Who are the Michigan State Board of Education candidates? What to know.
by Isabel Lohman, Bridge Michigan At the bottom of your Nov. 3 ballot is a decision about who will help lead education policy in the state for the next eight years. Michigan voters will choose two people for the State Board of Education. The outcome could determine whether Democrats continue dominating a board that’s in […]
Survey: Michigan local leaders sour on data centers, want more regulations
by Ron French, Bridge Michigan Less than 1 in 5 Michigan local government officials believe large-scale data centers are worth their costs, and a majority want tighter statewide regulations, according to a survey released Tuesday. Most skeptical are leaders in rural Michigan, where the centers are typically built, according to the survey by the University […]
Michigan may adopt grey wolf hunting season if federal protections are lifted
by Alex Boesch, Capital News Service LANSING – Pending legislation would allow grey wolf hunting and trapping if the federal government takes the animals off the Endangered Species List. The possibility raises concerns among environmentalists that removing grey wolves from federal protection could set the species back and destabilize the ecosystem in Michigan. President Donald […]
Audit finds fault in Michigan job training program, claims $59M misspent
by Paula Gardner, Bridge Michigan Michigan’s workforce training program spent over $59 million to reimburse employers for on-the-job training, rather than fund education to boost skills and wages, a state audit released Thursday found. The finding on the Going Pro Talent Fund comes as candidates and state officials target Michigan’s drop to 39th in US […]
Mike Rogers calls for gas tax pause. It’s a no-go, says state GOP leader
by Lauren Gibbons, Bridge Michigan As fuel prices soar across Michigan and the country, Republican US Senate nominee Mike Rogers on Thursday called for a suspension of both state and federal gas taxes. But at the state level, stopping the 52.4-cent gas tax — even temporarily — would jeopardize a recent bipartisan deal that shifted […]
Jocelyn Benson, John James offer contrasting plans on tariffs, AI, jobs
by Simon D. Schuster, Bridge Michigan DETROIT — Gubernatorial candidates Jocelyn Benson and John James made their case to business leaders in a Detroit Economic Club forum on Wednesday, highlighting stark contrasts in their plans to boost Michigan’s economic and educational performance. Amid President Donald Trump’s lengthy trade dispute with Canada, Benson promised “to be […]
Fact check: Jocelyn Benson’s family ties to Saline data center
by Matt Mencarini, Bridge Michigan Proposed data centers have sparked controversy in cities and towns across Michigan and emerged as a key issue for campaigns leading up to the November election. That’s true in the Michigan governor’s race, where both major party candidates have responded by proposing temporary moratoriums. A recent advertisement from a super […]
Clean water advocates worry about data center impact on drinking water
by Hannah Marsik, Capital News Service LANSING – Stormwater runoff at the sites of data centers is another environmental challenge facing developers because the runoff contains particulates harmful to the public and the ecosystem, according to Reese Dillard, the Michigan Environmental Council’s water policy coordinator. Amidst growing public concerns about possible adverse climate effects of […]
John James pitches marijuana tax repeal, courts industry donors
by Simon D. Schuster, Bridge Michigan LANSING — Republican John James is proposing to “repeal or sharply reduce” Michigan’s new 24% wholesale tax on marijuana and courting industry donors as he competes to be Michigan’s next governor. The new tax was a key component of the bipartisan road funding deal Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed […]
With no time to spare, Michigan hatches a Great Lakes whitefish rescue plan
by Kelly House, Bridge Michigan With time running out to save the Great Lakes’ whitefish from a deadly mussel invasion, Michigan officials have a moonshot plan to pluck fish from Lake Michigan and breed them in captivity. With sustained money, effort and luck, the fish’s offspring could one day help repopulate the lake after humans […]
