A GOP staffer tied to a Republican consulting firm has resigned, following @bensolis1.bsky.social's reporting on Victory Field Operations' work with U.S. Rep. John James' gubernatorial campaign as one of its founders worked for Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt. michiganadvance.com/2025/11/11/s...

The move followed a Michigan Advance report that Jeff Wiggins, from Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt’s office, was doing political consulting for U.S. Rep. John James. Both Nesbitt and James are Republican candidates for governor. Story from @bensolis1.bsky.social

A Michigan nonprofit with ties to one of the state’s largest energy companies is accused of participating in a dark money scheme to funnel money into an effort to overturn the governor’s COVID-19 emergency powers. Story from @kdavidsonjrn.bsky.social

Members of the Michigan Senate Housing and Human Services Committee on Tuesday heard from real estate professionals, elder justice advocates and others on bills inspired by the attorney general’s Elder Abuse Task Force to better protect people under guardianship. From @kdavidsonjrn.bsky.social

A pair of MI House Republicans are aiming to eliminate the state's economic development authority on the grounds it has failed to produce results, though Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's office has said their efforts are dead on arrival. @michiganadvance.com michiganadvance.com/2025/11/05/g...

Three individuals who have gone through the process of “detransitioning” testified before a GOP-led state House subcommittee Tuesday, setting up bills introduced by Republican lawmakers to prohibit treatment for Michigan youth struggling with their gender identities. From @bensolis1.bsky.social

ICYMI: After an August meeting on how the state permits large-scale animal feeding operations, Phil Roos, director of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy, issued his final opinion laying out new terms for the permit. @michiganadvance.com michiganadvance.com/2025/11/03/s...

An Oakland County Circuit Court judge has set a new trial date for attorney Stefanie Lambert Junttila, one of three individuals indicted in connection to a scheme to access voting tabulators following the 2020 election. @michiganadvance.com michiganadvance.com/briefs/lambe...

Happy Halloween from your friendly Lansing environmental reporter. I did not, unfortunately, wear my costume while covering this story. @michiganadvance.com michiganadvance.com/2025/10/31/c...

The Michigan Senate’s top GOP lawmaker is running for governor, but one of his key staffers, who moonlights as a political consultant, is working for his biggest rival in the race, a situation described as “unethical” by one major Lansing political operative. Exclusive from @bensolis1.bsky.social

ICYMI: Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer confirmed plans to move forward with development of a data center in Saline Township – following a legal settlement between the developer and the host community. @michiganadvance.com michiganadvance.com/2025/10/30/w...

SNAP Update from @kdailey.bsky.social and I: The Michigan Senate Advanced a budget supplemental bill providing $71 million in state funds to support food assistance while the governor's office announced $4.5 million for the Food Bank Council of Michigan. michiganadvance.com/2025/10/30/m...

As the death knell for a controversial electric vehicle battery plant rang out last week, members of the House Oversight Subcommittee on Corporate Subsidies and State Investments held a post-mortem on the state’s support for the project. @michiganadvance.com michiganadvance.com/2025/10/30/m...

U.S. Sen. Elissa Slotkin sounded an alarm bell, characterizing President Trump’s actions as “following the same playbook as almost every authoritarian in history,” in a speech the Democrat from Holly gave at the Brookings Institution on Wednesday. Story from @kdailey.bsky.social

State Rep. Matthew Bierlein (R-Vassar) walked out of a Michigan House committee Wednesday after Rep. Dylan Wegela (D-Garden City) criticized the US for "sending our tax dollars to fund a genocide" Bierlein told Wegela "I'm not going to sit here and listen to your crap anymore."

While members of the board overseeing Michigan’s energy resources consider long-term plans for the energy grid, residents from across the state joined together in Auburn Hills to demand protections from data centers. Story by @kdavidsonjrn.bsky.social

Environmental advocates rally against data centers at Oakland Community College's Auburn Hill Campus ahead of a Michigan Public Service Commission hearing where commissioners will hear comments on long-term plans for the state's energy resources. Look for coverage from @kdavidsonjrn.bsky.social

Environmental advocates, community leaders and members of the Michigan Legislature will gather on Detroit’s east side Sunday for food and festivities while demanding accountability from the state’s largest energy providers. @michiganadvance.com michiganadvance.com/2025/10/24/e...

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has granted a pardon request for Lue Yang, president of the Hmong Family Association of Lansing who was detained by U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement in July over a decades-old criminal conviction. @michiganadvance.com michiganadvance.com/2025/10/23/w...

Michigan lawmakers continued their probe into Michigan’s economic development efforts on Wednesday, as House members drilled down on two organizations responsible for funding overseas trips intended to support economic opportunities back home. Story from @kdavidsonjrn.bsky.social

Three Wayne County residents are honored at a Detroit arts museum exhibit after their deaths were attributed to industrial pollution.

Members of the Senate Regulatory Affairs committee on Tuesday heard testimony on multiple bills which committee chair Jeremy Moss (D-Bloomfield Township) said were aimed at reducing the regulatory burden on the cannabis industry. @michiganadvance.com michiganadvance.com/2025/10/16/a...

