Between the Lakes

Northern Michigan marinas still under water heading into Memorial Day weekend

Flooding covering decks in Tuscora Township on April 28, 2026. [https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/68fdb64/2147483647/strip/false/crop/3000x3000+0+0/resize/528x528!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F00%2Fc6%2F421dde3b48cfaf56199acaeeef44%2Flakes-photo-ep-16.png] Flooding covering decks in Tuscora Township on April 28, 2026.(AJ Jones / WCMU News) Memorial Day weekend is big business in northern Michigan, but many people are working through the consequences of last month's historic flooding. WCMU's AJ Jones spoke with local marinas along the Indian River in Cheboygan County to see how they're coping. Also on the show, state regulators have opened public comment for a key water permit for the Line 5 tunnel project in the Straits of Mackinac and Republican-sponsored bills to cut property taxes passed in the Michigan House of Representatives this week. Like what you hear? Support local journalism by making a gift to WCMU. [https://www.wcmu.org/donate] Want an email version of this podcast? Subscribe to the Between the Lakes newsletter [https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/w3eXjVX/WCMUnow], delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning at 6 a.m. Read stories from WCMU on our website [https://www.wcmu.org/], and while you're there, find out how to listen to your local WCMU radio station. [https://www.wcmu.org/how-to-listen] This podcast is produced in part by the members of NABET Local 412. This episode of Between the Lakes was edited and mixed by Rick Brewer. Our theme music comes from Gabe Schall. Mike Horace is our executive producer.

Effort underway to bring state funded mental healthcare to northern Michigan

The Michigan capitol building in Lansing. [https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/f60a061/2147483647/strip/false/crop/3000x3000+0+0/resize/528x528!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F06%2Fa7%2Feaac5dee4a3eb407bacff0ced149%2Flakes-photo-ep-15.png]The Michigan capitol building in Lansing.(Rick Brewer / WCMU News) A new state report says Michigan is in a mental health care crisis. Findings show the state ranks 47th in the country for bed availability for mental health patients. It also shows that 100% of children in northern Michigan travel 100 miles or more to receive care. WCMU's Tina Sawyer recently talked with Kate Dahlstrom from the National Alliance on Mental Illness Grand Traverse about how they're trying to convince state lawmakers to support a new mental healthcare campus in the region. Also on the show, officials began assessing homes and businesses around the region this week to build a case for federal disaster relief following several extreme weather events in recent months. Like what you hear? Support local journalism by making a gift to WCMU. [https://www.wcmu.org/donate] Want an email version of this podcast? Subscribe to the Between the Lakes newsletter [https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/w3eXjVX/WCMUnow], delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning at 6 a.m. Read stories from WCMU on our website [https://www.wcmu.org/], and while you're there, find out how to listen to your local WCMU radio station. [https://www.wcmu.org/how-to-listen] This podcast is produced in part by the members of NABET Local 412. This episode of Between the Lakes was edited and mixed by Rick Brewer. Our theme music comes from Gabe Schall. Mike Horace is our executive producer.

Democrats maintain state Senate majority, politically connected Michigander accused of embezzling state funds

