Northern lights put on spellbinding show in Michigan
Quality of Life (Bridge Michigan) Michiganders reached for the sky late Friday, pointing cell phones toward the heavens to get a rare glimpse of the northern lights that were visible because of a major geomagnetic storm. The majestic lights — or aurora borealis — were visible far farther south than usual. They were best seen in northern […]
New Airbnb tax plan hits snag as summer tourism comes to Michigan
by Jordyn Hermani (Bridge Michigan) LANSING — As another Michigan summer approaches, bringing with it a wave of tourism, over 150 municipal leaders are again begging state lawmakers for support as they attempt to regulate Airbnbs and other short-term rentals in their communities. But that season will likely come and go without any major action […]
An arrest, more protests at University of Michigan graduation events
by Isabel Lohman (Bridge Michigan) ANN ARBOR — Police arrested one person Friday, and dozens of activists attempted to disrupt a Saturday graduation ceremony as pro-Palestinian demonstrations escalated at the University of Michigan. The arrest was the first of its kind in the nearly two weeks since activists set up an encampment at U-M, which […]
Swim season is coming to Michigan. Swimmer’s itch may be going away
by Alex Walters, Capital News Service (Bridge Michigan) LANSING — Jeff Stratton’s beloved Larks Lake left his feet and legs covered in hundreds of itchy red welts. “It was horrible,” said Stratton, 68, “Crazy itchy. Crazy painful.” The itching was caused by Trichobilharzia stagnicolae, a tiny parasite that ran wild in the lake’s mergansers and snails. The predicament […]
‘Ghost riders’ on the lookout for distracted drivers in Michigan
by Jenelle D James (Bridge Michigan) Michigan law enforcement agencies have partnered with the Transportation Improvement Association to crack down on distracted driving. The initiative, called Operation Ghost Rider, uses officers in unmarked vehicles to spot distracted drivers then radio another officer in a marked vehicle to conduct a traffic stop. Operation Ghost Rider started […]
Michigan bill would increase fines for drivers with loud cars
by Janelle D. James (Bridge Michigan) State Rep. Natalie Price, D-Berkley, introduced a bill in the state House on Thursday that would significantly increase fines for motorists who intentionally modify their vehicles’ exhaust systems resulting in excessively loud noise. “This is definitely beyond just being inconvenienced. This is the No. 1 thing I hear from my constituents […]
Lawsuit accuses EPA of failing to prevent harmful algal blooms in Lake Erie
by Tracy Samilton, Michigan Radio Lucas County in Ohio, the city of Toledo, and the Environmental Law and Policy Center are suing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency over harmful algal blooms in western Lake Erie. The lawsuit alleges that the EPA’s consent order with the state of Ohio does not measure the actual amount of phosphorus from […]
Proposal would keep tractor-trailers out of the left lane on Michigan freeways
by Janelle D. James (Bridge Michigan) Michigan is one of several states considering legislation that would limit which lanes large trucks and tractor-trailers can travel in. A bill put forth by State Rep. William Bruck, R-Erie, would prohibit large trucks and tractor-trailers from using the far-left lane on freeways with three or more lanes. If one […]
As cleanup efforts target Michigan lakes, debate follows about who benefits
Theo Scheer, Capital News Service (for Bridge Magazine) LANSING — It’s taken over 30 years and $80 million to restore Muskegon Lake and a few nearby smaller bodies of water. Decades of pollution and rapid urbanization created ecological problems so severe that the lake was designated a “Great Lakes Area of Concern” by the U.S. […]
Probe of wolf shot in south Michigan, far from habitat, focuses on trap wounds
by Kelly House (Bridge Michigan) MARSHALL — The criminal investigation into the January killing of a wolf in southern Michigan — far from its known habitat —includes evidence suggesting it may have been injured by a foothold trap in the weeks before it was shot. The death of the endangered animal near Marshall has puzzled investigators, who question whether […]
