Land

Tiny homes tackle homelessness around Michigan

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By Donté Smith
Capital News Service
Tiny homes are gaining attention in the state as a potential solution for housing challenges, offering a creative approach to affordability and community-building. 
While often showcased as a minimalist lifestyle choice on platforms like Netflix, where shows such as “Tiny House Nation” highlight their appeal, they’re also being deployed as a tool to address homelessness and housing density. 
These compact dwellings, defined by the International Residential Code, are 400 square feet or less in floor space. Although they can be built on foundations, most are built on trailers. More people are experiencing homelessness as affordable housing has become harder to find. 
Homelessness in the state increased by 8% in 2022 compared to 2021, going from 30,113 people to 32,589, according to the latest report from Michigan’s Campaign to End Homelessness. In Michigan, where state-specific rules for tiny homes are absent, zoning and utility infrastructure often dictate the feasibility of projects. Matthew Grzybowski, the advancement operations manager for Mel Trotter Ministries, is navigating these complexities through the Hope Village initiative in Grand Rapids.

Energy

How new charging stations are set to drive Michigan’s EV future

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By Donté Smith

Capital News Service

As electric vehicles become more common, Michigan is expanding its charging infrastructure to ensure accessibility for drivers statewide. The state’s Department of Transportation, supported by federal National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program funds, is accelerating construction of EV charging stations in both urban and rural areas. Currently, there are around 1,660 charging stations across Michigan, 94% of them public. While urban and suburban counties like Wayne, Macomb and Oakland are well-equipped, many rural areas still lack adequate charging options, MDOT says. Gladwin, Alger, Baraga and Oscoda counties are among those with only one public charging station each, according to the Michigan Community EV Toolkit.

Recreation

Michigan’s winter festivals adapt as warmer winters test traditions

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By Donté Smith

Capital News Service

With the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasting “warmer-than-average” temperatures for parts of the Great Lakes, Michigan’s winter festivals from Metro Detroit to the Western Upper Peninsula are preparing to adapt. Many, such as Detroit’s Noel Night, Grand Haven’s Winterfest, the Magical Christmas Parade in Zeeland and Holland’s Winter Dutch Fest, count on seasonal cold to enhance their winter ambiance and allure. Detroit resident Dorrian Brooks, a frequent winter festivalgoer, reflected on warmer weather’s impact on these long-standing traditions. “It’s disheartening to imagine a winter festival without the cold and snow – recent warmer winters make the atmosphere feel muted,” she said. According to the National Weather Service, Metro Detroit recorded its fourth-warmest winter on record last year, with average December temperatures rising from 33 degrees in 2022 to 40 degrees in 2023.

Land

Efforts to bridge digital divide expand in Michigan’s rural areas

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By Donté Smith

Capital News Service

The digital divide remains a pressing issue for Michigan’s rural communities, where broadband access lags due to challenging geography and limited infrastructure. Jason Hamel, the operations manager and product assembler for Hower Tree Baler Corp. in Merritt, says current dial-up connection speeds in the area “aren’t worth it.”

“It was much faster to sit by a window to try and pull something up on our phone than it was to use our dial-up connection,” said Hamel. “Spectrum’s high-speed internet has streamlined things and improved our workflow.”

Spectrum, the nation’s leading rural internet provider, has focused its efforts in areas like Merritt and Cadillac, where connectivity gaps are common. The company recently expanded its reach to 34,000 homes and businesses across Michigan in 2023, aiming to bridge the divide through targeted rural construction projects, says Mike Hogan, the senior director for public relations in the company’s Great Lakes Region.

Energy

Crescent Wind Farm fuels push for greener Michigan

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By Donté Smith

Capital News Service

In the rolling farmland of southern Michigan’s Hillsdale County, the Crescent Wind Farm towers over the landscape, generating renewable energy while stirring both hope and contention among residents. The wind farm, operated by Consumers Energy in Adams, Moscow and Wheatland townships, is part of the state’s growing push to meet aggressive clean energy targets. Yet the path from concept to completion was far from smooth. Crescent, with 60 wind turbines and a capacity of 166 megawatts, has been supplying electricity to homes since it started running in early 2021. That’s enough to power about 75,000 homes.

Land

Steam railroad takes passengers on journey through time

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By Donté Smith

As the crisp autumn air settles over Michigan, the gentle chug of steam engines echoes through Coldwater. The Little River Railroad, a historic steam railway, invites passengers to step back in time for a ride filled with charm and nostalgia. It’s one of 55 steam locomotives in the state, 15 of them still operational, according to Steam Locomotive Information. Among their other locations are Owosso, Benton Harbor, Buckley and Monroe, Dearborn, Lake Linden and Skandia. Heather Kaiser, a stoker for the Little River Railroad, shared the story of the locomotives that power these rides.

Transportation

Automated shuttles provide new mobility options, but coverage concerns remain

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By Donté Smith

Capital News Service

Detroit’s streets are becoming a testing ground for future transportation, with automated shuttles like Accessibili-D and Connect AV offering mobility solutions. These shuttles, which started operating this year, help residents, particularly those with limited transportation, access essential destinations such as doctors’ offices and grocery stores. The Connect AV shuttle provides fully electric, scheduled autonomous transportation along a 10.8-mile route connecting Corktown, downtown Detroit and the East Jefferson Riverfront. Operating on weekdays with 10-15 minute intervals during peak hours, the service is free. In comparison, Accessibili-D is tailored for older adults and people with disabilities, offering free on-demand rides to vital locations such as medical facilities.

Water

Residents in Monroe County take part in outdoor activities along the River Raisin

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Monroe is split by the River Raisin, which runs directly into Lake Erie. The city’s residents are not shy about taking advantage of its proximity to the water, even if it means fishing in the drainage canal of a power plant. Fishers, young and old, gather at the Monroe fishing site near the DTE Energy Monroe power plant to snag a bite. Fish like the yellow perch and crappie are listed as safe to eat but other fish like carp can contain higher amounts of chemicals and fishers are urged not to consume them too often. Further upstream the River Raisin, the Old Mill Museum invites visitors to learn about its history serving as a hydroelectric power plant and even a Ford factory.

Nearshore

Michigan pushes to plug orphan oil wells

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By Donté Smith

Capital News Service

Michigan’s oil industry may not be front and center, but it remains active with over 9,300 wells across the state. The U.S. Energy Information Administration ranks Michigan 18th in the nation in crude oil production. In June 2024, Michigan wells produced 211,000 barrels of crude oil — around 8.8 million gallons, the agency said. Otsego County leads the state in production, followed closely by Jackson, Kalkaska and Manistee counties. However, there’s a growing environmental concern linked to the industry: Michigan has about 230 orphan wells abandoned by their original operators or owners without being properly plugged.

Energy

Electric bus rollout sparks optimism among schools

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By Donté Smith
Capital News Service

“We’re rolling with the changes,” said Kathy Kochanski, the transportation coordinator for Troy Public Schools, as more school districts across Michigan adopt electric buses to reduce emissions and promote cleaner energy. The Department of Education, in partnership with the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, recently announced the recipients of Clean Bus Energy grants. The initiative will support 29 districts, from Alpena to Grand Rapids, in purchasing 114 “clean” buses, primarily electric, with the possibility of including propane and natural gas models. “Things are still up in the air because it was announced recently, but we’re excited,” Kochanski said. An analysis by the Electric School Bus Initiative indicates that the total cost of ownership for electric school buses can be higher upfront than for diesel buses.