Parks, harbors, campgrounds and beaches are seeing big upticks in visitors this summer, as COVID-19 restricts summer travel options and vacationers embrace outdoor recreation for its built-in social distancing.

Residents of Michigan’s first known PFAS site say 10 years after the toxic “forever chemicals” were discovered at the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base, the Air Force is deliberately delaying cleanup and balking at the state’s new PFAS standards.

With new standards in place, state regulators will now set about identifying new violators and initiating treatment or cleanups. Here’s what you need to know.

A compromise schools plan approved by the Michigan Senate, and backed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, requires weekly check-ins between teachers and students, monthly board meetings to reaffirm instruction plans and offers some funding safeguards. Unions backed the deal, but some educators are upset it was rushed just before the start of school.

Michigan schools can restart this fall with online-only instruction but will be required to revisit that decision monthly and allow for parental feedback in public meetings under a new deal between Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and legislative leaders.

Bridge is adding a temp team member to provide high-quality, nonpartisan coverage of the Michigan political campaigns.

Students are returning to colleges throughout Michigan. That means partying is inevitable. But state, business and local leaders are working to find a way to ensure that doesn’t lead to coronavirus outbreaks.

Michigan may not get any more help from the federal government as it seeks to balance a projected multibillion budget deficit by October, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing, according to the most powerful Republican in the state Legislature.

Michigan school districts would have the ability to choose in-person, remote or hybrid instruction this fall under a plan being negotiated by Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the Republican-led Legislature.

A new audit faults Michigan for failing to ensure the effectiveness of schools’ online-only learning plans. It’s gained some significance because numerous districts are opting for remote learning-only amid the pandemic.

A new campaign ad from Democratic U.S. Sen. Gary Peters highlights his work alongside Michigan cherry farmers fighting a flood of cheap Turkish imports. The ad is factual but glosses over that the fight hasn’t been successful.

Sen. Tom Barrett says he took “reasonable precautions” before he contracted the coronavirus, but less than two weeks before he was diagnosed, he didn’t wear a mask at a petition drive event that drew hundreds. Public health officials say there’s no indication that it caused an outbreak.