New unemployment job-search rules take effect in Michigan. What to know
by Janelle D. James, Bridge Michigan Beginning Sunday, Michiganders receiving unemployment benefits will need to report three work search activities for each week instead of one to remain eligible for benefits. The requirement is part of bipartisan legislation signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer last year that overhauled Michigan’s unemployment system, including increasing the maximum number […]
What to know as wildfires envelop Michigan in smoke (again)
by Kelly House, Bridge Michigan Like clockwork, Michigan and much of the surrounding region are once again engulfed in summer smoke as wind pushes air south from wildfires in Canada and northern Minnesota. Detroit had the worst air quality of any major city in America Thursday morning, with an index of 698 – well above […]
Gretchen Whitmer vetoes Democratic bills that Michigan House had blocked
by Simon D. Schuster, Bridge Michigan LANSING — Michigan Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Friday vetoed nine long-stalled bills, just hours after a Michigan Supreme Court decision had ended a nearly two-year legal fight over their fate. Michigan’s Democratic-led Senate had sued the House over a refusal to send Whitmer the bills that Democrats approved […]
How Detroit ceded a historically Black neighborhood to a billionaire-owned concrete facility
by Jena Brooker, Bridge Michigan This article was produced for ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network in partnership with BridgeDetroit. Sign up for Dispatches to get our stories in your inbox every week. The abandoned house next door meant a lot to Christina Kary. For years, she tended to it, planting purple flowers, removing weeds and picking up trash. […]
Michigan releases prison autopsy, transfers inmate who alleged mold sickness
by Janelle D. James, Bridge Michigan A woman at the center of a controversy over allegations of toxic mold in Michigan’s only women’s prison has been transferred to another facility after seeking relief in federal court, state officials confirmed. Krystal Clark is now at Duane Waters Health Center in Jackson, which houses inmates with unique […]
Fact check: GOP rivals attack John James in gubernatorial debate
by Simon D. Schuster, Bridge Michigan SOUTHFIELD — US Rep. John James attempted to fend off a barrage of attacks Wednesday night in a Republican gubernatorial debate dominated by squabbles over political careers and business records. With recent polling showing James leading the race, former Attorney General Mike Cox and businessman Perry Johnson went on […]
With six months to go, will Michigan be ready for massive Medicaid overhaul?
by Robin Erb, Bridge Michigan ROYAL OAK — With less than six months to go before seismic changes in Medicaid, including new work requirements, nearly 700,000 Michiganders still have few answers about keeping their coverage. And the places they’d normally turn — community based organizations and the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services — […]
Michigan could approve a constitutional convention this year. What would that mean?
This article was originally published by Votebeat, a nonprofit news organization covering local election administration and voting access. Hayley Harding, Votebeat As Michigan works out who (and what) will be on ballots this fall, one proposal is already set in stone: Should the state “convene a constitutional convention?” Proposal 1, as it will be known, […]
Michigan lawmakers pass $84B budget, 67 bills in marathon session
by Simon D. Schuster, Bridge Michigan LANSING — After working for nearly 24 straight hours, Michigan lawmakers on Friday morning passed a compromise budget to fund the state government and schools for the next fiscal year. The Legislature began session Thursday and worked through the night, giving final approval to more than 60 policy bills […]
Medicare rolls out $50 GLP-1 drugs. ‘Pandemonium’ ahead for Michigan doctors?
by Robin Erb, Bridge Michigan Some Medicare beneficiaries will be able to get weight loss drugs at just $50 a month starting Wednesday — a big win if compared to sticker prices of $1,000 or more without insurance. But eligibility is limited, meaning some patients who need the drugs — diabetics or those with severe […]
