LANSING — As Michigan’s economy enters 2026, employers in key sectors are increasing wages and expanding hiring due to labor shortages, competition for skilled talent, and statewide policy shifts — including a scheduled minimum wage boost to $13.73/hour on Jan. 1, 2026. Workers in several occupations — from frontline services to high-tech fields — could
CAMP GRAYLING - Michigan has been selected as a national training and testing hub for advanced military drones — a move that reflects not only the state’s growing role in defense technology, but also a fundamental shift in how wars are fought in the 21st century. The National All-Domain Warfighting Center (NADWC), anchored by Camp
COLUMBUS - Ohio’s cannabis debate has entered a new phase — one that goes beyond marijuana policy and squarely into a fight over who governs: voters or lawmakers. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost approved the title and summary language for a citizen-led referendum seeking to overturn key provisions of Senate Bill 56 (SB 56), a
ANN ARBOR — Ohio’s intensifying fight over marijuana policy — now centered on the Legislature’s passage of Senate Bill 56 and the blocking of a voter referendum to undo it — is drawing close attention in Michigan, where adult-use cannabis followed a far steadier and less politicized path. At the heart of the Ohio dispute
SALINE TOWNSHIP — A proposed hyperscale data center tied to OpenAI has reignited controversy in Washtenaw County after township officials acknowledged a documentation mistake that added to public confusion over how the project was approved. The development — part of a broader national push to build massive computing infrastructure for artificial intelligence — is planned
GRAND RAPIDS — A year-long analysis of the West Michigan economy points to a clear trend heading into 2026: growth is slowing, even as the broader state economy sends mixed signals depending on region and industry. The outlook, delivered by Paul Isely, associate dean and professor of economics at Grand Valley State University’s Seidman College
COLUMBUS - Ohio cities are finally seeing their first marijuana tax dollars — and the early payouts show how uneven the results can be under a sales-based system. In January 2026, Ohio began distributing adult-use cannabis tax revenue to cities and villages for the first time since voters approved legalization in November 2023. The initial
ANN ARBOR - A proposed $1.2 billion high-performance computing facility backed by the University of Michigan and Los Alamos National Laboratory has become the latest flashpoint in Michigan’s escalating backlash against data centers — a debate now centered as much on electric rates as on land use or environmental risk. The project, planned for Ypsilanti
ANN ARBOR - When voters approve legal cannabis, the promise is usually straightforward: tax the industry and return the revenue to communities. In practice, it’s rarely that simple. Across the country, states have struggled to turn cannabis tax collections into timely funding for cities, counties, and public services. Ohio’s recent experience is just one example
COLUMBUS - Most people assumed Ohio’s marijuana revenue would work the same way legalization did. Fast. Sales would begin.Money would follow. That isn’t what happened. After voters approved Issue 2 in November 2023, recreational marijuana sales launched in August 2024. Dispensaries opened. Consumers showed up. Taxes were collected every day. Cities and villages waited. Not
