Alyssa Burr

United States

Politics Reporter at TAI News

Journalist | Muskegon native | AKA 💕💚 [email protected]

Articles

Northern travel to Michigan dips following Trump’s tariffs, threats to annex Canada

3 days ago | michiganindependent.com | Alyssa Burr

As summer approaches, Michigan’s beaches, parks, and businesses will soon be filled with tourists exploring the Great Lakes State. But visits from Michigan’s neighbors in Canada have significantly declined since President Donald Trump began his second term in January. Trump has strained the relationship with America’s once-close ally since assuming office.
Policy Changes Could Derail Michigan’s Clean Energy Goals

1 week ago | thefulcrum.us | Alyssa Burr

In recent years, Michigan has been aggressive in its approach to clean energy: It’s invested millions of dollars in renewable energy infrastructure, created training programs for jobs in the electric vehicle industry, and set a goal of moving the state to 100% carbon neutrality by 2050. Gov.
Measles and whooping cough cases surge in Michigan as vaccination rates drop

2 weeks ago | michiganindependent.com | Alyssa Burr

Before families start scheduling their summer travel plans, public health officials in Michigan are urging parents to check their children’s vaccination status: Cases of measles and pertussis, or whooping cough, are on rise in the state and across the country. As of April 24, 2025, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had reported 884 confirmed measles cases across 30 states, including nine cases in Michigan.
Federal workers discuss the personal toll of Trump’s layoffs at state Senate hearing

3 weeks ago | michiganindependent.com | Alyssa Burr

Leslie Desmond, a mother of two from Dearborn, loved her job as a financial analyst with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Desmond oversaw the state’s public housing services to ensure vulnerable residents were able to keep a roof over their heads. Desmond is now suddenly struggling: She was one of thousands of federal employees caught in the crosshairs in President Donald Trump’s administration’s efforts to reduce the federal workforce.
What to know about special elections for state offices in Michigan

1 month ago | michiganindependent.com | Alyssa Burr

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer confirmed this month there will be a special election for a vacant state Senate seat after months of speculation, although an official announcement has yet to be made. Former state Sen. Kristen McDonald Rivet left Michigan’s 35th Senate District, which comprises parts of Midland, Bay and Saginaw counties, when she was sworn into the U.S. House of Representatives almost four months ago.
Trump’s attacks on public services spur protests in Michigan

1 month ago | michiganindependent.com | Alyssa Burr

A resistance movement is growing in Michigan as concerned residents come out in protest against President Donald Trump’s policies, including the targeting of public services such as education and health care. Anti-Trump protests in 2025 look different than they did during the president’s first term, said Ryan Bates, an organizer with the Michigan Resistance Coalition, which comprises 30 social justice and grassroots organizations across the state.
Trump administration ends programs funding local farm food for Michigan school meals

1 month ago | michiganindependent.com | Alyssa Burr

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced $1.13 billion in funding last year for a pair of programs to help schools, child care centers, and food banks obtain locally sourced foods. After schools and other facilities had begun working out arrangements with local farmers, President Donald Trump’s administration informed them on March 7 that the programs had been canceled, according to Politico.
‘We need new leaders’: Mallory McMorrow enters 2026 race for US Senate

1 month ago | michiganindependent.com | Alyssa Burr

State Sen. Mallory McMorrow has officially launched her campaign to run for Michigan’s open U.S. Senate seat in 2026. In a campaign announcement video posted to social media on April 2, the Royal Oak Democrat took aim at President Donald Trump’s actions to cut Medicaid, fire federal workers and dismantle the Department of Education. McMorrow said she wants to be one of a new generation of leaders in Washington, D.C., to challenge Trump.
Michigan’s rural hospitals, nursing homes would bear the brunt of federal Medicaid cuts

1 month ago | michiganindependent.com | Alyssa Burr

Medicaid provides medical insurance for nearly 3 million low-income Michiganders, but that could be in jeopardy as Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives work to make cuts to the federal agency that funds the program. Rural hospitals and nursing homes in particular rely heavily on Medicaid reimbursements to upgrade their equipment, pay their workers, and generally care for their patients.
Michigan House Republicans introduce bills to repeal gun safety laws

1 month ago | michiganindependent.com | Alyssa Burr

Extreme risk protection orders, more commonly known as red flag laws, allow law enforcement to temporarily confiscate firearms from people that have been deemed a threat to themselves or others, potentially saving lives. Republicans in the Michigan House of Representatives are now working to repeal Michigan’s red flag laws. Rep. James DeSana, a Carleton Republican, introduced a bill package on Feb. 26, saying red flag laws are a violation of individuals’ Second Amendment rights.