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How many kindergarteners in your Michigan school are vaccinated? Find out here
Statewide, nearly 8% of Michigan kindergarten students received vaccine waivers in 2025, up from less than 7% a year earlier.
Vaccination rates drop to 10-year low for Michigan’s school–age children
Michigan students receiving exemption waivers for vaccines jumped to 7.1% in 2025, marking a five-year streak of worsening vaccine participation in the state.
Fact check: No evidence Jocleyn Benson targeted conservative petitions
Republicans allege Michigan rejects more conservative petition signatures and takes longer to review them under Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson. Here are the facts.
Copperwood Mine foes sue to block $50M grant for project near Lake Superior
A lawsuit claims Michigan set an ‘extraordinarily dangerous precedent’ by dedicating taxpayer money to a foreign company. Defenders say the project could revive mining in struggli…
Opinion | Michigan benefits from university research. Funding cuts hurt state
The authors are presidents of Michigan’s research institutions: Kevin M. Guskiewicz, Michigan State University; Richard J. Koubek, Michigan Technological University; Domenico Gras…
Secretary of State candidates to debate at U-M; Bridge to moderate with Gongwer
Democrat Garlin Gilchrist II and Republican Anthony Forlini will square off for a one-hour debate Oct. 8. Bridge’s Jordyn Hermani is lead moderator and will be joined by Gongwer’s…
John James says he delivers results. What does his record show?
As John James competes to be Michigan’s next governor, here's what to know about his record in Congress.
Groups fight to keep 16,000 acres of national forest in Michigan road-free
Around 16,000 acres of national forests in Michigan are for the most part protected from permanent-road construction and logging, but that could change under a USDA proposal.
Push is on to boost career tech in Michigan schools. Not all agree that’s best
Nearly 115,000 students took a career and technical education course last year. But is it a direct path to a good job? Leaders say employers want even more training and schools ne…
Fact check: Can Mike Rogers ‘put a shop class in every high school’?
The Republican Senate candidate says he’ll put a shop class in every high school but hasn’t said how. In truth, Congress can’t dictate curriculum.
Court strikes Trump order that forced Michigan coal plant to stay open
A federal court ruled the Trump administration overstepped its authority when it forced Consumers Energy’s Campbell coal plant to keep running past its planned closure date. But f…
Bridge Michigan News Quiz, Sept. 11: Have you paid attention?
Can you answer 10 questions about the week in news in Michigan?
What to know about Michigan’s Consumers dams sale debate
State utility regulators are preparing to rule on the deal, in a decision that could have major implications for Michigan rivers, rural economies and energy bills.
University of Michigan sued by 16 former hockey players alleging sexual abuse
The players say their coach and other staff were aware of sexual hazing that included the forced shaving of their genitals and other abuses by teammates decades ago.
A UP town may repeal zoning. Doing so would benefit township trustee
Tiny Rock River Township is considering scrapping all zoning rules — a move that comes amid a lawsuit over a trustee’s parking lot near the popular Eben Ice Caves.
Lawsuit says Michigan town discriminated by denying Christian group building
The township says the Christian group didn’t meet the zoning criteria, but Youth For Christ called it religious discrimination.
John James pitches marijuana tax repeal, courts industry donors
Michigan Republican gubernatorial nominee John James is raising money from marijuana industry donors as he calls to repeal or reduce a new wholesale marijuana tax that raises mone…
Whitmer rethinks Line 5 tunnel permits, ramps up shutdown pleas after court ruling
In a letter to the CEO of Enbridge Energy, the Michigan governor questioned whether the Line 5 tunnel will ever be built and called it ‘untenable’ for the company to keep pumping …
Consumers seeks last-minute delay of decision on Michigan dam sales
The utility wants more time to win over critics opposed to selling 13 aging dams for $1 apiece. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and others want state regulators to kill the deal.
Fact check: Democrats claim John James has used Congress to enrich himself
John James has gotten significantly wealthier while serving in Congress. As he runs for governor, Democrats cite stock trades, but most of his gains stem from a family business an…
Damage from flood lingers Up North, as costs mount for schools, governments
Federal aid is just starting to trickle in from April flooding, but the toll is adding up. One school district is losing students because a washed-out bridge created bus detours, …
Michigan colleges spend big on dorms as enrollments sag. Big draw or big waste?
Ferris State’s new dorm offers views of its football stadium. Western’s new hall is made of timber and has massage chairs. But big investments in dorms haven’t always worked in ot…
With no time to spare, Michigan hatches a Great Lakes whitefish rescue plan
With little time left to avert a population collapse, officials plan to pluck whitefish from the mussel-infested Great Lakes and raise their offspring in hatcheries.
Bridge Michigan’s Issues Summit registration is now open
Join Bridge on Oct. 21 for our free, half-day Issues Summit on the Marygrove campus in Detroit and streamed virtually
Michigan dam removal prompts relocation of thousands of Huron River mussels
Around 3,000 mussels were relocated below the Peninsular Paper Dam to help them better survive temporary sediment expected to kick up after the dam is removed. The dam is currentl…
Jocelyn Benson outraises John James. See top donors in Michigan governor race
Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Jocelyn Benson got donations from DTE and Blue Cross executives, while the DeVos family continued to contribute to Republican John James.
As health costs climb, some care shifts to Michigan’s charity clinics
A network of free clinics operates on shoestring budgets, volunteers, donated supplies and hope. Some predict they’ll need more of that if more Michiganders lose health coverage.
Amid ‘mass proliferation,’ Flock cameras emerge as key issue in Michigan election
As public concern around the use of automated license plate readers and data privacy grows, Michigan political candidates from both major parties are proposing guardrails or more.
Michigan expands EV infrastructure, but access remains unequal, study finds
Michigan is actively expanding electric vehicle infrastructure and promoting the transition to electric transportation, but researches say the presence of charging stations doesn’…
See how your local Michigan school district did in the 2026 M-STEP
Scores vary across the state. Use this tool to look up your local school.