Michigan Medicaid has ballooned. Cuts are likely. Here’s what to know
by Robin Erb (Bridge Michigan) MAPLE CITY— Medicaid in Michigan can be measured by lots of big numbers — from the nearly 2.7 residents it covered last year to its $7.5 billion chunk of the state budget. It can be sized up by its growth, too: It now covers 1 in 4 state residents, […]
Michigan proof-of-citizenship question fails to gain House support
by Hayley Harding, Votebeat (for Bridge Michigan) An attempt to get a proof-of-citizenship requirement for would-be voters onto the 2026 ballot failed along party lines Thursday in the Michigan House — a blow to the GOP-backed effort, but likely not the final word. The measure would require new Michigan voters — and almost certainly some […]
Nitrous oxide poisoning, deaths sharply rising among Michigan youths: Study
by Daniel Schoenherr, Capital News Service (Bridge Michigan) LANSING – A growing number of young people in Michigan are overdosing on nitrous oxide — a dangerous misuse of the same “laughing gas” dentists use to sedate patients. Emergency departments across the state saw a fivefold increase in nitrous oxide-related poisonings and deaths between 2019 […]
Trump, joined by Whitmer, announces new jets for Selfridge
by Lauren Gibbons (Bridge Michigan) President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced that Selfridge Air National Guard Base will receive 21 F-15EX Eagle II fighters to replace a fleet of retiring jets. “I’ve come in person to lay to rest any doubts about Selfridge,” Trump said at the Harrison Township base, hours before a planned speech […]
Studies raise warnings about Michigan child care access, cost
by Ron French (Bridge Michigan) Michigan’s child care system is in crisis, with families struggling to pay for services and workers fleeing the field because of low wages. That’s the conclusion of a flurry of recent reports examining a long-term problem that is hobbling the state’s workforce and straining family budgets. And while the state […]
Donald Trump restores student visas after revoking 70-plus in Michigan
by Ron French & The Associated Press Photo credit (Bridge Michigan) At least 70 international students at Michigan colleges and universities marked for possible deportation appeared to get a reprieve Friday, when federal officials announced plans to reverse termination of their legal status. A government lawyer for the Trump administration explained the policy shift Friday […]
School offers peek at ‘science of reading.’ Can it boost scores in Michigan?
by Isabel Lohmann (Bridge Michigan) In a first grade classroom in Stockbridge, 18 students sit on a rug while they say out loud the sounds different letter combinations make. They shout together the sounds of “sm-,” “-xt,” “-lk,” “-nch,” as teacher Brittany Floyd stands in front of a colorful whiteboard, rehearsing with them. Soon, they’ll […]
Native plant sales are popping up around Michigan. Find one near you
by Laura Herberg (Bridge Magazine) It’s the time of year in Michigan when spring blossoms are blooming, the daffodils and tulips are out, and native plant sales are popping up! Native species — plants from the area that have evolved with the local ecosystem — have a lot of benefits. They can provide a place […]
Attention MSU fans: Huge Sparty for sale. One catch: Must have 30-foot wall
by Paula Gardner (Bridge Michigan) What’s the market like for a well-crafted metal Spartan warrior in profile? The Michigan State University Surplus Store will find out on May 9 after 15-day auctions for three Big Screen versions, taken right off of outdated football stadium scoreboards. “Very large scoreboards,” store operations manager Chris Hewitt emphasized to Bridge Michigan. Students, graduates […]
Study: Washing machines send ‘toxic stew’ of microfibers into Great Lakes
by Victoria Witke, Capital News Service (Bridge Michigan) LANSING – While an undergraduate student at Valparaiso University in Indiana, Eddie Kostelnik and his peers researched a small pollutant causing big problems for the Great Lakes. The culprit: microfibers. Microfibers are plastic strings much thinner than human hair that get into waterways primarily from washing fabrics […]
