As Gov. Gretchen Whitmer weighs an emergency declaration for towns besieged by rising waters, a movement is growing to ask Canada to stop dumping millions of gallons of water per day into the Great Lakes through dams in northern Ontario.
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
John Conyers Jr., champion of Detroit and civil rights, dies at 90
John Conyers Jr. served 53 years in Congress as a representative from Detroit, pursuing progressive causes long before they became popular. He died at his home.
Posted inUrban Affairs
In a changing Detroit, footpaths are vanishing across vast, empty lands
The University of Michigan has mapped 5,200 footpaths through Detroit. The author of the study says it’s a valuable planning tool. But one critic calls it ‘poverty porn.’
Posted inUrban Affairs
Wayne County’s tired jail deputies work double shifts at low pay. Wanna apply?
Michigan’s largest county is perpetually short of officers to guard jail inmates that critics contend shouldn’t be incarcerated in the first place. ‘It’s a screwed up system,’ a sheriff’s official admits.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Higgins Lake’s crystal waters are under threat. Blame poop (and other stuff)
It’s not just Higgins Lake. Leaky septic systems and fertilizers are leading to a growth of algae in northern Michigan’s clear water lakes and could require big-time investments to fix.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
What you need to know about Michigan’s flavored e-cigarette ban
Amid a surge in teen vaping, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer orders a ban on flavored e-cigarettes. Here’s a look at the legal, political and health implications of the nation’s first ban.
Posted inUrban Affairs
Detroit shut off water to 11,800 homes this year. Most are still off.
Records show 62 percent of Detroit residential shutoffs were without service as of Aug. 1. The vast majority had gone a week or more, contradicting claims that the city restores nearly all water within 48 hours.
Posted inUrban Affairs
How to get help with Detroit water payments and avoid shutoffs
Every year, thousands of Detroit customers are disconnected for nonpayment. Many resources exist for help. Here is what is available.
Posted inMichigan Government
Hey, CNN: Ask Democratic candidates these 6 Michigan policy questions
From stagnant population to Great Lakes threats and lousy sewers, Michigan has extraordinary problems that require specific solutions. This is what we want the Democratic presidential hopefuls to address.
Posted inUrban Affairs
Thanks for making Detroit cool, artists. Here’s your eviction.
As rising rents displace artists in Detroit, an ownership change and evictions at the onetime headquarters of the Grand River Creative Corridor sparks a debate about gentrification.