Study shows seat belt use rising in Michigan
Results of a recent study indicates Michigan appears to be moving in the right direction again in terms of seat belt use. In 2025, the state recorded its highest seat belt use rate since 2019, according to a grant-funded direct observation study by Michigan State University. The study, which took place in May and June across 200 Michigan locations, found the state’s seat belt use rate was 93.2%, an increase of 1.2 percentage points from the previous year. By contrast, the 2024 rate of 92% marked a 20-year low. The previous three years showed rates of 92.4% in 2023; 92.9% in 2022; ...
Caution urged when buying and using home pesticides
Got a problem with pests in the home? Be careful about what you choose to use as a treatment, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development warns. The two departments recommend avoiding purchasing unregistered pesticides containing dichlorvos, including two in particular with the brand names “Sniper” and “Nopest.” Despite their potentially harmful health effects, Sniper and Nopest remain available for purchase via online marketplaces, where they are marketed as insecticides for home use, MDHHS and MDARD ...
Trump focuses on foreign policy, voters worry about cost of living
President Donald Trump kicked off his midterm campaign travel with a bipolar economy: huge growth but plummeting consumer confidence. How he navigates that tension will determine how badly Republicans fare this fall. This was the president’s message in Iowa: “Our economy is booming. Incomes are rising. Investment is soaring. Inflation has been defeated. Our border is closed.” There are good metrics to lean on. The economy grew at an annualized 4.4% rate in the third quarter. Inflation, while still above the 2% target, has slowed dramatically, with prices rising 2.7% year over ...