Up North Lowdown

The 850 members of the Michigan Nurses Association who work at Munson Medical Center in Traverse City have been working without a contract since March 10. They took their message to the public this week. Their concerns include staffing issues, mandatory overtime and other working conditions. They're planning what's called a "practice strike" on April 9. IPR's Claire Keenan-Kurgan explains what's g...

Two years ago, homelessness advocates in northern Michigan made a longstanding ideal a reality. Goodwill Northern Michigan bought an apartment complex in Traverse City called East Bay Flats and turned it into what’s called “permanent supportive housing,” for people who were homeless. IPR’s Maxwell Howard visited the Flats to see how that idea is actually working in practice. We also have some news...

Maple season is in full swing here at Hidden Acres Sugar Bush in Gaylord, a business run by Jennifer RiChard and her husband. But it wasn’t so long ago that none of this seemed possible. A look at how the sugar bush is recovering a year after an ice storm devastated tens of millions of trees across northern Michigan, including many sugar maples.

Most of the time when you hear about real estate investment, you hear about big banks or private equity firms. They are becoming some of America’s biggest landlords. One group in Emmet and Charlevoix counties is trying to reverse that trend. It’s starting up a community investment fund — with a focus on housing — that would let community members invest in housing in their home towns. We also hear...

A review of court documents shows a disturbing trend — contractors taking money without performing any work. Some of them rack up complaint after complaint but continue to find "work." The court system hasn't been able to keep up. Reporter Mardi Link fills us in. Also, state legislators hope to combat high housing costs by restricting local control over zoning and land use laws.

Our colleagues at Michigan Public, Lindsey Smith and Adam Yahya Rayes got a hold of emergency calls coming out of the North Lake Processing Center in Baldwin. 56-year old Nenko Gantchev died in the facility in December. Michigan Public shares some of the 911 calls from the detention center to emergency dispatchers. We'll hear how a legislative holdup in Lansing put medical licenses in peril. And S...

Today, we look at government transparency with a primer on how to access your local government, and how adept Up North governments are at keeping in touch with their constituents. We also have the latest on the storm. Lights are coming back on. And an Olympian returns home to Boyne City.

Home insurance rates in Michigan are increasing because of climate change, according to new national data. That follows national patterns as states deal with more severe weather and increased climate risks. Climate solutions reporter Vivian La tells us more. Plus, we talk with state Sen. John Damoose about the aftermath of this storm and some newly announced relief money from the last major winter...

The storm seems to be easing. We'll have more snow today, but not nearly as much as yesterday, and sub-freezing temperatures. But a warmup is coming later this week. The National Weather Service brings us up to speed. We'll also hear from two businesses — one in Traverse City, one in Kalkaska County — about how they fared Monday. And the winning word for a 12-year-old, two-time spelling bee champ...

A serious winter storm has dragged its way across northern Michigan, fouling up roads and taking out power to more than 100,000 utility customers. Even the IPR news team is stuck. Today, we hear from our reporters about how Monday began, and from the National Weather Service on how it might end. By the way, you can get the latest from the Weather Service here.

Right now, most glass that's put into recycling bins in our region gets used for building roads in landfills. But Emmet County has found a way to recycle the material. Could they lead the way for others? IPR's Ellie Katz has that story. We also talk with two high school seniors who are starring in the Traverse City West High School production of "Little Shop of Horrors," opening this weekend.

Most plastic you recycle ends up in the landfill. Some of it joins local and national supply chains to be made into new products. And some actually power a northern Michigan factory. Today and tomorrow, we take a look at recycling in northern Michigan, with this surprising story from IPR's Vivian La.

Six months ago, state lawmakers heard weeks of testimony about Michigan's struggling mental health system and a critical lack of providers. That lack is especially pronounced here in Michigan. Lawmakers and advocates want to see a report that was supposed to come out of those hearings months ago. IPR's Maxwell Howard explains why we haven't seen it yet. We also check in with IPR music director Ama...

