Seduction, train drunkenness and more still illegal in Michigan
by Lauren Gibbons (Bridge Michigan) Maybe you’ve been tipsy on a train, or opted for a topless tan. Maybe you’ve taken the Lord’s name in vain, or disturbed someone “in the quiet and peaceable pursuit of his lawful occupation.” Even Michigan’s most stand-up citizens have probably run afoul of an archaic state law at one […]
Change Michigan’s Nov. 15 deer season opener? No way, DNR says
by Kelly House (Bridge Michigan) The Nov. 15 firearm opener is a tradition so deeply-entrenched in Michigan deer hunting culture, some communities treat it as a de-facto public holiday. And after studying the issue, Michigan hunting regulators say they see no reason to change that. Acting on a request from former DNR Director Dan Eichinger, […]
Dexter schools sue social media giants, citing child mental health crisis
by Isabel Lohman (Bridge Michigan) What can school districts do to change how social media companies interact with children and teens? It’s a question that may be answered in a federal lawsuit targeting the most popular and ubiquitous social media platforms used by children and adolescents. On Monday, the Dexter Community Schools board unanimously approved a […]
No criminal charge? No problem! Michigan police can still take your car
by Ron French (Bridge Michigan) TAYLOR — Stephanie Wilson was driving on a service lane in Detroit in June 2019 when unmarked police cars swooped in and surrounded her Saturn Ion. Within minutes, she said, the car had been seized, leaving the nursing student and her ex-boyfriend on the side of the road wondering what […]
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 […]
