Michigan Radio: Investigative
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Could changes to auto Personal Injury Protection cost...
Some members of the legislature are once again proposing changes to no-fault auto insurance in Michigan. They say it will save auto owners money.
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Legislator: Gay civil rights would 'bully Christians'
Public polling and recent court cases have prompted greater discussion about adding protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in
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Few protections for LGBT in housing discrimination
Some Michigan residents are turned away for housing even if they can afford the rent for an apartment or the mortgage for a home. In many cases, landlords
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Religious liberties for some, but not for LGBT marriage...
Some Michigan legislators have pushed bills calling for religious liberties to be honored through law. But one person’s religious liberty might be another
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Legally discriminating against LGBT in Michigan:...
Michigan’s Elliot-Larsen Civil Rights Act protects many people from discrimination. You cannot be fired from your job because of your religion, race, color
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Legally discriminating against LGBT in Michigan
We’d like to think all people are treated equally in America. In fact, we think our system is set up to make sure that happens. There are, though, people
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Inside the final days of Detroit's Gang Squad
When gang violence breaks out in the roughest parts of Detroit, even the police call for help. The gang squad is a special, paramilitary unit of the
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The influence of money and politics in Michigan Supreme...
A task force says electing Michigan Supreme Court justices should not be as partisan, or as much about money, as other political offices. But according to
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School sued after firing lesbian teacher
Correction: An earlier version of this story spelled "Corunna" incorrectly. It has been fixed. The Corunna Public School District is facing a federal
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Slowdown in Michigan disposable income growth in 2013 in...
The State of the State speech outlines what the Governor sees as spending priorities for the state. But state taxes and spending are only part of the
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Stateside: Investigating Michigan's homicide rate
Though the national homicide rate has declined over the past decades, many Michigan cities are struggling to follow the trend.Gregg Barak, Professor of Criminology at Eastern Michigan University and Dayne Walling, Mayor of Flint, spoke with Cyndy about the state’s homicides.“Homicide rates across the country are down to about 4.8 per 100,000…Here in Michigan, the state as a whole is at 6.2. In Detroit, it’s eight times higher…I’m not that surprised in terms of Detroit. Its rate today is no...
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Stateside: Reducing human trafficking at this year's...
Though largely unrecognized, human trafficking occurs at troubling rates during the North American International Auto Show.Theresa Flores heads Save Our Adolescents from Prostitution (S.O.A.P), a group actively working to rescue young girls and boys from trafficking.S.O.A.P. is making a visit to the Auto Show in an attempt to reduce the prostitution that often plagues large events like this.As a teenager growing up in Birmingham, Flores was drugged and raped by a classmate.He proceeded to...
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Stateside: Homeless shelters get a makeover
Imagine what you might know about physical space and tranquility if you lived in a drug house, an abandoned building, or jail.That’s the experience for many of the women who stay at the Women and Family Treatment and Shelter at Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries. They often come from intense circumstances to the shelter, in order to make big changes in their lives.The shelter is housed in a former convent. On the third floor everything reeks of fresh paint. A professional paint company has...
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Stateside: At-risk, LGBTQ kids find safety through vogue...
Matthew Dawson is the kid wearing sunglasses inside, in the middle of the day. He’s in a room full of about twenty kids who flip, dip, and cat-walk in a dance style known as “vogue.” (For a quick reference, think Madonna’s “Vogue” video from 1990.)He says this style of dancing is a powerful way for him to express himself. “One of the emotions I say I put into my vogue is anger. I feel like I put it into vogue so I won’t have to put it into other things that are not very constructive.”Matthew...
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Stateside: Med team brings "street medicine" to...
Several Wayne State University students started Street Medicine Detroit in May.They’d heard about a similar program in Pittsburg and they were inspired. They partnered with a Detroit non-profit called Neighborhood Service Organization and together they created a mobile medical clinic.Philip Ramsey is a community outreach specialist with NSO. (Rumor has it that if you’re trying to locate a specific homeless person, and you give Ramsey the vaguest of details, he can go out and find that person...
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Stateside: Investigating Detroit's homeless population
Airing this week will be a series of stories Michigan Radio’s Kyle Norris compiled on Detroit’s homeless population.To introduce the series, Norris spoke with Meghan Takashima of the Corporation for Supportive Housing.They spoke about some of the misconceptions people have about those without a home.Norris began by noting her inspiration for the stories.“Something is drawing me to these stories…when I’m with homeless people I have to be real, I have to be a human first and a reporter...
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Stateside: Enbridge Energy's eminent domain issue
Enbridge Energy is replacing one of its key pipelines that runs through Michigan. Nearly 285 miles of new pipeline is required to replace the ruptured line that caused an oil spill in July 2010.Enbridge took homeowners to court in numerous eminent domain conflicts.To further address the issue of eminent domain, we spoke with Avery Williams and Alan Ackerman. Williams provides land acquisition advice for Detroit and Ackerman represents displaced persons and businesses in court.“Basically,...
