House Panel Probes Ballot Process

A new Michigan House select committee held its first hearing Tuesday on how the state reviews petition signatures for ballot initiatives.

The panel was created after the Board of State Canvassers deadlocked 2-2 along party lines last month on a proposed constitutional amendment requiring voters to prove U.S. citizenship. Americans for Citizen Voting turned in far more signatures than required, but a Bureau of Elections review of a 1,000-signature sample found too few valid signatures to recommend certification.

Committee Chair Mike Harris, R-Waterford, said the panel is examining the process, not the proposal itself. If the process is fair, he said, it “should withstand scrutiny.”

The panel’s two Democrats said they aren’t concerned about how the certification process played out but are open to a review. Harris hasn’t ruled out calling Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson to testify.

Vaccine Waivers Hit Decade High

Michigan students received waivers from required vaccinations at the highest rate in a decade last year, with 7.1% receiving exemption waivers.

The rate climbed from 6.2% in 2024, marking the fifth straight annual increase, with nearly 25,000 students carrying exemptions. Kindergarten waivers reached 7.7%, compared with the national kindergarten rate of 4.2%.

University of Michigan epidemiologist Abram Wagner said families learn “where the loopholes are” in the waiver rules over time. Michigan reported 16 measles cases this summer.

Republican State Board of Education member Tom McMillin, who opposed the 2015 rule requiring parents seeking nonmedical exemptions to attend health department education sessions, said his office has heard from hundreds of parents complaining that schools would not accept written statements seeking exemptions.

Higher Prices Lift State Revenue

Michigan’s general fund has taken in about $455 million more than forecast this budget year, but a nonpartisan analyst says higher prices are helping drive the increase.

Bob Schneider of the Citizens Research Council of Michigan said consumer spending is running stronger than anticipated. When the same grocery trip costs 5% to 10% more, he said, the state collects more sales tax.

The state collected about $3 billion in taxes in July, while general fund revenue this budget year is running ahead of the estimates state officials set in May. Schneider cautioned that some of the extra revenue could disappear, since the state has been slow to issue income tax refunds and could owe more later.

His group said in July that the budget year starting Oct. 1 could fall $600 million to $900 million short. State officials dispute that assessment and say the budget will balance.

Your AC Quits. Now You’re Facing a $6,000 Bill.

It always seems to happen at the worst possible time. Your AC quits during the hottest week of the year. Your refrigerator suddenly stops cooling—with a week’s worth of groceries inside.

Then comes the repair or replacement bill.

Replacing a central AC system now costs homeowners around $6,000 on average—and depending on the home and system, it can climb above $12,000. Even replacing a refrigerator costs around $1,500 on average.

Homeowners insurance typically isn’t designed to cover appliances and systems that fail from normal wear and tear. That’s where Choice Home Warranty can help. Depending on your plan, coverage may include major systems and appliances such as air conditioning, heating, refrigerators, dishwashers, washers, and dryers.

Choice has covered more than 2.9 million homes and serviced more than 9.8 million claims.

See what a Choice Home Warranty plan could cover in your home.

➤ Statewide: A new analysis of 2025 crash data found 18 of Michigan’s 20 highest-crash intersections were in Southeast Michigan. The roundabout at 18½ Mile Road and Van Dyke Avenue in Sterling Heights ranked No. 1, with 210 crashes and 12 injuries. (Read Story)

➤ Also Statewide: Democrats criticized Republican lieutenant governor nominee Jay DeBoyer after he suggested using a constitutional convention to pursue a 12-week abortion limit. DeBoyer later called the issue “settled” after Michigan voters approved constitutional abortion rights in 2022. (Read Story)

➤ Leonidas Township: FBI agents and St. Joseph County deputies located a large underground container while searching a field Tuesday, following a tip in the 2018 disappearance of Brittany Shank, a mother of four who was 23 when she vanished. (Read Story)

➤ Hastings: State health officials determined the ricin exposure at Tyden Lofts came from crushed castor beans. The hospitalized resident made the poison in their first-floor apartment, according to the Barry-Eaton District Health Department. (Read Story)

➤ Flint: Mayor Sheldon Neeley traveled to Washington to press the special master overseeing the $626 million-plus water crisis settlement for the release of payments to residents still awaiting compensation. (Read Story)

