Blace Carpenter

Roughly 200 people packed into a room at the Isabella County Commission on Aging on March 21 to show their frustration with Michigan's 2nd Congressional District Representative John Moolenaar and President Donald Trump's administration. Despite Moolenaar not attending, several speakers still spoke out against the representative.

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.

For years, local law enforcement in the county were given a blanket deputization to work outside of their jurisdiction by the sheriff. But with the loss of the county's 24/7 road patrol, Sheriff Michael Main has limited their authority.

“We would lose what is special about our clinic and our students would suffer,” CMU Health Certified Assistant Brittany Herrick said during the public comment period.

Central Michigan University President Neil MacKinnon spoke to the campus community about what he's noticed in the first 100 days on campus. He presented several initiatives to combat declining enrollment, budget cuts and expanding research efforts.

The Traverse City-based shelter Safe Harbor of Grand Traverse will be receiving $400,000 in county funds to help extend its services from seasonal to year-round. Grand Traverse County commissioners said it is the first step towards addressing the region's homeless population.

Safe Harbor of Grand Traverse spoke with Grand Traverse County commissioners during their meeting Wednesday morning, in hopes of finalizing a plan to extend their services year-round.

Central Michigan University opened its doors for both campus and Mount Pleasant community members for its Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Service event. While sharing brunch, guests were treated to performances from CMU musicians and remarks from speakers across campus in honor of King's legacy.

As the legalization of cannabis grows year by year, law enforcement still don't have a reliable way to detect when drivers may be under the influence of the drug. However, a team of researchers has been trying to solve this issue by developing research on THC breathalyzers.

Michigan's OK2SAY program broke its record for annual anonymous tips for the third year in a row. Bullying, suicide threats and other, which include incidents of anxiety, depression and harassment, were the most common tips reported by students.