Bill aims to allow backyard wildlife feeding, but critics fear deer disease
by Ashley Zhou (Bridge Michigan) A northern Michigan lawmaker is taking another shot at legislation that would allow residents to feed birds and other small wildlife near their homes. A similar bill was vetoed in 2021 by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who echoed the concerns of conservation groups that allowing people to spread feed in their […]
Fix the damn roads? Michigan must first decide who OKs the darn gravel mines
by Kelly House (Bridge Michigan) Michigan’s quest to “fix the damn roads” is prompting a fight in Lansing over who gets to decide where the gravel industry can mine for raw materials used in concrete and asphalt. For the fourth straight legislative term, bipartisan lawmakers are pushing bills that would shift permitting oversight of sand […]
Michigan is short on Adderall, penicillin, cancer drugs amid supply woes
by Robin Erb (Bridge Magazine) Drug shortages continue to dog doctors, patients and parents in Michigan and throughout the country, with deepening shortages in drugs that range from antibiotics for ear infections and strep throats, to penicillin to treat syphilis and two critical cancer drugs. In Ann Arbor, the latest challenge for Dr. Stephanie Goodson, […]
COVID public health emergency ended Thursday. What it means for Michigan
by Robin Erb (Bridge Michigan) On Thursday, May 11, the COVID-19 public health emergency officially ended in the United States after 13 renewals over three years. Its expiration means, among other changes, the end of free COVID testing for some people. But other COVID realities and culture shifts will remain. Some Americans continue to suffer […]
Anishinaabe tribes work to save Michigan whitefish
by Lester Graham, Michigan Radio (Bridge Michigan) Commercial fishers are catching fewer whitefish in parts of the Great Lakes — and the Anishinaabe people are trying to figure out why. The Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians is looking into low reproduction rates for the fish. Great Lakes whitefish are pretty popular. Whether it’s […]
Michigan nears ban on handheld cell phone use while driving
by Jonathan Oosting (Bridge Michigan) LANSING — Michigan is getting closer to a ban on handheld cell phones while driving, after the Senate on Wednesday approved long-debated legislation to toughen the state’s distracted driving law. The Democratic proposal, which passed in a series of 27-11 votes with some Republican support, would limit drivers to using hands-free […]
Allergies may be getting worse in Michigan. It’s not just you
by Janelle D. James (Bridge Michigan) As the seasons change and temperatures rise, people spend more time doing outdoor activities that they miss during the colder months. What most people don’t miss are seasonal allergies. As many as 60 million people suffer from seasonal allergies each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention […]
Michigan’s pitch to lure new residents: nature, high tech, abortion rights
by Ron French, Mike Wilkinson, Paula Gardner (Bridge Michigan) There may be a new twist on the “Pure Michigan” campaign soon — one that may prove more controversial than the old Tim Allen ads — aimed at getting more young adults to move here, land jobs, have babies and pay taxes. Economic leaders in the […]
Michigan home values among lowest in U.S.
by Mike Wilkinson (Bridge Michigan) Michigan housing values are falling behind the rest of the nation, as the median listing price now ranks 48th among states, down from 45th a year ago. The state’s median listing of $267,000 is higher only than the medians in Ohio and West Virginia, according to March data compiled by Realtor.com. […]
Michigan Senate passes sexual assault reform six years after Nassar conviction
by Yue Stella Yu (Bridge Michigan) A bipartisan legislative package to strengthen penalties for sexual assaults and protect survivors cleared the Michigan Senate almost unanimously Thursday. The legislation will now head to the House. The package was first introduced in 2018 following the conviction of Larry Nassar, a former U.S. women’s gymnastics team doctor and former […]
