bridge Michigan Both Michigan legislative chambers have voted to overhaul dam safety laws and funnel millions of dollars toward fixing decrepit dams, marking bipartisan progress on reforms first pitched after the 2020 Midland dam failures. The votes came amid a flurry of activity late Thursday and early Friday as lawmakers worked through […]
‘The outlook is pretty bleak’: Farmers brace for difficult season
By JULIA ROEDER, Capital News Service LANSING — When Brian Neff retired from the Air Force, he had his eyes on a farm on the outskirts of Traverse City. The land was once operated by his wife’s grandparents before it was leased out for years after her grandparents stopped tending to it. In 2021, the […]
In their words: How Michigan governor candidates would build the state economy
by Simon D. Schuster, Bridge Michigan The cost of living, from housing to gasoline, is primed to be a pivotal election issue this fall. And Michigan’s gubernatorial candidates have sweeping but strikingly different plans for how to address it. More than 1 in 4 respondents to Bridge’s election-year reader survey said the economy is their […]
Don’t spit! Michigan’s strangest local laws trace back to bygone eras
by Janelle D. James, Bridge Michigan Look down as you walk through the city of Marquette and you may see an unusual entreaty: DO NOT SPIT ON THE SIDEWALK. Dig into the city code and you’ll find a related crime: “No person shall spit on any sidewalk or on the floor or seat of any […]
As health care costs rise, could Michigan offer its own insurance?
by Robin Erb, Bridge Michigan Thousands of Michiganders could save big if the state were to create its own online health-insurance marketplace, rather than having residents enroll in the federally run healthcare.gov, according to several Senate Democrats. And there’s more savings down the road, said Sen. Kevin Hertel, D-St. Clair Shores, sponsor of a package […]
