Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan won’t cover popular weight-loss drugs
by Janelle D. James (Bridge Michigan) & Sneha Dhandapani (Michigan Health Watch) Weight-loss drugs like Wegovy, Zepbound and Saxenda, which have recently gained popularity, will no longer be covered by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. Starting Aug. 1 the state’s largest health insurer will begin phasing out coverage for large group commercial insurance plans and […]
Drugs, microplastics, forever chemicals a growing concern in Great Lakes
by Fatima Syed, The Narwhal (Bridge Michigan) Rania Hamza calls it “a coincidence” that an engineer, a biologist and a lawyer at the same Toronto university were independently worrying about the harmful substances and chemicals being flushed down Ontario’s toilets. Three years ago, after figuring out they were all interested in the same thing, […]
Get ready for amorous mayflies, Michigan, and the smelly crunch of love
by Janelle D. James (Bridge Michigan) Michiganders can expect to see hundreds of thousands of mayflies in the coming weeks as mating season for the insects nears. There are over 100 species of mayflies in Michigan. Swarms of them converge each year in lakeside communities near Houghton, Burke or Douglas lakes, where one of the […]
How tornado sirens operate in Michigan, and other ways to stay on alert
by Janelle D. James (Bridge Michigan) An unforeseen tornado struck Livonia Wednesday afternoon, so quickly that the National Weather Service didn’t have time to alert city officials to sound outdoor alarms warning people of the incoming storm. The National Weather Service called it a “spin-up storm” as it formed so rapidly that weather radar had not picked […]
Michigan aims to remedy ‘egregious injustice,’ as tribes shut out of opioid funds
by Ron French (Bridge Michigan) The south side of the Saginaw Chippewa Behavioral Health Center in Mount Pleasant is a 24-bed residential treatment center, one of only two operated by the dozen federally recognized tribes based in Michigan. There, in the modern, one-story brick building, tribal members who need intensive support for their substance use […]
Michigan bottlers still get free water, despite governor’s tough talk
by Anna Clark, ProPublica (Bridge Michigan) When Gretchen Whitmer campaigned for Michigan governor in 2018, she took aim at Michigan’s bottled water industry — and the state policy that gave it unfettered access to free water. Nestle was extracting hundreds of millions of gallons of groundwater a year, which it bottled and sold under the […]
Michigan House OKs new penalties for drivers who hit bicyclists, runners
by Jordyn Hermani & Lauren Gibbons (Bridge Michigan) LANSING — Michigan lawmakers on Tuesday took steps to impose more stringent penalties on drivers who injure runners, bicyclists and other road users, arguing an extra level of accountability is necessary. A pair of bills passed out of the Michigan House Tuesday with bipartisan support are part of […]
Wind, solar farm law won’t make November ballot in Michigan
by Kelly House (Bridge Michigan) A proposed ballot initiative to repeal Michigan’s new statewide renewable energy permitting law will not make the November ballot. Officials with Citizens for Local Choice have until 5 p.m. on Wednesday to turn in the 356,958 signatures needed to place the measure on this fall’s ballot. But in a statement […]
Michigan to monitor smog in eight counties amid switch to summer gasoline
by Janelle D. James (Bridge Michigan) Saturday is the last day for gasoline retailers to make the annual changeover to cleaner-burning, summer-grade fuel. Meanwhile, state agriculture officials have announced plans to monitor ozone levels in eight counties “as an extra measure” to reduce smog. The Clean Air Act gives the Environmental Protection Agency the authority […]
Gun control groups aim to close ‘loophole’ in Michigan protection orders
by Jordyn Hermani (Bridge Michigan) LANSING — Gun control advocates are pushing for Michigan’s Democratic-led Legislature to close what they say is a loophole in the state’s personal protection order laws: firearm relinquishment. When issuing a restraining order to stop threats, violence or harassment against an individual — also known as PPOs — judges can choose to bar the […]
