Stories

Feature Story The Pride March through Port Huron.

Blue Water Pride Festival in Port Huron celebrates resilience of LGBTQ+ community

The Pride Festival on June 29 in Port Huron was hosted by Barbara Payton, executive director of Blue Water Allies, an organization that serves as a resource for the local LGBTQ+ community. Payton shares how events like these are imperative to foster pride for queer folks who live in a predominantly conservative region.

Development News Lavender Farms list

Visitors can tour a growing agritourism farm, specializing in lavender and wildflowers

The Fields at Linwood, a lavender farm in Bay County, hosts its annual Open Fields event from July 4-6.

Longform Supplemental Science student Madison Taylor with her exhibit on soil samples at a science fair at WAY Academy in Detroit.

Metroparks offer year-round hands-on science classes in 2 Detroit schools

Through the Supplemental Science program, Huron-Clinton Metroparks staff work with school staff to offer science lessons in schools, usually multiple times a week throughout the school year. 

Feature Story Stethoscope and health puzzle

Breaking barriers: How youth and adult advocates are reimagining health care access

In this installment of our Voices of Youth series, student writer Divya Reddy examines systemic and interpersonal barriers young people face in accessing health care, and community-centric ways to address those barriers. 

Longform Erik and Israel Nordin of Detroit Design Center created the sculptures for Masons Corner.

More awards for Downtown Farmington as it turns its attention to the future

2025 is also the year where the general public has an opportunity to help shape the direction of downtown Farmington in the years to come.

Feature Story “Burst” by Ray Katz in Sterling Heights.

Sterling Heights innovates ways to grow defense industry while filling the talent pipeline

"With nearly 100,000 square feet of new training space, this facility will not only provide life-changing career opportunities for residents across Southeast Michigan but will also strengthen our local economy for years to come," says Mayor Michael Taylor.

Feature Story ALICE

ALICE Report: Rising number of households struggling to make ends meet

A new report shows over half of households in Albion, Springfield, and Homer Township are struggling to afford basic needs. Stagnant wages and rising costs leave many living just above or below the poverty line.

Feature Story Leah Broomfield

Deaf mentor's journey shows strength of inclusive hiring and support services

Leah Broomfield’s new role as a deaf mentor highlights how inclusive hiring and community collaboration open doors for deaf professionals.

Feature Story Chloe Nabozney.

Chloe Nabozney redefines norms as an aspiring young, black female police officer from a rural town

Chloe Nabozney, a recent graduate of Landmark Academy in Kimball, talks about her goal of becoming a police officer after attending the St. Clair County Explorers Program. She hopes to inspire other young, black women to become cops in a predominantly male field.

Feature Story Consumer's Energy Four Cities Metro Pipeline project will occur from 2026 to 2029.

Natural gas pipeline project to update aging system in four Metro-Detroit cities

Consumers Energy will invest $182 million to replace eight miles of outdated natural gas pipeline in four Metro Detroit cities from 2026 to 2029. The company claims this project will improve the safety and reliability of its natural gas system, but environmental advocacy groups argue that money and resources could be better invested in renewable, cleaner energy sources.

Innovation News The first five Michigan graduates of the Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education (FAME) program.

Ann Arbor SPARK, WCC celebrate first Michigan grads of manufacturing education program

The inaugural cohort is leaving the Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education (FAME) program with two years of work experience, degrees, and job offers. 

Feature Story MSU's PA Medicine program includes 12 months of clinical experience.

MSU's PA Medicine program helps fill the gap in health care in rural Michigan

The first graduates of Michigan State University's PA Medicine program are working across the state -- some in medically underserved communities or in rural areas like the U.P., where there is a health care provider shortage.  

Feature Story Volunteers help out at Ken-O-Sha Park

Harbor Springs Indigenous group plays role in ecological and cultural restoration

Scientists and Indigenous leaders partner to restore native plant life and cultural practices in one of Michigan’s most biodiverse urban parks.

Feature Story Andy Reed list

Why artists travel miles for Reed Recording Studio's distinctive audio

Andy Reed – and his Reed Recording Studio in Bay City – has built a national reputation.  

Innovation News The front of Chef Sergey’s Bakery in the historic Ashman Circle

Making home (& bread) from scratch: Meet Natalia Iakovleva

Natalia Iakovleva found new beginnings in Midland, where she blends Ukrainian heritage and homemade bread into a story of resilience, warmth, and starting over from scratch.

In The News The Esther Gerstacker Fireworks Show starts at 9:45pm on Sat, August 5.

Midland to host Fourth of July block party with music, baseball, and fireworks

Midland will celebrate July Fourth with live music, food, baseball, and fireworks across downtown and Dow Diamond, offering all-day, family-friendly festivities for the community.

Development News The Tecumseh Area Historical Museum will launch a Mobile Oral History Project for the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

From Tecumseh to Traverse City, Michigan history projects set for USA's semiquincentennial in 2026

“This funding will empower these communities to elevate and share their local stories, which is vital to the understanding and preservation of our state’s rich history,” says Sandra Clark, director of the Michigan History Center.