Michigan restaurants: Raising minimum wage would doom us. Others dubious
by Janelle D. James (Bridge Michigan) Allison Rybsky has been a server at Driftwood Bar and Grill in Novi for two years. In addition to waiting tables, she sweeps, mops and completes other cleaning tasks before clocking out. She worries that increasing the state minimum wage to $11.73 from $3.84 for tipped workers may prompt […]
Want better roads? Make it easier to open gravel mines in Michigan, unions say
by Yue Stella Yu (Bridge Michigan) LANSING — Legislation that would strip local governments of the authority to regulate gravel mines is moving along in the state House, prompting disagreements with business leaders who say the reform will cut road costs and local leaders who say it will hurt the quality of life. The bipartisan three-bill […]
As child mental health rates rise, Michigan sharply cuts residential beds
by Robin Erb (Bridge Michigan) Michigan’s efforts to keep children with serious mental illness out of institutional settings is getting pushback from families who fear their child is too volatile — in some cases, too dangerous — to remain at home. It’s a tension that pits the good intentions of health officials, who want to […]
Michigan sounds alarm about mosquitoes after Jamestown Canyon virus detected
by Janelle D. James (Bridge Michigan) Michigan health officials are warning about mosquito-born illnesses, after a sample of the insects tested positive for Jamestown Canyon virus in Saginaw County. The virus is spread by mosquitos and can cause fever, headaches and fatigue, cough, sore throat or runny nose, according to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. […]
Surgeon general warns about social media, teens: Will Michigan listen?
by Riley Hodder (Bridge Michigan) A few weeks ago, Lyric Fountain, a sophomore at Woodhaven High School in southeast Michigan, started research on the negative effects of social media for her English class. Fountain has always been careful with social media, and this assignment served as an opportunity to further explore her concerns. At the […]
Michigan’s second human donor milk bank opens in Jackson
by Irina Li (Bridge Michigan) Michigan families in need of breast milk for their babies can now turn to Henry Ford Health’s new human donor milk bank in Jackson. After delivering its first batch of donor milk to the Henry Ford Jackson Hospital on Friday, the Henry Ford Milk Bank is officially open, hoping to […]
Michigan moves to adopt early voting; Republicans say efforts go too far
by Oralandar Brand-Williams, Votebeat (for Bridge Michigan) Voting in Michigan is about to undergo unprecedented changes, and among those changes will be the option of at least nine days of in-person early voting. What that looks like to voters will depend on where in the state they live. The House and Senate passed legislation Wednesday […]
Michigan bills would give farmers ‘right to repair’ tractors, equipment
by Ashley Zhou (Bridge Michigan) Farmers at Faist Farms in Jackson County were planting their annual corn crop this spring when their John Deere tractor ground to a halt, displaying an error code. Hoping to diagnose the problem, Jacob Faist pulled out the manual and looked up the code. But the manual simply said to […]
‘Hands-free’ distracted driving law takes effect June 30 in Michigan
by Lauren Gibbons (Bridge Michigan) PLYMOUTH — Starting this summer, Michigan drivers will have to put down their phones while behind the wheel or risk a ticket. On Wednesday, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed legislation making Michigan the 26th state to enact a “hands-free” distracted driving law, which bars motorists from driving while holding cell phones […]
Michigan population woes persist: Thousands leave for Sun Belt, census shows
by Mike Wilkinson (Bridge Michigan) Michigan’s population struggles continued after the pandemic eased, as nearly 15,000 people moved to other states from 2020 to 2021, new Census Bureau data shows. Even so, that was an improvement from the estimated net loss of 20,357 residents to other states from 2018 to 2019. The new numbers released Thursday […]
