Michigan Weighs Rewriting Its Constitution

On Nov. 3, Michigan voters will decide whether to call a constitutional convention that could rewrite the state constitution for the first time since the 1960s.

A bipartisan coalition of more than 60 groups, from the United Auto Workers to the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, is campaigning for a no vote, warning a convention could cost about $80 million and create uncertainty over what changes delegates might propose.

Some supporters, including Republican House Speaker Matt Hall, have backed a convention, citing voter-approved constitutional amendments that lawmakers cannot unilaterally revise.

A yes vote would send 148 elected delegates to a 2027 convention, with any new constitution returning to voters for approval. A recent WDIV/Detroit News poll found 47% in support and 31% opposed, though voters have rejected the question every cycle since 1978.

Rural Health Rollout Draws Hospital Criticism

Michigan has begun handing out $173 million in federal grants to strengthen rural healthcare, but hospital leaders say little of it is reaching the hospitals themselves.

Dr. Ross Ramsey, who runs Scheurer Health in Pigeon, near the tip of Michigan’s Thumb, said very few of the dollars are reaching hospitals, which he called the “heartbeat” of health in rural Michigan.

The rollout has also drawn criticism from Republicans, who objected that populous urban counties were allowed to compete for money meant for rural areas.

State health officials counter that most of the money will go to local partners, with $71.5 million going toward programs in the northern Lower Peninsula and $38.5 million in the Upper Peninsula. They face an Oct. 30 federal deadline to commit the funds.

AI Reshapes West Michigan’s Workforce

AI-related job postings in the Grand Rapids area jumped 84% in a year, according to a new report from the economic development group The Right Place.

Those postings seeking AI skills have more than doubled since 2022, and wages for AI-related positions are well above the area’s median hourly wage.

Nationally, Goldman Sachs economists estimate AI could displace about 15 million U.S. workers, roughly 9% of the workforce, though they expect displaced workers to eventually find new jobs.

Local leaders are focused on retraining. The Grand Rapids Chamber’s Andy Johnston says AI is mostly enhancing jobs rather than shrinking the workforce, and Grand Rapids Community College now offers AI programs, including a free 10-hour certificate provided through a partnership with Google.

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➤  Ann Arbor: A Whitmore Lake nurse, 29-year-old Chloe Renae Freeman, was charged with helping a man in federal immigration custody escape from Trinity Health Ann Arbor Hospital in May, allegedly using her badge to steer him to an exit. He remains at large. (See Details)

➤  Lansing: State Rep. David Martin, R-Davison, is pushing a bill to bar police and state agencies from using the federal “open fields” doctrine to search private land without a warrant, even acreage posted with no-trespassing signs. (More)

➤ Detroit: Two families sued Hutchison Funeral Home, alleging Kimberlly Moore was prematurely cremated and Sandra Miller’s body was placed in Moore’s casket wearing Moore’s wig and dress. Both families are represented by Fieger Law. (See Details)

➤ Brighton Township: Navy sailor Nicholas Snow came home to a welcome Wednesday after more than 300 days aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, which set a modern record of over 280 days at sea without a friendly port during the war with Iran. (Read Story)

➤ Southgate: Seniors at the Southgate Co-op Apartments say bed bugs have been reported throughout the building, and residents are banding together to demand action. Some say they were told to throw out infested belongings. (More)

➤ East Lansing: Michigan State University is expanding its Spartan Tuition Advantage program, covering full tuition for Pell Grant-eligible Michigan students with family incomes of $75,000 or less. Nearly 4,000 students currently receive assistance through the program. (More)

➤ The Detroit Red Wings open their 101st season tonight against the New York Rangers at Little Caesars Arena. (See Roster)

➤ Detroit City FC clinched a United Soccer League Championship playoff berth for the fifth straight season with a 3-1 win at Brooklyn FC Wednesday. (More)

➤ Prosecutors won’t charge Detroit Lions receiver Jameson Williams after investigating an alleged Aug. 6 domestic violence incident reported to Novi police in September. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: NFL | NCAAF | MLB | NHL | WNBA | Soccer | Golf

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➤ Detroit’s riverfront is in line for a $2.2 billion overhaul. Bedrock, General Motors, and the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy gathered public input Wednesday on a plan to remake the East Riverfront and Renaissance Center with new housing, retail, and public space, with more public input expected. (More)

➤ Michigan lawmakers introduced a package of bills to ease hiring restrictions tied to criminal records, aiming to let thousands more work in hospitals and nursing homes amid a projected shortfall of more than 171,000 home health and personal care aides over the next decade. (More)

➤ Lansing’s Board of Water & Light increased electric, water, and steam rates yesterday under a one-year plan approved in August, adding about $2 a month to the typical electric bill and $1 to water. The utility says the money will fund new substations, water-main replacement, and cybersecurity upgrades. (More)

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➤ Nearly 80 restaurants across greater Lansing kicked off 517 Restaurant Week, running through next week with $7 specials, $5 cocktails, and $17 offerings at some higher-end restaurants. (See Details)

➤ ArtPrize’s awards ceremony Saturday in Grand Rapids will attempt to break the 3,131-person record for largest fashion-show attendance. The free event at Acrisure Amphitheater features designer RC Caylan, the Grand Rapids Symphony, and Opera Grand Rapids. (Read Story)

➤ Greenside darters are back in the lower Rouge River for the first time since 1924. Surveyors with Friends of the Rouge found a breeding population of the pollution-sensitive fish on their last scan of the season, capping what the nonprofit called a “banner year.” (Read Story)

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The following stories are featured exclusively on The Flyover Podcast—a daily show that gives you the most important headlines in under 15 minutes. 

➤ Congress has passed a bill scrapping Social Security terms that lawmakers say confuse the millions who retire every year. (Hear Details)

➤ New reporting reveals why body fat is so essential, raising the question of what the right amount is. (Listen Now)

➤ Federal health officials are putting $10 million on the line to revive the Presidential Fitness Test, which researchers say could backfire. (Full Story)

Red Wings hockey is back tonight. How are you feeling about the season?

1. Playoffs this year
2. Cautiously hopeful
3. Believe it when I see it
4. Not a hockey fan

Yesterday’s Results:

Would you chase a wheel of cheese down Marquette Mountain?

1. Not a chance: 67%
2. I’ll cheer from the bottom: 26%
3. Only if I can keep the cheese: 5%
4. Sign me up: 2%

Detroit architect Elijah E. Myers, who designed Michigan’s State Capitol in Lansing, went on to design the capitol buildings of which two other states?

Show me the answer