On Hand

The Legislature pulled an all-nighter to pass a record breaking state budget. Here are the topline items they passed, and how they got it done.

GUEST:

• Elena Durnbaugh, reporter for Gongwer covering the Michigan House of Representatives

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Music in this episode by Blue Dot Sessions.

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Michigander Courtney Andersen was recently named as the best social media influencer in Hour Detroit Magazine's Best of Detroit 2024 list. On her podcast Sober Vibes,  Andersen shares her story as a woman who decided to leave her relationship with alcohol when she was 29 years old. The podcast, which she launched in 2020, focuses on alcoholism, family dynamics, and how Andersen has found healing and help along the way. 

GUEST:
Courtney Andersen, host, Sober Vibes podcast

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Music in this episode by Blue Dot Sessions.

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Within the past few months, two men have been killed in the Grand Rapids area by law enforcement officials in encounters that involved injuries from the officers’ vehicles. We talk to a community activist and the Grand Rapids chief of police about what these incidents have meant for community trust in the police—and what steps the department is taking to rebuild trust in law enforcement.

We reached out to the Kent County Sheriff's Office about Riley Doggett’s death, and they declined to comment. A spokesperson instead referred us to the Kent County prosecutor's decision not to pursue charges against the deputy involved.

GUESTS:

• Aly Bates, Grand Rapids resident, activist
• Eric Winstrom, Grand Rapids Police Chief

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Music in this episode by Blue Dot Sessions.

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The Surgeon General came out with a startling suggestion last week: social media should come with warnings, like packs of cigarettes and alcohol.

Jenny Radesky is a pediatrician and researcher. Her work guides parents on how to mitigate their child's media use.

Radesky says media habits start in infancy and can be hard to get rid of once they solidify. The more time kids spend on media, the less time they are playing, sleeping or developing skills.

GUEST:

Jenny Radesky, medical director of the American Academy of Pediatrics Center of Excellence on Social Media and Youth Mental Health and faculty at the University of Michigan

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Music in this episode by Blue Dot Sessions.

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A solo exhibit from artist Elizabeth Youngblood is on display now through August 3 at the University of Michigan's Stamps Gallery. It looks back at 40 years of the Detroit artist's work in art and graphic design. On this episode, we talked to Youngblood about her long career and the themes that she sees drawing a thread from past to present in her work. The exhibit, titled Syntax, is on view now through August 3.

GUEST: 

Elizabeth Youngblood, Detroit artist

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Music in this episode by Blue Dot Sessions.

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When you think about Afrofuturism, what pops into your head? Is it the sci-fi novels of writers Ocatvia Butler, Samuel Delany, or N.K. Jemisin? Or perhaps you’ve tuned in more recently to the representation of Afrofuturism on the big screen in movies like Black Panther. What about quilting? A new exhibit at Michigan State University showcases the Black artists using fabric and Afrofuturist themes to create unique works of art. On this episode, we'll hear from one of the curators about how these quilts envision a Black future while paying homage to its rich history. 

GUEST: 

Liv Furman, post-doctoral scholar in the Department of African American and African Studies at Michigan State University

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Music in this episode by Blue Dot Sessions.

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Medical professionals at Ascension hospitals are just recovering from the affects of a ransomware attack that targeted the health system on May 8. In addition to the challenge of relying on paper records, caregivers have long been grappling with Ascension's decision to arrange contracts with outside staffing companies.

"A lot of us have worked for multiple different staffing agencies over the years. And the problem is, a lot of us feel like we're being bought and sold like cattle," Michelle Wiener, an emergency medicine doctor at Ascension St. John, said.

See the story here to read more about the staffing model at Ascension St. John, and to read statements from IEP, Ascension, and TeamHealth.

See the story here to read more about the harrowing affects of the May 8 cyberattack on Michigan hospitals.

GUEST:

Michelle Wiener, emergency medicine doctor at Ascension St. John, said.

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Music in this episode by Blue Dot Sessions.

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Members of the Rochester Hills community are still reeling today after a gunman opened fire at a splash pad in the Oakland County community on Saturday. Nine people were injured, including two young children. Police said the gunman is believed to have died from a self-inflicted gunshot in a nearby home. 

The attack came less than three years after the deadly mass shooting at Oxford High School, also in Oakland County. 

Oakland County prosecutor Karen McDonald has a deep knowledge of the pain that gun violence causes. An outspoken advocate for gun violence prevention, she joined Stateside to share her perspective.

GUEST:

Karen McDonald, Oakland County Prosecutor

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Music in this episode by Blue Dot Sessions.

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Several small to mid-sized cruise lines hop around the Great Lakes, stopping in cities like Chicago, Milwaukee, Marquette, and some going all the way round the Mitten to Windsor. Many of the ships make a stop in Muskegon. We dig into what these trips actually mean for the city’s residents and businesses. 

GUEST:

Cindy Larsen, President of the Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce

 

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Music in this episode by Blue Dot Sessions.

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When the Reproductive Health Care Act passed last year, it contained a little-known provision that’s about to take effect. After this summer’s data drop, state officials will no longer keep track of abortion care procedures in Michigan. Bridge Michigan’s Robin Erb looked into how this limit became part of the bill. We talked to her about what she found, and review the arguments for and against tracking this data.

GUEST: 

Robin Erb, health reporter for Bridge Michigan 

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If you like what you hear on the pod, consider supporting our work.

Music in this episode by Blue Dot Sessions.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.