This year’s state budget likely will look different because of the infusion of federal COVID relief funds, but budget negotiations are still a struggle.
Arjun Thakkar
A guest author for Bridge Magazine.
Posted inBusiness Watch
Expanded outdoor dining ‘here to stay’ in Michigan restaurants after COVID
Social districts created a lifeline for the industry in 2020. Now many new communities are looking at establishing the areas — including on city streets — to retain the downtown vitality created during the pandemic.
Posted inBusiness Watch
Michigan’s licensed cannabis industry wants bigger piece of $3.2B market
New study shows that the marijuana marketplace “has unlimited economic potential for Michigan,” according to the trade group representing the regulated providers. They’re trying to ‘rein in’ illicit sales.
Posted inMichigan Government
ACLU sues Michigan State Police for alleged racial profiling in traffic stops
The proportion of Black drivers who were pulled over by the Michigan State Police has been increasing since 2017. The ACLU wants the agency to revise its policies to prevent unwarranted traffic stops and search and seizures.
Posted inTalent & Education
U-M expands free tuition program to its Dearborn, Flint campuses
Lower-income students at U-M’s Flint and Dearborn campuses can enroll this fall without paying tuition through the Go Blue Guarantee. But they must meet a GPA threshold not required of incoming “Go Blue” students in Ann Arbor.
Posted inTalent & Education
What we know about the University of Michigan sports sexual assault scandal
The investigation into sports department physician Robert Anderson’s alleged sexual misconduct raises questions about how much U-M officials, including the school’s iconic football coach, knew about the doctor’s behavior.
Posted inBusiness Watch
Coming soon: Struggling Michigan movie theaters await end of COVID limits
Small community theaters anchor downtowns across the state, but they had to fight to survive capacity limits and state-ordered closures during the pandemic. They hope their recovery this summer is epic.
Posted inMichigan Government
Whitmer: Michigan residents to keep getting $300 aid if they return to work
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s plan is intended to incentivize more residents to seek jobs even as they continue to obtain federal benefits this summer.
Posted inMichigan Government
Whitmer pitches $1.4 billion plan making Michigan child care more affordable
Under a plan announced Monday, about 150,000 more Michigan children would be eligible for free or low-cost child care.
Posted inMichigan Government
Whitmer launches bipartisan group to reform Michigan juvenile justice
The task force will study the factors that contribute to juvenile detention and develop policy recommendations to reduce the number of children incarcerated by the justice system often for noncriminal offenses.