Today on Stateside, what will a lawsuit settlement that prohibits state-funded adoption agencies from refusing LGBTQ clients mean for Michigan moving forward? Plus, from full-length movies to one-minute shorts, we talk about the films you'll find at the 57th annual Ann Arbor Film Festival, which kicks off Tuesday.
Listen to the full show above or find individual segments below.
What comes next in fight over faith-based adoption agencies and LGBTQ rights
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Stateside’s conversation with Kathleen Gray
- Adoption agencies that receive state funding will no longer be able to refuse to work with same-sex couples or LGBTQ individuals. The new rule comes as part of a settlement announced last week by Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel in a federal lawsuit filed against the state.
- Detroit Free Press reporter Kathleen Gray joined Stateside to talk about the settlement, and Michigan Republicans' reaction to the new rule.
Bacon: “1 in 4” chance that MSU, U-M could meet again in Final Four
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Stateside’s conversation with John U. Bacon
- Whether you’re a Spartan or a Wolverine, you have reason to celebrate because both Michigan and Michigan State have moved on to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA March Madness basketball tournament. Michigan Radio sports commentator John U. Bacon shares his predictions for this week’s upcoming games.
From feature films to 1-minutes shorts, Ann Arbor Film Fest brings 142 stories to the big screen
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Stateside's conversation with Leslie Raymond
- The Ann Arbor Film Festival has been going strong for nearly six decades. This year, it’s running from Tuesday, March 26 to Sunday, March 31. Leslie Raymond is the festival’s director. She tells us what sets this film festival apart from others across the country, and what to expect from this year's screenings.
Documentary “Last Days of Chinatown” explores gentrification of Detroit’s Cass Corridor
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Stateside’s conversation with Nicole Macdonald
- One of the Michigan-made films being shown at the Ann Arbor Film Festival is Last Days of Chinatown. In it, filmmaker Nicole Macdonald explores the history of Detroit's Cass Corridor which, in recent years, has been re-branded as “Midtown.” Macdonald tells us about her personal connection to the area, and what she hopes audiences will take away from her documentary.
Advocates worry mental health put on “back burner” in Whitmer’s proposed budget
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Stateside's conversation with Kevin Fischer
- Roads and schools are dominating the conversation about Governor Whitmer’s first proposed budget. But Kevin Fischer, executive director of the Michigan chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), argues that mental health is an issue that needs immediate attention, too. Fischer shares his reaction to Whitmer’s budget’s approach to mental health spending, and shares his concerns about efforts to privatize the state's Medicaid mental health system.
- We reached out to Governor Whitmer's office to ask for a statement regarding the Governor's position on privatizing parts or all of the mental health system. A spokesperson sent the following statement:
“The Whitmer Administration is committed to making sure Michiganders have access to quality health care. We should be treating the whole person, and addressing the social determinants of health (such as housing, employment, and poverty). Michigan can chart a path to provide both behavioral and physical health services in a common sense way that will increase the quality of care and save taxpayers money. If we’re going to strengthen our health care system we must be innovative in our thinking and improve how we provide services. The Administration is working with the health care community to make sure we provide high-quality services and reduce costs in the most patient-focused ways possible.”
We might have a ninth planet in our solar system — and no, it’s not Pluto
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Stateside's conversation with Fred Adams
- Trans-Neptunian Objects, or TNOs, are objects in an orbit outside of Neptune's orbit. Some of these TNOs have elongated orbits that make astronomers think that something else in our solar system might be affecting them — perhaps a ninth planet. Fred Adams is a professor of astronomy and physics at the University of Michigan. He explains what that mysterious force may be, and what technology astronomers use when searching for unknown celestial bodies.
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