Common Ground Media
@commongroundmedia.bsky.social
Vital journalism moving communities forward. Because progress starts when we find common ground. FromCommonGround.com Part of the Issue Media Group network of publications
A round-up of our recent public art coverage shows demonstrates that it strengthens community pride, welcomes visitors, and even helps people find their way:
Common Ground Media@commongroundmedia.bsky.social · last wk.Across Fort Wayne, neighbors are finding themselves reflected in the art on and around their streets. Here's how local artists and the City are driving it forward:
Dental therapists work with supervising dentists to provide routine care, including exams, fillings and preventive services. Their role allows dental practices to serve more patients while dentists focus on more complex procedures.
Ferris State taps public health dentist to launch Michigan’s first dental therapy program – Rapid Growth
Dr. Deborah Brown will lead Michigan's first dental therapy program at Ferris State, preparing providers to improve access to routine dental care.
rapidgrowthmedia.com
Across Fort Wayne, neighbors are finding themselves reflected in the art on and around their streets. Here's how local artists and the City are driving it forward:
How public art is showing up in Fort Wayne's neighborhoods – Input Fort Wayne
Neighborhood leaders say art installations help evoke and maintain a sense of place, identity, and pride.
inputfortwayne.com
To the casual observer, nonprofits like Feeding Tampa Bay and the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay serve different needs. In reality, they’re often helping people at different points along the same path. Here's how coordination is helping provide seamless support, even as need increases:
Striving for seamless social service system in Tampa Bay – 83 Degrees Media
Area nonprofits like Feeding Tampa Bay and Crisis Center of Tampa Bay are weaving a more connected safety net.
83degreesmedia.com
Don't be afraid of the D-word! (It's "density.") When we talk about transportation and mobility, we're always also talking about the built environment.
Can proximity solve a transportation problem? – Input Fort Wayne
Some developers, planners, and neighborhood advocates believe bringing destinations closer together could expand transportation choices.
inputfortwayne.com
Housing that starts affordable and is guaranteed to stay that way for a century — and beyond. Read more:
New and rehabbed homes are making a difference in Michigan – Common Ground
Many generations could be living in these homes. Thanks to a new program, the homes will be kept affordable for 99 years.
fromcommonground.com
MY Mental Wellness helps immigrants overcome barriers to care like stigma, language and cultural barriers, and lack of insurance. They treat people who may have experienced deep trauma in their country of origin, or might fear sharing personal information in the current political environment.
Islamic Center of Detroit’s My Mental Wellness Clinic provides immigrants a safe space and mental health care – Metromode
For many Arab and Muslim immigrants, seeking therapy can mean pushing past generations of stigma—and finding a provider who understands their culture and faith. A free clinic inside the Islamic Center...
metromodemedia.com
What began as a Kettering Engineering student’s idea to help his partner live more comfortably has grown into a product that will change the lives of so many people living with hypermobility illnesses.
Kettering Student Creates Spoon Wrap, Inspired by Partner's Chronic Illness – Flintside
Kettering student Alex Nichols built SpoonWrap for partner Mahalia Thompson's invisible illness.
flintside.com
Most states face a shortage of qualified teacher candidates—but it's not because of a lack of interest. Here's how one alternative teacher certification program is helping more people become educators:
How Talent Together is helping solve the teacher shortage – Common Ground
In response to statewide teacher shortages, Michigan has invested in alternative routes to teacher certification. One program, Talent Together, helps Metro Detroiters realize their dreams of becoming ...
fromcommonground.com
A Detroit teen, Herbert Anderson, was Davis Aerospace Technical High School’s first student to complete a solo flight since 2015.
Detroit Student Takes Flight: How DPSCD's Davis Aerospace Is Turning Dreams Into Careers – Model D
This year, Herbert Anderson became Davis Aerospace Technical High School's first student to complete a solo flight since 2015.
modeldmedia.com
Waste, fraud, and abuse make clickable headlines. But the real story in the childcare sector is one of staff shortages, rising costs, and shifting requirements. And for families, the most pressing issue is having access to care. Bottom line: childcare is critical community infrastructure.
Childcare fraud myth misses the larger story – Common Ground
The disproven allegations have burdened providers and threaten access as fewer seek to enter the field.
fromcommonground.com
Food is medicine — and this community is treating it that way.
Trinity Health and Michigan community groups will make fresh, local food a Medicaid benefit – Concentrate
A new Trinity Health initiative will allow people in the Ann Arbor, Detroit, and Grand Rapids areas to access fresh, affordable produce from local organizations through their Medicaid health plans.
concentratemedia.com
The new direct admissions initiative is designed to streamline the path from high school to college and expand access for local students, removing application barriers and providing coordinated support for families navigating the college enrollment process.
New initiative guarantees EMU admission for Ypsi and Ann Arbor students – Concentrate
Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti Community Schools, and the Early College Alliance at EMU have partnered to guarantee EMU admission to local high school graduates.
concentratemedia.com
Our Kids Count Policy Director Anne Kuhnen weighed in on the low wages that continue to contribute to Michigan's childcare workforce crisis and a new statewide wage pilot in this @commongroundmedia.bsky.social article by Brianna Nargiso #mileg #ECE
Childcare workforce crisis fuels push for wage reforms – Common Ground
Without sustained investment, families will continue to have difficulty accessing stable, high-quality childcare.
fromcommonground.com
From our sister publication in Southwest Michigan comes a new series elevating youth voices on climate change: Planet Z. Take a look at the first three installments:
Congratulations to @soapboxcincy.bsky.social for winning first place in healthcare reporting in the Ohio's Best Journalism contest! Soapbox was recognized for the Health Justice in Action series: soapboxmedia.com/series/healt...
