A Florida company has acquired all the ferry operations to the island and raised prices to the tourism Mecca. An Up North legislator wants to give the island more control.
Justin A. Hinkley
Justin A. Hinkley has worked in journalism for two decades, beginning as a cub reporter at his hometown paper, the Battle Creek Enquirer, where he covered everything from local government to cops and courts to education and everything in between. He then worked as an investigative journalist at the Lansing State Journal, focusing on state government, before moving to the Alpena News, where he served as managing editor and then publisher. He joined Bridge in February 2025. He lives in Alpena with his wife and son and was born and raised in Battle Creek.
Posted inQuality of Life
Battle Creek seeks to right history, remove channel that moved Black residents
Decades ago, Battle Creek and the federal government destroyed a thriving neighborhood by building a concrete channel through downtown. Now, the city wants to put the river back to its natural state.
Posted inTalent & Education
Kalamazoo learns even free tuition isn’t enough to get kids into college
Twenty years into the Kalamazoo Promise scholarship program, officials say they’re having to work harder to help kids succeed and even graduate from high school.
Posted inTalent & Education
Think your homework was tough? In the UP, students had to build a house
Career tech students in Houghton needed hands-on experience. So they spent a year building a house. It went up for sale last weekend.
Posted inEvents
Watch Bridge Lunch Break on the state of local media in Michigan
Four panelists discussed news deserts, trust and what’s lost because of the shrinking media landscape in north and west Michigan.
Posted inEvents
Bridge Lunch Break to discuss media in Michigan
The May 28 panel discussion via Zoom will feature representatives from media, government, and business discussing the state of the media in north and western Michigan.
Posted inQuality of Life
As news deserts spread in Michigan, Lenawee County an unexpected oasis
The shrinkage of the newspaper industry has hit Michigan harder than most states, but a southern Michigan county is amid a resurgence of local news thanks to some surprising investments.
Posted inEvents
Watch Bridge Lunch Break on Michigan summer tourism, impact of foreign travel
Three tourism experts joined Bridge Michigan Outdoors Life Reporter Laura Herberg for a conversation about what’s coming up in Michigan tourism this year and the challenges tourism officials face.
Posted inMichigan Government
Watch: Donald Trump holds Michigan rally to mark first 100 days
Watch President Donald Trump’s remarks in Macomb County.
Posted inQuality of Life
Power company: God caused ice storm; we shouldn’t have to compensate customers
Alpena Power Co. wants to avoid paying customers $40 a day, arguing that the massive ice storm was an act of God, not the fault of the utility. More than 16,000 of their customers could be in line for compensation.