2020 election skeptic to head Michigan House election integrity committee
by Hayley Harding, Votebeat (Bridge Michigan) State Rep. Rachelle Smit, a former local clerk who believes the 2020 presidential election was stolen from President Donald Trump, will run the Michigan House’s committee on elections under the new GOP leadership. Smit, a Republican from Martin, was named the chair of the House’s Election Integrity Committee, as it […]
Michigan winter: No better time to jump in lakes? Why cold plunges are so hot
by Laura Herberg (Bridge Michigan) HOLLAND — The long icy pathway opened like a red carpet, beckoning about a dozen people last week to the shores of Lake Michigan at Holland State Park. They avoided the park’s iconic lighthouse, making their way instead to a snowy cove. A clump of snow, the size of a bean […]
Michigan braces for Trump tariffs on Canada, a $77B trade partner
by Lauren Gibbons (Bridge Michigan) President Donald Trump is standing by plans to impose steep tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports as early as Saturday, a move that could have major consequences for Michigan’s auto, energy and agricultural sectors and increase costs of staples like gas and groceries. As a border state whose economy is […]
Michigan asks employers to grow housing with $10M fund: ‘Build, baby, build’
by Jordyn Hermani (Bridge Michigan) Michigan will begin partnering with businesses to try to grow affordable employee housing options and chip away at the state’s ongoing housing crisis, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced Friday. During an address at the Northern Michigan Policy Conference in Traverse City, which is grappling with a housing squeeze of its own, Whitmer said the state […]
‘Uncertainty’ for Michigan health officials amid Trump messaging blackout
by Robin Erb, Bridge Michigan The temporary blackout on public communications from the nation’s top health organizations has cast a shadow of uncertainty over Michigan’s 45 health departments, network of hospitals and research universities but so far has not disrupted operations, officials tell Bridge. That’s after Dorothy A. Fink, acting secretary of the US Health and […]
Trump orders school choice, ‘patriotic’ history. What it means for Michigan
by Isabel Lohman & Ron French (Bridge Michigan) A sweeping set of executive orders from President Donald Trump could have far-reaching effects on how and where Michigan children are educated — if they’re implemented. The orders, issued Wednesday, include attempts to use federal funds to help parents pay for private schools, crack down on schools or […]
For Michiganders, goose poop a growing problem
by Clara Lincolnhol, Great Lakes Echo for Bridge Michigan LANSING – Chris Compton, the owner of a company called Goose Busters, has spent nearly 30 years addressing human-goose conflicts. Over the years, the Canada goose population has continued to grow, especially in more populated areas, he said. “We have them all over,” he said. “They’re […]
Michigan state park camping fees to increase starting Aug. 1
by Janelle D. James, Bridge Michigan Outdoor enthusiasts should prepare to spend more to camp at Michigan’s state parks. The Department of Natural Resources is raising some campsite and overnight lodging fees beginning Aug. 1. For modern and semi-modern campsites, prices will rise between $4 and $10 a night, depending on location and amenities. Modern […]
Trump reverses Biden-era drug pricing order. What it means for Michigan
by Robin Erb (Bridge Michigan) Michiganders aren’t likely to pay more at the pharmacy counter any time soon, despite President Donald Trump’s reversal Monday of his predecessor’s executive order to reduce drug prices for those covered by Medicare and Medicaid. That’s because sweeping cost-cutting provisions that were already enshrined into law through the Inflation Reduction Act […]
A million Michigan workers may lose sick leave guarantee under House plan
by Jordyn Hermani (Bridge Michigan) LANSING — More than 260,000 companies collectively employing 1.2 million Michigan workers would be exempt from a pending paid sick leave mandate under legislation set for a likely vote this week in the state House. A court-ordered law, set to take effect Feb. 21, would require all Michigan companies to provide […]
