Public Health

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, radon gas is the leading cause of lung cancer for non-smokers. The Washtenaw County Health Department is urging residents to get their homes tested. WEMU’s Kevin Meerschaert reports.

As people make their way back to school and work after the holidays, certain viruses may go along for the ride. WEMU’s Ana Longoria has more about what illnesses are on the rise in Washtenaw County.

Ann Arbor State Representative Jason Morgan says he’s looking forward to getting some bipartisan legislation passed when the new session opens later this month. WEMU’s Kevin Meerschaert has this report.

Flu vaccination rates for children in Michigan are down this year. Currently, only 35.5% are vaccinated. It was 39% in 2023. WEMU’s Ana Longoria has more on how that is playing out locally.

The Washtenaw County Health Department wants to remind you that, while the pandemic may have waned, COVID-19 is still a danger. As winter approaches, people should get their updated vaccinations. WEMU’s Kevin Meerschaert reports.

Ford Lake in Ypsilanti is currently under a public health advisory, due to a harmful algal bloom affecting the area. Ana Longoria has the report.

A recent medical report by the CDC lists Michigan as one of five states experiencing growing COVID epidemics. Ana Longoria has more on how Washtenaw County is faring.

Most of you have probably seen pictures of the vast amount of garbage and plastics found in the world’s oceans. There are also dangerous pollutants you can’t see, and they are found all through the Great Lakes' ecosystem. WEMU's David Fair and Michigan League of Conservation Voters executive director Lisa Wozniak dive into the problem of microplastics with Haley Dalian, the Great Lakes Regional Coordinator for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Marine Debris Program.

Ann Arbor is putting the brakes on a move to replace all of its streetlights by converting them to LEDs due to what may residents are calling excessive wattage. WEMU’s Kevin Meerschaert reports.

The Washtenaw County Health Department has closed Independence Lake Beach in Whitmore Lake due to high levels of E. Coli bacteria. WEMU's Kevin Meerschaert reports.