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Oliver Buchannon
Joe Staton

Founder & Editor of The Mitten

"I Voted" Sticker Contest, $152 Million Runway, and Gas Prices Rising

Mar 4, 2026

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8 min read

"I Voted" Sticker Contest, $152 Million Runway, and Gas Prices Rising

Your design could be on this November’s “I Voted” sticker if chosen by your fellow Michiganders

Joe Staton
Joe Staton
Total Lunar Eclipse, DTE Seeks Another Hike, Iran Strike Draws Reactions

Mar 2, 2026

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8 min read

Total Lunar Eclipse, DTE Seeks Another Hike, Iran Strike Draws Reactions

Early tomorrow morning, Michiganders will be able to see a total lunar eclipse for the last time until 2029

Joe Staton
Joe Staton
Contaminated City Water, F-16 Viper Show, and Bad Drivers Ranked

Feb 27, 2026

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7 min read

Contaminated City Water, F-16 Viper Show, and Bad Drivers Ranked

New data from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) showed several Michigan cities to have dangerous levels of “forever” PFAS chemicals known to cause cancer and other serious diseases

Joe Staton
Joe Staton
Medal of Freedom Awarded, Driverless Trucks Hit Roads, and Top Ranked Golf Course

Feb 25, 2026

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7 min read

Medal of Freedom Awarded, Driverless Trucks Hit Roads, and Top Ranked Golf Course

Commerce Township native Connor Hellebuyck, the goalie for Team USA Hockey, will receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, President Trump announced on Tuesday

Joe Staton
Joe Staton
Michiganders Harvest Gold, Small Truck Prototype, and Huge Fish Filter

Feb 23, 2026

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7 min read

Michiganders Harvest Gold, Small Truck Prototype, and Huge Fish Filter

Six players from the Great Lakes State helped Team USA Hockey win gold in their 2-1 overtime victory over Canada on Sunday

Joe Staton
Joe Staton
Ancient Sunken Steamer Found, Top Lake Towns, and Northern Michigan Snow

Feb 18, 2026

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7 min read

Ancient Sunken Steamer Found, Top Lake Towns, and Northern Michigan Snow

The Lac La Belle, a 217-foot passenger steamer built in 1864, was found at the bottom of Lake Michigan after being missing for 154 years

Joe Staton
Joe Staton
80 Mile Ice Crack, Cell Phone Ban Signed, and Verlander Comes Home

Feb 11, 2026

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6 min read

80 Mile Ice Crack, Cell Phone Ban Signed, and Verlander Comes Home

A photo from space showing an 80-mile crack in the ice on Lake Erie was shared by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Joe Staton
Joe Staton
Gordie Howe Bridge Blocked, $160 Million Tech Hub, and UAW Protects Heckler

Feb 10, 2026

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8 min read

Gordie Howe Bridge Blocked, $160 Million Tech Hub, and UAW Protects Heckler

In a statement released Monday evening, President Trump threatened to block the opening of the Gordie Howe bridge unless Canada offer compensation to the United States

Joe Staton
Joe Staton
Huge Job Cuts, Gold Medal Skaters, and Free Starbucks Coffee

Feb 9, 2026

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8 min read

Huge Job Cuts, Gold Medal Skaters, and Free Starbucks Coffee

A new report from a Chicago legal firm showed Michigan to have the second-worst job loss numbers of any state in the country in January

Joe Staton
Joe Staton
Ice Caves and Volcanoes, Man Arrested for ICE Threats, and Skubal Wins Arbitration

Feb 6, 2026

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8 min read

Ice Caves and Volcanoes, Man Arrested for ICE Threats, and Skubal Wins Arbitration

Michiganders posted photos of ice lakes and volcanoes that formed after weeks of frigid temperatures and heavy snow

Joe Staton
Joe Staton
Car Insurance Rates Increase, Federalized State Elections, and ICE Tracker Launched

Feb 5, 2026

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8 min read

Car Insurance Rates Increase, Federalized State Elections, and ICE Tracker Launched

A new study from Insurify showed Michigan to be one of only eleven states nationally that saw an increase in auto insurance premiums in 2025.

Joe Staton
Joe Staton
Special Election Results, Human Skull at Goodwill, and Voter ID Clears Hurdle

Feb 4, 2026

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8 min read

Special Election Results, Human Skull at Goodwill, and Voter ID Clears Hurdle

Democrat Chedrick Greene and Republican Jason Tunney won the state’s 35th Senate District’s primary last night, with the pair now set to face off on May 5th

Joe Staton
Joe Staton
Best Winter Trails, Romulus ICE Facility, and Eddie Bauer Closing

Feb 3, 2026

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7 min read

Best Winter Trails, Romulus ICE Facility, and Eddie Bauer Closing

A new lis ranked fourteen trails in Northern Michigan that you’ll want to check out before this winter’s conclusion.