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Legislation to discriminate in adoptions
Legislation would give private adoption agencies the legal right to turn down prospective parents for any moral or religious reason. That’s what’s in a pair of bills being considered by lawmakers in Lansing.The bills would guarantee private adoption agencies working on state contracts would be protected from rules that could compromise their religious or moral convictions.The legislation’s sponsor, Kenneth Kurtz, is the Republican chair of the House Committee on Families, Children, and...
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Cuts to welfare: What's the cost to children?
This past year, the administration of Governor Rick Snyder put new restrictions on the time families can receive cash assistance. 15,000 families have been cut off from that part of welfare which generally is used to pay rent and utilities. Michigan Watch and the online magazine Bridge have spent the last year looking into the effects of those policies. Those who’ve lost cash assistance say the state is forgetting about the children who are affected.Like a lot of parents who depended on cash...
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Stateside: Poverty simulations
To better inform those unfamiliar with the challenges faced by the impoverished and homeless, Julie Steiner will host a poverty simulation tomorrow night at the Michigan Theater.Steiner, the director of the Washtenaw Housing Alliance, spoke with Cyndy about Washtenaw County’s poverty problem.Steiner began by explaining the functions of a poverty simulation.“We found one that was developed in Durham, North Carolina. It allows you to go through and make decisions about daily life as though you...
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Truth Squad: 'Flagrant Foul' and 'No Foul' on Prop 5 ads
Political ads are filling the airwaves, but it’s not always easy to know what is true and what is not.Michigan Watch has teamed up with the Center for Michigan’s Truth Squad to sort it out.Today we look at Proposal 5 ads. That’s the proposal requiring a two-thirds majority of the legislature or a vote of the people for any state tax increase.We’re going to start out with the proponents of Proposal 5, the Michigan Alliance for Prosperity. They want you to vote ‘yes.’John Bebow and the Truth...
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Moroun money pushing Proposal 5, tax hike supermajority
It’s obvious why the Ambassador Bridge-owning Moroun family is backing Proposal 6. That’s the ballot measure that would require of vote of the people to build international crossings. It would be another step toward blocking a competing bridge Canada has offered to fund.But the billionaire and his family are also spending lots of money backing Proposal 5. That measure would require a two-thirds majority of the legislature or a vote of the people to change tax policy.Yesterday we posted a...
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Truth Squad: foul for Stabenow; flagrant foul for...
After the presidential race, the top of the ballot in Michigan is the U.S. Senate race. Michigan Watch teamed up with the Center for Michigan’s Truth Squad to review recent ads produced by Republican Pete Hoekstra and Democratic incumbent Debbie Stabenow.Senator Stabenow’s ads are found on TV and on a website.John Bebow with the Michigan Truth Squad says his team went through the ads and fact-checked the claims she makes about Pete Hoekstra.“Hoekstra will end women’s access to health care,...
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Truth Squad on Prop 4
Michigan voters have plenty of homework to do before election day. One of the more complicated of the five proposed amendments to the Michigan Constitution is Proposal 4. Michigan Watch teamed up with the Center for Michigan’s Truth Squad to review the ads.Proposal 4’s description on the ballot will ask whether in-home care workers may be represented by unions as state employees, whether the Michigan Quality Home Care Council would be required to train workers, create a registry of workers...
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Truth Squad on Prop 6: Flagrant Fouls on bridge TV ads
One of the proposed constitutional amendments on the Michigan ballot this fall would require a statewide vote before state money could be spent on any “new international bridges or tunnels for motor vehicles” could be built in Michigan. The amendment would require the vote even before any tax money could be spent planning an international crossing. This would effectively stop the New International Trade Crossing between Detroit and Windsor. The effort is funded by the family that owns the...
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Truth Squad on Prop 3 ads: Technical Fouls for '25 by...
Five proposed amendments to the state Constitution and one other referendum will appear on the ballot on election day. Political commercials are on your TV making arguments for and against many of the proposals. Michigan Watch teamed up with the Center for Michigan’s Truth Squad to look at the ads for and against Proposal 3.Proposal 3 would amend the state Constitution to establish a new standard for renewable energy use. Renewable energy is electricity generated by sources such as wind,...
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Truth Squad on Prop 2: Fouls for everyone
Five proposed amendments to the state Constitution and one other referendum will appear on the ballot on election day. We’ll see a lot of political commercials in the final weeks before we go to the polls. Michigan Watch is teaming up with the Center for Michigan’s Truth Squad to look at some of those ads.Of all the proposals, it’s likely we’ll see more about Proposal 2 than any other. Proposal 2 would amend the state Constitution regarding collective bargaining. In short, it would grant...
