Gas stove debate is the latest political culture war. Here are the facts
by Kelly House (Bridge Michigan) To Ann Arbor Sustainability and Innovations Director Missy Stults, banning gas stove hookups in the city’s new construction is a way to protect the city’s residents. Beside the fact that every new gas line undermines Ann Arbor’s plan to go carbon neutral by 2030, stoves and furnaces powered by gas […]
With growing backlash to wind energy, Michigan turns to solar power
by Ron French (Bridge Michigan) When what was then the tallest wind turbine in the U.S. was erected on the outskirts of Traverse City in 1996, it was hailed as a sign of Michigan’s clean energy future. Last summer, when the 26-year-old, now-comparatively diminutive turbine was disassembled and replaced by solar panels, it was a sign […]
Shell shocked: Why eggs are so expensive in Michigan and when it will end
by Janelle D. James (Bridge Michigan) Inflation combined with avian flu to push egg prices 60% higher than a year ago, and now Michigan agriculture experts say the prices may not start to drop until spring. The difference is five times the 12% overall jump for grocery items, according to the latest report on consumer […]
End may be near for Michigan redistricting panel, a year after finishing maps
by Lauren Gibbons (Bridge Michigan) Michigan’s independent redistricting commission now has a plan to go dormant once lawsuits against its work wrap up — but a fight with the Legislature over funding for commissioners’ salaries and legal bills remains unresolved. The 13-member panel finished the thrust of its work in late 2021, when commissioners approved […]
Michigan sees spike in 988 mental health calls. But what happens next?
by Ted Roelofs (Bridge Michigan) Six months after the new 988 mental health hotline went live in Michigan, mental health officials say significantly more people are calling for help. That’s the good news. The trickier problem remains finding a therapist or other professional to refer these people to in the days that follow. Thousands of […]
Michigan winters are super cloudy and getting worse. Here’s how to deal.
by Kelly House (Bridge Michigan) Five minutes. That’s how much sunshine Grand Rapids experienced over the first eight days of the year, before the glowing orb finally broke through the clouds on Monday. And the city was no anomaly: For nearly two weeks, clouds blanketed large swaths of Michigan, occasionally accompanied by rainfall that transformed […]
End of federal child tax credit expansion risks more Michigan kids in poverty
by Sarah Atwood, Capital News Service (For Bridge Michigan) LANSING — The expansion of a federal tax credit extended to low-income families during the pandemic lifted more than half a million Michigan children out of poverty, according to the Michigan League for Public Policy. The expansion ended at the close of 2022, and advocates worry […]
Used car prices are falling, but ‘seller’s market’ likely to last for years
by Paula Gardner (Bridge Michigan) DETROIT — A dip in used car prices is helping to push inflation lower — however slightly — but longer-term sales shifts and higher interest rates mean that today’s decline won’t offset a tough resale market for car buyers. Inflation data released Thursday show used U.S. vehicle prices continue to fall from their […]
Who gets paid minimum wage in Michigan? Only 1% of workers, as pay soars
by Mike Wilkinson (Bridge Michigan) Michigan’s minimum wage jumped to $10.10 an hour from $9.87 on Jan. 1, but for the first time in decades, that pay is well below what many employers can even consider offering entry-level workers. Instead, business owners are paying $1 to $4 more an hour in order to find employees […]
Lakes Michigan and Huron join list of lakes with PFAS-tainted smelt
by Kelly House (Bridge Michigan) More than a decade after state regulators issued their first “do not eat” advisory for PFAS-tainted fish, the list of affected Michigan waterways keeps growing. Michigan health officials this week urged people to limit meals of rainbow smelt caught in lakes Michigan, Huron, and three inland waterways because the fish […]