"What's a Yooper Without Winter?" That's the title of a short story by Sault Ste. Marie author Sara Maurer. It's part of a new collection titled "On an Inland Sea: Writing the Great Lakes," exploring what it means to live in our part of the country. Maurer's story looks at what it means to live in the Upper Peninsula amid a changing climate. She shares an excerpt with us and talks about her Yooper...

A northern Michigan tribe has lost an appeal to keep federal conservation funding. But it’s not the end of the road for the restoration efforts. It’s the next chapter in a story we’ve been hearing about from IPR environment reporter Ellie Katz, who joins us this morning with the latest and what’s next.

The Rev. Julie Delezenne is senior of the Presbyterian Church of Traverse City. The Rev. Linda Stephan is lead pastor at Central United Methodist Church. And both traveled to Washington, D.C., to ask for changes in how the U.S. handles immigration. They tell us about the productive conversations they had on Capitol Hill and how those are a stark contrast from the way the debate plays out in other...

Federal judges tend to rule in favor of immigrants held at North Lake Detention Center, saying the government is illegally detaining them. An analysis by Michigan Public shows that hundreds of habeas corpus petitions have been received by detainees at the Baldwin facility. We talk with reporters Michelle Jokisch Polo and Adam Yahya Rayes. Also, a big zoning vote in Banks Township tonight could cle...

Last year, northern Michigan Congressman Jack Bergman received one of the largest individual donations given to a Michigan congressional candidate. The $289,100 donation from a California couple, including Elliott Broidy, highlights the growing influence of megadonors in Michigan politics. Reporter Maxwell Howard walks us through the details. We also round up some headlines from around the state a...

The U.S. Forest Service is proposing a massive logging project in the Ottawa National Forest, which covers the furthest western corner of the Upper Peninsula, where it borders Wisconsin. The proposed project could log more than 80,000 acres of forest land. An environmental assessment by the federal government says the project would have, quote, “no significant impact.” But environmental groups say...

A taxpayer-funded report on Michigan’s tribal boarding schools was shelved by the state and never released to the public. Bridge Michigan's Ron French talks about what was in the report and why it was covered up. Read the full article on Bridge Michigan's website. Also in this episode, senator Gary Peters reacts to the Trump Administration's war in Iran.

About 11 months ago, a devastating ice storm hit northern Michigan. Trees snapped. Utility poles snapped. Roads were impassible. Hundreds of thousands of people were without power, and a lot of them took shelter at warming centers. Climate solutions reporter Vivian La tells us about a storytelling event this week where people shared their tales of the storm. And Ellie Katz brings us the story of a...

About a year ago, Grand Traverse County created a job in its jail — aimed keeping people who didn't need to go to jail from ending up there. A year later, the sheriff is calling the move a success, and hoping to expand it. IPR’s Maxwell Howard has that story. Plus, "Big Gretch, Out!" Those were the final words of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's final State of the State address. Our capital bureau chief wr...

The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments on Tuesday about whether state or federal court will have the final say on the future of the controversial Line 5 pipeline. Though the question before the Supreme Court is a procedural one — whether courts can excuse Enbridge from missing the deadline to request moving the case to federal court — the justices recognized that the decision could have far-reachi...

James Beard nominations. Accolades from the press. Northern Michigan's food scene is booming, from counter-service diners to high-end restaurants. Today, we talk about why. Emily Stewart and Andy Elliott, the husband-and-wife chef team that co-owns Traverse City's "Modern Bird," says the region itself plays a big role. They tell us more over lunch at one of their favorite places in town to eat. An...

Skiier Kaila Kuhn, from Boyne City, and her teammates won gold in the mixed aerials at Milan on Saturday. She was, as you'd expect, ecstatic. Journalist Ed Klajman tells us all about it, and what Kuhn says she'll do when she returns to Boyne City. Also, two Michigan cases are in front of the U.S. Supreme Court this week. We'll hear the details of each and some other Up North headlines.