U-M’s mastodon man calls it a career after decades of solving Ice Age mysteries
by Aaron Martin & Kelly House (Bridge Michigan) ANN ARBOR — Dan Fisher came to the University of Michigan to study fossilized horseshoe crabs. When he retires at the end of 2023, Fisher will leave U-M as one of the world’s foremost experts in mammoths and mastodons, the elephant-like giants of the Ice Age. His retirement marks the […]
Is Michigan ripe for a women-majority Legislature? Advocates eye one in ‘24
by Lauren Gibbons (Bridge Michigan) Tracy-Ann Jennings never imagined herself managing political campaigns, let alone running her own. But after a friend expressed interest in running for mayor, the Benton Harbor resident — a consultant and mom of four with a background in municipal government and economic development — wondered what it would take to […]
Michigan sees another year of double-digit growth for outdoor industry
by Kelly House (Bridge Michigan) Michigan’s outdoor recreation sector continued on a trajectory of rapid growth last year, prompting calls for greater investment in the land, water and infrastructure that underpins the industry. New statistics from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis show the sector grew by 11.8% in 2022, the second straight year of double-digit […]
In antler-obsessed Michigan, the state begs hunters to shoot more does
by Kelly House (Bridge Michigan) As whitetail deer populations overwhelm some communities in lower Michigan, natural resources managers have tried a number of strategies to reduce herds. They allow hunters to kill more deer each year. They’ve experimented with lower-cost licenses in parts of the state, and relaxed regulations to promote more harvests. The outcome? […]
Indiana is beating Michigan by attracting people, not just companies
by Ron French (Bridge Michigan) In the 1980s, even the locals around Indianapolis referred to their town as India-no-place — a city that had no real identity, in the middle of a state known for the inferiority-tinged jingle, “There’s more than corn in Indiana!” Today, there’s still a lot of corn, but there are also […]
AFSCME puts Michigan’s Council 25 in receivership, dismaying local officials
by Sarah Rahal, The Detroit News & Christine Ferretti (Bridge Michigan) Michigan’s largest government employee union has been placed in receivership by its international union amid an over 50 percent membership plunge in the past decade, what some local union officials are calling a “takeover” that is creating uncertainty and confusion. In documents obtained by The Detroit News […]
Michigan has just half the child psychiatrists it needs amid health crisis
by Robin Erb (Bridge Michigan) Michigan’s mental health system is hobbled by a shortage of workers, but perhaps none will be more difficult to fill than those at the very top of the skill chart: child psychiatrists. The apex providers in the mental health system after training for 13 years or more, they theoretically take […]
Judge: Donald Trump can appear on Michigan ballot despite ‘insurrection’ challenge
by Jonathan Oosting (Bridge Michigan) LANSING — Donald Trump can appear on Michigan’s 2024 presidential primary ballot and the state cannot stop him, a judge ruled Tuesday, rejecting a pair of lawsuits that had sought to bar the former president for “insurrection.” Michigan Court of Claims Judge Robert Redford offered Trump much of the relief […]
Michigan farms compete with imported turkeys during Thanksgiving
by Kelsey Lester, Capital News Service (Bridge Michigan) LANSING — When you reminisce about the Thanksgiving season, it’s easy to envision a belly stuffed with turkey, then leaning all the way back in your favorite recliner for a nap. The hard work of small-town turkey farmers around Michigan is likely to go unnoticed when many […]
Michigan farmers eye upcoming federal Farm Bill
by Liz Nass, Capital News Service (Bridge Michigan) LANSING — Michigan farmers, looking to expand crop insurance and research funding, are pushing to see their needs recognized as the federal Farm Bill moves along on the congressional agenda. The Farm Bill is legislation that is renewed every five years, updating agricultural policy in an ever-changing […]
