Michigan GOP relaxes ballot drop box reform. Critics say plan is still unfair
by Jonathan Oosting (Bridge Michigan) Michigan Senate Republicans on Wednesday relaxed a proposal to bar voters from using absentee ballot drop boxes on Election Day, but faced continued criticism because the revised plan would still lock the boxes three hours before polls close. Sen. Ed McBroom, R-Vulcan, defended his legislation as an attempt to speed results […]
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer links easing COVID rules to vaccines; Michigan GOP leaders balk at COVID vaccine incentives
by Robin Erb, Jonathan Oosting (Bridge Michigan) Restaurants can fill again, workers will head back to the office, and Michiganders can ditch their masks under the Michigan “Vacc to Normal” plan announced Thursday by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. But the governor is linking the loosening of emergency orders to how quickly Michigan residents are willing to […]
Shortage of paid caregivers keeps family members up at night, hoping for ‘something sustainable’
by Tracy Samilton, Michigan Radio (Bridge Michigan) Misty Evans stands in her client Ric’s living room in Midland, helping him pick out a record to play on the turntable. “Which one do you want?” she asks. Ric loves popular music from the 1950s, 60s and 70s. “Boy oh boy oh boy,” answers Ric. Music selection […]
Child tax credits are expected to start arriving in July. Here’s what to know.
by Nushrat Rahman (Bridge Michigan) Starting this summer, many American families are expected to get a financial boost in the form of direct monthly payments to support the cost of raising children. As part of the $1.9 trillion stimulus bill passed in March, Congress expanded the child tax credit so eligible families can receive $3,600 for […]
Renewing plates, licenses in Michigan can take months, despite promises
by Sergio Martínez-Beltrán (Bridge Michigan) For many, having to go to a branch of the Michigan Secretary of State’s Office is a headache. And during the pandemic, it’s only gotten worse. “Yeah, it’s … hard to get an appointment, especially online,” Teklit Okubai, 24, told Bridge Michigan as he waited outside one of Lansing’s Secretary […]
Lumber shortage a crisis for Michigan home builders and their customers
by Paula Gardner (Bridge Michigan) Builders aren’t the only ones wondering how high the skyrocketing prices for wood will go after they set new records weekly in April. “Normally, owning a lumber yard is not hip or cool,” said Doug Mans, president of Mans Lumber and Millwork, which operates four stores and a kitchen showroom […]
In Michigan, flooding from climate change reveals economic inequity
by Jane Johnston, Circle of Blue (Bridge Michigan) Access to ample water supplies could make Michigan a climate refuge. That scenario is attracting considerable attention in the Great Lakes State. But climate change also is disrupting the earth’s meteorological cycles. Which means more fierce Great Lakes region storms and more floods. The consequences are not evenly […]
Michigan offers $97 million for projects that can boost recycling in state
by Kelly House (Bridge Michigan) Michigan’s latest idea to boost the state’s abysmal recycling rate: Shark Tank for trash. State government and business leaders on Monday announced a program to bankroll ideas that would create new markets for materials that would otherwise be destined for landfills. Think “upcycled” duffle bags made from scrap fabrics, toilet […]
As Michigan COVID vaccine rates ebb, pop up clinics and casino cash appear
by Robin Erb, Mike Wilkinson (Bridge Michigan) From hospital emergency rooms to dollar stores, high schools to doctors offices, laundromats to casinos, public health authorities are getting creative in trying to get COVID-19 vaccines into more Michigan arms as vaccination efforts enter a critical and perilous stage. After months in which a frenzy for vaccines […]
Michigan Senate to update sexual harassment policy amid reckoning in Lansing
by Sergio Martínez-Beltrán (Bridge Michigan) LANSING— The Michigan Senate will update its sexual harassment policy to protect visitors and strengthen reporting protocols, following calls to change the culture in Lansing. The new policy, obtained by Bridge Michigan, is the result of recommendations made by a bipartisan task force led by Sen. Lana Theis, R-Brighton, and Sen. […]
