Confluence Great Lakes Bay Region

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... For thousands of Saginaw Valley State University students, this week marks a transition. Cars packed with bedding, mini refrigerators and boxes are arriving on campus as students settle into residence halls and prepare for classes to begin Aug. 31. For some, it is a familiar routine. For others, it is the first time they have lived away from home.

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... By now, you have probably heard there is a new manager in town, and his name is Rik Hayman. In his first month as Bay City’s city manager, Hayman has already talked publicly about roads, bridge tolls, reconciliation and the work ahead. But beyond the plans and priorities, who is Rik Hayman? City Manager of Bay City, Rik Hayman He is a husband, father, grandfather, reader, sports fan, coffee drinker and ice cream enthusiast.

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... About 70,000 little Michiganders will be enrolled in PreK for All this fall. In February 2023, Governor Gretchen Whitmer proposed expanding free pre-K to all Michigan 4-year-olds in her . In June 30 of that year, she announced that free pre-K would be expanded to 5,600 kids. Estimated enrollment for the ‘26-’27 school year is 70,000.

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... The City of Midland will retain its Class 5 designation in the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Community Rating System, preserving a 25 percent flood insurance discount for most policyholders while reflecting continued efforts to reduce flood risk across the community. FEMA confirmed the designation following a five-year review of Midland’s participation in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... After awarding more than $815,000 in scholarships and grants to local students and schools in its first 13 years, the annual A.H. Nickless Innovation Award competition officially has kicked off for the 2026-27 academic year.

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... A sixth grader standing beside a police cruiser may be fascinated by the lights. Another might want to know what is inside an ambulance. Someone else may be more interested in the firefighter explaining the science behind the equipment. What looks like a fun break from the regular school day can become something much more important.

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... For people with disabilities and older adults, the difference between living in a nursing facility and living at home can come down to something as simple as having the right support in place. Disability Network Mid-Michigan is warning that a recent federal policy shift could make that choice harder for people who depend on home- and community-based services to remain independent.

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... The first signs of fall are starting to show up across the Great Lakes Bay Region. School is back in session, the evenings are getting a little cooler and, before long, pumpkins and mums will start taking over front porches. But the growing season is far from over. Farmers markets across Midland, Bay and Saginaw counties still have weeks of fresh produce ahead, with several markets staying open through October and, in Midland’s case, into November.

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... What really happens behind the scenes when a police officer responds to a call or a firefighter rush into a burning building? What goes through an officer’s mind during a traffic stop? How do first responders make split-second decisions when lives are on the line? For most of us, our understanding of public safety comes from what we see on television, read in the news or scroll past on social media.

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... The Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation has committed an additional $4 million to Midland Center for the Arts’ capital campaign, bringing its total commitment to $9 million and providing a new matching opportunity for individual donors. The foundation will match donations dollar-for-dollar from new capital campaign donors, up to $500,000, for commitments secured by Nov. 30, 2026, while matching funds remain available.