Whitmer signs anti-discrimination protections for LGBTQ residents in Michigan into law
by Lauren Gibbons (Bridge Michigan) Michigan’s LGBTQ residents will be covered by the state’s anti-discrimination law under legislation signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer Thursday. The legislation, dubbed historic by supporters and LGBTQ rights advocates, means that employers won’t be able to fire or refuse to hire a person because of their sexual orientation or gender […]
From migrant worker to Michigan teacher: ‘Just keep fighting for your dreams’
by Ron French (Bridge Michigan) KALAMAZOO – It’s 3pm on a rainy February day at Arcadia Elementary, part of Kalamazoo Public Schools, and the 20 kindergarteners in Alfredo Aleman’s classroom are squirming in their seats. Ninety percent are what the Michigan Department of Education calls economically disadvantaged. Eight are from homes where English isn’t spoken. […]
Michigan voter roll maintenance means removing nearly 100,000 registrations
Oralandar Brand-Williams, Votebeat (for Bridge Michigan) As Michigan election officials prepare to remove nearly 100,000 potentially ineligible voters as part of a periodic cleanup, they are turning to local clerks and community groups to check their work and ensure no eligible voters are improperly removed. Clerks and other election officials have scoured Social Security death […]
Michigan lags nation in government transparency. Lawmakers promise change
by Lauren Gibbons (Bridge Michigan) LANSING — As of March 14, Michigan remains one of two states in the country where lawmakers and the governor are wholly exempt from public records requests. Last week, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle vowed that that won’t be the case for much longer. Along with Massachusetts, Michigan […]
Few good options for shrinking Michigan’s problem deer herds
by Kelly House (Bridge Michigan) Few creatures look more harmless while doing more destruction than the urban deer. They spread disease and dash in front of cars, sometimes resulting in accidents. They devour farm fields, gardens and forests, killing off songbirds while allowing invasive species to spread. But it’s not all their fault: Humans have […]
GM offers buyouts to ‘majority’ of 35,000 salaried workers in Michigan
by Paula Gardner (Bridge Michigan) Most of the 58,000 salaried workers at General Motors learned Thursday that they will be offered voluntary buyouts as the automaker hopes to reach $2 billion in savings this year and avoid layoffs. The company is Michigan’s largest automaker and one of its top employers, with 35,000 salaried workers in the state. […]
What is Michigan Right-to-Work: How law impacted wages, jobs, unions
by Mike Wilkinson (Bridge Michigan) Michigan Democrats are moving fast to repeal the state’s Right-to-Work law that allows workers to opt out of paying dues in union-represented jobs but still receive benefits. Along party lines, the state House voted on Thursday to repeal the 2012 law. The state Senate could follow suit next week, sending legislation to […]
DTE Energy cut operations to meet profits months before power outages
by Paula Gardner (Bridge Michigan) DTE Energy cut its operations budget to meet earnings projections months before a historic ice storm on Feb. 22 left more than 450,000 of its customers without power, company officials said recently as they released year-end earnings. Job openings went unfilled. Contractors were eliminated, and overtime limited, Maintenance work was postponed, […]
MSU shooting: Video shows gunman checked ammo after entering Union
by Yue Stella Yu (Bridge Michigan) LANSING — The Michigan State University shooter checked ammunition in his handgun before entering a room in the MSU Union on the night of Feb. 13, according to surveillance footage from inside the building obtained Friday by Bridge Michigan. The footage, first obtained by the Detroit Free Press, emerged […]
Daylight saving 2023 arrives Sunday. Not every Michigander is happy
by Janelle D. James (Bridge Michigan) Get your clocks ready to “spring forward” for daylight saving time. In the early hours Sunday morning everyone will set their clocks an hour ahead, if their digital clock doesn’t do so automatically. Then in November, clocks will once again “fall back” an hour to standard time. It’s a […]
