AGP Executive Report

Data Center Backlash: A new on-the-ground look at why Americans are turning against AI data centers points to unusually broad, bipartisan opposition in Michigan and Wisconsin, with local moratoriums and community pushback rising as residents question energy and water demands. Local Governance & Energy Costs: In the Upper Midwest, comedian Charlie Berens joined northern Michigan residents opposing hyperscale AI data centers, arguing big tech narratives don’t match local needs. Michigan Economy & Jobs: A fresh jobs-report discussion warns the labor market is weakening, with hiring slowing and revisions muddying the picture. Manufacturing & Batteries: EVgo opened a Detroit-area flagship fast-charging site with GM support, signaling continued buildout of charging infrastructure. Cross-Border Trade: The Gordie Howe International Bridge opened, adding a major new Canada-U.S. link via I-75 and Highway 401. Public Funding: Michigan will receive $25 million in AmeriCorps investment and matching support for nearly 950 service members statewide. Business & Policy: A Detroit Free Press analysis argues Michigan’s corporate subsidy strategy has underdelivered on promised job creation. Markets: Gold slipped after recent gains as investors watched Fed and inflation signals.

Energy & Industry: Indiana Michigan Power is weighing a natural-gas replacement at its Rockport plant and is also exploring nuclear options via federal grants, a move local officials say could protect jobs and tax revenue. AI & Finance: Wall Street banks are tightening scrutiny on data-center deals as community opposition grows, pushing lenders to favor projects with smoother permitting and stronger local support. Utilities: Michigan’s utility regulator is proposing an end to the cycle of frequent electric rate cases for DTE and Consumers, aiming to lower bills and shift incentives tied to new infrastructure. Housing & Growth: A new report from the Insights Association says the U.S. insights and analytics sector grew 7.8% to $89.3B in 2025, with AI-driven “transformation” driving demand. Local Business & Consumer Risk: BBB Scam Tracker data shows Coopersville and other Michigan cities with multiple scam reports in June, underscoring ongoing fraud losses. Public Health: Mid-Michigan’s drug report finds 48 drug-related deaths in the first quarter of 2026, with more stimulant use and stimulant-opioid mixing. Community & Culture: Romeo Theater in Macomb County will close mid-September after 40 years, citing post-pandemic viewing shifts and declining attendance.

Defense & Procurement: The U.S. Army is opening five test ranges in Michigan and other states (plus Morocco) to private defense firms via an online request system, aiming to cut weapons testing delays from 12–18 months to within 30 days—an effort tied to faster drone/counter-drone development and the Pentagon’s strained stockpiles. Michigan Food & Safety: Taylor Farms recalled jalapeño-linked products after Salmonella concerns tied to a multistate outbreak; the company says it has stopped sourcing from the implicated supplier. State Support for Local Business: Michigan named 11 farm businesses from five farmers markets for its inaugural Farmers to Markets program, pairing them with marketing help to boost local sales. Entrepreneurship Funding: Southwest Michigan First will distribute a $930,000 grant to expand coaching and capital-readiness support for entrepreneurs across a seven-county region. Retail Expansion: MEDASE Cocktails is rolling out its zero-proof drinks into 25 Giant Eagle and Market District stores across Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania. Healthcare Costs: A KFF Health News report highlights how hospital consolidation can drive big price gaps for the same knee surgery. Regulatory Action: Michigan suspended a Northern Michigan University truck driving school after alleged compliance violations, including recordkeeping and permit checks. Economy Watch: AAA says Michigan gas prices fell 21 cents from last week, averaging $4.15/gal.

