Amid Michigan rise in violent crime, little appetite for defunding police
by Ted Roelofs, Jonathan Oosting (Bridge Michigan) Just over a year after demands to defund the police, departments across Michigan are up against a different reality: A spike in violent crime amid a rising shortage of officers. The combination has fueled efforts to increase police budgets and thrust public safety into the political arena, as […]
Michigan’s soggy summer evidence of a global climate reckoning
By Kelly House (Bridge Michigan) DEARBORN—Mohammad Al Hajmoussa thought he was done with natural disasters when he fled Louisiana after Hurricane Rita to resettle on Dearborn’s south end. “But I ran away from the hurricanes and ended up here,” he said, standing in a gutted basement that smelled faintly of mildew. Al Hajmoussa’s home was […]
Michigan recommends masks for businesses, as fears rise of fourth COVID wave
By Sergio Martínez-Beltrán, Robin Erb, Paula Gardner (Bridge Michigan) LANSING— As the Delta variant increases COVID cases in Michigan, the state is “strongly” encouraging employers to require masks for employees and visitors. The Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) announced its suggestion Thursday, based on the latest recommendation of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which establishes […]
Michigan’s redistricting commission first task: Draw state senate districts
By Sergio Martínez-Beltrán (Bridge Michigan) LANSING— Michigan’s independent redistricting commission this week should have enough data to start drawing preliminary political boundaries. Job 1: The state’s Senate 38 districts. The U.S. Census Bureau announced last week it will release detailed decennial population tallies Thursday, as well as demographic information that includes ages, race and ethnicity. […]
Michigan schools must teach in-person, get waiver, or lose funding
By Jonathan Oosting, Robin Erb (Bridge Michigan) LANSING—Michigan public schools are expected to offer a full week of in-class instruction this fall. And districts that close classrooms could lose crucial state funding unless they obtain a special waiver — which may be hard to secure. Gone from the state’s budget for the upcoming school year […]
Michigan in line for billions from infrastructure bill. Here’s where it would go
By Sergio Martínez-Beltrán (Bridge Michigan) LANSING— If President Joe Biden’s $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill becomes law, Michigan will have billions of dollars to fix its decayed bridges and roads, and improve access to broadband. The proposal, which was approved by the U.S. Senate this week but has yet to pass the U.S. House, has drawn […]
Michigan has dramatically lowered the rate of inmates returning to prison
By Ted Roelofs (Bridge Michigan) IONIA—Taking a break from his automotive technology class in this Michigan prison town, Kevin Fabus looked ahead to a day etched into his brain: Jan. 2, 2023. His parole date. He saw nothing but hope. “I’m not going to stop until I have a job when I get out,” he […]
Smoke from wildfires making Michigan’s sunsets even more vibrant
By Makayla Coffee (Bridge Michigan) No doubt, Michigan’s summer sunrises and sunsets are something to behold. And if they’ve been particularly vibrant lately, you can thank — or blame — Canada and the west coast. That’s because wildfires thousands of miles away are making for hazy weather, obscuring clouds and turning typically yellow sunsets into panoramas of […]
Gov. Whitmer urges Michigan schools to mask up, stops short of mandate
By Ron French, Robin Erb (Bridge Michigan) With COVID-19 cases climbing and the return to classes less than a month away, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued guidance Wednesday urging — but not mandating — Michigan schools require masks for students and staff. The new guidance follows U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations that everyone […]
Michigan animal shelter blames economy for rising dog surrenders
By Makayla Coffee (Bridge Michigan) Loud barks and rustling cages erupt as a visitor enters the Shiawassee Humane Society The mid-Michigan animal shelter in Owosso is rapidly filling, its kennels teetering on the edge of its capacity with dogs ready for adoption — in many cases, after owners had to give them up because they couldn’t […]