Joe Staton
Joe Staton
Foreign-Owned Land Grows, January Snowfall Totals, and Sitting Detroit Judge Charged

Feb 2, 2026

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8 min read

Foreign-Owned Land Grows, January Snowfall Totals, and Sitting Detroit Judge Charged

New data showed Michigan to have sold an additional 71,000 acres to foreign investors, making it the state with the 6th-most land owned by foreign entities

Joe Staton
Joe Staton
$1,600 Property Tax Seizure, Bitter Cold Winds, and Kane Makes History

Jan 30, 2026

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8 min read

$1,600 Property Tax Seizure, Bitter Cold Winds, and Kane Makes History

The U.S. Supreme Court will hear a case involving an Isabella County couple who lost their home over a $1,600 property tax dispute

Joe Staton
Joe Staton
Ice Bridge Opens, Immigrants Facing Deportation, and 100-Year Ice Cream Contest

Jan 29, 2026

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7 min read

Ice Bridge Opens, Immigrants Facing Deportation, and 100-Year Ice Cream Contest

For a limited time, the international ice bridge connecting part of Drummond Island in the U.S. to St. Joseph Island in Canada is now open

Joe Staton
Joe Staton
$353 Million I-94 Revamp, High School NIL Approved, and Black Bear Escape

Jan 28, 2026

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7 min read

$353 Million I-94 Revamp, High School NIL Approved, and Black Bear Escape

The Michigan Department of Transportation is set to break ground on a 13-mile, $353 million restoration of I-94 between Dearborn and Romulus.

Joe Staton
Joe Staton
Detroit News Acquired, Oldest Fire Station, and House of Ludington Demolished

Jan 27, 2026

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8 min read

Detroit News Acquired, Oldest Fire Station, and House of Ludington Demolished

The Detroit News was acquired by USA Today, Inc., the co-owner of the Detroit Free Press, the company announced on Monday

Joe Staton
Joe Staton
Top-Ranked Wineries, Record-Breaking Cold, and ICE Shooting Response

Jan 26, 2026

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8 min read

Top-Ranked Wineries, Record-Breaking Cold, and ICE Shooting Response

Multiple Northern Michigan Wineries were named winners in nationally-acclaimed San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition

Joe Staton
Joe Staton
Arctic Blast Arrives, Presidents Visit Michigan, and DOJ Sues Over Eggs

Jan 23, 2026

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7 min read

Arctic Blast Arrives, Presidents Visit Michigan, and DOJ Sues Over Eggs

A blast of Arctic air is set to hit the entire state of Michigan this weekend, with wind chills reaching as low as 48 degrees below zero

Joe Staton
Joe Staton
Traverse Airport Expansion, Detroiter Makes Super Bowl, and Dangerous Cold Temps

Jan 22, 2026

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8 min read

Traverse Airport Expansion, Detroiter Makes Super Bowl, and Dangerous Cold Temps

Traverse City’s Cherry Capital Airport (TVC) is set to add a new $120 million terminal after a record 935,816 passengers visited the airport last year, a 19 percent increase over the previous record of 787,114

Joe Staton
Joe Staton
87-Year-Old Elk Hunter, Michigan Beach Ranked, and More Kids Swearing

Jan 21, 2026

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8 min read

87-Year-Old Elk Hunter, Michigan Beach Ranked, and More Kids Swearing

An 87-year-old man was among Michigan hunters that claimed 153 elk this hunting season

Joe Staton
Joe Staton
Ice Balls Sent Flying, Northern Lights Shine, and Pistons Achieve Milestone

Jan 20, 2026

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8 min read

Ice Balls Sent Flying, Northern Lights Shine, and Pistons Achieve Milestone

Michiganders captured remarkable footage of some of Mother Nature’s most violent behavior around the state

Joe Staton
Joe Staton
The Mitten Hits 1,000 Readers, Whiteout Conditions Expected, and Fastest Growing Home Prices,

Jan 19, 2026

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8 min read

The Mitten Hits 1,000 Readers, Whiteout Conditions Expected, and Fastest Growing Home Prices,

After launching just three months ago, we are proud and humble to have surpassed 1,000 loyal and engaged readers of our weekday newsletter! 😀

Joe Staton
Joe Staton
Frozen Sand Sculptures, Dangerous Roundabouts Ranked, and Arctic Air Coming

Jan 16, 2026

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8 min read

Frozen Sand Sculptures, Dangerous Roundabouts Ranked, and Arctic Air Coming

Miniature sand sculptures were captured on video following freezing winds on the shores of Lake Michigan

Joe Staton
Joe Staton
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