Study: Climate change means fewer freezing winter days in Michigan
by Kelly House (Bridge Michigan) Tough as it may be to believe as a January chill grips the state, Michigan has lost more than a week annually of freezing weather to climate change. That the conclusion of聽a new report聽from the climate communication nonprofit Climate Central, which found that Michigan is getting nine fewer days annually […]
1 in 4 older Michiganders lack enough friends. That a health concern
by Robin Erb (Bridge Michigan) Many have outlived their spouses, siblings and best friends. For others, physical disabilities keep them tethered at home 鈥 isolated from the social activities of the past. One in three older Americans feel a lack of companionship 鈥渟ome of the time鈥 or 鈥渙ften,鈥 while 1 in 10 older Americans could […]
Michigan tax revenue up, but economic unknowns loom
by Lauren Gibbons (BridgeMichigan) Michigan is entering the new year with a projected budget surplus 鈥 but looming trade policy changes under President-elect Donald Trump, high costs of living and fluctuating inflation rates could be a drag on the state economic future, forecasters said Friday. The state is expected to bring in $33.18 billion […]
Amid outcry, solar farm owner says it no longer wants Michigan forest to expand
by Kelly House (BridgeMichigan) A proposal to lease 420 acres of state land near Gaylord for a solar energy development is on shaky ground聽after attracting criticism from lawmakers, including calls for 鈥渕ass firings鈥 of state employees involved in the plan. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources will issue a public notice Tuesday of its intent […]
Michigan House GOP leader on FOIA reform: ‘Don’t get your hopes up’
by Jordyn Hermani (Bridge Michigan) LANSING 鈥 Michigan remains one of only two states that fully exempts the governor and lawmakers from public records requests, and new House leadership appears uninterested in immediately changing that. House Speaker Matt Hall, R-Richland Township, told reporters during a Thursday roundtable that expanding the state’s Freedom of Information Act […]
Sick with norovirus? Do all of Michigan a favor: Stay home
by Robin Erb (BridgeMichigan) Norovirus continues to threaten Michiganders in the new year 鈥 with case counts among the highest in five years and no indication that they might fall soon. The highly contagious stomach bug isn鈥檛 easy to kill. Hand sanitizer is a poor weapon against it. It lingers on surfaces for days. And […]
Michigan high schools embrace artificial turf, but safety concerns persist
by Dont茅 Smith, Capital News Service (Bridge Michigan) LANSING 鈥 Artificial turf fields are becoming a hallmark at high schools across the state with the Michigan High School Athletic Association reporting around 100 high schools now playing on them. AstroTurf, one of the largest artificial turf installers in the state, notes that 14 of the […]
Billionaires, dark money dominate record-setting Michigan election spending
by Simon D. Schuster (Bridge Michigan) So-called dark money organizations and ultrawealthy donors were the largest reported spenders in Michigan state politics during the 2024 election cycle, according to a Bridge Michigan analysis of campaign finance records. Members of the billionaire DeVos family of west Michigan were again the biggest individual spenders, collectively donating nearly […]
鈥楬uman composting鈥 of dead available in Michigan as long it’s not done here
by Anna Rossow, Capital News Service聽(Bridge Michigan) LANSING 鈥 The popularity of a cheaper and environmentally friendly burial alternative is rising in the U.S., but Michigan has yet to legalize it. Human composting transforms the body into soil, according to Earth Funeral, a human composting company with locations in Washington and Nevada.Human. Human composting, which […]
Michigan ‘lifelong education’ department turns 1, touting growth in free pre-K, college
by Isabel Lohman (Bridge Michigan) When聽Gov. Gretchen Whitmer聽announced she was creating a department to focus on pre-K through college, there were聽skeptics. One year later, the director of the Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential says she proud of MiLEAP work so far. 鈥淲e have really done well with expanding our access to pre-k […]