Michigan Politics: Progressive newcomer Abdul El-Sayed won Michigan’s Democratic U.S. Senate primary, knocking off Rep. Haley Stevens backed by party leadership and heavy outside spending; now the campaign is focused on unity and holding the Trump administration “accountable” with subpoena power, while national Democrats and allies like Gov. Gavin Newsom signal outside support. Election Money & Messaging: Sen. Bernie Sanders urged Democrats to ban super PAC spending in party primaries, arguing groups like AIPAC distort nominations—setting up a high-stakes fight over who shapes the Michigan race. Healthcare & Business: Henry Ford Health and the University of Michigan sued CVS, alleging the pharmacy giant kept about $95 million from a federal drug pricing program meant to help indigent and uninsured patients. Food & Consumer Safety: The FDA detailed a major cyclospora-linked Taylor Farms recall affecting nearly 240,000 cases of lettuce and naming major retailers and restaurant chains. Manufacturing & Jobs Impact: A study says Trump-era tariffs cost the average Indiana household $2,600 and hit manufacturing jobs—highlighting similar pressure on Michigan’s auto-heavy economy. Local Economy: Detroit microbrewery Brewery Faisan is closing and selling its facility for $1.295 million; in West Michigan, Fox 17 meteorologist Kevin Craig says layoffs and burnout ended his run. Corporate Change: WK Kellogg will remove artificial colors and BHT from its cereal lineup by end of 2026, ahead of schedule.

Politics & Campaigns: Michigan Democrats kicked off the general election with “One Team Michigan,” rallying behind Gov. nominee Jocelyn Benson and U.S. Senate nominee Abdul el-Sayed after his narrow primary win over Haley Stevens, as party leaders pushed unity and cost-lowering themes. Healthcare Costs: A new report highlights how hospital consolidation can drive big price swings, with some systems charging more than double for the same procedure when competition is limited. Water & Cybersecurity: Michigan’s EGLE recommends cybersecurity upgrades for drinking-water utilities, but stresses assessments aren’t mandatory—raising questions about how prepared smaller systems are after recent attacks. Defense & Tech: The U.S. Army selected Camp Grayling and Michigan’s National All-Domain Warfighting Center as one of four private-industry drone test sites, aiming to speed up experimentation alongside military needs. Local Business & Housing: A former Harbor Country elementary school is now a completed 17-unit apartment complex, showing how communities are trying to address workforce housing shortages. Sports Business: Jahmyr Gibbs finalized a $67.5M Lions extension, while Detroit’s Tigers close an interleague trip with a pitchers’ duel matchup.

Cybersecurity & Utilities: Michigan regulators opened a new comment round on a straw proposal that would tighten how DTE and Consumers Energy face incentives and penalties tied to grid reliability, with the goal of better customer outcomes as EVs and distributed energy grow. Elections & Business Climate: Michigan Democrats kicked off the general election with “One Team Michigan” in Detroit, rallying behind U.S. Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed as polling shows him trailing Mike Rogers in several surveys. Public Safety & Local Economy: Durand moved toward legal action to force urgent cleanup at Durand Union Station after worsening rodent, bat, and bird droppings raised health concerns for tenants and visitors. State Oversight: The Michigan Department of State suspended a Marquette truck driving school over recordkeeping and student-document violations, halting classroom and range instruction. Detroit Spotlight: Prosecutors charged former Detroit firefighter Eric Dwayne Anderson with a string of arsons and robberies, including a break-in and theft from a firehouse. Sports Business: The Detroit Lions locked in Jahmyr Gibbs with a three-year, $67.5M extension, ending a stressful negotiation and boosting the team’s offensive stability.

Fed Independence Fight: Trump renewed his push to remove Fed Gov. Lisa Cook, demanding she respond to mortgage-fraud allegations tied to primary-residence claims—another test of central-bank independence. Michigan Politics & Unity: Michigan Democrats kicked off general-election campaigning after a bruising Senate primary that crowned Abdul El-Sayed, with party leaders urging unity heading into November. Citizen Suits Under Threat: Right-leaning legal groups backed by Elon Musk’s AI company and the Trump administration are challenging “citizen suit” enforcement tools that let private groups sue over major violations, with environmental enforcement and Flint-style remedies at stake. Defense & Procurement: The U.S. Army opened test ranges to small private companies to speed development of missiles, drones and other weapons. Jobs & Markets: U.S. employers cut 23,000 jobs in July, a reversal that lifted stocks but complicates the economic narrative. Local Business & Finance: Honor Bank opened a new commercial lending center in Ludington to expand local financing for businesses. Education Policy: University of Michigan LSA plans to hide first-semester grades for incoming freshmen starting fall 2027 under a pass/no-credit approach aimed at mental health.

