Michigan

Disrepair — such as this floor in the gym of Noble Elementary-Middle School in Detroit — and other problems have prompted the teachers' "sickout" protests.

Detroit Public School Teachers Turn To 'Sickouts' In Protest

7:31pm January 14, 2016

by Sarah Cwiek

They're angry about everything from overcrowding and hazardous buildings to looming bankruptcy. But teacher strikes are illegal in Michigan, and opponents say the actions hurt students and parents.

Queue Listen Now

Flint, Mich., resident Jacqueline Pemberton holds her granddaughter at a press conference announcing a lawsuit against government officials in November. Pemberton is one of six plaintiffs claiming that officials violated constitutional rights by providing

National

Lead Poisoning In Michigan Highlights Aging Water Systems Nationwide

8:33am January 02, 2016

The U.S. is losing 15 percent of its drinking water to leaks in its deteriorating water systems, some of which rely on 100-year-old pipes, says Robert Puentes of the Brookings Institution.

Guitar, drums and piano instructor Loren Kranz (left) listens to Natalya Andrews, 8, play "Up on the Housetop" during Andrews' piano lesson. Kranz started teaching instrument lessons through Major Chords for Minors in September of 2014 and now gives lesso

National

Free Music Lessons Strike A Chord For At-Risk Kids

9:35am December 16, 2015

by Pam Fessler

John and Katrina Vowell used their small savings to start Major Chords for Minors in Saginaw, Mich., because they were worried about the city's youth. Now they have 130 students and a long wait list.

Queue Listen Now

Syrian Refugees In Michigan Respond To U.S. Resettlement Hesitations

7:51am November 22, 2015

by NPR Staff

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder is urging a pause in the resettlement of Syrian refugees in his state. Two Syrian refugees there share their similar concerns, but say totally barring refugees is a mistake.

High Lead Levels In Michigan Kids After City Switches Water Source

6:19am October 05, 2015

by Sarah Hulett

Flint, Mich., started drawing its tap water from a local river in April 2014. The water is so corrosive that it's causing lead to leach out of aging pipes, resulting in serious health issues.

Queue Listen Now

State Rep. Todd Courser (second from right), R-Lapeer, testifies before a House committee Wednesday in Lansing, Mich. Courser resigned amid a vote to expel him for an elaborate scheme to cover up an extramarital affair with a fellow lawmaker.

Michigan Lawmaker Quits, Another Is Expelled Over Bizarre Sex Scandal

11:26am September 11, 2015

by Scott Neuman

Tea Party-inspired Republican Rep. Todd Courser stepped down early Friday and Rep. Cindy Gamrat was forced out of the chamber after news of the scandal broke last month.

Actress Melissa Gilbert arrives at the Award of Excellence Star presentation for the Screen Actors Guild in 2007. Gilbert is trying to win a congressional seat from Michigan, where her husband is from.

'Little House On The Prairie' Actress Runs For Congress. Can She Win?

9:37am August 12, 2015

by Sam Sanders

Melissa Gilbert is running for a congressional seat in Michigan. She's the latest in a long line of celebrities with political aspirations.

Queue Listen Now

Michigan Lawmaker Reportedly Concocted Fake Scandal To Cover Up A Real One

4:50pm August 07, 2015

by Scott Neuman

The Detroit News says that state Rep. Todd Courser sought to spread a rumor that he is homosexual to hide his extramarital affair with a female lawmaker.

This Potato Salad Goes Great With The Civic Duty

9:45am August 06, 2015

A tiny Michigan town couldn't get anyone to come to its government meetings, until it turned one into a free picnic, octupling attendance.

Queue Listen Now

Mcity's "downtown" is actually a silk-screen recreation of a street in Ann Arbor, Mich. Researchers have built the small fake city at the University of Michigan as a testing ground for autonomous vehicles.

National

In Michigan, A Testing Ground For A Future Of Driverless Cars

11:18am July 31, 2015

by Jason Margolis

Automakers and researchers are using a 32-acre fake city at the University of Michigan to simulate a real-world environment for autonomous vehicles. How will such cars affect urban planning?

Queue Listen Now