First Michigan school district to go fully online amid coronavirus
By Ron French (Bridge) Lansing Public School District will be fully remote learning for the beginning of the school year — the first school district in the state to announce plans to continue homebound learning due to the pandemic. The 10,000-student urban district is the first to announce it will be fully online, but it likely […]
Michigan Supreme Court reviewing case of incarcerated teen
By Jodi S. Cohen, ProPublica Illinois (in cooperation with Bridge) ProPublica Illinois is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. This article was co-produced by ProPublica Illinois and the Detroit Free Press and co-published with Bridge Magazine. The Michigan Supreme Court said Thursday it is reviewing the circumstances of a case involving a 15-year-old girl who has […]
Feds charge Michigan contractor in $2M unemployment fraud scheme
By Jonathan Oosting (Bridge) LANSING — Federal officials allege a contract employee for the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency exploited the coronavirus pandemic to authorize more than $2 million in fraudulent payments. Authorities allege Brandi Hawkins, 39, of Detroit used “insider access” to approve hundreds of illegitimate claims beginning in April, during a historic wave of […]
A Michigan guide to wearing masks, or not, during coronavirus
By Robin Erb (Bridge) Emotions are raw and confrontations have turned ugly, even violent, this week after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s issued an executive order that Michigan businesses ensure their customers wear masks to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. And some confusion abounds. It was just five months ago, after all, that the nation’s […]
Across Michigan, coronavirus contact tracers face lies, anger and silence
by Robin Erb (Bridge) From the moment COVID-19 began its surge through Michigan in March, a small army of people — contact tracers — has tried to keep it contained. In return, they have found themselves lied to, told off, ignored, or hung up on. “It can be great, and it can be horrible,” said […]
Michigan Democrats push to open police disciplinary files, limit immunity
by Riley Beggin (Bridge) Democratic lawmakers plan to introduce a sweeping set of police reforms to increase accountability and transparency in the state’s law enforcement agencies, members of Michigan’s Black and Detroit Caucuses announced Wednesday during a press conference. The package aims to change policing in Michigan to address racial inequities and police violence, which […]
On Mackinac Island, Lake Huron’s waves are destroying an iconic highway
By Kelly House (Bridge) On a typical sunny summer day, Mackinac Island’s car-free highway would be teeming with walkers, bicyclists, and horseback riders taking in virtually unbroken views of Lake Huron’s crystalline waters along the iconic 8.2-mile loop. But at the height of the island’s summer tourism season, much of M-185 is deserted. Large barricades […]
Whitmer: Michigan school reopening threatened by rising coronavirus cases
by Ron French, Riley Beggin (Bridge) Nine days after releasing a school reopening plan that would allow Michigan students to return to classrooms in the fall, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer tapped the brakes Thursday, saying that if a recent increase in coronavirus cases continues, students might have to stay home. “We want to be in a position where we […]
Whitmer orders Michigan stores to refuse entry to those not wearing masks
by Ron French, Paula Gardner (Bridge) Gov. Gretchen Whitmer ordered Michigan businesses to refuse entry to customers not wearing face masks, in an executive order issued Friday. The order, which goes into effect immediately for indivuals and Monday for businesses, also requires Michigan residents to wear face masks outdoors if they cannot maintain six feet of distance […]
Federal judge dismisses GOP case against Michigan redistricting commission
By Riley Beggin A federal judge Monday dismissed a lawsuit by Michigan Republican groups seeking to block a new state redistricting commission. The ruling is the latest legal setback for Republicans, who earlier this year failed to win an injunction that would prevent the formation of the commission, which they contend is unconstitutional. The July 6 […]
