No band, buses or sports? Budget cuts could cripple Michigan schools
by Ron French (Bridge) Michigan schools will face devastating budget cuts in the coming school year unless the federal government pitches in to help offset revenue losses from the coronavirus pandemic, State Superintendent Michael Rice said Thursday. Michigan schools face a $2.39 billion decline in the school aid fund over the next year and a […]
Coronavirus pandemic slams Detroit economy, protesters want change
by Louis Aguilar (Bridge) Here’s another underlying reason why thousands of Millennials and Gen Z young people are protesting: rampant unemployment. In April, one out of every four Detroit workers was out of a job either temporarily or permanently, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data released Wednesday. April was the first full […]
Nearly a third of Michigan educators mull quitting because of coronavirus
by Ron French (Bridge) About 7 percent of Michigan educators are leaving the profession because of concerns over coronavirus and another 24 percent are considering walking out the door, according to a survey of more than 15,000 Michigan K-12 educators released Thursday. The survey, conducted May 15-22 by the Michigan Education Association, the state’s largest teacher […]
Michigan Senate passes training bill aimed at reducing police brutality
by Riley Beggin (Bridge) The Michigan Senate unanimously passed legislation that would mandate anti-bias training, de-escalation training and ongoing mental health services for police officers Thursday, as nationwide protests against police brutality continue nationwide. “This is only one step towards the greater justice and freedom that our residents are calling for,” said bill sponsor Sen. Jeff Irwin, […]
Michigan freezes 340k unemployment accounts amid fraud probe and pandemic
by Jonathan Oosting (Bridge) LANSING — The state of Michigan has frozen 340,000 unemployment accounts, blocking cash assistance for jobless residents while it investigates suspected fraud by imposters seeking to take advantage of enhanced benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic, officials said Friday. The state has already identified a “significant amount of fraud” in new applications, […]
What Whitmer’s new coronavirus order means for summer plans
by Jonathan Oosting (Bridge) Sign up the kids for day camp, stretch out your spandex for an outdoor fitness class, invite 99 of your closest friends to a cookout and feel the freedom of leaving home without fear of violating government orders. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Monday lifted her stay-at-home order and announced plans […]
How weak regulations failed to prevent catastrophe at notorious Midland dam
by Kelly House, Riley Beggin (Bridge) Over nearly three decades and several owners, government regulators warned the Edenville Dam near Midland was at risk of failing in a flood, with dire consequences for downstream communities. But the 96-year-old dam’s structural deficiencies were never corrected before it and the downstream Sanford Dam failed last week following heavy […]
Pain, strength and agitation underlie Detroit protests against police brutality
by Louis Aguilar (Bridge) The death of George Floyd, the beating of Sha’Teina Grady El in Washtenaw County, mass incarceration, and rampant coronavirus infection in prisons brought thousands to Detroit on Friday evening to underscore the value of black life and protest police brutality. Throughout the night and early Saturday morning, the heart of Detroit […]
Michigan continues to stumble in tracking coronavirus in nursing homes
by Robin Erb, Jonathan Oosting, Ted Roelofs (Bridge) A confusing and incomplete picture of COVID-19 deaths in Michigan nursing homes emerged Friday after the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services listed — for the first time — the total number of nursing home coronavirus cases by county and nursing home. According to numbers posted to the […]
Michigan stores can reopen. It’s unclear how many shoppers will follow.
by Paula Gardner (Bridge) Hours after Von Maur reopened to customers on Tuesday, several shoppers had already made their way to the Grand Rapids department store. Spring/summer merchandise was fully stocked, and additional cleaning had been done. A leaner staff, about eight employees, was there to help anyone who came in on the new appointment […]
