Hunters are dealing with new rules from the Natural Resources Commission addressing the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease in the deer population. Among the most controversial rules is a baiting ban in the entire Lower Peninsula.

Kevin Essebaggers is asking the DNR’s top wildlife biologist for deer, Chad Stewart about the disease and how the new rules were designed to help.

On the latest episode of the Focus Podcast, Michigan’s 4th district representative in Congress, Republican John Moolenaar, sits down with Kevin Essebaggers.

Moolenaar explains why he doesn’t think impeachment is appropriate, the progress done to fund a new lock in Sault Ste. Marie and the threats to our state’s cherry industry.

The League of Women Voters, Grand Traverse Area hosted a forum for voters to hear from all 10 candidates for Traverse City Commission and Mayor.

Kevin Essebaggers moderated the forum and asked the candidates questions submitted by voters in attendance. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5.

As the way forward on road funding in Michigan plays games with the budget process in Lansing, a new road plan emerged. This one from State Representative Jack O’Malley puts an emphasis on the ability of local governments to raise money to fix their own roads. O’Malley’s news conference on the bills helps explain how it would work.

Inphastos is a Traverse City startup that believes there’s a huge industry ripe for disruption. The new construction industry. The company recently achieved building a home in a day, and they are expanding operations.

Kevin Essebaggers talked with Vice President of Business Development Craig Wesley about how it works, and the Inphastos vision for the future of construction.

The Great Lakes Restoration initiative spends hundreds of millions of dollars each year on a vast array of programs to protect and restore our waterways. Every year it’s a fight to get it funded.

We caught up with U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow on a Traverse City visit to see how she’s trying to get even more funding for the GLRI.

While everybody talks about solving the affordable housing problem in the Grand Traverse region, Habitat for Humanity is taking action.

Kevin Essebaggers discusses that with Habitat staff, and the big new changes ahead for the organization.

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has made herself available to the press several times in the last week, holding formal events and informal press conferences we call “scrums.” Kevin Essebaggers has the wide ranging questions and answers from the governor.

A company started in Traverse City works to connect local growers with local stores and restaurants, and now they’re doing it statewide. The farm-to-table movement is blossoming, and so is Taste The Local Difference.

Kevin Essebaggers talks about it with TLD’s CEO Tricia Phelps.

A state program that protects farmland from development recently started allowing farmers to use land for commercial solar energy installations.

Kevin Essebaggers found out more about the effort from Rich Harlow, program manager of the Farmland and Open Space Preservation Program.