Stateside Staff

Today on Stateside, one University of Michigan professor says we are in the midst of a "Re-Englightenment" when it comes to cultural attitudes about climate change. Plus, we talk to Democratic Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin about her work on a package of bills aimed at protecting U.S. elections from foriegn interference.

Thieves have been stealing crops from farms in Michigan. They’ve hit two apple orchards and a pumpkin patch in the last few weeks. Matt Spicer is an owner and harvest manager at Spicer Orchards in Fenton. Spicer told us about the apple theft that took place at his farm, how much the lost harvest is worth, and what that financial blow will mean for his orchard this year.

Today on Stateside, the U.S. Supreme Court has struck down a lower court's ruling that ordered Michigan to redraw its congressional and state legislative district lines before the 2020 election. Plus, we talk to the reporter who helped solve the mysterious disappearance of a young Michigan man and FBI informant.

Today on Stateside, more people will be eligible for welfare benefits like food stamps and cash assistance under new rules rolled out by Governor Gretchen Whitmer this week. Plus, the budget for the Pure Michigan tourism campaign was zeroed out in a line-item veto. We'll talk about the campaign's effectiveness, as well as the politics over its funding. 

With all the news about climate change, pollution, and habitat destruction, it’s easy to be pessimistic about the environmental challenges facing the world. Our Climate Crew series features people who are stepping up in their own communities to do something about it.

Today on Stateside, after 31 days on the picket line, the UAW and General Motors came to a tentative contract agreement. We hear about the details and what comes next. Plus, Michigan farmers face record low production of corn and soybeans  after a cold, wet spring. 

How did Donald Trump vault from the faux-boardroom of The Apprentice into the Oval Office?

A new book called Audience of One: Donald Trump, Television, and the Fracturing of America offers some answers. 

Today on Stateside, we talk to a business leader who wants legal protections for LGBTQ people, and a gay politician who says they are not needed. Plus, an updated system for driverless cars is being tested on the streets of Detroit. Are people ready for them?

Today on Stateside, how signs of progress on a U.S. trade deal with China could impact Michigan manufacturers. Plus, one family is hoping to fill the gaps in mental health care services for young adults after losing their son to suicide.

Today on Stateside, temperatures are supposed to drop across the state next week. What does that mean for the recent outbreak of Eastern equine encephalitis? Plus, a fitting cocktail for the summer-like days and chilly fall nights of early autumn. 

With all the news about climate change, pollution and habitat destruction, it’s easy to be pessimistic about the environmental challenges facing the world. Our Climate Crew series features people who are stepping up in their own communities to do something about it. 

A fellow teacher tipped us off about Kevin Randall, who teaches biology at Grandville High School. We talked to him about what he’s been doing to make his school a little greener.

In Lansing, Republicans in the Michigan Legislature have set the stage for a showdown with Governor Whitmer over her 147 line-item vetoes in the state budget. The governor met Thursday with top GOP leaders from the state House and Senate to try to reach a compromise.

Today on Stateside, between anemic state funding and fewer people in the classroom, many of Michigan’s public universities are facing challenging times. Plus, a new initiative at the University of Michigan looks to provide evidence-based training on how to prevent school violence.

In the wake of multiple mass school shootings in recent years, the question of how to reduce violence and make schools safer has become a pressing one. Answering that question will be the goal of a brand new national research and training center at the University of Michigan School of Public Health.

Today on Stateside, top United Auto Workers union leaders are now working with federal investigators on the probe into corruption at the UAW. Plus, we talk to the Detroiter who is just one country away from having visited every United Nations recognized country. She is aiming to be the first black woman to do so. 

Name-calling. Punching back. Finger-pointing. It's what we've come to expect out of Washington.

U.S. Representatives Fred Upton (R-6th District) and Debbie Dingell (D-12th District) are calling for a return to civility and collegiality at the nation's Capitol, and in America more broadly. 

They co-authored an op-ed in the Detroit News earlier this year, writing "A vibrant democratic republic depends on vigorous debate — but also recognizes the importance of compromise." 

Stateside spoke with Dingell and Upton Wednesday morning ahead of an appearance at the Detroit Economic Club.

Today on Stateside, Governor Gretchen Whitmer explains the reasoning behind her 147 line-item vetoes in the state budget she signed Monday night. Plus, Congresswoman Debbie Dingell and Congressman Fred Upton talk about civility in an era of partisanship and division. 

Governor Gretchen Whitmer on Monday unveiled a mountain of line-item vetoes to the state budget sent to her by GOP leaders in the Legislature. Rick Pluta is Michigan Radio's Capitol Bureau Chief, and Emily Lawler is a political reporter with MLive. They break down which items Whitmer crossed off of the GOP-crafted budget, the Republican response to her decisions, and what all of this says about how the governor and the Legislature will work together moving forward.

Today on Stateside, the state budget needs to be approved by Governor Gretchen Whitmer tonight to avoid a partial government shutdown. But the governor has been vocal about her displeasure with the bills sent to her by the state Legislature. So what are her options? Plus, how can Michigan do more to recruit and retain a diverse teaching staff? 

Today on Stateside, how the United Auto Worker's strike of General Motors is hitting workers' household budgets and the broader economy. Plus, the deadline for a state budget is October 1. Will Governor Gretchen Whitmer and the GOP-led state legislature be able to strike a deal before then and avoid a partial government shutdown? 

This Saturday, a ninth-grader from Detroit's Cass Tech High School will board a jet for Mumbai, India. Fourteen-year-old Charisse Woods will represent Detroit at the World Youth Chess Championships. We talked to Woods about how she got her start in chess, and her aspirations to become a National Master, a title very few chess players ever earn.

The pressure is on to avoid a partial government shutdown by the October 1 deadline. The Legislature has wrapped up work and approved a new $59.9 billion budget for fiscal year 2020. But now the 14 budget bills go to Governor Gretchen Whitmer, who says they are "a mess." Zach Gorchow of Gongwer goes through what options Governor Whitmer has now that the budget is on her desk.

Today on Stateside, the GOP-controlled Michigan Legislature passed a new budget. Governor Gretchen Whitmer declared it "a mess." What are her options now? Plus, a Detroit man returns home after being incarcerated in China for three years.

The constant barrage of news about climate change, drinking water contamination, and pollution in the Great Lakes region can feel overwhelming. If you care, it’s hard to know what to do or where to start.

That's where Stateside's new series comes in. We're featuring ordinary people who identified a problem – no matter how big or small – and chose to act. 

The Michigan Republican Party gathered on Mackinac Island over the weekend for the Mackinac Republican Leadership Conference, which was attended by Vice President Mike Pence. Harbor Strategic Public Affairs CEO John Sellek was also at the conference. He joined Stateside to talk about how national shifts in the Republican Party are playing out in Michigan, and what state Republican leaders see as their major challenges and best strategy going into the 2020 presidential election.

If you've purchased beer lately, you've probably noticed the local craft beer section has grown in your grocery store. There's been a rapid expansion of the craft brewing industry in Michigan over the past decade. 

Michigan is the fourth-largest beer state in the nation. Currently, there are more than 350 breweries making a huge variety of beers. But some small brewers say that number may not be as big as it could be, and they say state law makes it hard for them to grow their business.

Today on Stateside, students across Michigan take to the streets to voice their concerns about climate change. Plus, the Pontiac Silverdome may be developed into an Amazon distribution center.

“Climate strikes” are being held around the world today, including here in Michigan. The youth-led movement aims to pressure corporations and governments to do more to reduce the greenhouse gases that are causing climate change.