Worst yet to come with omicron in Michigan, officials warn
by Mike Wilkinson (Bridge Michigan) COVID-19 hospitalizations could rise 60 percent in the next few weeks, further pressuring hospitals already at a breaking point amid the omicron wave, the state’s chief medical executive said Tuesday. Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian said models predict as many as 8,000 COVID-19 patients could be hospitalized by late January or early February, well […]
Michigan troopers vow reforms after study finds racial disparities in stops
by Mike Wilkinson (Bridge Michigan) The Michigan State Police’s director vowed immediate reforms Wednesday after a report found that troopers were more likely to stop, search, and arrest African-American drivers than whites. State Police Director Col. Joseph Gasper said all troopers will have body cameras by the end of the year, and the agency will […]
Michigan defies expectations, bringing in $1.7B more revenue than expected
By Sergio Martínez-Beltrán (Bridge Michigan) LANSING — Michigan’s revenues continue to defy predictions and remain on a historic rise, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, lawmakers heard Friday. State officials announced that Michigan has $1.7 billion more than expected for the current 2022 fiscal year. That trend will likely continue in 2023 with revenues increasing by over […]
Michigan unemployment fraud now at $8.5B. Legislators have more questions.
By Paula Gardner (Bridge Michigan) With pandemic-related unemployment fraud now estimated to reach at least $8.5 billion, Michigan officials and legislators continue to spar over whether the state agency in charge of payments is fixing longstanding mismanagement. Also unclear is whether more fraudulent payments will be uncovered, how much of the reported fraud is criminal […]
Michigan to end most contact tracing as COVID overwhelms effort
by Robin Erb(Bridge Michigan) Broad community contract tracing for COVID in Michigan is coming to an end in most cases — a dramatic signal of the overwhelming spread of omicron and the diminishing returns of an effort launched nearly two years ago across the state. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, which began […]
For Michigan parents, a “hellscape” of nasal swabs, missed work, and fury
By Ron French (Bridge Magazine) Betsy Beaudoin panicked for a moment when she and her son got to the bus stop near their Novi home Thursday morning. Was this the no-bus-service day for her fifth-grader in Novi Community School District, which runs buses just four days a week due to a driver shortage? Or was […]
Much of Michigan is rural. What will it take for small towns to thrive?
by Paula Gardner (Bridge Michigan) Gary McDowell recalls his small hometown of Rudyard as a vibrant community in Michigan’s Chippewa County. The town’s population has held steady over the years, even as residents left surrounding areas and the Upper Peninsula, whose population fell over the last decade by about 10,000 to 300,000. Still, the damage […]
Michigan businesses fear crippling staff shortages as omicron spreads
by Paula Gardner (Bridge Michigan) Clay Verkaik came into work Monday morning knowing that 10 of his workers at Preferred Produce in Detroit would be out sick, just like they were at the end of last week. But as the hours ticked by, more called in ill. By the time he left work at 4 […]
Road salt threatens Michigan lakes and rivers. Can an alternative take hold?
By Kelly House (Bridge Michigan) Road salt is threatening the Great Lakes’ famous fresh waters and creating even bigger problems for the inland rivers, lakes and aquifers – not to mention your car’s undercarriage. But decades of experiments with other options, from beet- and corn-based deicers to sand and chemical mixes, have yet to yield […]
Michigan superintendent: With schools closing, let’s address teacher shortages
By Ron French (Bridge Michigan) A teacher shortage growing for years in Michigan has exploded in recent months, with some schools forced to temporarily close or switch to remote learning because of a lack of bodies to lead classrooms. Teachers who test positive or are exposed to COVID-19 are out of school for up to […]