Democrat Chedrick Greene delivers his victory speech to supporters at a union hall in the city of Saginaw on Tuesday May 5, 2026 after learning he won a special election for the open state Senate seat in the 35th District over Republican Jason Tunney. [https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/3f8639c/2147483647/strip/false/crop/3000x3000+0+0/resize/528x528!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F4e%2F4c%2F129a30054a328084e7f1731ceb95%2Flakes-photo-ep-14.png]Democrat Chedrick Greene delivers his victory speech to supporters at a union hall in the city of Saginaw on Tuesday May 5, 2026 after learning he won a special election for the open state Senate seat in the 35th District over Republican Jason Tunney.(Ava Harmon / WCMU ) The results are in for the highly anticipated state Senate special election in the Saginaw Bay region. Tuesday’s race garnered national attention as the balance of power in the Senate was up for grabs. The race is also viewed as a key bell weather for the upcoming November midterms and temperature check on Michigan voters for what is going to be a big election year in state politics. WCMU News Director Rick Brewer breaks down the results and what they mean for the legislature now that Democrats were able to maintain their slim majority. Also on the show, a metro-Detroit businesswoman is facing felony charges for allegedly misusing over $1 million in state money. Like what you hear? Support local journalism by making a gift to WCMU. [https://www.wcmu.org/donate] Want an email version of this podcast? Subscribe to the Between the Lakes newsletter [https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/w3eXjVX/WCMUnow], delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning at 6 a.m. Read stories from WCMU on our website [https://www.wcmu.org/], and while you're there, find out how to listen to your local WCMU radio station. [https://www.wcmu.org/how-to-listen] This podcast is produced in part by the members of NABET Local 412. This episode of Between the Lakes was edited and mixed by Rick Brewer. Our theme music comes from Gabe Schall. Mike Horace is our executive producer.

Where do we go from here? The future of dam safety and soaring prices

Water surges through the Croton Dam on April 17, 2026. [https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/e965d1c/2147483647/strip/false/crop/3000x3000+0+0/resize/528x528!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F02%2F77%2Fdd1ff0b34a05a02d522121ac5f32%2Fep-13-image.png] Water surges through the Croton Dam on April 17, 2026.(Emma George-Griffin / WCMU) Mass flooding swept across Michigan in April, rapidly raising water levels that destroyed roads and homes. During the height of the flooding, six dams were in critical condition, and officials are still working around the clock to lower water levels at the Cheboygan dam. WCMU’s Emma George-Griffin reviewed dam safety research and spoke to various officials to find out how Michigan plans to address dam safety moving forward. Also on the show, gas prices had people gasping across the region as many areas hit just underway $5 a gallon. And this week's brain teaser will make your brain roll. Dive into a series of stories on the staffing crisis in the Michigan Department of Corrections from the Northern Michigan Journalism Collaborative [https://www.wcmu.org/northern-michigan-journalism-project] Like what you hear? Support local journalism by making a gift to WCMU. Want an email version of this podcast? Subscribe to the Between the Lakes newsletter, delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning at 6 a.m. Read stories from WCMU on our website, and while you're there, find out how to listen to your local WCMU radio station. This podcast is produced in part by the members of NABET Local 412. This episode of Between the Lakes is edited and mixed by AJ Jones. Our theme music comes from Gabe Schall. Mike Horace is our executive producer.

Farmers adapt to extreme weather, Michigan regulators win Edenville Dam flooding case

[https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/c3b6052/2147483647/strip/false/crop/3000x3000+0+0/resize/528x528!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F51%2F00%2F74dcced246e3a3eae43831989418%2Funtitled-design-4.png] As our climate changes… extreme weather events are happening more often. That’s been especially true throughout Michigan and the Midwest this spring…. with huge temperature swings, flooding, drought, wildfires and even ice storms. As Harvest Public Media’s Emma George-Griffin reports, these weather events can have serious consequences for farms and ranches. Also on the show, the Michigan Court of Claims has ruled against around 2-thousand property owners who were suing the state for damages following the 20-20 Edenville Dam collapse. Like what you hear? Support local journalism by making a gift to WCMU [https://www.wcmu.org/donate/]. Want an email version of this podcast? Subscribe  [https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/w3eXjVX/WCMUnow]to the Between the Lakes newsletter, delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning at 6 a.m. Read stories from WCMU on our website [https://radio.wcmu.org/], and while you're there, find out how to listen [https://radio.wcmu.org/how-listen] to your local WCMU radio station. This podcast is produced in part by the members of NABET Local 412. This episode of Between the Lakes is edited and mixed by AJ Jones. Our theme music comes from Gabe Schall. Mike Horace is our executive producer.