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‘Bigotry is bad for business,’ Whitmer declares in her State of the State speech
Updated, 11:49 a.m., 2/2/23, 7:39 a.m. 2/3/22 Throughout Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s fifth State of the State address Wednesday night, she drew connections between the many civil rights issues she has championed for years and the need to strengthen the state’s economy. “Bigotry is bad for business,” Whitmer said before receiving a standing ovation from the […]
New right-wing group is gearing up against Michigan schools over LGBTQ+-inclusive sex ed
Editor’s note: This story had inaccurate information in the original version, which has been updated and corrected. A recently formed group in Michigan, Great Schools Initiative (GSI), is arming parents with a new sexual education opt-out form that focuses heavily on cutting out any conversation about gender identity and sexual orientation in schools. Starting this […]
Video: What’s going on in Michigan’s Ottawa County?
After ultra-conservatives took over the Ottawa County Commission — ousting many fellow Republicans in the 2022 election in the growing West Michigan area — new members didn’t waste time making big changes. They fired the county administrator and chief health officer, replacing them with political allies like GOP former congressional candidate John Gibbs. Commissioners eliminated […]
Study: States protecting abortion access have higher minimum wage, lower incarceration rates
A new study shows that there are direct correlations between a state’s economy and whether residents have access to abortion. And Michigan is, on average, faring better than states that have abortion bans in place. The Washington, D.C.-based Economic Policy Institute study, published Wednesday, found that “the states enacting abortion bans are the same ones […]
After being held up in Ottawa Co., Michigan communities will see opioid settlement money
Opioid settlement money has been held up in Ottawa County for months, but Attorney General Dana Nessel announced last week that some local governments throughout the states can expect to see funds as soon as later this month. Michigan is anticipating nearly $1.5 billion from opioid settlements, which includes some settlements that are still in […]
After Ottawa Co. board dismantled the DEI dept., residents worry about impacted communities
Updated, 10:07 a.m., 1/20/23 Kate Colburn, the executive director of Out on the Lakeshore, a Holland-based Pride center, said she’s afraid of what it might mean for the community’s marginalized groups after the Ottawa County Board of Commissioners this month axed the county’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Department. “DEI, at any level of government, […]
Senate Dems pass $1.5 million supplemental to pay independent redistricting commission
The Democratic-led Senate passed a supplemental bill Wednesday that would allocate $1.5 million to the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission (MICRC), but Republican leaders say they wanted more input. After not being included in the Fiscal Year 2023 budget, the MICRC last month filed a lawsuit against both chambers asking for nearly $3.17 million. Republicans […]
At global conference, Whitmer says Michigan is ‘upskilling’ workers for advanced manufacturing jobs
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer told world leaders Tuesday during the World Economic Forum her goals to create and recruit more manufacturing jobs in Michigan as the state faces a mild recession this year. “You cannot assume that the industry alone will address this,” Whitmer said to a crowd of international business and economy leaders during the […]
State begins more than 200 routine audits of Nov. 8 election
The Michigan Bureau of Elections and local election clerks on Thursday started conducting more than 200 public audits of the Nov. 8, 2022, election. “The professional, transparent auditing of our election procedures at the state and local level affirms the accuracy and integrity of our elections, identifies best practices, and ensures continuous improvement of our […]
Report: Michigan stuck in bottom 10 states for 4th grade reading test scores
A new report shows Michigan ranks seventh-worst in the nation for fourth grade reading scores as education leaders grapple with what to do with the state’s Read by Grade 3 law. The 2023 State of Michigan Education report, released by the Education Trust-Midwest, projected that Michigan will remain “stagnant at that level by 2030” unless […]
Conservative group withdraws DeVos-backed voucher initiative after Democrats control Lansing
The state announced Monday that the right-wing group pushing for a school voucher-style system in Michigan withdrew its petitions to get on the 2024 ballot. On Dec. 28, 2022, the Let MI Kids Learn campaign withdrew both of its petitions from the Board of State Canvassers; one to create the Student Opportunity Scholarship Program to […]
Report: Michigan to be one of top three EV battery manufacturers by 2030
Michigan is slated to be one of the top states in the U.S. to manufacture electric vehicle batteries by 2030, according to a recent report. “For generations, Michiganders have stepped up to get the job done by embodying the kind of grit, determination and work ethic needed to keep the world moving forward,” said Gov. […]