Rural Michigan

Michigan ranks No. 1 in the country for producing the most milk per cow — and has been for the past few years.

The bills would shift permitting authority over large wind and solar projects from local governments to the state. They have support from environmentalists, and opposition from local government advocates.

Michigan regulators have increased the number of deer hunters can kill in a season, but it’s still not enough to keep populations in check. Archery season is underway; firearms season starts Nov. 15.

Roughly 87 years since Arctic grayling were spotted in Michigan, the iridescent fish will soon be fishable in a handful of Upper Peninsula lakes. The state hopes to eventually build a self-sustaining population in the Lower Peninsula.

Democratic bill sponsors say local fights over renewable energy threaten Michigan’s ability to meet climate goals and deliver reliable power. But Republican lawmakers say they fear rural communities will be railroaded by the green energy transition.

Michigan schools, mental health agencies and hospitals fight over too few social workers. Could relaxed licensing, better pay help?

Global warming is the latest in a string of challenges to face the lakes in their young (geologically speaking) lives. More than 150 native fish species are at risk.

Government officials begin the grim task of prioritizing which cold lakes and rivers to sacrifice — or save — as the climate changes. Not all cold-water loving fish may survive in the northern Great Lakes region.

As Consumers Energy ponders the fate of its 13 hydropower dams, nearby residents push to keep them operational. But Consumers officials have said they won’t allow customers to absorb the $781 million cost of doing so.

A Detroit senator wants Michigan prison populations to be counted in the communities they’re from instead of prison locations. The change could make a big difference in how political districts are crafted, especially in rural areas.

Munson Healthcare, northern Michigan’s largest employer, will be limiting services at rural hospitals while boosting them in Traverse City. Officials cite staff shortages and rising patient demand for virtual options.

Michigan’s wild places — and the fish and wildlife that call them home — are under threat as warmer temperatures cause species to migrate northward and rivers to overheat. Advocates called for more resources to protect Michigan’s fish and game from those changes.

It’s easy to take things for granted, like the ability to move freely in your community, the ease at which you can go to your local store and buy fresh produce for your dinner table. It’s time we think about the people that work hard to put that produce on our tables.

Michigan can’t foist the energy transition on rural communities without their consent, but instead should build bridges that demonstrate we are all in this together.

The auto industry is getting billions to build battery plants on rural land, while taxpayers pay for contaminated plants left behind. Will history repeat itself? Or will Michigan forge a new path?

The number of dark sky protected spaces is growing in Michigan, with visitors coming from across the country to see how the state’s glassy waters reflect the night sky.

Fall colors may be slightly delayed in Michigan this year because of warmer weather patterns.

Housing for immigrant workers on dairy farms is often tucked away and largely exempt from inspections. Advocates say that can lead to poor conditions. ‘You have no one to protect you,’ one worker says.

Right now in the state legislature there’s a bill to ensure that farmers don’t have to waste an entire crop just because they couldn’t repair their equipment.

A rural Michigan power cooperative has agreed to buy up to two-thirds of the plant’s power for roughly another 28 years. Other hurdles to a restart have yet to be cleared, including an application for a federal loan.