Republicans strip $10 million allotted to roll out work rules and avoid chaos that has plagued other states. They say it’s a compromise. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer says “these budgets are a mess.”
Robin Erb
Robin Erb covers a range of health issues in Michigan, including the industry of aging and the issues facing older residents in Michigan, a state that is aging faster than most others. She joined Bridge in 2019 and has led investigations that tracked millions of dollars in opioid settlement money and explored severe worker shortages in health care that threaten lives and the state's economy. She chronicled the shock and grief of Michigan families in COVID’s wake, as well as state policy decisions and the triumphs of medical breakthroughs. Robin previously spent six years covering health at the Detroit Free Press, documenting the battle over, and the eventual passage of, the Affordable Care Act and Michigan's Medicaid expansion. She studied communications and political science at Miami University and has a master’s degree in organizational leadership from Lourdes University (Toledo, Ohio). She and her husband raised two wonderful children — but have failed miserably at training their Beagle-Bassets — in southeast Michigan. Reach her at rerb@bridgemi.com.
Posted inMichigan Government
Southfield City Clerk accused of Michigan election fraud
Sherikia Hawkins is charged with doctoring absentee voter paperwork to reconcile vote counts. State officials said any misdeeds did not affect the outcome of the 2018 election.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
Deadly EEE virus in Michigan forces daylight football starts, cancellations
Friday night football has moved to daylight for at least two schools in Kalamazoo County, the epicenter of the outbreak of Eastern equine encephalitis. Eight people in Michigan have been infected.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
It's official: Flavored e-cigarettes are now illegal in Michigan
Emergency rules aimed at protecting youth make distribution and sale of flavored vaping products punishable by six months behind bars.. Retailers have 14 days to remove the products from their shelves.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
Critics rip Michigan vaping ban, citing harm to smokers and vape shops
A legislative hearing in Lansing on Thursday gave lawmakers and shop owners an opportunity to explain the unintended consequences of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s planned ban on flavored vape products.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
How Right to Life has dominated Michigan abortion politics since Roe v. Wade
In a state that favors abortion rights, the group uses a network of ardent volunteers and the “golden ticket” of its candidate endorsements to restrict abortion access. It hopes to make more gains in 2020.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
Michigan Medicaid rules change soon. Can cool envelopes help avoid confusion?
New work rules go into effect in January for Healthy Michigan beneficiaries. Gleaning lessons from a debacle in Arkansas over similar changes, Michigan is stepping up efforts to communicate the changes.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
Vaping may be bad for teens. But will Michigan’s ban hurt smokers trying to quit?
Some worry an all-out ban on flavored e-cigarettes will take them away from adults who use them -‒ effectively, according to some studies -‒ to kick smoking.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
HPV cancer rates are up. Yet many Michigan doctors won’t talk about it.
The conversation can be awkward, but it also can save lives and prevent human papillomavirus. Some doctors and dentists avoid discussing vaccinations because the virus is sexually transmitted.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
Planned Parenthood says 42,000 in Michigan at risk from abortion ‘gag rule’
The group said it would withdraw from a federal funding program for low-income patients, citing a rule banning clinics from making abortion referrals to other doctors. Anti-abortion group calls the decision ideological.