Agreement paves way for Enbridge to permanently shut down, replace Line 5 in Straits of Mackinac

Accord between the state and company requires Enbridge to pay all costs for a multi-use tunnel beneath the Straits, compels safety improvements on other water crossings LANSING, Mich. The state of Michigan and Enbridge Energy today announced an agreement that will lead to major safety enhancements along the entire length of the Line 5 petroleum pipeline crossing the state, permanently shut down the current segment that crosses the Straits of Mackinac, and construct a multi-use utility tunnel beneath the Straits.

Record Voter Turnout Reported in Michigan as El-Sayed Looks to Show…

As Michiganders headed to the polls in large numbers on Tuesday to decide who will advance to the general election in their state's gubernatorial race-which one observer described as a crucial " test for leftism in the Midwest "-supporters of progressive Democrat Abdul El-Sayed tirelessly worked the phones and urged their fellow citizens to turn out as they look to prove that " the progressive revolution has arrived " in Michigan. "Michigan is ready.

4 primaries, Ohio special election promise key midterm clues

Voters in five states head to the polls Tuesday, and both parties are looking for signs of strength and unity in their ranks less than three months until the first major U.S. election since the inauguration of President Donald Trump. Kansas, Michigan, Missouri and Washington State all hold primaries Tuesday, but the special election in Ohio's 12th Congressional District is taking on particular significance because it's the last time Democrats and Republicans will face off directly until November.

Michigan’s Ban on Straight-Ticket Voting Hits a Legal Roadblock

On Wednesday, a federal judge ruled that the law violated the Voting Rights Act and the equal-protection clause of the Constitution. n Wednesday, federal district-court judge Gershwin A. Drain held that Michigan's elimination of straight-ticket voting violates the Voting Rights Act and the equal-protection clause of the Constitution.

States are the battleground in gerrymandering wars

Registration will allow you to post comments on StamfordAdvocate.com and create a StamfordAdvocate.com Subscriber Portal account for you to manage subscriptions and email preferences. Jim Haadsma isn't a high-profile Democratic candidate like Amy McGrath, the ex-Marine fighter pilot seeking to upset an incumbent Republican U.S. representative in Kentucky.

Michigan senators say they will vote against Trump pick for U.S. Supreme Court

Both of Michigan's United States senators announced today they will oppose President Trump's choice to fill a vacancy on the U.S. Supreme Court. The news that Democrats Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters will oppose Judge Brett Kavanaugh 's nomination is hardly a surprise.

Supreme Court contender Kethledge enters spotlight as…

Raymond Kethledge was working on his book about leadership and solitude in 2016 when the phone rang. It was the landline, because in the office of his northern Michigan barn, situated in a densely forested area overlooking Lake Huron, Kethledge had no cell service or internet access.

Michigan Truth Squad: Michigan Republican Tonya Schuitmaker attacks foe on DACA

A DACA recipient and sanctuary city activist is at the center of a GOP immigration attack ad in the Republican race for Michigan attorney general. With less than three months until its Lansing convention, the two Republican candidates for Michigan attorney general are pitching their message to a small, impassioned audience: the estimated 2,000 delegates who will choose between House Speaker Tom Leonard and state Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker.

Medicaid Work Requirement Bill Sent to Michigan Governor

The Republican-led Michigan Legislature on Thursday gave final approval to a bill requiring able-bodied adults in the state's Medicaid expansion program to meet work or job-related requirements, sending it to Gov. Rick Snyder for his expected signature. Starting in 2020, adults age 18 to 62 would have to show workforce engagement averaging 80 hours a month - through work, school, job or vocational training, an internship, substance abuse treatment or community service.

Michigan certifies prevailing wage ballot petition

Michigan's Board of State Canvassers has cleared a ballot petition to repeal Michigan's prevailing wage law, setting the stage for lawmakers to vote on veto-proof legislation for it possibly next week. The board certified the petition Friday, two days after the state Supreme Court struck down a challenge to an appeals court decision ordering certification of the measure.

Synthetic coolant leaks from power cables in Michigan waters

This Feb. 11, 2014 aerial file photo shows a view of the Mackinac Bridge, which spans a 5-mile-wide freshwater channel called the Straits of Mackinac that separates Michigan's upper and lower peninsulas. Officials say hundreds of gallons of potentially toxic coolant fluid have leaked from electric power cables in the waterway that links Lake Huron and Lake Michigan.

Blue Cross employees are instructed to donate to the boss’s daughter, …

Gretchen Whitmer wants to be the Democratic governor of Michigan, and she has distinguished herself from her opponents Abdul El-Sayed, and Shri Thanedar by opposing single-payer healthcare and endorsing the broken, expensive, murderous private system, a subject she has deep expertise in thanks to being raised by Richard Whitmer, who built the family fortune during his 18-year tenure as president of Blue Cross of Michigan.

Senate spent $269,000 on investigating, settling sexual harassment complaints

The Michigan Senate spent $269,000 on investigating and settling sexual harassment complaints between Jan. 1, 2000 and Dec. 31, 2006, according to the Senate Business Office. In response to a request from MLive, Senate Business Office Director Jordan Hankwitz said the Michigan Senate spent $269,000 on investigating and settling sexual harassment complaints during that time frame.

Too early to handicap the 2018 elections? No

If Democrats win at least one branch of Congress, there will be an investigative feast - with rich targets - of the ethically challenged administration of President Donald Trump, plus a check on presidential actions. If Republicans retain full control, expect renewed attacks on Obamacare, efforts to cut Medicare and Social Security, and one or two more right-wing Supreme Court justices.

Michigan scrambles to address chemical contaminants in water

While the city of Flint still recovers from a lead-tainted water crisis, Michigan is scrambling to combat potential health risks in other tap water that stem from chemicals long used in firefighting, waterproofing, carpeting and other products. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, have been detected at military bases, water treatment plants and, most recently, an old industrial dump site for footwear company Wolverine World Wide.

With Levin Leaving, Dan Kildee Seeks Ways and Means Spot

Rep. Dan Kildee, second from left, is angling for a spot on the Ways and Means Committee now that fellow Michigan Rep. Sander M. Levin, second from right, isn't seeking re-election in 2018. Also pictured, from left, Virginia Rep. Robert C. Scott and Michigan Sens. Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow.