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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Whitefish populations in the lower Great Lakes have been declining for decades. Bridge Michigan environment reporter Kelly House joined Stateside to discuss what’s threatening the iconic fish, and what could be done to save them. -
Schools in many parts of Michigan are struggling to keep up with teacher vacancies and answer criticism over teacher salaries. Here, a close look at one of West Michigan's biggest districts. -
Immigrant advocates in Grand Rapids say ICE tried detaining people at routine check-ins. Now, immigrants face a difficult choice: show up and risk arrest, or stay home and break the law. -
You may be wondering why you haven’t seen swarms of mayflies yet. Cold water temperatures have delayed their arrival — but don’t worry, they’re on their way. -
Lansing native and professional wrestler Sabu has died at age 61. -
Some legal experts argue that police training and the difficulty of convicting officers played a key role in the hung jury. -
Roundup is widely used on U.S. farms, despite lawsuits, health warnings, and billions in payouts over cancer claims. Circle of Blue Senior Editor and Chief Correspondent Keith Schneider weighs in on the science, politics, and future of glyphosate in Michigan’s agriculture under the Trump administration. -
A deep dive into the history of contamination by the Gelman plume in Ann Arbor. We hear about how it started, its impacts to water and human health, and what's being done about it today. -
In May 2020, the Edenville and Sanford dams in mid-Michigan failed following heavy flooding. Thousands of residents were forced to evacuate, and many homes were destroyed. A formal investigation followed, and the disaster has since led to an ongoing lawsuit seeking to hold the state of Michigan accountable for what happened. -
Seasonal workers from other countries arrive in Michigan each year through a federal visa program called H-2A. Growers say new higher wages threaten their business.
