At MSU, isotope center opens to unlock universe, revolutionize medicine
By Ron French (Bridge Michigan) In an unimposing complex of buildings on Shaw Lane in East Lansing, an easy walk from the Red Cedar River and a half-dozen Michigan State University dormitories, scientists are searching for the origins of the universe. They’re also hoping to revolutionize medicine. And train the next generation of nuclear scientists. […]
Police reform going nowhere fast in Michigan, despite Patrick Lyoya death
by Lauren Gibbons (Bridge Michigan) Police reform remains stalled in Michigan, despite increased demands for change following the death of a Black motorist this month by a Grand Rapids police officer. Activists say the need for legislation is evident after a police officer shot Patrick Lyoya in the back of the head on April 4 […]
Michigan climate plan calls for EV incentives, faster renewable transition
by Kelly House (Bridge Michigan) Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s administration on Thursday released its roadmap to statewide carbon neutrality, calling for electric vehicle incentives, stronger renewable energy targets for the energy sector, job training to prepare workers for the post-combustion economy, and other efforts to wean Michigan off fossil fuels by 2050. The plan stems from Whitmer’s […]
Michigan stuck with $200M tab to fix Midland dams neglected by owners
by Mike Wilkinson (Bridge Michigan) Michigan is awash in cash, with a surplus that few past governors and legislators could imagine. So when Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, and the Republican-controlled Legislature adopted a $4.7 billion spending plan in March, it was all smiles. There was $1.7 billion for drinking water system improvements; $450 million for […]
Lansing and other police agencies rethink value of ‘minor’ traffic stops
by Ted Roelofs (Bridge Michigan) In July 2020, Lansing police were told they could no longer pull over motorists solely for minor traffic violations, such as a cracked tail light or an ornament hanging from a mirror. The department, apparently the only one in Michigan to do so, joined police agencies in other parts of the country, […]
Weeks before closure, Whitmer aims to save Michigan Palisades nuclear plant
by Kelly House (Bridge Michigan) With weeks to go before the planned closure of Michigan’s Palisades nuclear power plant, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is making a last-ditch effort to keep it open in the name of jobs and clean energy. Whitmer on Wednesday alerted U.S. Energy Secretary and former Michigan governor Jennifer Granholm that Michigan wants a cut of […]
Small Michigan business struggles with inflation but not its social mission
by Paula Gardner (Bridge Michigan Business Watch) John Simmons is ready for shoppers at EveryBody Inc., where he’s stacked handmade soy candles on some shelves and displayed body products like his favorite Michigan Cherry soap on others. It’s a quiet afternoon at the store on Saginaw Street, so it might be a while until Simmons, 39, […]
Michigan’s Medicaid ballooned during COVID. It’s about to be pared back.
By Robin Erb (Bridge Michigan) Nearly 3 million Michiganders now receiving Medicaid may have to prove they remain eligible starting as early as this summer. And if all doesn’t go well, hundreds of thousands could risk losing health coverage. The Biden administration on Tuesday extended the pandemic public health emergency to mid-July, and with it several protections for lower-income […]
Michigan hopeful students will return to public schools after COVID exodus
by Koby Levin, Chalkbeat (Bridge Michigan) Michigan students are returning to public schools after a sharp drop in enrollment during the pandemic — but it’s not clear whether or when schools will ever get back to pre-pandemic headcounts. That’s the upshot of a presentation given to the Michigan Board of Education on Tuesday by some of […]
Patrick Lyoya’s parents: Our hearts are broken. Grand Rapids mourns as well.
by Bryce Huffman, Ted Roelofs (Bridge Michigan) GRAND RAPIDS — On the streets, there are marches, demands for change and an overwhelming sense of frustration. Inside, there are tears and calls for justice. From peaceful protests downtown to a tearful press conference featuring the family of Patrick Lyoya, residents and civil rights leaders in Grand Rapids struggled […]
