Michigan drunk driving arrests plunge. Impairment remains deadly threat
by Mike Wilkinson (Bridge Michigan) Drunk driving arrests in Michigan continue to fall, dropping 4% last year and 28% since 2014, according to new state police data released this month. Across Michigan, there were 25,318 arrests for drunk driving in 2024, down 1,090 from the 26,408 in 2023. In 2014 there were almost 10,000 more DUI arrests — 35,060. […]
Michigan’s economy: ‘Constant uncertainty’ sparks fear, hope for stability
by Paula Gardner (Bridge Michigan) Michigan was among just 11 states whose economies grew in the first quarter of 2025. That revelation from the Federal Reserve offers a glimmer of positive news for a state facing a laundry list of economic challenges. But there’s a catch: We barely made the cut, eking out a 0.19% increase in […]
Michigan petition summer: What to know about voting, tax, wage proposals before you sign
by Simon D. Schuster (Bridge Michigan) LANSING — If you’re heading out to a festival, concert, farmers market or other public event this summer in Michigan, there’s a good chance you’ll be greeted by petition circulators seeking your signature. At least six petition drives are underway or could be soon by groups seeking a spot […]
As ICE detention center opens, ‘dangerous times to be an immigrant in Michigan’
by Lauren Gibbons (Bridge Michigan) Hundreds of miles from any international border or federal immigration court, a rural Michigan village on the outskirts of the Manistee National Forest will serve as a temporary residence for thousands of detainees awaiting a final decision on their legal status in the US. As President Donald Trump’s administration ramps […]
Bird moving ban has some worried swimmers will be itching for relief
by Eli Newman (Bridge Michigan) Duncan Lawrence saw the full ramifications of cercarial dermatitis — better known by its dreaded nickname “swimmer’s itch” — after his grandchildren experienced the allergic reaction firsthand at his cottage near Roscommon. The three school-aged kids came out from playing in Higgins Lake and within hours were pockmarked with little red welts […]
Michigan Dreaming Bucket List: Staying in a lighthouse is fun, but work, too
Laura Herberg (Bridge Michigan) The current Pointe aux Barques Lighthouse on Michigan’s Thumb opens for public tower climbs a couple times a year. But, as volunteer assistant lighthouse keepers, Donna and Dennis Phillips get to go places where the public isn’t allowed. Normal visitors have to stop short of the part of the lighthouse tower […]
Great Lakes scientists discover new lifeform microbe, name it ShipGoo1
by Emilio Perez Ibarguen (Bridge Michigan) When a team of scientists and sailors studying Lake Erie algae blooms docked their ship in Cleveland last autumn, they expected a short stop to fix a noisy rudder. Instead, they discovered a new life form aboard the research vessel R/V Blue Heron. Grease that oozed from the rudder […]
Michigan gives boost to summer boating with $3.8M for local marina projects
by Janelle D. James (Bridge Michigan) Just in time for summer, several Michigan communities are receiving state funding to upgrade their public boating facilities and expand recreational boating opportunities. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources announced this month it has awarded $3.8 million to 11 communities for a dozen projects, including dock upgrades, marina repairs, engineering studies and […]
Michigan officials made Minnesota shooter list. Some want home address shield
by Jordyn Hermani (Bridge Michigan) Michigan lawmakers are considering changes to state disclosure laws to hide the personal addresses of elected officials in the wake of an alleged politically motivated weekend shooting in Minnesota. Authorities say the suspected shooter, who killed a Minnesota lawmaker and her husband after injuring two others at their homes on Saturday, had […]
Iconic whitefish on edge of collapse as Great Lakes biodiversity crisis deepens
by Kelly House (Bridge Michigan) LELAND — Locals and tourists alike flock to The Cove restaurant for Great Lakes whitefish, served 10 ways with a view of the docks where fishermen have hauled in Lake Michigan’s bounty for nearly two centuries. “Why get something else?” said Bob Hasse, a lifelong Michigander who visits the place […]