We have an update: DTW is playing the message at the TSA leased space within the airport. @michiganadvance.com

Four months after protestors across the nation gathered in opposition to President Donald Trump's administration on No Kings Day, citizens across the state are planning to call out further concerns about overreach from the federal government. @michiganadvance.com michiganadvance.com/briefs/activ...

The latest in Michigan's tabulator tampering case: Preliminary examination delayed for DePerno and Rendon over a dispute on whether a series of text messages should be admitted as evidence. @michiganadvance.com michiganadvance.com/2025/10/10/m...

Killer work from the other KD in the office, @kdailey.bsky.social!

As part of a deal to boost revenue for road repairs in the state, the Legislature passed a 24% excise tax on wholesale marijuana. I talked with industry members about what this means for customers and the future of the business in Michigan. @michiganadvance.com michiganadvance.com/2025/10/09/c...

While a 24% pot tax won support from both sides of the aisle last week in Lansing, its detractors were similarly bipartisan, warning that it risked smothering small businesses, expanding the black market, and opened the state up to a potential constitutional challenge. By @kdavidsonjrn.bsky.social

A cannabis industry trade association is challenging the Michigan’s newly approved tax on the sale or transfer of wholesale marijuana, filing the complaint shortly after the policy was signed into law. Story from @kdavidsonjrn.bsky.social

Gov. Whitmer signed Michigan’s state budget for FY 2026 on Tuesday, following its passage through the state House and Senate early last Friday. That followed legislators passing an eight-day continuation budget shortly after the constitutional deadline of Oct. 1. Story from @kdailey.bsky.social

Anti-abortion advocates filed a case in federal court, arguing a 2022 amendment enshrining abortion rights within the state Constitution violated several provisions of the federal charter. However, that challenge was dismissed by a federal judge this week. Story from @kdavidsonjrn.bsky.social

“It’s for people just coming out, it’s for trans youth, it’s for parents, it’s for community allies, even providers in the community, mental health clinicians. anyone who wants to learn more." @michiganadvance.com michiganadvance.com/2025/10/03/d...

Everybody at @michiganadvance.com got a piece of the action last night. Here's what the school budget looks like, from Katherine and Kyle tag teaming the important numbers. michiganadvance.com/2025/10/03/l...

This one is all @kdailey.bsky.social, who you should absolutely give a follow if you haven't already!

We have a small, but mighty team at @michiganadvance.com, who covered passage of our new state budget, spending long hours at the Capitol until final votes, followed by comprehensive write-ups on each piece. Kudos to @bensolis1.bsky.social, @kdavidsonjrn.bsky.social and @kdailey.bsky.social

During a hearing Thursday afternoon, members of the Senate Appropriations committee ran through a list of legislative spending requests which could make their way into the final budget deal. The list of requests came in at just over $357.3 million. Story from @kdavidsonjrn.bsky.social

The gathering has moved into the rotunda.

Senate Appropriations committee on hold. Conference Committee for the Senate's education budget set for 1:15 p.m. with Conference Committee on the House's general government budget set for 1:30 p.m. @michiganadvance.com

Scene from the Senate Floor as we kick off day 2/8 of the extended budget. Senate is on recess until 3 p.m.

Walk up song when I was out there was the fanfare from Rocky IV.

Representatives from the Cannabis Industry have set up a sort procession from the Binsfeld Office Building into the Senate, cheering on Senators as they walk in and urging them to "stay strong" in opposition to a proposed 24% tax on cannabis put forth by the House. @michiganadvance.com

While Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has long demurred on the topic of her plans after 2028, when she will be term-limited out of the governor’s office, she offered another hint Wednesday suggesting a run for the Oval Office may not be in the cards. Story from @kdavidsonjrn.bsky.social

Siding with a west Michigan school district and several of its employees, a federal court on Tuesday agreed to dismiss a case brought by Moms For Liberty associate Stefanie Boone. @michiganadvance.com michiganadvance.com/2025/10/01/f...

And the government is shut down. No new spending plan was passed as of midnight, and the governor has signaled that she's keeping to government open, but has yet to issue an executive directive doing so. Also, that appears to buck the the tenets of the state's Constitution. @michiganadvance.com

The scene inside the Michigan State Senate at 12:15 a.m. We have entered a new fiscal year without a budget deal, though lawmakers from both chambers are seemingly working to reach a deal behind closed doors. @michiganadvance.com

Senate adjourned until 12:30 a.m. What lies ahead, god only knows

The proposed new wholesale tax on marijuana to fund road repairs in the next state budget is much too high and would result in job losses for a booming Michigan cannabis industry, advocates and lawmakers said Tuesday as they rallied for a lower tax rate. From @bensolis1.bsky.social

Hours before a budget deadline that if missed would shut down the state government, educators, activists, and lawmakers gathered on the steps of the Michigan Capitol to demand a budget that would fully “fund the damn schools.” Story from @kdailey.bsky.social

Justin Onwenu, an attorney, community organizer and appointee to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s Black Leadership Council announced his intention on Tuesday to claim Michigan’s newly redrawn 1st Senate District. @michiganadvance.com michiganadvance.com/briefs/detro...

The current fiscal year ends in less than 12 hours, and the respective chambers of the Michigan Legislature were still waiting in limbo as progress toward a final spending plan remains slow and elusive. Story from @bensolis1.bsky.social and @kdavidsonjrn.bsky.social