This week on Beyond Both Sides, a global conflict is getting closer to home.

As the war with Iran enters its third week, the headlines focus on missiles, oil markets, and military strategy. But beneath the surface, the effects are already moving through Michigan’s economy — shaping everything from gas prices and auto demand to defense contracts, agriculture, and even cyberattacks on Michigan-based companies.

So is this moment an economic opportunity for the state… or a growing risk?

Chris and Allie break down the competing forces at play — from billions in potential defense investment in Macomb County to rising costs squeezing consumers and farmers across the state. Plus, what a cyberattack on Portage-based Stryker reveals about how modern conflict reaches far beyond the battlefield.

Also in this episode:

• Historic snowfall shuts down parts of Northern Michigan

• Investigation continues after an attack at a West Bloomfield synagogue

• A March Madness check-in with TR’s Elliot Talen (brackets included)

• A reminder from the University of Michigan on what it actually looks like to “disagree better”

Because the biggest story this week isn’t just what’s happening overseas — it’s how global instability and local reality are more connected than we think.

🎧 Beyond Both Sides explores the intersection of politics, policy, and people — without the noise.