Today on Stateside, Governor Whitmer last week ordered state agencies to stop working on a proposed tunnel intended to house replacement pipelines for Enbridge's Line 5. We hear about the legal opinion from Dana Nessel that prompted that order, and how Republican lawmakers are reacting to the news. Plus, a conversation with the paleontologist who worked to unearth Spinosaurus, the largest predatory dinosaur ever discovered.
Listen to the full show above or find individual segments below.
Whitmer, Nessel clash with Republican state lawmakers over fate of Enbridge tunnel
- The Mackinac Straits Corridor Authority was created to oversee the construction of a tunnel under the Straits of Mackinac. The tunnel would encase new oil and gas pipelines to replace Enbridge Energy's aging Line 5. Last week, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel released an opinion that said the law creating the authority is unconstitutional. Shortly after, Governor Gretchen Whitmer ordered state agencies to stop all work related to it.
- Jim Malewitz has been covering Line 5 for Bridge Magazine’s Michigan Environmental Watch. He breaks down what Nessel's opinion means for the tunnel project moving forward, and tells us how Republican lawmakers and other proponents of the tunnel plan are responding.
Move over, T. Rex: Detroit Mercy paleontologist on unearthing the world’s largest carnivorous dinosaur
- Still believe that Tyrannosaurus rex was the ruler of the ancient dinosaur world? Think again. Thanks to the work of Nizar Ibrahim, a paleontologist and comparative anatomist from the University of Detroit Mercy, we now know that the North African native Spinosaurus was the largest-known predatory dinosaur to roam the earth. Ibrahim tells Stateside the story behind his discovery of this “lost giant of the Sahara."
Ice boating: 'The most fun you can have with your clothes on'
- It may be spring in Michigan, but the winter fun isn't over yet. With ice still 12 inches thick on some inland lakes, ice boating enthusiasts are still setting sail across the frozen waters. Jacob Wheeler went to watch some of these boats sail on Lake Leelanau near Traverse City for the latest installment of Points North, a new weekly show from Interlochen Public Radio.
Ear-piercing whistle gets Calvin College sophomore into Guiness Book of World Records
- Ever wonder what a record-breaking whistle sounds like? Take a listen to Stateside's conversation with Calvin College sophomore Andy Stanford. He recently broke the world record for highest whistle tone ever recorded — 8372 Hz — earning a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records. But be warned: the record-breaking whistle is a very high-pitched, and not particularly pleasant, noise.
New president of Detroit NAACP talks group’s history, relevance in today’s civil rights issues
- It is shaping up to be an important year for the Detroit branch of the NAACP. It will be in the national spotlight as host of the 110th NAACP National Convention this July. It also recently chose a new leader to head the largest NAACP branch in the country. Kamilia Landrum is the organization's new executive director. She joined Stateside to talk about her top priorities for the Detroit branch, and how a more-than-century-old organization is responding to the civil rights challenges of the 21st century.
Bacon: MSU is “gutsy as all get-out” as they head to the Final Four
- On Sunday, the Michigan State Spartans took a victory lap at the Breslin Center in front of thousands of elated fans after an unexpected victory over Duke. Today, they’re back at work preparing to participate in the Final Four. Michigan Radio’s sports commentator John U. Bacon weighs in on the Spartans’ win over Duke ahead of their face-off against Texas Tech this weekend.
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