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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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. -
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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? -
Best selling author Angeline Boulley explores identity, trauma and the experiences of Indigenous people with the foster care system in her third novel, Sisters in the Wind. -
Prisoners at Michigan’s only women’s prison are suing the state, claiming they’ve been forced to live with toxic black mold for years. After six years of legal back and forth, a district judge is letting the case move forward. -
The Women’s National Basketball Association has selected the city of Detroit as the new home of a women’s professional basketball team set to debut in 2029. The news marks the second time the city is home to an WNBA team. -
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.
