Today on Stateside, we bring you the story from Michigan Public's Beenish Ahmed of a Michigan family who faced deportation and how a public school coordinator supported them as they transitioned back to Venezuela: After his wife was detained by ICE, a father turns to a Detroit school staffer to help reunite his family.
And we hear about Traverse City's competition for ways of how we can reduce what gets tossed into landfills: The state’s ‘Shark Tank’ for recycling solutions comes to Traverse City.
Then, how a particular fish on Lake Superior is presenting the state's Department of Natural Resources research biologist, Shawn Sitar, with a ecological puzzle to solve.
Plus, we hear from author Ryan Effgen about his debut novel, Make Nice. The novel follows three Pickford siblings on a family vacation at the Grand Hotel, inspired by the iconic hotel on Mackinac Island.
Effgen's book publishes on July 14, 2026. He will be in Michigan at the end of September for the Harbor Springs Festivals of the Book.
Finally, the story of a flight to freedom— how in 1975 a Michigan inmate managed to escape the Jackson State Prison via helicopter. We hear from Rachel Clark of the Archives of Michigan about the first and only successful helicopter prison escape in state history.
GUESTS ON TODAY'S SHOW:
Beenish Ahmed, Local Impact reporter at Michigan Public
Vivian La, Climate Solutions Reporter at Interlochen Public Radio
Shawn Sitar, Fisheries Research Biologist at the Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Ryan Effgen, author of Make Nice
Rachel Clark, Archivist at the Archives of Michigan
