Michigan schools cheered when sports came back. Then came COVID outbreaks.
by Ron French (Bridge Michigan) The most stressful game of Matt Seidl’s career as a high school basketball coach was spent on his couch. The 2020-21 season had been delayed for months because of state coronavirus restrictions. Then on Feb. 9, the Olivet Eagles finally played their first game, one day after those restrictions were […]
Michigan Capitol rife with sexism, Gov. Whitmer says. And that’s ‘depressing’
by Paula Gardner, Jonathan Oosting (Bridge Michigan) Gov. Gretchen Whitmer says Lansing has a long-standing culture of misogyny and power imbalances which hasn’t changed as more women come to office. “It’s really depressing, honestly,” Whitmer told Bridge Michigan on Monday. “This culture hasn’t changed. This isn’t new. “What is new is that there’s a bold […]
Amid high teacher turnover in MI, audit finds failings in teacher support systems
This article was originally published by Chalkbeat, a nonprofit news organization covering public education. by Koby Levin, Chalkbeat (via Bridge Michigan) Key policies designed to support Michigan teachers aren’t being adequately enforced, according to a recent by the state’s Office of the Auditor General. Districts spotlighted in the audit couldn’t prove that new teachers had […]
Over 45,000 residents signed up to join the Flint water crisis settlement
by Sergio Martínez-Beltrán (Bridge Michigan) Over 45,000 Flint residents have signed up to receive part of the money in what may be the largest settlement in Michigan’s history. Last Monday was the last day for those exposed to the city’s lead-tainted waters to register to receive some financial relief. The amount — $641.25 million — […]
Report: Lake Michigan is ‘running a fever.’ More storms, less fish possible.
by Kelly House (Bridge) Diminished surface ice is just the beginning: Climate change is warming Lake Michigan and other big lakes all the way down to their chilly depths, according to new federal research. In a first-of-its kind study, scientists with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory have used the […]
Report: 38 percent of Michigan households don’t earn enough for basic needs
by Paula Gardner (Bridge Michigan) Even before the coronavirus struck last year, Michigan faced headwinds in bringing better-paying jobs to the state. The industry promising the most new jobs in the years ahead in Michigan will be fast food: about 24,000 of them are expected every year through 2028. And few fields pay less. About […]
Teacher retirements soar in Michigan schools amid COVID pandemic
by Ron French (Bridge) In the span of a few weeks last fall, Alaiedon Elementary in Mason Public Schools lost two of its three first-grade teachers. First to resign was Jackie Lyons, who came from a family of teachers and loved being around kids. She left in mid-October. A colleague turned in paperwork to leave her […]
Michigan warns of PFAS contamination in Lake Superior smelt
by Kelly House (Bridge Michigan) Bad news for Michigan anglers who plan to net and fry a mess of fish during Lake Superior’s spring rainbow smelt run: The fish could be contaminated with PFAS. On Wednesday, Michigan regulators urged residents to limit consumption of smelt from the northernmost Great Lake to no more than one […]
Michigan GOP unveils election reforms. Most would make voting harder.
by Jonathan Oosting (Bridge Michigan) LANSING — Senate Republicans on Wednesday introduced a sweeping election reform plan that proposes strict photo identification rules for Michigan voters, new limits on absentee ballot drop boxes, and a ban on prepaid return postage. Critics lambasted the package as a “voter suppression” effort that will make it harder to […]
Health care reforms could cut Michigan costs for insulin, cancer treatment
by Sergio Martínez-Beltrán (Bridge Michigan) The Michigan House passed a broad package of health reform bills Wednesday aimed at saving Michigan residents money and making it easier to see a doctor online. The 15-bill package received bipartisan support in the House and won praise from groups such as the Michigan League for Public Policy and […]
