Michelle Jokisch Polo
Stateside ProducerMichelle Jokisch Polo is a producer for Stateside. She joins us from WKAR in Lansing, where she reported in both English and Spanish on a range of topics, including politics, healthcare access and criminal justice. Her stories have appeared on NPR, as well as WBUR's Here & Now and Marketplace. Michelle began her career as a journalist as the head reporter at El Vocero Hispano, the largest Hispanic newspaper in Michigan.
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The average daily population at the North Lake facility in Michigan has ballooned to more than 1,300 people. This retired pastor visits each week. -
If you live in Michigan, it's very likely you’ve heard someone use the word “ope” more than once. But why do we say it and where does it come from? -
Kent County resident Joe Cedillo has been out of prison for a year. He spent nearly 40 years in prison for a crime he committed at 18. Stateside Producer Michelle Jokisch Polo caught up with Cedillo and his family at their home in Grand Rapids. -
Michigan immigrants in detention could soon see some relief after a federal judge in California ruled that the Trump administration’s denial of bond hearings is illegal. -
Four Michiganders facing food insecurity shared what the uncertainty over SNAP benefits has meant for their families. Some have had to cut back on fresh produce, or consider other income sources. -
In Michigan and across the country, child care remains hard to find and expensive as ever. Some families are finding ways to bring down costs without having to step away from their work. -
Hundreds of thousands of Michigan residents are losing access to SNAP food benefits amid the federal government shutdown. Here’s what the pause means for families, when payments might resume, and where to find help in the meantime. -
In Michigan, when you’re driving and need to make a left turn, most people call it a Michigan Left — or a Michigan U-Turn. But we talked to a Michigander who has another name for it: the Banana Turn. -
In Michigan, the left turn isn’t always a left turn. At certain intersections, you find yourself doing something counterintuitive. You turn right first in order to turn left. Thats the notorious Michigan Left, but why does it exist?
