This coverage is made possible through a partnership between IPR and Grist, a nonprofit environmental media organization. The historic restart of a shuttered nuclear power plant is planned for later this year on the shores of Lake Michigan, and a northern Michigan energy cooperative is playing a major role. Last fall, the Biden administration finalized $1.3 billion in grants to two rural power cooperatives, as part of efforts to reopen the Palisades Nuclear Plant in southwest Michigan’s Covert Township.

The Michigan Attorney General’s Office officially declined to investigate Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan for allegedly destroying critical records when he was the Wayne County prosecutor. In a letter to Mark Craighead, who was exonerated after spending more than seven years in prison for a murder he didn’t commit, Robert Liddell, chief of Criminal Trial Divisions for the AG’s office, said the statute of limitations has expired in the case. “After carefully reviewing your letter and the articles that you submitted to me to review, I regret to inform you that we are unable to provide assistance at this time,” the letter states.

High-profile attorney Todd Perkins announced Tuesday that he’s officially running for mayor of Detroit. Perkins is at least the sixth candidate for mayor after Mike Duggan announced in November that he wasn’t seeking a fourth term. Perkins said he made the decision after creating an exploratory committee to assess “the feasibility” of a campaign.

A federal jury has ordered MGM Grand Detroit to pay $133,000 to a former warehouse manager from Canton who was fired after refusing to get a COVID-19 vaccine on religious grounds. The jury determined Thursday afternoon that the casino violated Hratch “Harry” Yeremian’s rights by denying his request for a religious exemption. Yeremian, an Apolostic Orthodox Christian, declined to receive a vaccine after MGM Grand Detroit announced that its salaried, nonunion employees were required to get one in August 2021, saying it would violate his religious beliefs.

Half of America is now roaring for the Detroit Lions as the once-hapless team enters the divisional round of the Super Bowl tournament as the top-ranked squad in the NFC. After an impressive 15-2 season, the mighty Lions host the Washington Commanders at 8 p.m. Saturday.

Long before Justin Trudeau became Canada’s prime minister, his father held the same job. And Pierre Elliott Trudeau famously described the United States in 1969 in a speech to the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. “Living next to you is, in some ways, like sleeping with an elephant,” the elder Trudeau said that day.

A Little Caesars restaurant in Farmington Hills is under fire for hiring minors to operate hazardous equipment and work beyond the legally permitted hours in violation of federal child labor laws, according to an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division. JMP Pizza Inc., the franchise operator, is accused of instructing a minor under the age of 16 of using a pizza dough mixer and an oven between 500 and 900 degrees Fahrenheit. Federal law prohibits workers under the age of 16 from performing baking activities.

A twice-suspended research project at Oakland University that involved allegations of animal neglect and staff endangerment has drawn strong criticism from a national watchdog group. Stop Animal Exploitation Now (SAEN), an Ohio-based organization that monitors research facilities for fraud and animal abuse, filed an administrative complaint with Oakland University President Ora Hirsch Pescovitz calling for the termination of the project, the firing of the principal investigator, and a ban on future animal research by other staff. SAEN’s complaint follows an internal report from the university that disclosed disturbing details, including that unqualified personnel performed anesthesia and aseptic procedures under the direction of Dr. Mohamed Al-Shabrawey, leading to procedural errors so severe that the university suspended the project.

Checker Bar in downtown Detroit launched a fundraising campaign for its employees after a “devastating” fire broke out early Tuesday morning. “The impact of this fire reaches far beyond the building—our dedicated team of bartenders, servers, & cooks are facing financial hardships as the bar will be closed for an unknown period of time,” the GoFundMe campaign reads.

The Michigan Science Center planetarium theater is getting some big upgrades in 2025 thanks to a $2.6 million grant from Ballmer Group. Dubbed the “Hyperspace Initiative,” the upgrades include inclined seats, an updated 5.1 audio system, 8K digital projection, and a seamless dome. The project also includes the addition of educational outer space-related exhibits outside the theater that feature immersive, hands-on activities and interactive games.

Part IV in our ongoing investigation into the case of Mario Willis. Clara Mitchell was preparing for a funeral. Mitchell, who would pastor her own congregation years later, served as executive secretary of Community Christian Fellowship Church on Detroit’s east side in 2008 when parishioner Walter Harris died.

A fire tore through the basement and first floor of the Checker Bar in downtown Detroit early this morning, fire officials say. The damage “unfortunately sounds fairly significant,” Corey McIsaac, a spokesperson for the Detroit Fire Department, tells Metro Times.

Michigan ranks near the bottom in a recent study measuring racial integration and progress across the U.S., highlighting significant disparities between Black and white residents. The state ranks 46th in racial integration and 39th in racial progress, according to the study released Tuesday by WalletHub. In the employment and wealth category, Michigan stands at 46th place for integration and 45th for progress.

Jonathan Nokielski, a beloved local comedian known by his stage name as Jaded Jaden, has unexpectedly died, leaving fans and fellow performers in shock. He was 43.

At Pistons’ basketball games, even over the television, you can clearly hear the chant of “Jar-ed GOFF!” At Red Wings’ hockey games in the same Little Caesars Arena, the fans repeat the name of the Lions’ quarterback: “Jar-ed GOFF!! Jar-ed GOFF!!” When the Tigers open baseball spring training next month — right after the Super Bowl — the fans in Florida may indeed echo the name: “Jar-ed GOFF!!!

The Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office announced Monday that it has denied a warrant request in connection with allegations that rapper Nicki Minaj assaulted her former employee, Brandon Garrett, after a concert at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit. The Detroit Police Department had submitted the request as part of its investigation into the alleged incident, which occurred on April 21, 2024, following Minaj’s performance on her Pink Friday 2 World Tour.

A cold, pulse-less darkness spreads across the frozen landscape. Superstitious peasants shutter their hovels and pray to ward off frightening evil.

This story was originally published by Grist. Sign up for Grist’s weekly newsletter here. This coverage is made possible in part through a partnership with Grist and Interlochen Public Radio in northern Michigan.

A large part of the fun of being a baseball fan is speculating about the future of our favorite team. Many of us believe that we could ultimately mastermind success for our “local nine” like we attempt to do with our fantasy baseball teams.