Michigan crashes: Deaths fall in 2023, work zone accidents up. What to know
by Mike Wilkinson (Bridge Michigan) After a jump in fatal car crashes during the COVID-19 pandemic, overall crashes and fatalities declined in Michigan in 2023 — though work zone incidents have spiked with the increase in construction. Data released this week by the Michigan State Police shows that, in 2023, both traffic crashes and fatalities […]
As Alzheimer’s grows, cities work to earn ‘dementia-friendly’ status
by Patricia Anstett (Bridge Michigan) Dementia advocate and caregiver Jim Mangi was surprised to see 50 to 60 people show up each week, even in a small city like Saline when he began his “It’s a Disease, Not a Disgrace” talks in 2019. His goal was to inform people about dementia, a disease including Alzheimer’s, […]
Where are the Michigan men? College increasingly a female dominated pursuit
by Mike Wilkinsoon (Bridge Michigan) Michigan’s colleges and universities are increasingly dominated by women, a trend fueled by rising wages and plentiful jobs that are keeping men away from classrooms, experts say. Mirroring a national trend, an estimated 69% of women in Michigan enroll in college within a year of graduating high school, according to the […]
4 issues to watch as U.S. auto industry changes affect Michigan
by Paula Gardner Auto manufacturing remains a cornerstone of the state’s economy, responsible for at least 700,000 of the state’s estimated 5 million jobs. This year, the industry faces change and uncertainty from several fronts, as automakers make massive investments in shifting their businesses toward electric vehicles and political uncertainty starts to weigh on consumers. Michigan also […]
Michigan police agencies are cracking down on speeding in July
by Janelle D. James (Bridge Michigan) Lead-footed drivers beware: The Michigan State Police has partnered with local law enforcement agencies across the state in a month-long crackdown on speeding. Expect to see extra officers on the road throughout July to help cut down the number of speed-related crashes. Over 60 local law enforcement agencies are […]
Feds spend big on urban tree-planting in Michigan. Will residents get a say?
by Lester Graham, Michigan Public (Bridge Michigan) In a second round of money for urban forests, the U.S. Forest Service is visiting cities around the country to talk about more than one billion dollars has been awarded. Michigan is getting 33 million dollars of that. There’s concern, though, about whether the neighborhoods getting those trees […]
Butterfly fans want an official insect for Michigan. (It’s not the mosquito)
by Vladislava Sukhanovskaya, Capital News Service (Bridge Michigan) LANSING – Three butterflies are racing to become Michigan’s official state insect – and one of them is ahead, at least politically. The black swallowtail butterfly, a Michigan native, spends its whole life cycle in the state hibernating as pupa under leaves during winter and hatching in […]
In rural Michigan, farmers split over big solar
by Ruth Thornton, Capital News Service (Bridge Michigan) FOWLERVILLE – Differing opinions about large solar energy projects are pitting neighbors against each other in rural areas of Livingston County. Last November, the Legislature passed climate bills mandating utility companies to generate 60% of their energy from renewable sources, including solar and wind, by 2035, and 100% […]
Experts predict moderate Lake Erie toxic algae bloom
by Gabrielle Nelson (Bridge Michigan) Lake Erie’s annual algae bloom has begun to form weeks ahead of schedule off the coast of southeast Michigan, but scientists say they expect only a moderate bloom this year. “There was scum off Monroe,” said Richard Stumpf, a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration oceanographer who leads the federal government’s […]
Michigan students fell behind during COVID. Their recovery lags other states
by Mike Wilkinson & Isabel Lohman (Bridge Michigan) Michigan’s public school children have barely begun recovering what they lost academically during the pandemic and are well behind most states, according to a national analysis of state proficiency data. Despite modest gains last year, the studies show Michigan students remained nearly half a grade behind in […]
