Michigan in Focus

Addressing chemical contamination in Michigan waterways, farmland and military bases remains a critical and complicated issue for legislators going into a new administration, Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., said on a telephone town hall Monday night. PFAS, or Per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a group of industrial chemicals, commonly used in manufacturing to make heat resistant, water repellent, and non-stick products. Dubbed “forever chemicals” because of their long half-life in the human body and environment, effects of prolonged exposure include cancer, high blood pressure, and pregnancy complications.Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxxFull story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/michigan/article_1730e054-7504-11ef-91ef-63970474bda0.html Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Michigan lawmakers are launching bipartisan efforts to increase police recruitment and benefits as the number of law enforcement officers trends downward in the state. U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Mich., introduced legislation Friday that would provide $50 million annually to state and local law enforcement agencies to create “Pathways to Policing” programs aimed at boosting recruitment in the field. The programs would specifically target candidates from underrepresented communities or with non-traditional educational and career backgrounds. The number of law enforcement officers in Michigan has decreased by more than 4,000 since 2001, according to statistics from the state’s Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity.Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxxFull story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/michigan/article_0ed22de0-7442-11ef-8696-4f5c04f4aae0.html Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Michigan House lawmakers are taking steps to increase online child safety by introducing a bill that would impact minors, their parents and social media companies. The Social Media Regulation Act, introduced by State Rep. Mark Tisdel, R-Rochester Hills, would require social media companies to verify the ages of new and existing users, restrict companies from collecting data or sharing minors’ personal information, and provide extensive parental controls. Among other requirements, social media companies would have to obtain express parental consent if the user is a minor and automatically prohibit minors from accessing their accounts between the hours of 10:30 p.m. and 6:30 a.m.Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxxFull story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/michigan/article_3d2e3b60-712d-11ef-8905-43cd5c07e117.html Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Seven Michigan public school districts, the recipients of the first electric school buses in the state, reported mixed but mostly positive experiences about the vehicles since adopting them five years ago. The Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy released summaries of feedback on electric buses’ real-world performance, coming from public school districts in Ann Arbor, Gaylord, Kalamazoo, Oxford, Roseville, Three Rivers and Zeeland. Within the past two years alone, Michigan has directed more than $239 million in federal and state taxpayer dollars to electric school bus infrastructure.Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxxFull story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/michigan/article_0667716c-704e-11ef-a4b9-cfe8ba2c824f.html Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Following a Michigan Department of Education report showing drops in reading and math proficiency in some grades, Michigan House Republicans have unveiled a multi-step plan to boost student achievement and teacher support. The plan would provide extra funding for school safety and mental health resources, waive state fees for teachers and modernize the standard curriculum, State Reps. Jaime Greene, R-Richmond, and Nancy DeBoer, R-Holland, announced Monday.Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxxFull story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/michigan/article_baaeb866-6ec2-11ef-a57c-1bfde18b2245.html Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers addressed concerns voiced by Michigan lawmakers about the shipment of radioactive waste to Wayne Disposal, assuring the public all proper safety measures are in place and that environmental surveillance will continue throughout the transport process. Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Ann Arbor, had submitted a series of questions to the USACE, asking for details about its unexpected plan to ship 6,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil and concrete and 4,000 gallons of contaminated groundwater from the Niagara Falls Storage Site to Wayne County.Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxxFull story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/michigan/article_013ba1d8-6b9c-11ef-85b0-07123e771c94.html Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Michigan Department of Education is awarding nearly $25 million in grants to local public education agencies to fund K-5 mathematics programs aimed at improving math instruction and learning recovery. The announcement follows MDE data released last week showing mixed progress in mathematics learning in schools across the state.Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxxFull story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/michigan/article_e985a036-6ad6-11ef-9c56-bfbd3851e9d7.html Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Michigan’s U.S. Senate candidates are running on their records regarding labor and economic policy, but they are opposed on the role of electric vehicles. Democrat Rep. Elissa Slotkin’s approach to labor policy focuses primarily on supporting domestic manufacturing. Republican former Representative Mike Roger’s approach to labor policy focuses primarily on encouraging innovation and reducing government regulation, particularly for small businesses. Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxxFull story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/michigan/article_d15bd68e-6639-11ef-a0d1-4fc2f1f80dab.html Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

