Michigan schools revolt: We won’t flunk struggling third-grade readers
by Ron French (Bridge) Some Michigan school districts are revolting against the state’s third-grade read-or-flunk law, saying they will do everything in their power to prevent students from repeating third grade because of low reading test scores. Interviews with officials at districts across the state, some of whom spoke on the record and some who […]
Highways win, local streets left ‘in the dust’ by Whitmer’s $3.5B roads plan
by Jonathan Oosting (Bridge) LANSING — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is scaling back her plan to “fix the damn roads,” unveiling a $3.5 billion bond proposal that would help rebuild Michigan highways without a tax increase but saddle the state with decades of new debt. The first-term Democrat announced her latest plan Wednesday night in her […]
Whitmer and GOP agree $3.5B won’t fix Michigan roads, swap blame on funding
by Riley Beggin (Bridge) LANSING – Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Republican leaders agree on one thing: Her $3.5 billion roads plan won’t provide long-term funding for needed repairs. But after nearly a yearlong stalemate on the issue, they say it’s now largely up to the other side to find a permanent solution. During her […]
Michigan may study whether tolls are solution to state’s awful roads
by Riley Beggin (Bridge) LANSING — The Michigan Senate approved a bill Tuesday to require the state Department of Transportation to explore the feasibility of implementing toll roads and bridges. The bill, supported by the Department of Transportation, would direct the department to hire outside consultants to conduct a study recommending optimal tolling rates, locations […]
Michigan OKs $3.5B in roads spending. Much of it is going to Metro Detroit.
by Jonathan Oosting (Bridge) LANSING – Michigan will nearly double its spending on state highways and bridges over the next five years under Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s $3.5 billion bond initiative she announced Wednesday during her State of the State speech. Nearly 40 percent of the new bond proceed spending will target reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts […]
Michigan wants drivers to learn to love roundabouts. It’s been a slow go.
by Joel Kurth (Bridge) WEST BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP—For a good hour, West Bloomfield police officer Robert Houchins recited the stats: Roundabouts are safer. They improve traffic flow and reduce serious crashes. They’re not dangerous at all, Houchins stressed. You should love them. Really. And for a good hour, his audience of senior citizens was dubious. What […]
How to safely navigate roundabouts in Michigan
by Joel Kurth (Bridge) Confused about roundabouts? You’re not alone. Designed to reduce speeds and serious crashes, roundabouts also have a tendency to increase confusion among some drivers. As Michigan slowly joins other states in adding roundabouts, here are some facts and tips: Traditional intersections are dangerous About 37,000 people per year die in car […]
How much brook trout is enough? Michigan keeps changing catch limits.
by Ted Roelofs (Bridge) Celebrated by author Ernest Hemingway, enshrined decades ago as Michigan’s state fish, the brook trout has been through some choppy political waters of late. In 2017 — after persistent lobbying by Upper Peninsula anglers and sports groups — a state commission doubled the daily catch limit for brook trout in 33 […]
Michigan cherry industry still trying to absorb tariff loss to Turkey
by Bob Campbell (Bridge) Among the hundreds of Michigan fruit growers, processors, researchers, vendors and promoters assembled last week at Grand Traverse Resort in Acme just outside Traverse City, were the economically-challenged tart cherry businesses of northwest Michigan. Their hopes, for once, were riding high on expectations of good news from a federal agency — […]
Senator accuses Lucido of harassment as #MeToo reckoning hits Michigan Capitol
by Jonathan Oosting (Bridge) LANSING — Women in and around the Michigan Legislature are taking on what they call an “old boys’ club” culture at the state Capitol that has allowed sexually inappropriate behavior to persist despite a national #MeToo movement. And state Sen. Peter Lucido, a Shelby Township Republican who chairs two powerful committees […]
