The Michigan Senate passed its two-bill spending plan to close the books on the state’s last budget Thursday.One bill redirects money from the previous fiscal year to account for differences between planned and actual costs when it comes to Medicaid, veterans' homes, and other areas. The other refocuses $3.3 million in Federal Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Funds toward the state’s Community College Academic Catch-Up Program.

The cancellation of two programs will affect more than $1 billion in expected funding this year. Food advocates worry the cuts are coming when other federal food programs are at risk.

Michigan Senate Democrats announced a plan Wednesday they say will support parents of young children. The proposal, dubbed “Building Blocks,” falls into three parts.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer said Wednesday that she will travel to Washington D.C. soon to lobby federal officials against proposed big cuts to the U.S. Department of Education and new tariffs against Canada and other trading partners.

John Sheffler, creator, producer and host of WCMU's Our Front Porch, is set to give a talk at Lake Superior State University highlighting the Irish bands he featured on the program during its 35-year run. His program will be in LSSU's Library Commons Thursday at 7 p.m.

Protesters gathered in Mount Pleasant to voice their concerns about a budget resolution passed by House Republicans in February. The resolution instructs the Energy and Commerce committee, which oversees Medicaid, to slash $880 billion over the next decade, which could affect millions of Michiganders.

Geology has led to the engineering to devise systems to restore waterways like PFAs contaminated ponds in West Michigan, making them once again suitable for rearing fish.

Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins said earlier this month that economic aid payments Congress approved late last year are on the way. But with days left before the deadline, some farmers are anxiously waiting.

Michigan residents could see a slight income tax cut under a bill that advanced out of the state House Finance Committee Tuesday.The bill would lower the tax rate from 4.25% to 4.05%. That’s what it was in 2023, when a law requiring an automatic tax cut when state revenue meets certain benchmarks was triggered.

"The governor has a lot of leeway and control over calling the election itself," Reporter AJ Jones told WCMU's All Things Considered host David Nicholas. "The constitution says the governor 'may call a special election.'”