Gov. Gretchen Whitmer spared a psychiatric hospital whose closure would have devastated the Thumb. But long waiting lists persist statewide, and the hospital’s problems remain.
Jonathan Oosting
Jonathan is a deputy editor for Bridge Michigan. He helps plan and execute in-depth reporting and campaign coverage. As a longtime political reporter, Jonathan was named 2021 Journalist of the Year by the Michigan Press Association. He and a colleague shared that honor again in 2023, when they were also named Journalists of the Year by the Society of Professional Journalists – Detroit Chapter. Jonathan covered the state Capitol for The Detroit News and MLive before joining Bridge in September of 2019. He's from Grand Rapids, lives in Lansing and loves spending time Up North.
Posted inMichigan Government
Michigan Republicans jockeying to override Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s budget vetoes
Ahead of a Thursday meeting with the first-term governor, GOP lawmakers are drafting bills to restore funding for popular programs Whitmer cut including an autism hotline.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Michigan seeks to cash in on CBD craze, but hemp harvest not without hiccups
Michigan’s first-ever hemp harvest is bearing fruit. Now that CBD has gone mainstream, early returns are positive, despite fears of overproduction and overhype.
Posted inMichigan Government
Rural Michigan sheriffs fear layoffs after Whitmer vetoes road patrol
Law enforcement raises alarms after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer axed $13 million for a state grant program that has helped county sheriffs hire road patrol deputies since 1978.
Posted inMichigan Government
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s 5 big asks for new Michigan budget talks
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer wants Republicans to fund five “key” priorities for a potential supplemental spending bill after vetoing $947 million from GOP budgets. Don’t count on it, GOP leader says.
Posted inMichigan Government
Bill Schuette opts against Michigan Supreme Court run
Bill Schuette, the former congressman and attorney general who ran for governor last year, was considered a top Republican recruit for the Michigan Supreme Court.
Posted inMichigan Government
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer targets rural Michigan in bid to sway GOP on budgets
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer used her line-item veto power to cut several GOP budget priorities in hopes of restarting negotiations. Rural Michigan is among the hardest hit.
Posted inMichigan Government
What Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's budget cuts and shifts mean to Michigan residents
No money for Pure Michigan and less for rural hospitals. More money for Medicaid work rules and water testing. How Gretchen Whitmer’s nearly $1 billion in changes could have a big impact on everyday residents.
Posted inMichigan Government
Gretchen Whitmer uses line-item veto – 147 times – on GOP’s Michigan budget
Government shutdown avoided, as Whitmer cuts nearly $1 billion in the $59.9 billion budget through line-item vetoes. But a bigger battle could be looming, as she plans to invoke a rarely used power to change the Republican-approved budget.
Posted inMichigan Government
What’s next for Michigan budget: Gretchen Whitmer plans more shifts to GOP plan
An unprecedented budget fight will continue Tuesday morning at a meeting that could see Gov. Gretchen Whitmer exercise a rare power reserved for governors. Whitmer also trimmed nearly $1 billion from the Republican-led Legislature’s $59.9 billion budget.