Business & Economy
Alpena Community College has 16 apartments that are in high demand.

Community college students struggle with affordable housing 

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COMMUNITY COLLEGE HOUSING: Community colleges are urging the Legislature to make it easier for them to afford to build housing for their students, many of them already hard pressed financially to attend. Their association wants $40 million in grants to help pay for construction of housing at about eight campuses. Twelve of the 28 public colleges offer housing, including Monroe Community College, Northwestern Michigan College, Southwestern Michigan College, Kirkland Community College, North Central College, Gogebic COmmunity College and Bay College.We hear from the Michigan Community College Association, and the presidents of Alpena and West Shore community colleges. By Kenzie Terpstra. FOR ALPENA, ALCONA, MONTMORENCY, TRAVERSE CITY, LEELANAU, MONROE, ADRIAN, BLISSFIELD, LUDINGTON, LAKE COUNTY, OCEANA COUNTY, MARQUETTE, IRON MOUNTAIN, DETROIT, SAULT STE. MARIE, PETOSKEY, HARBOR SPRINGS, STURGIS, THREE RIVERS, CLARE, CRAWFORD COUNTY AND ALL POINTS.

CNS Budget

Grant aimed at improving health care for LGBTQ+ patients

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LGBTQ+ HEALTH: $10 million in new state aid will help local organizations improve health services for LGBTQ+ residents of Michigan. We learn more from a Benton Harbor advocacy group and Transgender Michigan. Lawmakers from Livonia and Southfield championed the grant program. By Brandy Muz. FOR DETROIT, THREE RIVERS, HOLLAND, STURGIS, LANSING CITY PULSE AND ALL POINTS.

Diversity Issues

Programs ramp up to combat loneliness

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LONELINESS: A recent U.S. surgeon general’s advisory and a U-M study found that loneliness is a major public health problem for adults and children, worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. Among those most adversely affected are older and LGBTQ+ Michigan residents. We hear from the state’s chief medical executive and other experts about programs and groups based in West Michigan and Metro Detroit that are addressing the problem. By Kenzie Terpstra. FOR DETROIT, GREENVILLE, IONIA, WKTV, LANSING CITY PULSE AND ALL POINTS.

Diversity Issues

East Lansing School Board exploring equity issues

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At a recent East Lansing School Board meeting, parents discussed diversity, equity and inclusion efforts within the district. Three years ago, ELPS announced a series of changes to improve its DEI efforts. The district proceeded to try and increase diversity in the faculty and staff and create programs to increase inclusion. In September, a teacher at MacDonald Middle School was suspended for s second time in four months for using racial slurs and inappropriate language. Following these events Brandy Branson, representative for the East Lansing Parent Advocacy Team (ELPAT), proposed a question:

“Are the sessions being looked at from an equity lens?”

“I heard no definitely, everyone skirted around all of that, and I tried very hard on parent perspective,” Branson said.

Diversity Issues
Department of Civil Rights Executive Director John Johnson Jr.

Housing bias targeted by state departments

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HOUSING BIAS: Though the 55-year-old Fair Housing Act prohibits bias in housing based on race and other factors, some areas still suffer from discrimination, according to the Michigan Department of Civil Rights. The state will make a renewed effort to fight the discrimination. The head of the Civil Rights Department and an official from the Michigan Association of Counties discuss. By Stephanie Rauhe. FOR DETROIT, WKTV, GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS AND ALL POINTS.

Diversity Issues

Continuing the fight for birthing equity

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BIRTH EQUITY: The Department of Health and Human Services has a plan to eliminate birth-related inequities for pregnant women and their infants regardless of race and ethnicity. March of Dimes gives Michigan a D+ grade for its high proportion of premature births and high infant mortality rate. We also hear from a midwife who founded a birthing cnter in Traverse City. By Brandy Muz. FOR TRAVERSE CITY, BAY MILLS, DETROIT, LANSING CITY PULSE AND ALL POINTS.

Diversity Issues

Historical redlining impacts still felt nearly a century later

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REDLINING & HEALTH: The racially discriminatory practice of redlining neighborhoods does more than push up residents’ cost of insurance, mortgages and other financial services. It also worsens their health. We hear from a Wayne State expert, the Fair Housing Center of West Michigan and the founder of an air quality monitoring company with offices in Grand Rapids, Metro Detroit and Kalamazoo. By Liz Nass. FOR WKTV, DETROIT, PLANET DETROIT. GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS, CORP! AND ALL POINTS.

Diversity Issues
Michigan premature death rates by race, 2000-20019.

State’s public health ranks low, study finds

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HEALTH OUTCOMES: Michigan ranks below average overall in health outcomes such as life expectancy and disease prevalence, a new Citizens Research Council report says. Reasons include accessibility and affordability of health care and lack of investment in public health. Another report this year calls for closer collaborations among state and local public health agencies, advocates and health care providers. By Kenzie Terpstra. FOR CORP! GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS, LANSING CITY PULSE AND ALL POINTS.

Diversity Issues

Private colleges seek more diversity

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BUILDING DIVERSITY: DEI efforts are expanding at private colleges and universities with an emphasis on recruiting and retaining minority students. Some are now majority-minority institutions with more non-white than white students. Andrews University, in Berrien Springs, is tied for first place as most ethnically diverse among U.S. colleges. We also talk to Davenport College in Grand Rapids, Michigan Independent Colleges and Universities and Ann Arbor-based Michigan Future Inc. By Liz Nass. FOR GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS, CORP!, STURGIS, THREE RIVERS, BAY MILLS, LANSING CITY PULSE, DETROIT AND ALL POINTS.