Seven things to know about Gov. Whitmer’s debt-free college plan
by Ron French (Bridge) Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is pushing an ambitious revamp of Michigan’s college scholarship program. Administrative officials are working out details, and more changes likely would be at least debated in the Republican-led Legislature, which may or may not approve the proposal. Here’s what you need to know: Free community college for […]
Look to sales tax on gas to help fix Michigan roads, report suggests
By Lindsay VanHulle (Bridge) Michigan policymakers looking to find money to fix the state’s crumbling roads should consider untying the sales tax from gasoline sales, according to a new road-funding analysis released Tuesday. Doing so would allow lawmakers to increase the state gas tax by roughly 15.5 cents per gallon — replacing the estimated $894 million […]
Warming temps mean many Michigan lakes won’t freeze in coming years
by Jim Malewitz, Mike Wilkinson (Bridge) As the earth warms, more Michigan lakes will see ice-free winters, and “extensive loss of lake ice will occur within the next generation,” according to a study recently published in the journal Nature Climate Change. The trend bodes poorly for the state’s cold water ecosystems and those who enjoy ice fishing, […]
Less skiing, thinner ice, canceled fests. Michigan adapts to climate change
by Jim Malewitz (Bridge) Jim MacInnes would rather not say how much money his northwest Michigan resort lost in December 2015. That’s when temperatures in the 40s and 50s effectively closed 54 of his 58 ski trails by the end of Christmas week, a crucial stretch for the business. “It cost us a lot of money,” said MacInnes, […]
Michigan environment roundup: PFAS found in 119 Michigan water systems
by Jim Malewitz (Bridge) Bridge Magazine is committed to sharing the best environmental journalism in and around Michigan, an effort called #EnviroReads. In Bridge’s Michigan Environment Watch, we share a roundup of recent stories on the Great Lakes or other issues. If you see a story we should include next time, use the hashtag #EnviroReads […]
Consumers Energy chief: We’re making changes after natural gas crisis
by Jim Malewitz (Bridge) LANSING — The CEO of Consumers Energy told lawmakers Wednesday the company is rewriting contingency plans and making other reforms after narrowly avoiding gas shutoffs during last month’s polar vortex. Consumers, Michigan’s largest energy provider, vows to become less reliant on a Macomb County compressor station that caught fire in late January and […]
More Michigan residents get college degrees, but state still trails diploma race
by Ron French, Mike Wilkinson (Bridge) The share of Michigan adults with college degrees is at its highest point ever. And while the state’s college attainment rate is still below the national average, Michigan is closing the gap, according to a report released by the Lumina Foundation examining college attainment in the nation and the 50 […]
Dana Nessel shakes up Flint prosecutions; civil settlement talks underway
by Jim Malewitz, Riley Beggin (Bridge) LANSING — Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy and her office will join the team prosecuting defendants charged with Flint water crisis-related crimes, Attorney General Dana Nessel announced Thursday, detailing a shakeup in how her office will handle those cases and civil lawsuits against the state. Worthy will team with Michigan Solicitor […]
Gretchen Whitmer remakes Michigan DEQ again, but leaves oversight panels intact
by Jim Malewitz (Bridge) LANSING — Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is trying again to reshuffle the state’s environmental department to move quicker to respond to water contamination and climate change. The Democrat on Wednesday issued an amended executive order to transform the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) into the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE). […]
Michigan GOP asks high court to rule on sick leave, minimum wage changes
by Lindsay VanHulle (Bridge) State lawmakers from both parties say they’re confident they’re on the right side of a debate about whether it was legal to adopt and change two citizen-backed laws to raise Michigan’s minimum wage and require employer-sponsored paid sick leave last year. They can’t both be right. So the Legislature is moving forward […]
