Invasive mussels now control key Great Lakes nutrients, threatening fish
by Kelly House (Bridge Michigan) The stunning beauty of Lake Michigan’s crystal clear water draws comparisons to the French Riviera. But to Dustin Van Orman, it’s a hideous sight. Van Orman, whose family owns Mackinaw City’s Big Stone Bay Fishery, knows that the clearer the water gets, the scarcer whitefish and chubs become. It’s a […]
Michigan wanted to end gerrymandering. Census delays make it ‘really messy’
by Madeline Halpert (Bridge Michigan) A delay in the release of crucial U.S. Census population data is jeopardizing the timeline of Michigan’s first independent redistricting commission and sowing ‘chaos’ for potential candidates in the 2022 election. On Friday, the Census Bureau announced it is pushing back the release of data needed to draw Michigan’s new […]
Frustrations mount as COVID vaccine more available in some parts of Michigan
By Mike Wilkinson (Bridge Magazine) Donna Cugini is a persistent Michigan vaccine warrior, checking online every day in search of a shot in the arm. But Cugini, 82, has had no luck — not with her doctor, her local health department nor with area pharmacies in the western Upper Peninsula where she lives. And then, […]
Tensions mount as 3 Michigan school districts hesitate to open classrooms
by Ron French, Mike Wilkinson (Bridge Michigan) It was an email Monday evening from the Ann Arbor Public Schools superintendent that finally broke Nicholas Bagley. The email, from Superintendent Jeanice Kerr Swift, informed families that Tuesday would be a snow day. “We will call #virtual snow day tomorrow,” Swift wrote. “Take a break (from) the […]
COVID brings Michigan a hunting boom. What that means for conservation.
By Anna Barr (Bridge Magazine) Claire Selby is probably not who you picture when you think of a Michigan hunter. She’s 20 years old. She’s a senior majoring in psychology at Northern Michigan University. She hopes to go into nature therapy and trauma healing as a career. A lot of her friends are vegan. Yet […]
Michigan advocates for vaccine equity, but it’s unclear whether it’s delivering
By Olivia Lewis (BridgeDetroit) *Data included in this story is from Tuesday, Feb. 9. The City of Detroit and State of Michigan continuously make changes to their coronavirus vaccine dashboards* The City of Detroit has vaccinated more than 36,000 residents from coronavirus in one month. According to City officials, of the vaccination recipients who chose […]
A day after apology, Mike Shirkey doubles down on claims D.C. riot ‘staged’
By Jonathan Oosting (Bridge Magazine) LANSING — A day after apologizing for crude and conspiratorial comments caught on a hidden camera video, Michigan Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey was caught on a live microphone Wednesday morning defending his original sentiment. “I frankly don’t take back any of the points I was trying to make,” Shirkey, R-Clarklake, said […]
Michigan redistricting panel on track, despite census delays, director says
By Madeline Halpert (Bridge Magazine) Michigan’s independent redistricting commission is facing some challenges in its first year because of the pandemic and census delays, but its newly elected director says it will finish the job on time. In January, the U.S Census Bureau pushed back the release of data that states use to draw district […]
Whitmer’s budget would give more Michigan families state-funded child care
By Ron French (Bridge Magazine) Another 150,000 Michigan families would be eligible for free or reduced-price child care under a $67 billion state budget proposed Thursday by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. The Democratic governor wants to use $370 million in state and federal funds to increase the income limit for families to be eligible for state […]
Michigan can’t fill mental health jobs amid COVID. These ideas could help.
By Ted Roelofs (Bridge Magazine) In metro Detroit, mental health administrator Susan Kozak said she sometimes lies awake at night over the jobs her agency just can’t fill. Adult case manager. Child case manager. Child therapist. Substance abuse clinician. Nurse practitioner. Peer support specialist. The agency she runs, Community Care Services — which provides outpatient […]
