Archery deer-hunting season in Michigan. What to know: Dates, licenses
by Janelle D. James (Bridge Michigan) Time to get those crossbows ready. Tuesday marks the official start of archery deer-hunting season in Michigan. While a bow and arrow isn’t the most popular weapon used to hunt deer, there are still hunters who participate. In 2023, more than 286,000 deer hunters participated in archery hunts in Michigan, according to the […]
Michigan lawmakers divided but OK tax breaks to lure data centers
by Kelly House (Bridge Michigan) A divided Michigan House of Representative on Wednesday approved one half of a two-bill package to offer new tax breaks to entice major tech companies to build multi-billion dollar server farms in the state. The bill, Senate Bill 237, is part of a package that would exempt large “enterprise data centers” owned […]
Using mussels to scrub fresh water — and sound the alarm on contamination
by Amalia Medina, Capital News Service (Bridge Michigan) LANSING — Water tanks line a room in Philadelphia’s Water Works on the bank of the Schuylkill River. Inside are small fish that are hosts to tiny organisms that researchers say can help solve polluted waterways. Tucked under the fish gills are microscopic mussels that will mature […]
Michigan election challengers face new rules to deter delays, disruptions
by Hayley Harding, Votebeat (via Bridge Michigam) Michigan poll challengers face stricter rules going into the November election, part of a wave of new requirements that aim to prevent some of the disruptions that marred the ballot counting process four years ago. Poll challengers — distinct from poll workers and poll watchers — are individuals […]
What’s in a name? Tom Izzo runs for Michigan House. No, not him
by Lauren Gibbons (Bridge Michigan) Michigan State University basketball coach Tom Izzo is not running for office. But voters in Michigan’s 74th state House district will see a Lansing man with that name — same spelling, different pronunciation — on their ballots running as a Republican against incumbent state Rep. Kara Hope, D-Holt. Tom Izzo […]
Dems OK $125M for Michigan school safety, mental health. GOP wanted more
by Isabel Lohman & Simon D. Schuster (Bridge Michigan) Facing pressure from school groups in a critical election year, Michigan House Democrats on Wednesday proposed spending an additional $126 million on student safety and mental health. The proposal, unveiled as Democrats fight to retain their slim two-seat House majority, would partially reverse what school groups had […]
Audit finds DTE Electric and Consumers Energy outages ‘worse than average’
by Jenelle D. James (Bridge Michigan) DTE and Consumers Energy had “worse than average” service interruptions, restoration delays, and tree trimming cycles compared to other utility companies, according to an audit conducted by an independent party. The Michigan Public Service Commission said it hired Liberty Consulting Group, based in Pennsylvania, to audit both companies in 2022 “amid […]
Michigan’s mental health crisis extends beyond students: Teachers struggle, too
by Katie Finkbeiner for Capital News Service (via Bridge Michigan) LANSING – “When I was a teacher, I felt like I connected so much with the kids who were struggling, I felt like I took that home with me,” said Becky Halamka, a Negaunee Public Schools counselor and founder of Superior Educator Wellness Services. Before […]
As Michigan moves toward $15 minimum wage, workers rally to keep tip system
by Jordyn Hermani (Bridge Michigan) Michigan will move forward with plans to raise its minimum wage to nearly $15 an hour by 2028 but should delay a full phase out of the sub-minimum wage for tipped workers until 2030 under an amended order released Wednesday by the state Supreme Court. Responding to a request for […]
In Michigan, alarms grow over construction worker suicides; more help on way
by Anna Rossow, Capital News Service (Bridge Michigan) LANSING – Mental health problems in a male-dominated industry – construction – are often overlooked, and its workers have disproportionately high suicide rates, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics The agency says the suicide rate among construction workers is four times more than for adults […]
