Michigan prison sentences are growing. Revived commission to consider reforms
by Janelle D. James, Bridge Michigan The Michigan Sentencing Commission convened this month for the first time in nearly 30 years to begin reconsidering guidelines that have led to increasingly long sentences pushing state prisons closer to capacity. Lawmakers in 2024 voted to reinstate the commission, which is made up of 15 members, including current and former state legislators, attorneys, […]
In school cafeterias, kids fight Michigan’s food waste problems
by Isabella Figueroa Nogueira, Bridge Michigan Unlike most fourth-graders, AJ Beaudion likes to leave recess five minutes early. It’s part of his job. At 9 years old, Beaudion is the composting manager at Hayes Elementary School in Livonia. His responsibilities include arriving on time during kindergarten through fourth-grade lunch to help sort the food waste, […]
Michigan plans to reissue Line 5 permit amid federal review, court fight
by Kelly House, Bridge Michigan State environmental officials plan to reissue a key water quality permit for the Line 5 tunnel, according to a preliminary decision announced Tuesday afternoon. Regulators with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy propose to permit Canadian oil company Enbridge Energy to discharge millions of gallons of treated […]
Study of PFAS levels in Michigan firefighters raises cautious optimism
by Eli Newman, Bridge Michigan Michigan firefighters are regularly exposed to toxic “forever chemicals” on the job. But new state data revealed last week shows that their PFAS blood levels are no higher than the average American’s, a finding that has some cautiously optimistic about state regulation designed to limit exposure. The results come at […]
Michigan housing crunch sparks rare bipartisan push — and backlash
by Jordyn Hermani, Bridge Michigan LANSING — Lawmakers have lots of ideas to solve Michigan’s affordable housing crisis, but with rising prices keeping homeownership unattainable for many, officials have so far been unable to agree on any concrete policy reforms. That’s been partly due to a lack of bipartisan cooperation between Democrats and Republicans in […]
Money woes close a small Michigan college. It’s not alone
by Janelle D James, Bridge Michigan Rollan Mattson didn’t expect to make history when he lined up for Siena Heights University’s commencement on Saturday. But about three hours in, the 22-year-old nursing major walked across the school’s fieldhouse stage with a rare distinction: He was the final graduate of the 107-year-old private Catholic university, which […]
Advocates: ICE denying medical, legal access at Michigan detention center
by Lauren Gibbons, Bridge Michigan A federal immigration detention center in northern Michigan is denying adequate medical care to detainees and limiting their access to attorneys, immigrant advocacy and civil rights organizations alleged Thursday. In a letter to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials, the ACLU of Michigan and the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center detailed […]
Michigan steps up work to persuade young men to go to college, get skills training
by Kim Kozlowski, Bridge Michigan Christopher Johnson recently got on a bus with some of his friends from Bendle High School in Burton, near Flint, and went to Ford Field, home of the Detroit Lions. But he wasn’t there to watch football. Johnson joined 1,000 other young men from dozens of Michigan schools in a […]
Michigan limits hunters to one buck in Lower Peninsula, urges doe killing
by Laura Herberg, Bridge Michigan At a meeting that lasted more than nine hours, Michigan’s Natural Resources Commission voted Wednesday to limit hunters in the Lower Peninsula to killing one antlered deer starting next year. Currently, hunters can kill up to two. The policy is less restrictive than what the Michigan Department of Natural Resources […]
Michigan Government Experts: Michigan lost jobs, but tax revenue higher than expected
by Jordyn Hermani, Bridge Michigan. Michigan lost about 8,000 jobs over the past year, but the economy is expected to stabilize and tax revenues are coming in higher than expected, experts and state officials said Friday. As a result, Michigan lawmakers will have about $481 million more than previously anticipated as they craft this year’s […]