Health Justice in Action Archives – Soapbox
Across the region, there's a big disparity in how long people live. Nearly 90 years, on average, in Indian Hill and Mason, but barely over 60 in Arlington Heights and Adams County. That's nearly 30 ye...
soapboxmedia.com
Something remarkable is happening in Ramseur, North Carolina. 🌊After years of conservation planning, partnership, and patient work the river is flowing free.
IFF, the Midwest’s largest community development financial institution (CDFI), is helping Indiana nonprofits complete energy-efficient building upgrades that reduce utility costs and improve community facilities.
How IFF Helps Indiana Nonprofits Cut Energy Costs
IFF is helping Indiana nonprofits complete energy-efficient building upgrades that reduce utility costs and improve community facilities.
fromcommonground.com
The U.S. just hit a huge clean energy milestone: It got more power from solar panels than from coal plants in May.
Solar beat coal on the US grid in May — a new milestone
It’s the first time that's happened across an entire month, and it comes despite the Trump administration’s efforts to reinvigorate coal and hamper solar.
canarymedia.com
Even with significant limitations to alternative transportation in Fort Wayne, could early exposure to the benefits of cycling and public transit be a long-term solution to an ingrained car-centric mindset?
How early introduction to alternative transportation could help change Fort Wayne’s car-centric mindset – Input Fort Wayne
Fort Wayne is a city with a car-centric mindset. Early exposure to biking and transit could help, but a lack of density could limit long-term habit change.
inputfortwayne.com
"It’s something that brings enrichment to people’s lives, and at the heart is a message of unity," says Peacenic volunteer Jamie Kelsey. "It’s about how we move through things successfully, how we can reach prosperity together."
Ypsi picnic uniting law enforcement with residents returns for third year – Concentrate
Organizers are proudly reflecting on the growth of Peacenic Ypsi, an annual community picnic intended to build bridges between residents and law enforcement, as its third year approaches.
concentratemedia.com
Immigrants are more likely to start businesses than native-born US citizens, filling critical local gaps, fueling economic growth, and fostering local vibrancy. Supportive programming and resources can help accelerate this growth:
An Oakland County nonprofit is brewing success for immigrant entrepreneurs – Metromode
Immigrant business owners and entrepreneurs can help revitalize and sustain Michigan’s economy.
metromodemedia.com
This early education program centers on building a culturally affirming environment where students and families feel seen, supported, and connected before children ever enter elementary school.
Battle Creek preschool creates culturally affirming foundation for kindergarten – Common Ground
Students and families feel seen, supported, and connected.
fromcommonground.com
As another school year comes to an end, we're thinking back on some of the coolest and most impactful programming for students that we've had the chance to report on this year. Some recent examples:
Even with the growth of the Pride festival and increased social acceptance of LGBTQ+ lifestyles, the community still faces significant anxieties. Fultz notes that the rights of the transgender population, in particular, have been under attack during the second Trump administration.
Inside Fort Wayne’s resilient LGBTQ+ community spaces – Input Fort Wayne
Dedicated spaces like After Dark Nightclub and Fort Wayne Pride continue to affirm Fort Wayne's LGBTQ+ community, providing vital support.
inputfortwayne.com
Our Voices of Youth program offers young people the chance to train and work as journalists—complete with pay and bylines. In Grand Rapids, a special Voices of Youth cohort is sharing stories of students' family migration stories. Read more about the project:
Voices of Youth spotlights East Kentwood students’ family history project – Rapid Growth
Voices of Youth spotlights East Kentwood’s immigration storytelling project and shares three student essays preserving immigrant family histories and journeys. Voices of Youth spotlights East Kentwood...
rapidgrowthmedia.com
Long before the spotlight, these Cincinnati neighborhoods built their institutions. From community councils to development corporations and nonprofits, neighborhood leaders created the organizations that continue to drive local progress today. soapboxmedia.com?p=39857
In California, frontline social workers can spend years building trust with people with severe mental illness. Their persistence pays off. https://reasonstobecheerful.world/care-court-california-mental-illness/
'Relentless Outreach': The State That Doesn't Give Up on Mentally Ill Residents
In California, frontline social workers can spend years building trust with people with severe mental illness. Their persistence pays off.
reasonstobecheerful.world
GLOW began as the first Indivisible group organized in Michigan in January 2017. There are now more than 30 groups in Genesee County.
Indivisible GLOW uses peaceful protest to build civic connection and community across Genesee, Livingston, and Oakland counties – Flintside
Indivisible GLOW uses peaceful protest to build civic connection and community action.
flintside.com
"What Simon and Leonard have been working on for the past few months is not a one-off problem. In fact, when it comes to questions about neighborhood associations – starting them, reactivating them, maintaining them – finding the right answers is not a matter of Googling it."
How creating space for connections can drive neighborhood development – Input Fort Wayne
Fort Wayne's neighborhood leaders use a shared space to crowdsource solutions and share ideas. These connections lighten the workload and stretch resources.
inputfortwayne.com