MI Michigan Story

Tanner Phillips falls in love with the girl twirling fire knives at a 4th of July festival, Zach Bigelow’s friend steals a massive mortar from a 4th of July fireworks display, and Jeremiah Ligget’s life is changed forever when he sees Lake Michigan for the first time.

Kenshiro Akehi’s rideshare client suddenly turns into a dramatic 20 minute therapy session, Terry Gates helps a stranger pump gas only to get pulled into a dangerous family breakup, Kevin Christopher hauls a friend off in the bed of a truck for an unconventional hygiene intervention, and Tom Bolt pulls off an epic car prank that comes at a high cost.

Host Rob Prince interviews Michigan kids about what it’s like to be a kid these days at the January 31, 2026 WKAR PBS Kids Day event.

Caitlyn Shaw experiences a full out mutiny on her McDonald Middle School bus in East Lansing, Ken Bieber advertises his unauthorized high school party in Frankenmuth in the only way one could back in 1990, and Nathan Browne can describe in one word how it felt to be accepted as the only Freshman into the esteemed Interlochen Summer Arts camp.

Keith Rushing moves from Atlanta to the southern border of Michigan only to discover he doesn’t actually speak Michigan English, Desiree Holley decides to move away from Detroit to give living in the small town of Hastings, Michigan a try, and Andrew Bautista moves from LA to West Michigan and is shocked to discover that Grand Rapids is packed full of members of the notorious Crypts gang.

Adriana Sanchez learns why basement grilling hasn’t caught on in Michigan, Ed Zumouski gets a shocking but wonderful gift, and Cathy Seaver seeks cover under the closest thing she can find–her baby’s playpen.

Zach Bigelow pulls an epic and unrepeatable Y2K prank, Ed Smith discovers the Mackinaw Bridge isn’t as tall as he thought, and Drake Ficaro watches his friend fall down Pyramid Point.

Judy Herrick braves a Christmas blizzard to spend Christmas in Saginaw, Adriana Sanchez’s father scares away Santa Claus, a teenaged Susan Lakos is forced to wear a hideous 80’s snowsuit, and Nick Herrick recalls a very special Christmas gift that kept giving for 13 years.

Kathy Prince reunites a lost bird with its family, Zach Bigelow meets an old friend he hasn’t seen since, well, ever, and Kathy returns to help reunite a drowning dog with its family.

Zach Bigelow gives up trick-or-treating after a terrifying encounter with a ghost, Lorie Weeks sees ghosts in an old hotel, and Susan Lakos makes awkward eye contact in this special Halloween episode!

Rocco Buysse gets coached on how to deliver a baby by a 911 operator, Jonah creates a catastrophe when he bites his mom’s knee after she denies him candy, and Ryan tries to fly at age three and ends up flying to the ER.

Kathy Prince watches a UFO slowly land on Campau Lake outside of Grand Rapids, The Backstreet Boys provide the soundtrack as Drake Ficaro’s car flips along a Michigan highway, and Kevin Johnson’s odd rideshare passenger takes him into a super sketchy part of Detroit.

Salah Hadeen personally lowers the level of Lake Michigan by 1/8″ and Adriana Sanchez figures out why her little sister’s head is making a rattling sound.