Stateside Staff

Today on Stateside, Republican state legislators are considering ways to pay for road repairs, including one proposal that would allow counties and cities to levy their own local gas tax. Plus, Jerry Linenger was just 14-years-old when he watched the moon landing on a small black-and-white television screen. That moment would inspire him to pursue a career as an astronaut for NASA, where he manned three missions and traveled some 54 million miles in space. 

Today on Stateside, another attempt by the RTA to bring coordinated mass transit to Southeast Michigan. Plus, the Detroit Police Department’s attempts to fund facial recognition surveillance sparks criticism. 

Today on Stateside, we discuss how the Trump administration could still limit non-citizen participation in the 2020 Census, even after dropping its pursuit of a citizenship question. Plus, how the opioid crisis is putting a strain on the resources of county morgues.

Today on Stateside, an overview of the Michigan state legislature's most recent budget proposal, which would fund roads by borrowing against the state's teacher pension plan. Plus, a new study from the University of Michigan could help policymakers target resources to the Michigan counties hit hardest by the opioid crisis.

Today on Stateside, we hear from two men who say they were sexually assaulted after being placed in adult prisons as teenagers. A class-action lawsuit filed on behalf of hundreds of other men with similar claims  is finally going to court after years of state opposition. Plus, if you're sick of robocalls (we sure are), we've got some bad news: They aren't stopping anytime soon. 

Today on Stateside, a Republican proposal to fix Michigan’s roads is circulating in Lansing that wouldn't raise taxes. Plus a look at avian botulism, a disease that’s killing waterfowl across the Great Lakes.

Today on Stateside, how two new major US Supreme Court decisions will impact Michigan. Plus, with the anniversary of the Stonewall riots this Friday, we look at the history of the gay rights movement in Michigan.

Today on Stateside, a public policy and economics professor at Hillsdale College weighs in on the free college tuition proposals that are bound to arise in this week's Democratic debates. Plus, some species of native freshwater mussels are under threat and we look at how their decline could change the Great Lakes.

Listen to the full show above or find individual segments below.  

Today on Stateside, we talk to a business leader who wants legal protections for LGBTQ people, and a gay politician who says they are not needed. Plus, an updated system for driverless cars is being tested on the streets of Detroit. Are people ready for them?

Balloons are a part of many American traditions: birthdays, graduations, retirements, weddings. It’s easy to forget these balloons once they float away, but what goes up, must come down. And pieces of balloon waste are coming down all around the Great Lakes.

Carnival is a vibrant, musically-rich celebration that happens before the start of Lent. It’s celebrated across the globe, bringing out the most unique aspects of many cultures and traditions.

Jazz trumpeter Etienne Charles, who teaches at Michigan State University, celebrates the festival in a new album titled Carnival: The Sound of a People. Charles says this album gave him the opportunity to explore the history of Carnival in his native Trinidad.

Today on Stateside, we talk to Democratic congresswoman Elissa Slotkin, from Michigan's 8th congressional district, about the current tensions with Iran and the debate in the Democratic party over impeachment. Plus, two young women from Dearborn talk about the inspiration for their new podcast, which highlights the stories of Arab and Muslim women in the city. 

Today on Stateside, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel comments on the recent dismissal of charges against state officials and others for actions related to the Flint water crisis. Plus, an interview with the writer of an "Afrofuturistic techno choreo-poem" set in 3071 Detroit. 

Today on Stateside, prosecutors say they are dismissing all charges against eight people charged in connection to the Flint water crisis and starting the investigation from scratch. Plus, how autonomous "smart ships" could be part of the future of commerce and research on the Great Lakes. 

Today on Stateside, we talk about rethinking how we measure whether a school is succeeding or failing. Plus, a conversation with Michigan Supreme Court Justice Richard Bernstein about how people with disabilities bring unique, important perspectives to the workplace.

Today on Stateside, Michigan bean farmers send a lot of exports to Mexico. So, what happens to those farmers if President Trump follows through on his threats to add tariffs to Mexican goods? Plus, we hear about a tricked out bicycle with accordion and percussion instruments that blends classical music and public art. 

Today on Stateside, the potential of the cannabis compound CBD as a treatment for people with chronic pain. Plus, a new study says the tax incentives states use to lure businesses might not be paying off. 

Today on Stateside, we talk to Governor Gretchen Whitmer about how the challenges her plan to "fix the damn roads" faces in the Legislature. Plus, we learn about Aldo Leopold, a father of wildlife ecology, and his connection to Les Cheneaux Islands in Lake Huron.

Today on Stateside, an update on the partnership agreements school districts signed with the state to avoid school closures in 2017. Plus, we talk to our Friday political commentators about the recent indictment of state Representative Larry Inman (R-Traverse City), and the effect of “dark money” on the public's trust in government.

Today on Stateside, debate was heated as Republican state lawmakers passed bills banning an abortion procedure known as "dilation and evacuation." Plus, Michigan's next state superintendent talks about what he sees as the most pressing issues facing Michigan schools. 

Today on Stateside, the Michigan House and Senate both passed bills this week that would allow drivers to opt out of the unlimited medical benefits mandated by current law. But critics say that giving up those benefits would do more harm than good. Plus, we talk to the author of a murder mystery novel that takes place on a fictional Michigan university campus.

Today on Stateside, we talk to Michigan Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin (D-Holly) after her meeting with U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos about proposed changes to Title IX rules on campus sexual assault. Plus, how the advent of camper trailers helped drive the establishment of Michigan’s state park system.

Today on Stateside, we hear about what's included in the auto insurance reform bill that got a fast-tracked approval from the state Senate on Tuesday. Plus, environmental justice leader Mustafa Santiago Ali talks about why he left the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency after more than two decades, and why the voices of marginalized communities must be included in environmental policy.

Today on Stateside, Republicans in the Michigan Senate want counties to lose some jail funding if they limit law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration officials. We get reaction from Wayne County Sheriff Benny Napoleon. Plus, it is the 90^th annual Tulip Time festival in Holland. We hear about how tulips came to be a symbol of the city's Dutch heritage.