As Consumers Energy ponders the fate of its 13 hydropower dams, nearby residents push to keep them operational. But Consumers officials have said they won’t allow customers to absorb the $781 million cost of doing so.
Rural Michigan
Posted inMichigan Government
Michigan lawmakers consider end to ‘prison gerrymandering'
A Detroit senator wants Michigan prison populations to be counted in the communities they’re from instead of prison locations. The change could make a big difference in how political districts are crafted, especially in rural areas.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
Munson to trim inpatient services at rural northern Michigan hospitals
Munson Healthcare, northern Michigan’s largest employer, will be limiting services at rural hospitals while boosting them in Traverse City. Officials cite staff shortages and rising patient demand for virtual options.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Climate change is harming Michigan hunting and fishing, groups warn lawmakers
Michigan’s wild places — and the fish and wildlife that call them home — are under threat as warmer temperatures cause species to migrate northward and rivers to overheat. Advocates called for more resources to protect Michigan’s fish and game from those changes.
Posted inGuest Commentary
Opinion | Michigan’s undocumented immigrants deserve driver’s licenses
It’s easy to take things for granted, like the ability to move freely in your community, the ease at which you can go to your local store and buy fresh produce for your dinner table. It’s time we think about the people that work hard to put that produce on our tables.
Posted inGuest Commentary
Opinion | Michigan’s system to approve green energy projects is broken
Michigan can’t foist the energy transition on rural communities without their consent, but instead should build bridges that demonstrate we are all in this together.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
As automakers win incentives for EV plants, Michigan pays for polluted past
The auto industry is getting billions to build battery plants on rural land, while taxpayers pay for contaminated plants left behind. Will history repeat itself? Or will Michigan forge a new path?
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Dark sky parks: How Michigan is becoming a stargazing state
The number of dark sky protected spaces is growing in Michigan, with visitors coming from across the country to see how the state’s glassy waters reflect the night sky.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Michigan fall colors 2023: Peak colors may be late. Blame El Niño
Fall colors may be slightly delayed in Michigan this year because of warmer weather patterns.
Posted inMichigan Government
Michigan dairy farm housing: ‘Invisible’ workers suffer, state looks other way
Housing for immigrant workers on dairy farms is often tucked away and largely exempt from inspections. Advocates say that can lead to poor conditions. ‘You have no one to protect you,’ one worker says.