We’ve followed Michigan residents with diverse political views since the 2016 presidential election. They came together in one room on a recent morning. Here’s what happened.
Pat Shellenbarger
Pat Shellenbarger is a freelance writer based in West Michigan. He previously was a reporter and editor at the Detroit News, the St. Petersburg Times and the Grand Rapids Press.
Posted inQuality of Life
Revisiting Wilfredo Diaz
WYOMING – A few months ago, Wilfredo Diaz heard a siren, looked in the rearview mirror and saw the strobes of a police car on his tail. Could this be the moment he and his family had dreaded? Could this be when the authorities arrest him and send him and his family back to Guatemala? […]
Posted inQuality of Life
Revisiting Ron Price
SAUGATUCK – The sun is about to set over Lake Michigan. Ron Price sits at a picnic table on a beach near Saugatuck, where he often comes to relax. Below the sleeve of his T-shirt is a tattoo of a Bible verse, Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Price, […]
Posted inQuality of Life
Meet Michigan's divided
Can 11 passionate Michigan residents and families reach across the political and cultural chasms that too often divide our state?
Posted inMichigan Government
The price of neglect: Michigan must spend billions on water, sewer fixes
Beyond Flint, experts say the state’s failure to upgrade its vast water and sewer systems means at least $17.5 billion in needed repairs. The cost of doing nothing may be even worse.
Posted inMichigan Government
Grand Rapids comes out of the sewer
Grand Rapids used to tremble when heavy rains fell since downpours often meant nasty sewer overflows. Today, the city rests easier after investing in a long-term upgrade that reduces the odds that raw sewage will flood river waters.
Posted inTalent & Education
How one West Michigan school district is closing reading gaps for poor, Hispanic students
Through focused early literacy efforts, the West Ottawa School District is taking children with little to no English-language skills and preparing them to compete with white, more affluent peers.
Posted inTalent & Education
Rich school, poor school, and the challenges that separate them
Waukazoo Elementary draws students from affluent lake homes. Pine Creek kids come from Holland’s poorest neighborhoods. In ways large and small, Waukazoo kids benefit from their families’ extra income.
Posted inChildren & Families
Along Michigan’s back roads, thousands of homeless children
Brenda Greenhoe scours abandoned garages and backwoods lots in rural counties, bringing adrift children to school.
Posted inChildren & Families
A charter school for the rural poor closes
Is it better to keep low-income students together despite poor test scores? Or do they benefit from learning alongside middle-class children?