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Joel Kurth
As executive editor of impact, Joel Kurth oversees newsgathering, investigations, and coverage strategy at Bridge Michigan. He joined Bridge in 2017 after 17 years as an investigative reporter and editor at The Detroit News, where he led investigations that drove policy changes on water shutoffs and surgical instrument sterilization and resulted in criminal charges against government officials. He and his teams have won more than 60 state and national awards across a 30-year career in Michigan that has also included stints at newspapers in the Upper Peninsula and Saginaw. Joel also authors Bridge's popular weekly News Quiz.
Joel lives in West Bloomfield with his wife and two children.
Posted inMichigan Government
How one firm in a ‘Wild West’ industry upended the Michigan GOP governor race
Petition gathering is largely unregulated, often relies on people off the street and, this year, one firm is accused of a forgery ring that toppled five gubernatorial campaigns. Is it time for reform?
Posted inMichigan Government
Wayne County canvasser: I sought to 'protect' Detroit vote, ‘not be racist’
As Wayne County commissioners are set to demand the resignations of two GOP canvassers who initially refused to certify the county’s election, one of them, Monica Palmer, says the experience was ‘heartbreaking.’ A fellow member says she’s not ‘ready for prime time.’
Posted inMichigan Government
Before you vote: These are facts, issues shaping Michigan in 2020 election
With the Nov. 3 election weeks away, take time to familiarize yourself with the Bridge Michigan’s 2020 Fact & Issue Guide to help inform your vote and separate rhetoric from facts.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Mid-Michigan dam that failed was cited for years for safety violations
The Edenville dam that catastrophically failed and prompted thousands of evacuations was cited repeatedly by federal authorities, who allege its owners had a “long history of noncompliance.”
Posted inUrban Affairs
In Detroit, a funeral moves outside as coronavirus deaths mount
An open-casket funeral outside is a small step toward closure and rethinking funerals at a time traditional spaces are forbidden, says the pastor of Plymouth United Church of Christ in Detroit.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
Detroit moving faster to restore water, but hundreds still without service
Ten days into an emergency effort to restore water to Detroit homes, several hundred residents still remain without water and activists wants Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to enlist the National Guard to help in the effort.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
Detroit off to slow start restoring water to homes as coronavirus hits
Detroit has turned water back on to fewer than 100 homes despite a program that slashes reconnection fees to $25. City officials say they are racing to solve phone and contractor issues they blame for the delays.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
Detroit to offer $25 water restorations as coronavirus fears mount
Detroit is offering to turn back on water for $25 to halt the spread of coronavirus, and for 30 days, the state of Michigan will pick up the tab for those who can’t afford it, Mayor Mike Duggan announced.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
Coronavirus fears renew calls for Gov. Whitmer to end Detroit water shutoffs
One day after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer denies a request for a health emergency in Detroit’s water shutoffs, activists again are seeking another one, saying that living without water could spread coronavirus.