• Bridge Michigan’s Lunch Break series resumed Wednesday for a conversation about the issues that matter most to Michiganders
  • The cost of child care, education and transportation were issues raised by Bridge Michigan readers in our survey and in the virtual conversation
  • Bridge Michigan’s yearslong listening project is now asking readers to help us nominate the top issues from the dozens submitted in our Bridge Listens survey

Housing affordability, access to health care and civility in politics were just a few of the issues that took center stage today during Bridge Michigan’s Lunch Break, our monthly virtual discussion.

The hourlong discussion was led by Deputy Politics Editor Jonathan Oosting and featured Capitol reporters Lauren Gibbons and Jordyn Hermani, along with three readers who joined the panel to highlight key issues affecting them and their communities, including the cost of child care, education equity and the need for more transit options in Detroit and around the state.

The Lunch Break built on Bridge Listens, an unscientific survey in which readers identified the top issues facing Michigan during the 2026 election year. The panel discussion touched on a number of the issues shared by over 2,800 reader responses. 

Now, leading into the Aug. 4 primaries, we are asking readers to help Bridge refine the list by filling out a nomination form. 

This year’s virtual conversation series will highlight an issue a month. In March, Bridge health reporters will discuss health care costs and how that issue is playing out this election cycle.

About 50 readers participated in today’s conversation, which can be watched in its entirety here:

Bridge’s monthly Lunch Break series focuses on timely topics facing our state. Previous events have discussed Michigan’s education crisis, the collapse of the whitefish population in the lower Great Lakes, Michigan summer tourism, the changing landscape of deer hunting in the state, spending of Michigan’s opioid settlement funds, solutions to gun violence in Michigan, Michigan’s population crisis, youth mental health in Michigan and the legacy of the automotive industry on the state’s environment and economy.

RELATED: 

Bridge Club members are notified of future events from our nonprofit newsroom and receive member-exclusive benefits such as free Bridge event tickets, copies of our bimonthly Bridge Culture Club selections and more. Member support allows us to offer engagement opportunities like this Lunch Break series. 

To stay up-to-date on upcoming events and Bridge Michigan’s reporting, sign up for any of our free email newsletters, including our weekly Politics Watch newsletter.

Creative Commons License

Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under our Republication Guidelines. Questions? Email republishing@bridgemi.com