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Will new bridge to Canada cost Michigan taxpayers? We...
As election day approaches, you’re likely to see a lot of ads critical of an agreement between Canada and Michigan regarding a new bridge between Detroit and Windsor.[Ad Clip:] “It will cost Michigan taxpayers $100 million a year.”Whether Michigan taxpayers are on the hook for the cost of that bridge is at the heart of a fierce debate about the agreement.This agreement between Canada and Michigan is basically a contract. Essentially it says Canada is fronting the money for the bridge,...
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Bridging the Border: Living with a new bridge (part 5)
The fight between Governor Rick Snyder and Ambassador Bridge owner Matty Moroun about a new bridge connecting Detroit and Canada will be in the news for the foreseeable future. What’s often lost in the arguments is the people of the Detroit neighborhood where the new bridge will land.Delray is isolated, cut off by Interstate 75. It’s surrounded by industry. A lot of heavy trucks rumble through the streets. People from outside come here to dump construction debris on the streets. There is a...
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Bridging the border: Who decides? (part 4)
Governor Snyder is pushing for a new $2 billion bridge from Detroit to Canada. The owners of the 83-year-old Ambassador Bridge are fighting to stop that new bridge. The latest move is to get a constitutional amendment calling for a vote of the people before building any new bridge to cross the border. That will give the company another avenue to delay or stop the new bridge from being built.The owners of the Ambassador Bridge company, billionaire Matty Moroun and his family, have spent...
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Bridging the border: Influence of money (part 3)
The arguments for and against building a new bridge to Canada at Detroit, for the most part, have been pretty one-sided. The owners of the Ambassador Bridge are fighting it and spending tons of money in TV ads.If you watch TV at all, youve probably seen one of the Ambassador Bridge-sponsored ads criticizing plans for a new bridge.Governor Snyder says, Send Canada the bill. But, the Canadians have other ideas.Bureaucrats want to sign one for a $2 billion bridge to Canada. The Senate voted no....
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Bridging the border: Who pays? (part 2)
Theres been a lot of confusion about how much a new bridge across the Canadian border at Detroit might cost taxpayers. TV ads say it will cost Michigan taxpayers $100 million a year. The governor says it will cost Michigan nothing.Gov. Rick Snyder has been trying to tell everyone he can that the New International Trade Crossing linking Detroit to Canada will mean more and better jobs in Michigan. In this online video promoting the idea, he says Canada is fronting the money for the $2 billion...
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Bridging the border: Do we need a new bridge? (part 1)
Michigan Governor Rick Snyder says we need a new bridge to Canada. It will mean more trade and more and better jobs. Not everyone agrees, especially the owners of the single bridge in Detroit which connects Michigan to Canada.Eight thousand trucks a day cross the Ambassador Bridge between Detroit and Windsor, Ontario.Canada is Americas biggest trade partner. More than 16% of U.S. trade is with Canada. Thats more than China. Its more than Japan, Germany, and the United Kingdom combined.And a...
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Legal voters refused ballots
UPDATE:Reports of voters being turned away because they declined to check a box asking them to verify U.S. citizenship have been coming in from several areas of the state.Michigan Radio first became aware of the situation when talking to Michigan Campaign Finance Networks Rich Robinson who said he was refused a ballot because he would not check the box. He refused because it is not legally required. Other media sources picked up on the story. (see Free Press)Other political groups received...
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Money talks: Often, it's negative.
This election year has seen a huge increase in the amount of money being spent on political campaigns compared to previous years. A lot of that money is being spent on negative political ads on TV.As Michigans primary election gets closer, and the general election is only four months away, were going to see more and more political TV ads. And the bulk of those ads are going to be negative ads.I hear the negativity all the time. Im tired of it. Tell me what it is you want to do not what you...
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McCotter explains what's next; opponent thrilled to be...
The race for the seat in the Michigan 11th Congressional District was expected to be an incumbent representative running for re-election in a safe district. Political observers were stunned to learn Congressman Thaddeus McCotters campaign messed up. The Congressmans name will not appear on the ballot in the primary election in August.
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Money Talks: Political spending hiding in the file...
Broadcasters are fighting a new rule to disclose more about whos buying political ads. The Federal Communications Commission wants TV stations to post information about the political ads they air on a government website.That will make it a lot easier to find out what groups are spending money to influence voters.Recently, I met Rich Robinson in the parking lot of his office in Lansing. He was taking me on a little trip.
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Money Talks: Even when the donors are secret
It appears a superPAC and other political groups are coordinating their purchases of TV ads running in Michigan. This means a more efficient use of secret money to influence voters.Michigan TV stations across the state are running a series of ads critical of President Obama and his administration.Heres an example of one of the ads.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sJgKX1pgHAThe messages of these ads are similar, they have the same look. And, as it turns out, thats not all they have in common.
