Stateside

Today on Stateside, we look at why people in rural parts of Michigan have difficulty accessing what many doctors consider the most effective treatment for opioid addiction. We also talk about the roots of Islamophobia in the United States, and the financial strain PFAS contamination puts on munipalities.

The global Muslim community has been in mourning since a gunman open fired in two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, nearly a week ago. Fifty people were killed in the attack, which New Zealand’s prime minister has described as an act of terrorism.

The massacre has prompted a larger discussion about the rise of Islamophobia across the world, including here in the United States. Stateside spoke with Khaled Beydoun, a law professor at University of Detroit Mercy and author of American Islamophobia: Understanding the Roots and Rise of Fear, about the increase in anti-Muslim sentiment.

Today on Stateside, a conversation about what it would take to get Michigan to rethink its approach to public transit. Plus, why the traditional A-F grading system might not make sense for the modern classroom. 

In the 19th century, wallpaper became an increasingly popular home decor trend among Americans. Influenced by the culture of Victorian England, these wallpapers were adorned with loud patterns, flowers, animals, and a lot of colors.

But those bright, vibrant hues held a dark secret.  

“In the mid-19th century, green became a very popular color. And the way to get the various hues of green was to mix it with arsenic,” explained the Michigan History Center's Rachel Clark. 

It's finally here! Wednesday's vernal equinox marks the first day of spring. Celebrations marking the transition from the dark days of winter into a gentler season are part of cultural traditions across the world. 

Mary Stewart Adams, a star lore historian and the founder of Michigan's only international dark sky park, joined Stateside to tell us more about why the equinox has received so much attention throughout time.

Today on Stateside, despite an upward economic trend in Michigan, nearly half of households in the state are struggling to afford basic necessities. Plus, it’s (finally) spring! We hear about the cultural significance of this transition for different cultural groups across the state.

For the past decade, Americans have been buying tart cherries from Turkey for cheap. Tart cherry farmers in Michigan say that’s hurting their bottom line. Now they’re hoping a new bill in Washington will balance the scales.

Corteva Agriscience, a division of DowDupont, says it's ended its controversial testing program that was exposed last week by animal welfare advocates.

Today on Stateside, we talk with Congresswoman Debbie Dingell about efforts to halt the deportation of Mexican journalist and University of Michigan Knight-Wallace Fellow Emilio Gutierrez Soto. Plus, we check in with Wayne County Executive Warren Evans about the state of the county's finances.

Listen above for the full show, or find individual segments below.

Political roundup: Unlimited medical benefits, lack of transparency contribute to high auto insurance rates

On the counter there was a big stone mortar and pestle, and a capped bottle with a vivid green liquid in it labeled “ARUGULA.” It was clear, this was going to be a different kind of drink.

Today on Stateside, the Humane Society of the U.S. talks about the 36 beagles being used to test toxic chemicals in a West Michigan laboratory, and its efforts to have the dogs released and put up for adoption. Plus, a coming-of-age story that draws inspiration from the music of 1970s Detroit.

The Humane Society of the United States is pushing for the release of three dozen beagles it says are being force-fed fungicides in a West Michigan laboratory.

Today on Stateside, we talk about Michigan's third-grade reading law, which starting next year will require schools to hold back third graders who aren't reading at grade level. Plus, we talk about the Broadway hit "Hamilton" as it makes its Detroit debut tonight.

Read at grade level or you could get held back. Those are the options for Michigan third graders starting next year.

That's thanks to a 2016 law aimed at boosting the state's educational performance. It makes Michigan one of 16 states with similar laws that hold students back if they aren't reading by the third grade. 

We often hear politicians use buzzwords: things like “media elite,” “fake news,” and “welfare state.”

Some of those seem straightforward enough. Others, not so much.

One Michigan Radio listener, Ellen Rusten, had a question about a phrase you’ve probably heard come out of a politician's mouth: "business-friendly." Rusten wanted to know, just what does that popular buzzword actually mean?

Today on Stateside, Governor Gretchen Whitmer breaks down the rationale behind her proposed 45-cent gas tax in her first state budget. Plus, the Univeristy of Detroit Mercy School of Law is celebrating the anniversary of a Detroit meeting between two prominent abolitionists 160 years ago this week. 

Listen to the full show above or find individual segments below. 

Governor Gretchen Whitmer says she is standing by her first state budget proposal.

Whitmer joined Stateside Monday to discuss the proposal, including the widely-criticized fuel tax increase to pay for road repairs. She says the pain people might feel at the pump would mean fewer dollars spent fixing their cars.

Ann Arbor writer Tamar Charney shares her thoughts about the connection between ice fishing and life.

Today on Stateside, Governor Whitmer announced a plan earlier this week to introduce a 45 cent gas tax by October 2020. Are there enough road workers to put all that funding to use? Plus, Ingham County is building a public defender office from the ground up. We talk about the challenges of developing a brand new governmental department. 

Today on Stateside, Ann Arbor officials announced last week that trace amounts of a chemical known as 1,4-dioxane had been found in the city's drinking water for the first time. So, what does that mean for residents? Plus, if you feel like popular songs aren't as happy as they used to be, a new study says you're right. 

Listen to the full show above or find individual segments below. 

Today on Stateside, we talk to Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel about criticisms of how her office is handling civil lawsuits involving the Flint water crisis. Plus, we dive into the life of one of Henry Ford's mentors, who beat him to Michigan's first drive in a car by about three months. 

In the wake of Flint’s lead in water crisis, there have been a number of criminal and civil lawsuits filed against both public officials and private companies. One of the class action lawsuits filed on behalf of the people of Flint was against the French company Veolia and the Texas-based engineering firm Lockwood, Andrews, and Newnam – or LAN.

Today, New Orleans is celebrating Fat Tuesday, also known as "Mardi Gras" in French. It's the last day before Ash Wednesday and the forty days of Lent, when many observers give up certain indulgences in anticipation of Easter Sunday. 

Today on Stateside, we grow our understanding of Jewish and Muslim communities in Michigan and learn more about their histories and their futures. Plus, we celebrate Fat Tuesday with paczki! 

Governor Gretchen Whitmer made fixing the state’s roads a cornerstone of her 2018 campaign. Now, she’s revealed exactly how she wants to pay for that campaign promise.

On January 7, Noah Hall, who was then a special assistant attorney general for the state’s ongoing Flint water investigation, made some explosive allegations on Stateside. He said that the process of approving the Karegnondi Water Authority’s (KWA) pipeline project was “riddled with fraud.”