➤ Manistee: The city is now Michigan’s third Coast Guard City, a designation recognizing community support for Coast Guard Station Manistee. Police Chief Josh Glass pursued the application. The Coast Guard will read its proclamation at the Oct. 6 city council meeting. (More)

➤ The Detroit Lions visit the Buffalo Bills tonight in the first regular-season game at the new Highmark Stadium. The teams are tied for the NFL’s most wins over the past 50 regular-season games, with 36 apiece. (Preview)

➤ The Detroit Red Wings promoted assistant general manager Shawn Horcoff to interim GM, while he remains a candidate for the permanent job. (More)

➤ Michigan State women’s soccer ranks No. 1 nationally after opening 6-0-2, including victories over No. 6 North Carolina, No. 7 Colorado, and No. 16 UCLA. The Spartans host Michigan at 1 p.m. Sunday. (More)

➤ The Mid-American Conference, home to Eastern Michigan, Central Michigan, and Western Michigan, will expand to a nine-game conference football schedule in 2028. (More)

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➤ Detroit Metro Airport ranked No. 2 in passenger satisfaction among North America’s largest airports for the third straight year, scoring 663 in J.D. Power’s 2026 study. Minneapolis-St. Paul ranked first with a score of 684. (Read Story)

➤ Bedrock and General Motors are seeking $473 million in additional tax incentives for the $2.24 billion Renaissance Center redevelopment, bringing total public subsidies to about $548 million. The figures were presented Tuesday at a community meeting. (Read Story)

➤ Bradford White workers walked off the job at midnight Wednesday, with more than 1,200 UAW Local 1002 members striking at the Middleville water heater plant after contract negotiations broke down. (See Details)

➤ Dearborn-based Ford is recalling 223,472 F-150 pickups from model years 2023-2027 because front fuel tank straps may be improperly secured, risking leaks, stalls, or a detached tank. Dealers will inspect and replace straps free. (More)

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Could You Absorb a $6,000 Home Repair?

That’s approximately what a central AC replacement costs on average today. Depending on your system, the final bill could climb above $12,000. A new refrigerator averages around $1,500—and that’s before replacing the food that spoiled when it stopped cooling.

A home warranty can help you prepare before something breaks. Depending on the plan, Choice Home Warranty may cover major appliances and home systems that fail from normal wear and tear.

Don’t wait until the AC stops blowing cold air to think about the cost.

Check your available plans and see what coverage could cost.

➤ Mid-Michigan Honor Flight carried 80 veterans from Flint Bishop International Airport to Washington on Tuesday for its 27th mission, including two World War II veterans, five Korean War veterans, and 73 Vietnam veterans. (See Photos)

➤ Dr. Beth Robinson Swartz will serve as Grand Jester of the 100th America’s Thanksgiving Parade, leading more than 200 clowns down Woodward Avenue on Thanksgiving morning. The Parade Company honored her Tuesday. (Read Story)

➤ Two Detroit restaurants made the New York Times’ 2026 Restaurant List of 50 favorite places in America: Rose’s, a Polish-inflected diner on the east side, and Tacos Wuey in southwest Detroit. The list is unranked. (More)

➤ Fall Fest returns to downtown Holland Oct. 2-3 with professional pumpkin carving, an artisan market, and a community planting of 75,000 tulip bulbs at Window on the Waterfront. (See Details)

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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. 

➤ Can you catch up on sleep, and is there a magic number? (Listen Now)

➤ Democrats refuse to advance a sweeping crypto bill until new limits are placed on presidential profits from digital assets. (Hear Episode)

➤ House lawmakers held billionaire Leon Black in contempt of Congress, escalating their investigation into Jeffrey Epstein’s network. (Hear Details)

What matters most to you at an airport?

1. Easy to get around
2. Short security lines
3. Good food and shops
4. Somewhere decent to sit
5. All of the above
6. I avoid the airport at all costs
7. Other (reply to tell us)

Yesterday’s Results:

What’s your favorite ice cream flavor?

1. Vanilla: 22%
2. Chocolate: 21%
3. Butter pecan: 21%
4. Other: 19%
5. Mint chocolate chip: 13%
6. Cookie dough: 4%

What mid-Michigan town, known for its German heritage, goes by the nickname “Little Bavaria”?

Show me the answer