LANSING - Michigan’s innovation economy faces a growing competitiveness problem: Michigan ranks 32nd nationally in early- and growth-stage startup funding, according to a 2025 innovation scorecard from Business Leaders for Michigan. Leading innovation states including California, Washington and Colorado have grown their innovation economies at “twice the rate or more of Michigan” over the past
LANSING — Nearly half a million Michigan residents who rely on Affordable Care Act marketplace coverage are now paying significantly higher health insurance costs in 2026, with early enrollment data showing tens of thousands may already be abandoning coverage altogether as enhanced Obamacare subsidies expire and Republican-backed healthcare spending cuts begin taking effect nationally. New
LANSING - Michigan consumers and businesses are heading into summer facing rising energy costs as global conflict, inflation and growing electricity demand push up prices for gasoline, diesel fuel, electricity and natural gas across the state, according to a new 2026 summer outlook from the Michigan Public Service Commission. The report lands as Michigan is
WASHINGTON DC - The political warning signs for Republicans are growing more complicated heading into the 2026 midterm elections. President Donald Trump’s approval ratings have weakened nationally amid concerns over inflation, energy prices, tariffs, and rising tensions with Iran. Yet at the same time, Trump continues demonstrating enormous influence inside Republican primaries — a dynamic
DETROIT - Americans flying overseas this year increasingly may need more than just a passport to board international flights — and travelers departing from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport could soon face a confusing patchwork of new digital border systems, biometric screening requirements, and online travel authorizations. What began as a European border modernization effort
Part 2 of a series on how huge increases in gas prices are impacting Michigan's economy and politics. ANN ARBOR = As gasoline prices climb toward $5 per gallon across parts of Michigan, economists and political analysts are beginning to examine whether the growing global oil shock could eventually reshape the state’s 2026 midterm elections.
Part 2 or a 2 part series on the national debt crisis. WASHINGTON DC - America’s national debt is approaching $39 trillion, and the federal government is now borrowing at a pace once associated only with wars, recessions and economic emergencies. But unlike previous crises, today’s trillion-dollar deficits are becoming permanent. The Congressional Budget Office
LANSING - DTE Energy is asking Michigan regulators for nearly half a billion dollars more from ratepayers. At the same time, the company is cutting deals to power massive data centers tied to the AI boom—raising a high-stakes question for millions of residents: Will Big Tech lower your electric bill—or make it even worse? That
WASHINGTON DC — The federal government’s long-awaited shift on marijuana policy is no longer theoretical—it’s happening in real time. In a major step forward, the Drug Enforcement Administration has formally scheduled a June 29 hearing that could determine whether marijuana as a whole—including recreational cannabis—will be reclassified from Schedule I to Schedule III under federal
LANSING — Michigan’s child care system employs an estimated 45,000 to 60,000 workers across more than 8,000 licensed providers statewide. Yet despite increased public investment and growing demand, many of those workers remain among the lowest-paid in the state’s economy—earning roughly $13.41 an hour on average, or about 61 percent of the typical Michigan wage,
