The debate is on: Will wolves move to Michigan’s Lower Peninsula?
by Eric Freedman, Capital News Service (Bridge) When Silas Rose Sr. settled in Clinton County in 1836, “few trails had been made and there were long distances between the clearings where a small field of grain would give proof of the enterprise of some hardy pioneer settler,” according to family history. “Howling wolves could be […]
Whitmer plan to boost funds for neediest K-12 students hits wall in Lansing
by Magdalena Mihaylova (Bridge) Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s plan to give more money to Michigan students who have greater needs is in trouble in the GOP-controlled Legislature. The House Appropriations Subcommittee on School Aid and Department of Education approved a school aid appropriations bill Thursday that didn’t include Whitmer’s recommendation for a “weighted formula” for school funding. […]
Report: Michiganders divided on road funding options, just like Lansing
By Lindsay VanHulle (Bridge) Michigan residents agree with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and infrastructure experts who say Michigan’s roads are in bad shape, and will get worse if the state doesn’t invest to fix them. But there is little consensus on solutions, from the amount of extra money Michigan policymakers should set aside to the source […]
Gov. Whitmer reverses support for Constitutional right to literacy
On the campaign trail last year Democratic candidate for governor Gretchen Whitmer was candid and passionate, criticizing state Republican leaders for opposing a lawsuit to ensure Detroit students have a right to literacy from their schools. “Despite what the federal court said, despite what [GOP Attorney General and then Republican governor candidate] Bill Schuette and […]
High blood pressure is rampant in Michigan. Better data may lead to a cure.
By Robin Erb (Bridge) They call it the silent killer because of its ability to lurk undetected – hardening arteries, stiffening heart muscles, depriving blood from the brain and damaging kidneys and retinas. Now, high blood pressure may be losing a bit of its ability to hide. A new color-coded, data-driven mapping tool developed at Wayne State […]
Michigan lobbyist for polluter wrote law easing toxic cleanups, emails show
By Jim Malewitz, Craig Mauger (Bridge) LANSING — In a single year, a self-described “lawyer-lobbyist” went from working on behalf of a company accused of poisoning groundwater to writing a law that could weaken Michigan’s standards for pollution cleanups. A joint investigation by Bridge Magazine and the Michigan Campaign Finance Network found that attorney Troy Cumings last year […]
Unvaccinated student rates rise for third straight year in Michigan schools
by Magdalena Mihaylova (Bridge) The percentage of Michigan students who are unvaccinated has increased for the third year in a row, with nearly 1,000 public and private school buildings in which more than 5 percent of students haven’t had at least some childhood vaccinations in 2018-19. In some schools, more than 25 percent of the […]
Conflict looms for Whitmer, Nessel as Enbridge accelerates Line 5 tunnel plan
By Lindsay VanHulle, Bridge MACKINAC ISLAND — Canadian energy giant Enbridge Inc. on Thursday announced it can finish a tunnel to house the controversial Line 5 oil pipeline in the Straits of Mackinac by 2024 at the earliest, shaving years off previous estimates. Enbridge said in a statement that construction could start as soon as 2021, […]
Bipartisan Michigan auto insurance deal reached between Whitmer, Republicans
Riley Beggin, Lindsay VanHulle (Bridge) State lawmakers announced Friday they had reached a deal on a Michigan auto insurance reform that they promise will lower costs while also barring insurance companies from using non-driving factors to set rates. They said they intended to vote on the bill before the end of the day, and send it […]
What the no-fault auto reform deal means for Michigan drivers
Riley Beggin (Bridge) Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Republican leaders agreed to a landmark deal Friday that dramatically changes the state’s no-fault auto insurance system by allowing drivers to choose their level of personal injury protection coverage, among other things. The governor and Republicans say the plan, once signed into law, will bring much-needed financial relief to residents […]
