In first debate, Michigan GOP governor hopefuls embrace abortion ban, Trump
by Jonathan Oosting (Bridge Michigan) HOWELL — Michigan Republican gubernatorial hopefuls found common ground in their first debate on Thursday, vowing to support a potential abortion ban, push school choice and investigate Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer for COVID-19 nursing home deaths. Several candidates also questioned vaccine efficacy, and some argued that former President Donald Trump […]
Michigan baby formula factory focus of FDA probe after infant illnesses
by Paula Gardner, Robin Erb (Bridge Michigan) A southwest Michigan factory just a few miles from the Indiana border is at the center of an infant formula recall that’s helped fuel shortages across the U.S. and raised concerns about federal oversight of contamination in food production. Abbott Nutrition, a division of Abbott Laboratories that employs an […]
Complaint: Michigan group fighting voter ID ‘secretly’ bought out circulators
by Yue Stella Yu (Bridge Michigan) LANSING — A Michigan group opposing voter ID requirements paid a firm not to gather signatures for its opponents and failed to properly disclose the payments, according to a complaint obtained by Bridge Michigan. Protect MI Vote — a group fighting Republican-led ballot measure Secure MI Vote — hired […]
Michigan National Guard wants to double Camp Grayling training land
by Kelly House (Bridge Michigan) The Michigan National Guard wants to more than double the footprint of its Camp Grayling military training complex in Crawford, Kalkaska, and Otsego counties in northern Michigan. Under the plan, the Guard is seeking permission to use surrounding state-owned property to bolster capacity for modern training that requires vast swaths […]
Some MI water systems are overbuilt, underfunded. Are mergers the answer?
by Kelly House (Bridge Michigan) PORT HURON—A behemoth along the St. Clair River, the Port Huron water filtration plant is capable of purifying 30 million gallons a day — enough to serve the entire population of St. Clair County, and then some. But for lack of demand, it operates at about a quarter of its […]
How Michigan state parks will spend a $250 million COVID windfall
by Kelly House (Bridge Michigan) Jim Sjoberg is so fond of P.J. Hoffmaster State Park, he asked his wife, Kelsey, to marry him among the park’s towering Lake Michigan dunes. But there’s one thing he doesn’t love about this popular forested park just south of Muskegon. “If anyone’s got a car that’s worth keeping around […]
Michigan abortion law: What you should know if SCOTUS overturns Roe
by Ron French (Bridge Michigan) With Roe v. Wade poised to be overturned, would abortion once again be illegal in Michigan? The quick answer is that it appears so, but with a ton of caveats. Bridge Michigan answers your questions about what such a ruling would mean for the state. A draft of a Supreme […]
Abortion pills present new challenge for Michigan if Roe overturned
by Robin Erb (Bridge Michigan) With the possibility that an abortion ban will soon take hold in Michigan, both women and policymakers are focusing more attention on mail-order abortion pills, which are broadly available and present a stern challenge to enforcing future restrictions. Of the nearly 30,000 Michigan abortions in 2020, more than half involved […]
Michigan lawmakers pass K–12 budget plan that boosts spending, pays down debt
by Tracie Mauriello (Bridge Michigan) The Michigan House and Senate approved separate school spending plans this week, setting in motion negotiations over whether to follow Republican efforts to reduce debt or invest in new teacher recruitment and mental health efforts. House lawmakers on Thursday passed a $19.9 billion school aid budget that increases spending by 15%, […]
Student loan forgiveness could help 1.4 million in Michigan. What to know
by Zahra Ahmad & Ron French (Bridge Michigan) President Joe Biden is considering canceling some college loan debt. That could be a big deal for 1.4 million Michigan residents who owe money for either attending or helping their kids attend college. Just how big of a deal it would be, and who would qualify for help, […]
