State News

A conservative group is criticizing the State Education Department for not implementing an A through F grading system for Michigan schools. A state law required such a system to be implemented a year ago. The Great Lakes Education Project has ties to the DeVos family, and is demanding it be …

Remember the mighty KMart retail chain? By early next year, the number of KMart stores in Michigan will be down to… one. KMart’s owner, Transformco, had announced a large round of closings in September that would have left Michigan with three stores. Last week, Transformco added its last two stores …

Close, but no cigar. A tentative deal struck by Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Republican House Leader Lee Chatfield to resolve the state’s budget crisis was torpedoed by Republican Senate leader Mike Shirkey yesterday. The bargain would have restored many of the controversial cuts and transfers made by Whitmer when …

A flurry of fatal home fires last month has prompted state officials to encourage families to prepare. 17 people died, including seven children. One of the adults was a Gwinn woman, who perished in her mobile home. State Fire Marshal Kevin Sehlmeyer is urging Michiganders to spend time developing and …

As expected, Michigan has appealed a recent court decision to allow construction of a tunnel under the Straits of Mackinac. The tunnel would be built by Enbridge, the company that owns the aging and controversial Line Five pipeline that carries petroleum product across the straits. The deal to remove the …

Michigan has committed eight-million dollars to help keep Asian carp from using the Des Plaines River to swim into Lake Michigan. The money will be used to help design a more effective barrier at the Brandon Road Lock and Dam, located 27 miles southwest of Chicago. Recent tests have revealed …

As if the opioid epidemic wasn’t bad enough, the Drug Enforcement Administration now says that Mexican drug cartels are flooding the Midwest with fake pills. Most often, the counterfeits contain fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that can be fatal, even in small amounts. DEA Field Division Special Agent in Charge Keith …

U.S. Senator Gary Peters has secured Senate approval of an extra nine million dollars for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. Peters worked with Ohio Republican Senator Rob Portman to build bipartisan support for the increase… The additional money would push GLRI funding to 310 million dollars. There’s no word as …

Governor Gretchen Whitmer has signed an executive directive designed to enhance relationships between the state and Native American tribes. The directive reaffirms Michigan’s recognition of tribal sovereignty and right of self-governance. It orders each state department and agency to adhere to the principles, and requires training on tribal-state relations for …

It’s now easier for Michigan residents to qualify for public assistance. Effective today, a person may have up to $15,000 in assets to qualify for cash, food and emergency assistance. Previous limits set by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services had been $500 in assets for State Emergency …