Business
Rick Haglund: Time is running out to address Michigan’s population, prosperity decline
Updated, 10:46 a.m. 5/23/23 Beginning a column with a cliché is considered a sign of unimaginative writing. But the old tale of the boiled frog almost perfectly describes Michigan’s demographic and economic plight. It’s said that if you drop a frog in a pan of boiling water, it will immediately jump out. But if you […]
Unlawfully fired Starbucks barista back to work at Ann Arbor store following court order
A barista who was unlawfully fired from her job at a Starbucks store in Ann Arbor last year returned to work Monday after a judge ordered the coffee chain to reinstate her. Hannah Whitbeck is the first Michigan Starbucks worker to be reinstated after being unlawfully terminated for union organizing, according to Starbucks Workers United, the […]
Overhaul federal permitting as part of the debt limit deal? Not as easy as it sounds.
Congressional leaders negotiating a deal to avoid a catastrophic default on the nation’s debt are talking about including an overhaul of how the federal government reviews projects for their environmental impact. There is bipartisan support for changes to the lengthy environmental approval process among climate-minded Democrats eager to speed construction of renewable energy projects, as […]
In Detroit, U.S. and Canadian officials tout first electric vehicle corridor
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Tuesday joined U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Canadian Minister of Transport Omar Alghabra, and Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan to announce the first Binational Electric Vehicle (EV) Corridor between the U.S. and Canada. It will be an international stretch of 869 miles from Kalamazoo to Quebec City — a 13-hour route. “I […]
Speedier permitting of energy projects gains bipartisan backing on U.S. Senate panel
Members of both parties on the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee voiced their support Thursday for reforming the federal process for approving energy projects, saying it should be prioritized to secure domestic energy supply and boost renewable energy. There is bipartisan interest in revising the permitting process and members of both parties have […]
Lawmakers plan to address PFAS in products, support for impacted communities and more
A group of lawmakers and advocates gathered in Lansing Tuesday to announce the anticipated rollout of a large set of bills targeting toxic “forever chemicals,” which have long plagued Michigan’s drinking water, soil and air. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are man-made substances, often byproducts of manufacturing, that pose threats to public health. The Michigan […]
Fed’s fault-finding on bank failures could lead to stronger regulations
New banking regulations proposed by federal watchdogs don’t go far enough in countering potential problems, but could help lower bank fees and calm financial markets and nerves, leading to a more stable financial system, according to some economists. The Federal Reserve, FDIC and Government Accountability Office released reports blaming mismanagement of risk, including over-reliance on uninsured deposits and rapid […]
Dingell on hazardous waste storage: ‘We’re worried about living near these sites’
Three federal lawmakers held a public meeting Thursday in Belleville designed to address transportation and storage of hazardous waste in Southeast Michigan. The forum with U.S. Reps. Debbie Dingell (D-Ann Arbor), Rashida Tlaib (D-Detroit) and Shri Thanedar (D-Detroit) was held after public concern surrounding the transport in February of hazardous waste from an East Palestine, […]
‘A long time coming’: Natural hair discrimination bill gets Senate committee hearing
Legislation to protect individuals from race-based discrimination due to their hair was taken up Thursday in a legislative committee in Michigan for the first time. After introducing the bill in two previous legislative sessions, sponsor Sen. Sarah Anthony (D-Lansing) told the Senate Civil Rights, Judiciary and Public Safety Committee that creating a respectful environment for […]
At a McDonald’s in Kentucky, 10-year-olds worked past midnight, Department of Labor finds
WASHINGTON — Children as young as 10 were found working past midnight at a McDonald’s restaurant in Louisville, Kentucky, the U.S. Department of Labor said in announcing numerous civil penalties levied on fast-food franchises. As part of an investigation into federal child labor law violations in the Southeast, the Department of Labor said that three separate franchises […]
Interior secretary under fire at U.S. Senate hearing over oil and gas leases, public lands
Members of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee used a Tuesday hearing on the Interior Department’s fiscal 2024 budget to voice their displeasure with the administration’s energy production policies to Secretary Deb Haaland. The strongest criticism came from Republicans on the panel, though Chairman Joe Manchin III, a centrist West Virginia Democrat with […]
Inside the battle over who gets to build the grid of the future
The U.S. Department of Energy issued a draft report in February that found a “pressing need” for new electric transmission infrastructure across the country to improve reliability, connect a rapidly growing number of solar, wind and battery storage projects, supply increasing electric demand and alleviate scattered pockets of consistently high prices across the country. To […]