Census: More deaths than births in almost all Michigan counties (but not Washtenaw)
by Mike Wilkinson (Bridge Michigan) Deaths outnumbered births in all but seven counties in Michigan in the year ending July 2022, new Census figures show, a result of the state’s aging population and the devastating impact of thousands of COVID-19 deaths. That’s 92% of Michigan’s 83 counties, the fourth-highest rate in the nation, surpassed only […]
In Michigan, an affordable housing ‘emergency’ looms
by Lauren Gibbons (Bridge Michigan) Affordable housing is in short supply throughout Michigan — and state housing officials are hoping a proposed expansion of redevelopment subsidy programs will help close the gap. A four-bill package recently approved by the Michigan Senate would allow local governments to offer subsidies on certain affordable housing redevelopment projects through […]
STEM degrees soar at Michigan colleges; business grads decline, records show
by Mike Wilkinson (Bridge Michigan) The push to get more Michigan students into math and science heavy programs is bearing fruit, with more people majoring in those fields — while fewer are graduating with degrees in business or liberal arts programs. Although the overall number of bachelor degrees has fallen slightly since 2018, four of […]
Two in five Michigan nurses plan to leave their jobs, survey finds
by Robin Erb (Bridge Michigan) New research finds that two in five Michigan nurses said last year that they planned to walk away from their jobs over the next year, citing inadequate staffing and safety concerns both for staff and patients. In an email survey taken in March 2022, 9,150 state-licensed registered nurses in Michigan […]
Frogs, salamanders, fairy shrimp usher in spring at Michigan vernal pools
by Lester Graham, Michigan Radio (Bridge Michigan) During the next couple of weeks, little pools of water in forested areas will be alive with the sounds of frogs. It’s a gathering place for all kinds of critters who need these temporary shallow ponds for finding a mate. That’s where I was headed. I was driving […]
Michigan library book bans: lessons from a federal Texas case
by Isabel Lohman As Michigan public and school libraries face calls from some parents and conservative groups to remove or restrict certain books, a federal judge in Texas has overturned a library’s removal of several books, many of them with racial or LGBTQ themes. In last week’s ruling, U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman ordered the books […]
DeSantis brings war on ‘woke’ to Michigan, teases run against Trump
by Jonathan Oosting (Bridge Michigan) MIDLAND – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis spoke to hundreds of Michigan Republicans here on Thursday, positioning himself as an unapologetic conservative who has developed a “culture of winning” in his state. “What we showed in Florida, is that if you show bold leadership, if you pursue a bold agenda, you […]
Whitmer: Abortion pill remains ‘legal in Michigan,’ despite judge’s ruling
by Bridge Staff (Bridge Michigan) Michigan officials say medical abortions will continue in the state, despite a Texas federal judge’s ruling late Friday that suspended approval of the abortion medication mifepristone. “Despite this ruling, I want to be clear: abortion, including medication abortion, remains safe and legal in the state of Michigan,” Gov. Gretchen Whitmer […]
Meet the Michigan Magnet Man, finder of lost river trash
by Vladislava Sukhanovskaya, Great Lakes Echo (for Bridge Michigan) Laptops, phones, keys, a drone, a picnic table, a meat slicer, axes, spoons, chairs, a horseshoe, guns and a 90-year-old condom are among the items Michigan’s Magnet Man has fished out of the state’s rivers. Magnet fishing is popular throughout the Great Lake states, including communities […]
Michigan income tax rate to drop to 4.05 percent, but just for one year
by Jonathan Oosting (Bridge Michigan) Michigan’s individual income tax rate will fall from 4.25% to 4.05% for the 2023 tax year, state Treasurer Rachel Eubanks confirmed Wednesday. The cut will be short-lived, however. The income tax rate will return to 4.25% in 2024, Eubanks said, citing a legal opinion released this week by Democratic Attorney General […]
