As Michigan braces for coronavirus, H1N1 quietly makes a comeback
by Robin Erb (Bridge) ANN ARBOR — While coronavirus dominates health news and prompts quarantines, extra airport screening, and fears of how a global pandemic might affect Michigan, another virus — arguably more deadly — has slipped into the state nearly unnoticed. The H1N1 strain of influenza A — a descendant of the virus responsible […]
With auto rate relief promised, Michigan gives new scrutiny to insurers
by Jonathan Oosting (Bridge) LANSING — Michigan is giving new scrutiny to auto insurance rates, beefing up anti-fraud investigations and mounting a public education campaign in an effort to help drivers realize savings promised in a new law that takes effect this summer, a top state official said Wednesday. No-fault auto reforms pushed by the […]
Proposed 2021 budget: more help for Michigan moms, not so much for local roads
by Riley Beggin, Jonathan Oosting (Bridge) LANSING – Gov. Gretchen Whitmer unveiled a $61.9 billion budget proposal Thursday that would provide more help to vulnerable mothers, childcare, contamination cleanup, special education and low-income students. Local roads, though, wouldn’t receive a big boost, a notable gap after Whitmer launched a $3.5 billion bonding plan last month […]
Governor wants to bring back scaled-down Pure Michigan campaign
by Jonathan Oosting (Bridge) LANSING — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer wants to bring back the Pure Michigan advertising campaign she vetoed last fall, but she wants the tourism industry to help pay for it. The first-term Democrat on Thursday proposed $15 million in state funding for the award-winning advertising campaign as part of her $61.9 billion executive […]
Michigan Legislature weighs dropping high school health, gym requirements
by Robin Erb (Bridge) A state requirement that high school students take classes in health and physical fitness might soon vanish in many Michigan schools. A Republican-sponsored package that loosens high school graduation requirements — most prominently by making Algebra II optional — also includes opt-outs for health and gym. State Sen. Jon Bumstead, R-Newaygo, […]
Access to career-tech in Michigan varies by ZIP code. That’s a problem.
by Ron French (Bridge) Poor and non-white students have less access to high school career-tech programs that can lead to jobs earning middle-class wages, according to a new University of Michigan study. Across the state, 54 percent of white students enroll in at least one CTE class in high school, compared to 41 percent of African-American […]
For state address in 2020, Michigan Gov. Whitmer still working on 2019 goals
by Jonathan Oosting (Bridge) LANSING — As Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer prepares to deliver her 2020 State of the State Address, a review by Bridge Magazine shows the first-term Democrat is still working to complete most of the goals she outlined in her 2019 speech. Bold plans to fix crumbling roads, resolve an education funding […]
Frustrated Gov. Whitmer vows no more ‘games’ with GOP on fixing Michigan
by Riley Beggin, Jonathan Oosting (Bridge) LANSING — Frustrated by inaction in a divided government, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Wednesday vowed to work around Republicans if necessary to solve some of Michigan’s biggest problems. In her second State of the State speech, the Democratic governor said she’d fix state roads without the help of Republicans, […]
Rural Michigan to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer: What about us?
by Mike Wilkinson (Bridge) Advocates for rural Michigan are imploring Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to create a Cabinet-level post to focus attention on the least populated swaths of the state. One day after the first-term Democrat offered her State of the State, a coalition of groups held a news conference Thursday to draw attention to population […]
Michigan offers little help for child care. That may change in 2020
by Ron French (Bridge) Michigan helps families less with child care costs than almost any other state. Leaders from across Michigan have been meeting for six months in search of solutions to the complex policy issue, increasingly acknowledged to be an educational and economic drag on the state. The group, hosted by the Grand Rapids […]
