Michigan districts are up against it to decide fall plans, and officials are worried that some will poach neighboring students. Superintendent Mike Rice wants to avoid that by freezing enrollment counts that are used to determine funding.
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
A third of Michigan’s COVID deaths are in nursing homes. Who is to blame?
Michigan Republicans claim Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s policies are partially to blame for 2,000 nursing home deaths. But new data show the state is far from alone in failing to protect its most vulnerable from the virus, as states like Florida once heralded for its policies are seeing dramatic spikes.
Posted inMichigan Government
Anatomy of a super spreader: Harper’s outbreak a caution for college bars
As Michigan State University students return to campus this fall, a popular East Lansing bar hopes to reopen after closing last month in the wake of a COVID-19 outbreak linked to 188 infections. But under a new deal, Harper’s Restaurant and Brewpub must make a host of changes.
Posted inMichigan Government
Fact Squad | No, Michigan Gov. Whitmer did not ‘defund the police’
Conservative “news” outlets, activists and a Republican super PAC this week falsely accused Michigan’s Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of “defunding the police” by executive order. Fact Squad sets the record straight.
Posted inMichigan Government
Michigan closing budget gap with layoffs and cuts to roads, PFAS cleanups
The Michigan Senate agreed to cut spending and use up federal dollars to bridge a hefty budget gap caused by the coronavirus. The next budget is due at the end of September.
Posted inMichigan Government
Michigan’s GOP-led Legislature considers rare veto override against Whitmer
Republican legislators are pushing for rare veto override votes this week at the Michigan Capitol after Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer vetoed bills to strengthen whistleblower protections for state workers and delay summer tax bills for property owners. The proposals previously passed the House and Senate with bipartisan support.
Posted inMichigan Government
Michigan unemployment system designed to slow payments working all too well
Michigan overhauled its unemployment insurance system nearly a decade ago to save money, root out fraud and make it harder for jobless workers to qualify for benefits. Now, with more than one million workers jobless, the state has flagged 1 in 3 claimants for fraud amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Posted inMichigan Government
He took down Michigan’s unemployment system. Now, he’s struggling to fix it.
Four years before Steve Gray took over the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency, he exposed a false fraud scandal that rocked state government and prompted reforms. Now, some lawmakers are calling for his ouster as he tries to fix a system crushed by record jobless claims amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Posted inMichigan Government
Feds charge Michigan contractor in $2M unemployment fraud scheme
Authorities say a contract employee used “insider access” to approve hundreds of illegitimate claims beginning in April, during a historic wave of layoffs promoted by the virus and economic shutdown orders.
Posted inMichigan Government
Whitmer tightens Michigan’s mask order but makes it optional when voting
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer tightened her COVID-19 mask mandate on Friday in an attempt to coax compliance by reluctant businesses, saying they cannot “assume” someone without a mask is exempt because of a medical condition.