Stateside Staff

The time that inmates spend in prison is a punishment for the crimes they’ve committed. But a prison sentence doesn’t just impact the person behind the prison walls. It has ripple effects on everyone in their life.

Today on Stateside, as the federal investigation into the UAW continues, the union's new acting president vows to weed out corruption. Plus, a look at how two inmates in a state prison find meaning in their lives behind the prison walls. 

"Spring forward. Fall back." That's how we do daylight saving time. Having run around last weekend turning all the house and car clocks back one hour, we got to wondering: How'd we ever wind up with this thing called “daylight saving time” in the first place?

The  federal corruption probe into the UAW marches on.

On Wednesday, retired union vice president Joe Ashton became the 13th and highest-ranking person to be charged in the investigation. Union president Gary Jones has taken a leave of absence.

The union's vice president Rory Gamble, who recently negotiated the contract agreement with Ford, is now the UAW's acting president.

What’s the purpose of prison? That’s a question that people have been asking for centuries. To many, incarceration is meant to be punishment for people who commit a crime. But Heidi Washington, director for the Michigan Department of Corrections, doesn’t believe that’s a productive approach.

For more, visit Life on the Inside.

Today on Stateside, a rundown of the major issues voters across the state will see on their ballot in Tuesday's election. Plus, an urgent care center designed for mental health needs.

What are prisons for? The delicate balance between punishing those who commit horrible crimes in order to protect public safety and considering a human being’s capacity for change makes the answer to that question not easily identifiable.

Today on Stateside, what 5G technology could mean for Michigan. Plus, Detroit is considering opting-out of allowing recreational marijuana business until at least 2020.

Today on Stateside, Michigan students are improving their academic performance in comparison to peers in other states. We'll talk about what that tells us about the success of recent education reforms. Plus, we'll hear from both of the people vying for the title of Flint mayor in next week's election. 

He was seven feet tall with glistening eyes of blue or yellow and a terrifying, humanoid howl. He looked like a man, but also had the qualities of a canine-like creature. He was the Michigan Dogman. 

Halloween night is one of the busiest pizza delivery nights of the year. If you're having people over after trick-or-treating, there's a good chance you'll have a rectangular deep dish delivered to your home. 

That style of pizza—with the cheese pushed to the edges, forming a caramelized crust—that's Detroit style pizza. The Michigan invention is now becoming more popular in culinary scenes across the country.

Today on Stateside, Rachael Denhollander, one of the hundreds of women and girls abused by disgraced sports doctor Larry Nassar, joined us to talk about her new memoir What Is A Girl Worth? Plus, the legacy of former U.S. Representative John Conyers, who died Sunday, in Detroit and beyond.

Today on Stateside, on the same day the UAW announces that the new GM contract will be ratified, we hear from a Michigan plant that voted against the deal. Plus, the ban on baiting deer and how it will affect hunting in the state.

Today on Stateside, one University of Michigan professor says we are in the midst of a "Re-Englightenment" when it comes to cultural attitudes about climate change. Plus, we talk to Democratic Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin about her work on a package of bills aimed at protecting U.S. elections from foriegn interference.

Science shows climate change is real and humans are contributing to the problem. So, how did something science-based cause such a cultural and political divide?

University of Michigan professor Andrew Hoffman has an answer to that question.

In September, he wrote an article called “Climate Change and Our Emerging Cultural Shift.” It addressed the unique backlash to climate change science among some religious communities.

Thieves have been stealing crops from farms in Michigan. They’ve hit two apple orchards and a pumpkin patch in the last few weeks. Matt Spicer is an owner and harvest manager at Spicer Orchards in Fenton. Spicer told us about the apple theft that took place at his farm, how much the lost harvest is worth, and what that financial blow will mean for his orchard this year.

Today on Stateside, the U.S. Supreme Court has struck down a lower court's ruling that ordered Michigan to redraw its congressional and state legislative district lines before the 2020 election. Plus, we talk to the reporter who helped solve the mysterious disappearance of a young Michigan man and FBI informant.

• Michigan ranks fourth in the nation when it comes to tourism ad spending, but comes in at number 10 for actual tourism rates. Despite its popularity among residents, there are conflicting reports about what kind of return-on-investment Michigan gets for money spent on its well-known Pure Michigan campaign. Evan Jordan is an assistant professor in the Department of Recreation, Park, and Tourism Studies at Indiana University.

Today on Stateside, more people will be eligible for welfare benefits like food stamps and cash assistance under new rules rolled out by Governor Gretchen Whitmer this week. Plus, the budget for the Pure Michigan tourism campaign was zeroed out in a line-item veto. We'll talk about the campaign's effectiveness, as well as the politics over its funding. 

With all the news about climate change, pollution, and habitat destruction, it’s easy to be pessimistic about the environmental challenges facing the world. Our Climate Crew series features people who are stepping up in their own communities to do something about it.

Today on Stateside, after 31 days on the picket line, the UAW and General Motors came to a tentative contract agreement. We hear about the details and what comes next. Plus, Michigan farmers face record low production of corn and soybeans  after a cold, wet spring. 

How did Donald Trump vault from the faux-boardroom of The Apprentice into the Oval Office?

A new book called Audience of One: Donald Trump, Television, and the Fracturing of America offers some answers. 

Today on Stateside, we talk to a business leader who wants legal protections for LGBTQ people, and a gay politician who says they are not needed. Plus, an updated system for driverless cars is being tested on the streets of Detroit. Are people ready for them?

Today on Stateside, how signs of progress on a U.S. trade deal with China could impact Michigan manufacturers. Plus, one family is hoping to fill the gaps in mental health care services for young adults after losing their son to suicide.

Today on Stateside, temperatures are supposed to drop across the state next week. What does that mean for the recent outbreak of Eastern equine encephalitis? Plus, a fitting cocktail for the summer-like days and chilly fall nights of early autumn. 

With all the news about climate change, pollution and habitat destruction, it’s easy to be pessimistic about the environmental challenges facing the world. Our Climate Crew series features people who are stepping up in their own communities to do something about it. 

A fellow teacher tipped us off about Kevin Randall, who teaches biology at Grandville High School. We talked to him about what he’s been doing to make his school a little greener.

In Lansing, Republicans in the Michigan Legislature have set the stage for a showdown with Governor Whitmer over her 147 line-item vetoes in the state budget. The governor met Thursday with top GOP leaders from the state House and Senate to try to reach a compromise.

Michigan Radio's Rick Pluta and MLive reporter Emily Lawler joined Stateside to break down the supplemental bills being pushed by lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to restore vetoed funding, and what could happen if the two sides don't reach a deal by early next week.

Today on Stateside, between anemic state funding and fewer people in the classroom, many of Michigan’s public universities are facing challenging times. Plus, a new initiative at the University of Michigan looks to provide evidence-based training on how to prevent school violence.

In the wake of multiple mass school shootings in recent years, the question of how to reduce violence and make schools safer has become a pressing one. Answering that question will be the goal of a brand new national research and training center at the University of Michigan School of Public Health.

Today on Stateside, top United Auto Workers union leaders are now working with federal investigators on the probe into corruption at the UAW. Plus, we talk to the Detroiter who is just one country away from having visited every United Nations recognized country. She is aiming to be the first black woman to do so.