We've Got Issues

We've Got Issues

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We've Got Issues follows the critical issues facing northern Michigan by tracking how policy and politics affect people.

We've Got Issues


    • Jun 18, 2018 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 6m AVG DURATION
    • 20 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from We've Got Issues

    We've Got Issues: High taxes are holding Michigan back, says 101st candidate

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 18, 2018 6:29


    Republican Carolyn Cater spent a dozen years working on ships in the Great Lakes. Cater was once a coal-passer on the S.S. Badger, spending her time shoveling coal into the ship’s boilers. Cater is now running for Michigan’s 101st state House District seat, which runs from Ludington to Northport.

    We’ve Got Issues: Jack O’Malley brings familiar voice to state House race

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 11, 2018 6:46


    Jack O’Malley spent decades as a morning radio host in northern Michigan. He signed off at WTCM-FM for the final time in April. Now he wants a new job in the state House of Representatives.

    We’ve Got Issues: Benzie Dem wants to keep young families in 101st District

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 4, 2018 7:16


    Michigan Democrats hope to win back seats in the state House of Representatives this election. To do that, they’ll need to win districts like northern Michigan’s 101st, which was last won by a Democrat a decade ago.

    We’ve Got Issues: $500 million Nassar settlement could impact legislation

    Play Episode Listen Later May 21, 2018 7:12


    Michigan State University has reached a half-billion dollar settlement with victims of Larry Nassar. Nassar is the former MSU sports medicine doctor who sexually assaulted hundreds of women over decades – and called it treatment.

    We’ve Got Issues: New bills would change solar panel rules again

    Play Episode Listen Later May 9, 2018 6:08


    Thousands of households in Michigan generate their own electricity with solar panels. They’re reimbursed by utility companies for any extra power they put into the grid under a program called net metering. But under new rules, those customers are going to get less in return.

    With slate of candidates, Grand Traverse Dems challenge GOP dominance

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 25, 2018 4:30


    Democrats have struggled to find candidates to run for office in Grand Traverse County. In recent elections, Democrats let most seats on the county Board of Commissioners go unchallenged.

    We’ve Got Issues: Schuette sues U.P. company over Straits leak

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 23, 2018 5:49


    Michigan’s attorney general is suing an Escanaba-based shipping company that he claims is responsible for a mineral oil leak in the Straits of Mackinac earlier this month.

    We’ve Got Issues: White House infrastructure plan relies on state and local gov'ts

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 9, 2018 6:54


    President Donald Trump’s plan to fix the nation’s crumbling infrastructure hasn’t gone anywhere yet. Earlier this year, Trump proposed investing $1.5 trillion in the nation’s roads, bridges and other systems. However, only a fraction of the money would come from the federal government in the plan. Instead, most would come from state and local governments.

    We’ve Got Issues: One-third of northern Michigan roads are in 'poor' condition

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 2, 2018 5:55


    Michigan’s roads are falling apart. The American Society of Civil Engineers gave the state a D- letter grade for the condition of its roads in a report released last month .

    We’ve Got Issues: Former Gov. Engler scolds lawmakers about sexual assault bills

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 19, 2018 6:26


    Michigan State University’s interim President John Engler criticized state lawmakers last week for a package of bills that would give sexual assault victims more time to file lawsuits, among other changes.

    We’ve Got Issues: Report says third-graders getting worse at reading – but some question data

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 12, 2018 6:43


    A new education report says third-graders are getting worse at reading in Michigan, even though the state has spent tens of millions trying to reverse the trend in the last few years.

    We’ve Got Issues: VanderWall shakes up two political races

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 5, 2018 6:15


    State Rep. Curt VanderWall (R-Ludington) made a tough choice last month. He decided not to run for re-election in the Michigan House of Representatives. Instead, he’s running for the state Senate. It’s a decision that has disrupted two competitive political races in northern Michigan.

    We’ve Got Issues: Leelanau County nurse running for open seat in MI House

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 26, 2018 7:06


    State Rep. Curt VanderWall has announced he won’t run for re-election and will instead run for the state Senate. That means the race for the 101st District seat is wide open.

    We’ve Got Issues: Governor would pick MSU, UM boards under new proposal

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 19, 2018 6:31


    A group of state lawmakers is proposing to end public elections for university boards in Michigan and to give that power entirely to the governor. The people who govern Michigan State University, the University of Michigan and Wayne State University are elected by the public. The state’s 12 other public universities have board members that are appointed by the governor.

    We’ve Got Issues: TC group wants to legalize Airbnb, short term rentals

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 12, 2018 7:03


    It’s becoming easier and easier to rent out your home through websites like Airbnb and VRBO. But short-term vacation rentals are illegal in many areas Up North, including in much of Traverse City.

    We’ve Got Issues: Democrat out-fundraised Rep. Bergman last quarter

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 5, 2018 6:49


    Members of Congress usually raise more money than the people running against them. But in northern Michigan, Rep. Jack Bergman (R-Watersmeet) was outraised by a Democrat in the final quarter of 2017.

    We’ve Got Issues: Gov. Snyder wants boost to school funding

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 29, 2018 6:51


    Gov. Rick Snyder is calling for more money to be spent on public schools in Michigan. The governor spoke about the issue during his final State of the State address last week.

    High schoolers convince Bergman to join climate caucus

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 22, 2018 6:33


    Last fall, northern Michigan’s congressman announced he was joining the Climate Solutions Caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives. It’s a group of more than 60 Democrats and Republicans who want to address the challenges of climate change.

    We've Got Issues: Landfill puts water at risk, say fed up residents

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 15, 2018 6:12


    For decades, residents living near the Wexford County Landfill have been dealing with contaminated drinking water. The landfill was built in the 1970s and was mismanaged at times. Now, a new proposal at the site is creating new concern for residents.

    We’ve Got Issues: Former Chief Justice ends U.S. Senate bid, shakes up GOP race

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 8, 2018 6:45


    A former state Supreme Court Chief Justice has ended his campaign for one of Michigan's seats in the U.S. Senate. Republican Bob Young announced last week that he was withdrawing his name from consideration. His departure means three Republicans remain in the race. They’re hoping to unseat Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow, who is running for a fourth term. Listen to an interview below with the Michigan Public Radio Network's Rick Pluta, who discusses how this news affects the race.

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