In Michigan, 1 in 3 students miss 18+ days of school a year, data shows
by Isabel Lohman & Mike Wilkinson (Bridge Michigan) Nearly 1 in 3 K-12 students in Michigan missed 10% or more school days this past academic year, a tiny decrease from last year but still considerably higher than before the pandemic. The troublesome trend comes as state test scores show students have still not fully recovered from […]
Census: Michigan household income drop among nation’s worst. Blame inflation
by Mike Wilkinson & Paula Gardner (Bridge Michigan) Inflation and higher costs for groceries and housing have erased household income gains in Michigan and nationwide since the pandemic, the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows. Median household income in Michigan fell to $69,183 in 2023, down 3% from the inflation-adjusted income in 2019, […]
Fed up with geese, Michigan abandons relocation efforts. Next up: killing them
by Kelly House (Bridge Michigan) Michigan’s booming Canada goose population is both a conservation success and daily annoyance: They poop everywhere, drop feathers, chase pedestrians and occasionally cause E. coli outbreaks in popular lakes. Starting next year, some landowners will be able to respond with lethal force. On Thursday, Michigan regulators unveiled a new policy […]
Michigan gas prices may drop as refineries switch to winter-grade fuel
by Janelle D. James (Bridge Michigan) Michiganders could see a dip in gas prices ahead of the fall as oil refineries make the switch to “winter-grade fuel.” As fall approaches and drivers are spending less time on the road as they did during the summer, demand for gasoline tends to decrease. That along with oil […]
In mid-Michigan, economic worries persist. So does disgust of politics
by Simon D. Schuster (Bridge Michigan) FLINT — At 78, Daniel Spaniola still mans the counter at Paul’s Pipe Shop, the business his father started 96 years ago. The walls of the tobacconist are lined with display cases for pipes and are mostly empty these days. “I’ve burned up most of my savings, but we’re struggling,” […]
As election nears, Michigan, other states confront intimidation of clerks
by Peggy Dodd , Pierce Gentry , Shelby Rickert , & Olivia Talkington, News21 (Bridge Michigan) Editor’s Note: This story contains graphic language from threatening voicemails and emails sent to election officials across the U.S. ROCHESTER HILLS – Exactly seven days had passed since the 2020 presidential election when Tina Barton sat down at her desk and saw the blinking light […]
Report: Michigan’s weak pollution cleanups are costing future generations
by Kelly House (Bridge Michigan) By polluting the state’s groundwater and choosing not to clean it up, Michigan industries are saddling future generations with untold financial, social and health risks. That’s according to a new report from researchers at Michigan State University and the nonprofit FLOW (For Love of Water) that recommends changing Michigan law to make […]
Restoring Michigan rivers by cleaning up, removing crumbling dams
by Lester Graham (Bridge Michigan via Michigan Public Radio) In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, building dams for electricity generation was the big new thing. Those hydroelectric dams provided power to nearby cities. But big companies found centralized coal-burning power plants could provide power to larger areas and make more money. Many of […]
Michiganders get nine new ‘I Voted’ stickers for the November election
by Jenelle D. James (Bridge Michigan) In an election year filled with memes and “vibes,” even the traditional “I Voted” sticker is getting a makeover. Michigan has approved nine new stickers that voters can wear after casting their ballots. The winning entries in the state’s first “I Voted” design contest range from funny and cute […]
Executive order signed in Michigan prioritizing grants for high-wage projects
by Josh Boak, Associated Press (via Bridge Michigan) President Joe Biden on Friday signed an executive order for federal grants that will prioritize projects with labor agreements, wage standards, and benefits such as access to child care and apprenticeship programs. Biden said the ideas in his order “are common sense.” “Economists have long believed that these good […]
