Today on Stateside, ten years after thousands of untested rape kits were found in a Detroit police warehouse, we talk to the prosecutor who’s been working though those cases. Plus, a conversation about climate change and its effect on Michigan agriculture.
Listen to the full show above or find individual segments below.
Private donors funded testing for thousands of rape kits in Detroit, says county prosecutor
- It’s been ten years since more than 11,000 untested rape kits were found in a police warehouse. Since then, Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy has been working through cases to find the rapists and put them in prison. She joins Stateside to discuss why these kits were left untested, and how her office was able to process the backlog.
Political roundup: Is a bipartisanship deal on roads on the horizon?
- After months of debate in Lansing, Michigan could finally see an agreement on how to fix the state’s roads. According to State Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, the Michigan Legislature is making progress in talks with Governor Whitmer about road funding.
- Ken Sikkema is Senior Policy Fellow at Public Sector Consultants and a former Republican Majority Leader in the Michigan State Senate. TJ Bucholz is the president of Vanguard Public Affairs, a progressive political strategy firm in Lansing. They discuss whether an agreement is likely, and what it the final plan might look like.
The federal government has been slow to act on climate change. So Michigan cities are taking charge.
- Michigan Radio’s digital team has been busy looking at the climate plans of Michigan cities. Digital Producer Emma Winowiecki explains what local governments across the state are doing to adapt to a changing climate, and reduce their carbon footprints.
Jimi Hendrix’s iconic national anthem at Woodstock still has power today, says UM prof
- Fifty years ago Jimi Hendrix astounded crowds with his rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner" at the Woodstock music festival. His explosive performance reflected the unity and division of America.
- Mark Clague is an associate professor of musicology at the University of Michigan and he recently wrote about that moment for The Conversation. Clague tells Stateside about the hidden meanings in Hendrix’s iconic, and controversial, rendition of the national anthem.
- Support for arts and culture coverage comes in part from the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs.
How climate change is changing Michigan’s agricultural industry
- Climate change is affecting us in many ways, but one industry likely to see a serious impact is agriculture. Marci Baranski is a climate change specialist for the USDA, and she authored a fact sheet several years ago about the potential effects of climate change on Michigan farming. She explains the ways agriculture is impacted by, and also contributes to, climate change. Jim Byrum is the president of the Michigan Agribusiness Association. He talks about how farmers are dealing with climate disruption today, and its impact on what and how they farm.
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