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Windsor residents demand a stop to noise from Zug Island...
Thousands of people in Windsor, Ontario, say they are being invaded by an obnoxious noise emanating from outside Detroit. They call it the "Windsor Hum" and its really two sounds a deep, very low-frequency hum, like a diesel truck idling in your driveway, and a deep, vibrating pulse that you feel more than you hear.
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Cutting business equipment tax will mean cuts to local...
The Michigan legislature will soon vote on whether to shift more of the states tax burden from business to households. Last year the legislature and the governor shifted about one-and-a-half billion dollars in tax payments from small and medium sized businesses to retirees and the working poor. This year theres a proposal to cut another business tax. That proposed tax cut could mean higher real estate taxes for homeowners and revenue cuts to local governments.
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Money Talks: But sometimes it hides
Elected state officials in Michigan can be more secretive about money than federal officials. At the state level, the disclosure laws on money and politics make it easier to hide conflicts of interest and influence on politicians.When Governor Rick Snyder delivered his State of the State address last January, he tucked into it a quick mention about making state government more open.
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Struggling to survive after state cuts assistance
Michigan Watch is working with the online magazine Bridge in a year-long collaboration, following families who were cut from welfare cash assistance by a Department of Human Services decision late last year.
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Money Talks: Campaign money and Supreme Court justice...
Lots of campaign money is being spent to influence the election of Michigan Supreme Court justices. That makes people wonder how judges can be impartial. After all, some of the justices owe their position on the bench to people who have given them millions of dollars.Every election cycle more and more money is being spent to help candidates for justice of the Michigan Supreme Court. With three seats on the court in contention this year, the amount of money is likely to break all records.
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Money Talks: Out-of-state influence on Michigan voters
Michigans Republican presidential primary elections are over. But, primary elections for federal and state legislators are in August.Already out-of-state groups are spending tons of money to influence Michigan voters.Big money often buys votes. Usually, that includes a lot of big money from out-of-state groups.
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Michigan to become a 'right-to-work' state?
Some Republicans in the Michigan House want to give workers in union shops the option not to pay union dues. Unions in the state say thats something that theyd take to the streets to fight.But not all union members agree.Terry Bowman works at a Ford plant in Ypsilanti. Hes a member of the United Auto Workers.He calls himself a union conservative.
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Money and politics: when the fix makes it worse
Many voters suspect politicians are corrupted by money. Campaign contributions and cozy relationships with lobbyists make voters wonder if their elected officials have their best interests at heart. Thats led to attempts to fix the problem in Michigan, but observers say sometimes the fix makes the problem worse.Politicians need money to run campaigns to win elections. And often that money comes from the rich and powerful. But what do those politicians get in return?
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Debtors pay... or stay in jail
Debtors PrisonWhen you step into a Michigan courtroom, crime is supposed to be crime, regardless of social class. But whether you go home or go to jail sometimes depends on whether you have money.Lets say youre one of the many thousands of people in Michigan whos unemployed. Or, youre working in a job that doesnt cover your bills. Like your rent or mortgage. Or, like child support.And if you dont have the money to pay those bills, you might end up in court. Selesa Likine did. Her husband...
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How the media portrays class
From the Bradys to the Cosbys, most of us can probably name several television families... some middle class, some working class and some decidedly upper class. But, how do media portrayals of these families affect our ideas about class... and ourselves? We asked Susan Douglas, author and professor of Communication Studies at the University of Michigan, just that question.
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Living next to heavy industry, pt. 1
A little more than 50 years ago, Delores Leonard and her husband moved into their red brick ranch in Detroit.I selected it because the sun comes up over there in the morning and I was thinking about my flowers.Theyve raised their two kids here and now they have four grandchildren and five great-grandkids and they all live nearby.But she says on any given day... she doesnt know what shell smell when she steps outside.Sometimes its a kerosene odor. Sometimes its a horrible stench, like at a...
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Why is 'class' so difficult to define?
The issue of class has been in the news a lot lately. From the Occupy Wall Street Movement, which has snowballed across the country, to accusations of class warfare in Washington, D.C.. Weve also heard recent reports that show the nations middle class is shrinking while the top earners salaries have skyrocketed.Today, Michigan Radio begins a new series The Culture of Class. Over the next week and a half, well explore the idea of social class and how it impacts our lives. But, first, we had...
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A city 'reinventing' itself with less money from the...
The Michigan legislature and the governor are working to make Michigan a more business-friendly state by changing the tax structure. But, while businesses are benefiting from already passed tax reductions --and anticipate more-- the change is costing communities.I went to one city to see how it was handling those changes.When I visited, it was a beautiful day in downtown Monroe. The city is situated on the River Raisin in the southeast corner of the state, right on Lake Erie. Its just 19...
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