Dueling Michigan GOP conventions planned for presidential nomination
by Jonathan Oosting (Bridge Michigan) LANSING — Competing Michigan GOP factions plan separate presidential nominating conventions amid an ongoing leadership feud between Pete Hoekstra and Kristina Karamo, both of whom claim to be state party chair. Hoekstra, who is backed by President Donald Trump and the Republican National Committee, said Friday he plans to announce […]
Whitefish are on brink in Michigan. Can they learn to love rivers to survive?
by Kelly House (Bridge Michigan) MANCELONA — Northern Michigan’s beloved whitefish are in peril. For decades, the fish have struggled to breed on the rocky reefs of lakes Michigan and Huron, where their eggs are under attack by invasive species and other threats. Some scientists fear a collapse in just a few years, which could […]
Homeschool parents mobilize to fight Michigan efforts to add oversight
by Isabel Lohman (Bridge Michigan) MADISON HEIGHTS — The fight for homeschool freedom began with a prayer recently inside a trade school in an industrial park in this Detroit suburb. About 30 parents gathered as speakers called on them to mobilize against what they view as government overreach and interference in their ability to teach and […]
How to get free tuition from Michigan colleges and universities
by Isabel Lohman (Bridge Michigan) Many people looking to attend college or university in Michigan can attend school for virtually free. Several Michigan schools offer tuition-free guarantees that use a combination of federal, state and university funds to pay for tuition. Students may have other costs such as supplies and housing. The new Michigan Achievement Scholarship, […]
Michigan lawmakers weigh $100M tax subsidy plan to create high-paying jobs
by Paula Gardner (Bridge Michigan) Michigan lawmakers are debating a proposal to grow desperately needed higher-wage jobs by allowing some businesses to keep taxes of newly hired workers rather than sending the money to Lansing. The bills — initiated in October during a wave of business incentive-reform legislation — would expand economic development tools in the […]
As Michigan winters vanish, researchers study snow for clues about what’s next
by Kelly House (Bridge Michigan) PELLSTON — It’s February in northern Michigan, a time typically marked by deep snow and a deeper freeze. Normally, this time of year, temperatures stay below freezing and snow is 16 inches deep. But this week, the day was warm as Adam Schubel hiked to a clearing in the forest […]
Reimagined St. Ignace memorial to be a showcase of Native American history
by Janelle D. James (Bridge Michigan) An Upper Penninsula monument that burned to the ground 24 years ago is getting new life and a new historical focus thanks to multiple partners and a $3.6 million grant. The project will expand the Father Marquette National Memorial site in St. Ignace, after the original was struck by […]
Michigan early voting starts Feb. 17. What to know about presidential primary
by Tom Perkins (via Votebeat for Bridge Michigan) When Michiganders go to the polls this month to cast a ballot in the presidential primaries, it will be the first chance for every voter to take advantage of the state’s new early in-person option — one feature in a series of changes for elections this year based on […]
As opioid deaths mount, Michigan governments sit on millions for intervention
by Ron French & Robin Erb (Bridge Michigan) TAWAS CITY — Zach Williams knows he’s lucky to be alive. He was an opioid addict in northeast Michigan for 22 years, and “more of the people I used with are dead than are still alive.” Sober five years, the 44-year-old peer recovery coach in Iosco County for […]
See who sponsored $1B in Michigan earmarks: Did your rep bring home pork?
by Jonathan Oosting (Bridge Michigan) Michigan lawmakers added more than $1 billion in special projects to the annual state budget last summer – in many cases at the last moment, but Democratic leaders promised to eventually provide additional transparency. Under the $82 billion spending bill signed into law by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, the state will be required […]
