From retro to high-tech, Michigan drivers snap up new license plate options
By Roni Kane (Bridge Michigan) In April, Holland resident Michael Alan took the standard blue and white “Pure Michigan” license plate off of his Toyota RAV4’s back bumper and swapped it for a new, maize-and-blue “Water-Winter Wonderland” plate. Water-Winter Wonderland plates were issued to all Michigan drivers between 1965 and 1968, but they made a […]
How one firm in a ‘Wild West’ industry upended the Michigan GOP governor race
by Yue Stella Yu, Mike Wilkinson, & Joel Kurth (Bridge Michigan) LANSING — Stephen Tinnin Jr. was at a smoothie shop in Ferndale when a stranger asked him a question: Have you ever gathered signatures for political candidates? No, he told Shawn Wilmoth, owner of First Choice Contracting, he had not, Tinnin recalled to Bridge Michigan. Tinnin […]
Oxford students sue in ‘desperate attempt’ to improve safety after shooting
by Yue Stella Yu (Bridge Michigan) LANSING — Twenty current and recently graduated Oxford High School students are filing a federal lawsuit against the school district in what their parents call a “desperate attempt” to force policy changes and transparency from school officials. The lawsuit — filed almost seven months after a shooting at Oxford High School […]
Michigan GOP rejects LGBT Pride resolution, wants ‘lifestyle‘ disclaimer
by Jonathan Oosting & Lauren Gibbons (Bridge Michigan) LANSING — Republican leadership in the Michigan Senate on Tuesday refused to take up a Pride Month resolution adopted in identical form last year, drawing protests from Democrats who accused the majority of sowing election-year divisions. The resolution would have recognized June 2022 as “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, […]
Will Michigan’s grid stand up to heat wave? What to know as temps soar.
by Kelly House (Bridge Michigan) Michigan’s first summer-like heat wave arrived early and intensely this year, as temperatures well into the 90s Wednesday threatened to break records across much of the state. As cities from Detroit to Battle Creek opened cooling centers to provide relief for residents without access to home air conditioning, regional electrical […]
Lack of parts and mechanics adds weeks to car repairs in Michigan
by Jared Ramsey (Bridge Michigan) LANSING — Nicholas Randall may extend work days at Redline Auto Services to 12 hours, spanning from 6 am to 6 pm weekdays then staying open on the weekends. That may be the only way, he said, to keep up with increasing car repair requests at the shop he manages. […]
‘Pure chaos’ in Michigan as FBI arrest, forgeries rock GOP governor primary
by Jonathan Oosting (Bridge Michigan) LANSING — Already rocked by a signature forgery scandal, Michigan’s Republican gubernatorial primary was upended again this week by the arrest of candidate Ryan Kelley, the promise of a write-in campaign by James Craig and new conspiracy claims about the upcoming election. It’s “pure chaos,” said Andrea Bitely, a Lansing-based strategist […]
Abortion isn’t ‘black and white’ for Michigan voters. But it is for lawmakers.
by Lauren Gibbons (Bridge Michigan) LANSING — When it comes to abortion, the political debate is binary in Michigan: Democratic lawmakers support access unequivocally, while Republican ones favor an all-out-ban with exceptions only for life-threatening pregnancies. Bridge Michigan reviewed statewide and legislative candidates’ publicly available statements on abortion and found almost no middle ground. A […]
House rejects tutoring bill. What’s next for Michigan’s struggling students?
by Isabel Lohman (Bridge Michigan) A Republican bill that would have given parents up to $1,500 a child to use for tutoring and other education expenses failed to get enough votes in the House on Tuesday. Five Republicans joined Democrats, who have been opposed to the bill since it was in committee, to defeat the bill. Struggling […]
As youth mental health crisis rages, Michigan schools work to bolster students’ sense of connection
by Eleanore Catolico (Bridge Michigan) This story was reported and published in partnership with MindSite News, a new nonprofit digital publication that reports on mental health. The bell rang a little after a gloomy dawn. As a trickle of A.P. Spanish students settled into their wooden desks, teacher Zachary Daniels powered up his smartboard. Behind him, […]
