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, […]
‘Massive forgery scheme’ claims rock Michigan elections, governor’s race
by Jonathan Oosting (Bridge Michigan) LANSING — A petition fraud scandal threatening the candidacy of Republican gubernatorial front-runner James Craig has spread to at least three other Michigan candidates accused of submitting forged signatures from the same circulators in their quest to make the primary ballot. Michigan gubernatorial, congressional and judicial candidates are required to […]
With insulin prices skyrocketing, Michigan may go DIY
by Robin Erb (Bridge Michigan) If drugmakers won’t lower insulin prices, maybe Michigan should make its own. That’s the thinking of a small group of lawmakers and others, led by Sen. Curt VanderWall, R-Ludington, who have been meeting with drugmakers and university representatives to determine whether Michigan can make its own insulin to sharply reduce […]
Got COVID? Michigan has 66 one-stop shops that both test and treat
by Robin Erb (Bridge Michigan) With COVID treatments now widely available in Michigan, there are dozens of one-stop sites across the state where you can get tested and treated at the same time. “We have a surplus in the state, to be honest,” Dr. Matthew Sims, director of infectious diseases research at Beaumont Health, said […]
Michigan bills would pause test scores to grade teachers, hold 3rd graders
By Tracie Mauriello (Bridge Michigan) Standardized test scores wouldn’t be a factor this year in educator evaluations or decisions about whether third-graders can move up to fourth grade, under proposed Democratic legislation to loosen Michigan K-12 education requirements to account for disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic. It’s unclear if the bills will gain traction […]
