Today on Stateside, the pressure is mounting for John Engler to step down as interim president of Michigan State University after he made comments about survivors of Larry Nassar "enjoying the spotlight" of media attention. Plus, the 2019 Michigan Notable Books list is out to help you get started on all your literary-themed New Year's resolutions.
Listen to the full show above or find individual segments below.
New year, new legislature, new push to bring down auto insurance rates
- There is a new push in Lansing to figure out how to cut Michigan's auto insurance rates, which are among the highest in the nation. Crain's Detroit Business reporter Chad Livengood joined Stateside to tell us why this issue has been so hard to navigate in the past, what bills are on the table now to address it, and how this lines up with what Governor Gretchen Whitmer wants when it comes to auto insurance changes.
Grand Rapids coffee company draws inspiration from Mexican feminist revolutionaries
- Mario Rodriguez, co-owner of Soldadera Coffee, joined Stateside to tell us about his "coffee with a purpose." He told us about the traditional Mexican coffee he sells, and how it was inspired by a drink that helped propel a feminist movement during the Mexican Revolution more than a century ago.
- Stateside's ongoing Beyond the Coney series highlights the growers, entrepreneurs, and culinary experts behind Michigan’s diverse food economy.
Building your 2019 reading list? Recommendations from “Michigan Notable Books” list
- The New Year started with the announcement of this year's Michigan Notable Books. This annual selection from the Library of Michigan gives us a broad look at the rich offerings of Michigan writers. Tim Gleisner, the manager of special collections at the Library of Michigan, and Kate Mazzara, the Adult Services Librarian at the South Branch of the Clinton-Macomb Public Library, joined Stateside to share their favorites from the list.
What will legal recreational marijuana mean for employers drug-free policies?
- Now that Michigan has joined the ranks of states where it's legal for adults to use marijuana recreationally, employers are facing new challenges trying to manage their workplace's drug-free policies.
- James Baiers is chief legal officer at Trion Solutions, a Troy company providing human resources, payroll, and other services to small and mid-sized companies. He joined Stateside to tell us about the human resources obstacle that legalization has produced.
MSU Trustees to fire Engler if he doesn't resign
- On the one-year anniversary of the first day of impact statements from Nassar survivors in Judge Rosemarie Aquilina's courtroom, pressure is mounting for MSU Interim President John Engler to step down or be fired. Michigan Radio reporter Kate Wells joined Stateside to give us more details on how national coverage played a role in his expected ouster, and what she's hearing from trustees and survivors about it.
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