The Michigan House on Thursday unanimously approved legislation that would open the governor’s office and Legislature up to public records requests, advancing a ‘sunshine week’ package that has repeatedly died in the Senate.

Michigan Technological University has had a series of controversies over institutional racism. Now, a racist hate group has turned its sights on the predominantly white school, amid a surge in hate crimes statewide.

Asian-American Michiganders said a recent surge in cases of racism nationally reflects their experiences here. Two legislators are calling attention to concerns anti-Asian discrimination in Michigan is undercounted.

In a letter to the House Oversight Committee Thursday, Robert Gordon didn’t detail the reasons for his abrupt departure in January but alluded to “robust conversations about policy issues where reasonable people could disagree and did.

Three weeks of steady increases in coronavirus cases have health officials worried and wondering whether the pace of vaccinations can prevent a wave of deaths and hospitalizations.

The FishPass project uses technology that would allow migratory fish to freely travel the river while keeping out invasive species. But some residents are suing, saying it would alter a local park. They want a citywide vote on the project.

Previous industry efforts were rebuffed because they would divert funds earmarked for cleanup of contaminated land. A new bill would give beverage distribution companies a tax credit instead.

Michigan trails only Florida in the number U.K. B.1.1.7 variant cases following the most recent outbreak tied to prep basketball games in Grand Ledge. Variants pose a greater concern as people travel more and spring break hits.

A bipartisan package is advancing to partially open the records of the governor and lawmakers. But critics say it is watered down with exemptions and allows officials to destroy records before they become public.

At a hearing Tuesday before a Senate joint committee, Canadian government, business and union officials said keeping the aging pipeline open would be a “win-win” for Michigan and Canada, while Democratic senators grilled them over safety concerns.

Devastating Midland floods would have been worse were it not for the sponge-like properties of a newly-restored wetland along the Shiawassee River. As climate change brings more intense rainstorms to Michigan, the incident is an example of how wetlands could help mitigate flood threats.

Changing climate threatens to bring more intense storms and worse floods to the Great Lakes region. In Grand Rapids, one park takes neighborhood stormwater runoff and stores it until it returns to the earth.