Michigan to monitor smog in eight counties amid switch to summer gasoline
by Janelle D. James (Bridge Michigan) Saturday is the last day for gasoline retailers to make the annual changeover to cleaner-burning, summer-grade fuel. Meanwhile, state agriculture officials have announced plans to monitor ozone levels in eight counties “as an extra measure” to reduce smog. The Clean Air Act gives the Environmental Protection Agency the authority […]
Gun control groups aim to close ‘loophole’ in Michigan protection orders
by Jordyn Hermani (Bridge Michigan) LANSING — Gun control advocates are pushing for Michigan’s Democratic-led Legislature to close what they say is a loophole in the state’s personal protection order laws: firearm relinquishment. When issuing a restraining order to stop threats, violence or harassment against an individual — also known as PPOs — judges can choose to bar the […]
EV transition a slow go in Michigan. It needs 100,000 chargers, has 3,300
by Kelly House (Bridge Michigan) Standing on the porch of Mackinac Island’s Grand Hotel in 2021, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer vowed that soon, Michigan’s western shoreline would boast “the best new road trip for electric vehicle owners in America.” As she unveiled the plan to build a reliable public EV charging network called the Lake Michigan Circuit, Whitmer […]
Donald Trump guilty on all counts: Michigan reacts. He’s still on ballot
by Bridge Staff (Bridge Michigan) Donald J. Trump has become the first former U.S. president to be convicted of felonies, after a New York jury on Thursday convicted him of 34 counts of financial crimes related to a hush money scheme. Trump is the likely Republican candidate for president and locked in a tight race in […]
Michigan leaders gather on Mackinac amid deep divides, economic apathy
by Lauren Gibbons (Bridge Michigan) Organizers of an annual conference that draws many of Michigan’s top business executives and political power players say they aim to tackle deep partisan divides they view as impediments to progress. The 2024 Mackinac Policy Conference kicks off Tuesday and will focus on attracting business and new jobs to Michigan, […]
Return of bald eagles to the Great Lakes could hold lessons for humans
by Emma McIntosh, The Narwhal (Bridge Michigan) Growing up in a shiny Toronto-area suburb lined with concrete and puny trees, the only bald eagles Sheetal Rawal saw in the 1980s were in her imagination or on TV. It wasn’t for lack of trying. Inspired by a particularly stirring episode of “Alvin and the Chipmunks” — the gang goes […]
Cruising the Great Lakes: 20,000 passengers expected to set sail in ’24
by Janelle D. James (Bridge Michigan) While the Michigan cruise industry may not offer the same attractions as those that operate out of the Caribbean, Mediterranean and other well-known destinations, tourism officials expect a robust season. Cruise The Great Lakes, an organization that promotes cruising in the region, predicts that there will be more than 140,000 […]
Michigan farmworker is 2nd known human case of bird flu in nation this year
A Michigan dairy worker has become only the second person in the nation this year known to have contracted highly pathogenic avian influenza, or bird flu. The pathogen — influenza A (H5) — already has infected cattle herds, turkeys and millions of chickens in Michigan as part of a national outbreak. In March, a Texas farmworker was […]
As Michigan becomes abortion destination, foes and advocates expand services
by Robin Erb (Bridge Michigan) GRAND RAPIDS — Perhaps nowhere in the state of Michigan is the expanding divide in Michigan’s abortion politics more literal now than on both sides of two thick strips of asphalt. To the east of these side-by-side driveways is the Irwin/Martin Health Center, a Planned Parenthood abortion clinic which in February began offering procedural […]
Michigan elections FAQ: How to find information about local candidates
by Ron French (Bridge Michigan) This month, Bridge Michigan launched its Ask Bridge Anything feature in its Voter Guide that invites readers to ask questions that are promptly answered. The latest question comes from a reader who asks: “How do I find out more about candidates for county and township elections in southeast Michigan?” It’s a good question, and […]
