Talk about Pure Michigan: Outdoor pursuits generate $10B, report says
by Mike Wilkinson (Bridge) Outdoor recreation contributes $10 billion annually to Michigan’s economy, according to new data that confirm the importance of the industry that is spurring growing jobs, talent and spending from Monroe to Marquette. The data, released last week from the federal government’s Bureau of Economic Analysis, shows that Michigan’s boating industry is the […]
Michigan government won’t shut down, state tells workers
by Jonathan Oosting (Bridge) LANSING — Michigan government will not shut down next week, the budget office and department directors said late Friday in a memo to state employees telling them to plan to report to work as usual Tuesday morning. Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has until the end of Monday to decide the fate of […]
Michigan law limiting ballot drives unconstitutional, court rules
by Riley Beggin (Bridge) Multiple provisions of a lame-duck law that makes it harder for groups to get a citizen initiative on the ballot are unconstitutional, a Court of Claims judge ruled Friday. The law places a 15 percent cap on the number of signatures ballot petitioners can gather in any one of the state’s […]
Judge slams Dana Nessel in gay adoption case for ‘targeted attack’ on religion
by Jonathan Oosting (Bridge) LANSING — A federal judge on Thursday temporarily suspended Michigan’s new gay-friendly adoption policy and accused Attorney General Dana Nessel of “a targeted attack on a sincerely held religious belief.” U.S. District Court Judge Robert Jonker also denied most elements of the state’s motion to dismiss the highly-charged case, allowing the […]
Michigan House considers expungement of marijuana, traffic convictions
by Riley Beggin (Bridge) LANSING—Hundreds of thousands of Michiganders would be eligible to set aside their criminal record — or parts of it — under a bill package before the state House Judiciary Committee. The proposal to expand criminal expungement would include misdemeanor marijuana convictions for conduct that is now considered legal under the adult-use marijuana law […]
Majority of Michigan public schools started school year short on teachers
by Ron French (Bridge) Six out of 10 Michigan school districts started this school year without enough full-time teachers to fill their classrooms, according to a survey of Michigan school superintendents. The survey, conducted the second week of September by the Michigan Association of Superintendents and Administrators, found 518 classrooms in 178 school districts that […]
Deadly EEE virus in Michigan forces daylight football starts, cancellations
by Robin Erb (Bridge) Mosquitoes carrying the deadly Eastern equine encephalitis have driven at least one Friday night football game in Michigan to the daylight hours. Superintendents from Kalamazoo County — the epicenter of an outbreak that has claimed three lives in Michigan and seriously sickened five other residents — agreed to reschedule school activities that […]
t’s official: Flavored e-cigarettes are now illegal in Michigan
by Robin Erb (Bridge) Michigan’s ban on flavored nicotine vaping products — the first to be announced in the nation — is now in effect. Sales and distribution of flavored nicotine vaping products are now a misdemeanor, punishable by up to six months in jail and a $200 fine, according to the emergency rules released […]
Dems break with Whitmer, pass small funding increase for Michigan schools
by Ron French, Riley Beggin (Bridge) LANSING – Michigan House Democrats broke with their governor on Thursday and voted to approve a 1.4 percent to 3 percent increase in per-pupil funding for state schools and a small boost in special education money. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer expressed disappointment in the bill that passed the House and Senate […]
Michigan Legislature, Gov. Whitmer head for showdown on roads, redistricting
by Riley Beggin (Bridge) LANSING — Michigan’s Republican-dominated House and Senate kicked off the final stage of the state budget process on Thursday, including votes on multiple funding decisions likely to irk Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and other Democratic state officeholders. The committee-level votes included cuts to Democrat Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson’s office and the […]