New data released from Michigan's Department of Education reveals mixed student progress in 2024, with some grades scoring higher on standardized tests than last year and others performing their lowest in years. Math, English language arts and science scores were gathered through the Michigan Student Test of Educational Progress, or M-STEP, for grades three through seven, while scores for older students came from PSAT and SAT results. Eleventh-graders had the worst overall decline, scoring lower than last year in all three subjects, with a drop of 3.6 percentage points in math.Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxxFull story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/michigan/article_67cfbb6a-660f-11ef-92f3-4f55af16ff42.html Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Detroit’s Election Commission is facing a lawsuit for selecting a disproportionately high number of Democrat poll workers in the August primaries, a possible violation of Michigan election law. The commission appointed about 2,337 Democrat poll workers and about 310 Republican poll workers, an imbalance of more than 7 to 1. Poll workers, also known as election inspectors, assist voters and manage ballot counting. They also identify and report any irregularities or issues that arise during the election process. The state’s election law requires the board of election commissioners “shall appoint an equal number, as nearly as possible, of election inspectors in each election precinct from each major political party,” to help ensure election transparency and fairness.Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxxFull story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/michigan/article_bf209fc0-634d-11ef-815e-cf0fedd7cf77.html Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Republican lawmakers are not the only ones raising concerns about Michigan’s minimum wage changes. Attorney General Dana Nessel has filed a motion with the state’s Supreme Court, asking for guidance on how to implement inflation adjustments. Nessel specifically pointed out how the court’s broad language in its July ruling could lead to five possible options for when and how to adjust the minimum wage over time, with the state Department of Treasury’s approach and the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity’s approach also at odds with each other. Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxxFull story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/michigan/article_2392c5f2-60b8-11ef-849d-c7d19f4e90d5.html Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals denied Enbridge Energy’s request for the Line 5 lawsuit Nessel v. Enbridge to receive a rehearing in federal court, returning the case to state court. The court Enbridge had missed the 30-day deadline after Nessel filed the lawsuit in June 2019 to appeal moving the case to federal court, and that it relied on improper arguments when doing so. The Canadian company had proposed boring a tunnel under the Straits of Mackinac to house the pipeline more than five years ago. Nessel’s case seeks to void a 1953 exception to environmental rules which allowed that section of the pipeline to operate, arguing the environmental risks posed by the pipeline are too great.Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxxFull story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/michigan/article_ffa2e8fa-5e39-11ef-ad84-b3ce178284da.html Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Michigan has made progress addressing teacher shortages in hard-to-fill subjects and specialties within the past five years, the State Board of Education announced. Since the 2017-18 school year, the number of certified teachers teaching math jumped 60%, 31% for science, and 53% for English as a Second Language and bilingual education. The number of early childhood education teachers increased by 171%.Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxxFull story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/michigan/article_4cd8ecfe-5b2f-11ef-86c7-971f392b7983.html Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Michigan's health department is taking applicants for a new “Michigan Racial Health Equity Think Tank.” The forum group is one part of the fiscal year 2025 state budget’s $35 million in Racial Disparities Task Force recommendations. The MDHHS website describes MiRHETT as a part of the Social Determinants of Health program, first implemented in 2022. The forum series will gather statewide leaders to “address and improve disparity gaps for racial minorities.” They will discuss final reports from the Black Leadership Advisory Council, the Michigan Coronavirus Racial Disparities Task Force, the Michigan Poverty Tax Force and the Health Equity Plan.Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxxFull story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/michigan/article_5609f796-5689-11ef-9254-db5e73ef42b3.html Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

After recent filings revealed electric battery producer Gotion receives subsidies from the Chinese Communist Party, state Sen. Lana Theis called on Michigan government officials to cease subsidizing the company’s $2.4 billion dollar project in central Michigan. Gotion CEO Chuck Thelen had previously maintained the Chinese government was not involved in the American wing of the company. But in July, the company admitted in a Foreign Agents Registration Act filing to receiving funding subsidies from the CCP. Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxxFull story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/michigan/article_7ff4c0d6-5995-11ef-82ba-834e3aaea5b8.html Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Michigan’s local governments have until Aug. 12 to request funds from the $1.2 billion National Kroger Settlement on opioid abuse. The Great Lakes state is expected to receive $42 million over the course of 11 years. Eligible communities, at the city or county level, can apply for the funding to be used toward drug abuse treatment. Agreements are expected to be effective by early fall. Michigan previously received more than $1.6 billion in settlement funds from Allergan Pharmaceutical, CVS, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, McKinsey & Co., Publicis, Teva Pharmaceutical, Walgreens and Walmart.Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxxFull story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/michigan/article_c118cca4-55be-11ef-9444-5f3465fd5010.html Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection field operatives seized 266 pounds of cocaine last week from a tractor-trailer entering the country outbound from Canada, the agency revealed Tuesday. Alerted by K-9s, CPB field operatives found 100 bricks of narcotics stacked behind a false wall in the trailer trying to cross at the Blue Water Bridge port of entry. Agents arrested the driver, a Canadian citizen, once testing confirmed the drugs were cocaine.Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxxFull story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/michigan/article_a2e20bc8-54ca-11ef-ba81-c3d8427de8b6.html Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Democrat Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin and former Republican Congressman Mike Rogers were confirmed Tuesday night as party nominees for the U.S. Senate as Michigan held its primary election. Current U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-MI, will retire after finishing her current term. Stabenow joined Slotkin on stage after the race was called, and offered her endorsement. Slotkin beat actor Hill Harper with more than 76% percent of the vote, and ogers defeated former U.S. Rep. Justin Amash and physician Dr. Sherry O’Donnell with 63.3% of the vote. Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxxFull story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/michigan/article_a1ea2662-542d-11ef-b009-b7784e666d09.html Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Michigan's Supreme Court ruled 4-3 on Wednesday the state's Republican-led legislature in 2018 acted unconstitutionally when it changed the language of a petition that would raise the state’s minimum wage immediately before it became law. The minimum wage in Michigan is currently $10.33 per hour for non-tipped workers and $3.93 per hour for tipped workers. Following the court’s decision, the minimum wage will rise to at least $12 an hour starting Feb. 21. Tipped workers will receive the same minimum wage as non-tipped by 2029.Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxxFull story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/michigan/article_36d202a4-4f5b-11ef-a25a-a7a8f6b279e4.html Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel recently highlighted the need for the state government and the media to work together in combating election misinformation, as public trust in the media has hit an all-time low. Nessel also emphasized her department’s work to address voter or poll worker intimidation, set up a hotline for voters to report suspicious election-related activities, and prosecute election fraud and other crimes.Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxxFull story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/michigan/article_ac01f9da-4e9d-11ef-ab57-d3431c45436f.html Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.