Michigan makes paid surrogate pregnancies a crime. That could change
by Jordyn Hermani (Bridge Michigan) LANSING — For more than three decades, Michigan has made it a crime for prospective parents to hire paid surrogates, but that may soon change under a major proposal making its way through the state Senate. A series of bills already approved by the House would amend Michigan law to establish the […]
Time for toll roads in Michigan? Lawmakers revive debate
by Lauren Gibbons, Bridge Michigan As the projected price for fixing Michigan’s crumbling roads and bridges grows, lawmakers are reviving debates over charging drivers by the mile or adding tolls to some of the state’s busiest highways. A state House budget committee over the past two weeks has invited testimony from advocates of alternative road […]
Spring has already sprung for mosquitoes in Michigan
by Janelle D James, Bridge Michigan Although spring isn’t official for another two weeks, record-high temperatures in February have prompted mosquitoes to emerge early. The warm weather has made for great days to go outside and play or sit around a fire, but it also makes people more susceptible to bites from the nuisance insects. Mosquitoes […]
Climate change is erasing Michigan winters, taking our heritage with them
by Kelly House (Bridge Michigan) Most snowmobile trails aren’t groomed until there’s at least 8 inches of snow on the ground. It’s 6 inches for a cross-country ski trail. Walking on a frozen lake requires 4 inches of clear ice. And it’s hard to control a dogsled when daily thaws turn the trail into a sheet […]
Donald Trump dominates Michigan GOP caucuses, builds on delegate lead
by Jonathan Oosting (Bridge Michigan) GRAND RAPIDS — Delegates in the fractured Michigan Republican Party rallied behind a common goal Saturday, voting in overwhelming numbers to make Donald Trump the party’s presidential nominee. Trump won all 39 delegates at stake in 13 separate congressional district caucus meetings at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel in Grand […]
Michigan’s black bear population is booming
by Janelle D. James (Bridge Michigan) The chances of finding a black bear picking at a bird feeder or rummaging through trash is increasing in Michigan, especially in the northern Lower Peninsula and the Upper Peninsula. Michigan’s black bear population grew 25% between 2012 and 2022, and as the population increases so do complaints of […]
Michigan’s charters, virtual schools buck trend in falling enrollment
by Mike Wilkinson (Bridge Michigan) Michigan’s public schools continued to see enrollment drop in 2023 in a sign that most students who left during the first two years of the pandemic have not returned. Public schools lost nearly 62,000 students in the fall of 2020, as parents reacted to decisions to keep classes online or […]
CDC drops most COVID-19 isolation guidelines. What it means in Michigan
by Robin Erb (Bridge Michigan) Those who are COVID-positive no longer need to skip school or work if they are fever-free for 24 hours and feeling better, according to new federal guidelines. Four years into the pandemic, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has updated its recommendations, aligning COVID guidelines with those of other […]
More than 31,000 pounds of trash collected from Michigan rivers, streams in ’23
by Janelle D James (Bridge Michigan) Electric scooters, an unopened safe and a recliner are just some of the 31,200 pounds of trash that volunteers pulled from Michigan’s rivers and streams in 2023, according to the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy. Nearly a dozen organizations across the state received funding from EGLE […]
Michigan bet big on online gambling. We’re now No. 1
by Mike Wilkinson (Bridge Michigan) Michigan is the No. 1 state for online gambling after an explosive 22% jump last year, according to data compiled by the American Gaming Association and released this week. Bettors wagered a combined $1.92 billion through online gaming in Michigan last year — about $115,000 more than in No. 2 […]