Fed Independence Fight: Trump renewed efforts to fire Federal Reserve Gov. Lisa Cook after a Supreme Court ruling, citing proper-notice steps while Cook’s camp calls the mortgage-fraud claims baseless. Michigan Politics & Business Climate: A veteran Clinton-era attorney says he’s “jumping ship” to back GOP Senate nominee Mike Rogers, underscoring how the El-Sayed vs. Rogers race is turning into a national-style business-and-policy test. Local Lending Expansion: Honor Bank opened a new Commercial Lending Center in downtown Ludington to boost access to commercial real estate, equipment, lines of credit and construction lending for regional firms. Grid Capacity for Growth: West Michigan leaders are weighing whether transmission upgrades like the proposed Copperton Project can support power-hungry data centers. Sports Contracts With Michigan Ties: The Detroit Lions locked in Jahmyr Gibbs with a record-setting running back extension, while Tarik Skubal again said he’d like to return to Detroit long term. Markets Watch: Gold jumped after weak jobs data, with investors recalibrating rate expectations. Disaster Relief Deadline: SBA reminded Michigan businesses and residents to apply for low-interest disaster loans by Aug. 31.

Michigan Politics & Elections: Progressive Abdul El-Sayed won Michigan’s Democratic U.S. Senate primary, immediately setting up a unity test inside the party as Democrats try to bridge pro- and anti-Israel factions ahead of the general election. Sports Betting & Courts: A federal judge denied Coinbase’s bid to block Michigan from enforcing its sports-betting rules, keeping the state’s authority in place while the broader federal-vs-state fight continues. Auto & Detroit Economy: Rocket Companies reported stronger Q2 results and said it gained market share despite a tough spring housing market; separately, Detroit’s Spirit Airlines collapse at Evans Terminal is hitting small airport-area businesses by cutting foot traffic. Great Lakes Energy: The 7th Circuit upheld that Enbridge’s Line 5 pipeline trespasses on Bad River reservation land, while giving the company more time to reroute. Public Health: Michigan’s cyclosporiasis outbreak has surged past 12,000 cases with two deaths, though new guidance is easing as the peak exposure period appears to pass. Business & Compliance: A Michigan industrial-lubricants firm, Condat, agreed to pay $1.8 million to settle False Claims Act allegations tied to ineligible PPP loan certifications. Labor & Policy: Michigan unemployment law changes expand appeal consolidation and increase access to financial hardship waivers. Trade & Manufacturing: The U.S. moved against polysilicon with price floors and a 15% tariff, drawing sharp criticism from Chinese experts as trade protectionism. Sports Business: The Tigers traded Tarik Skubal to the Dodgers and also dealt Casey Mize, a move framed as value capture before contracts expire.

Food Safety: Michigan says cyclosporiasis reports and ER visits are declining, so its broad advice to avoid bagged salad mixes is no longer in effect, though the state has logged 12,485 cases and two deaths. Public Health & Consumer Risk: The outbreak remains tied to iceberg lettuce linked to Taylor Farms recalls, with national case counts still rising in other states. State Politics & Welfare Policy: Michigan House Speaker Matt Hall is pressing for answers on the $300M+ Rx Kids maternal health program, arguing it shifted from prenatal care into a broader guaranteed-income approach. Detroit Governance & Ethics: A Detroit city lawyer at the center of a Lear tax-break deal is drawing conflict-of-interest scrutiny after reports he also sits on the company’s board while holding top city roles. Media Business: Cumulus Media says it’s cutting some staff at its podcast network but insists the Cumulus Podcast Network is still operating with dozens of team members. Sports Business: The Detroit Lions extended Jahmyr Gibbs with a three-year, up to $75.7M deal, making him the NFL’s highest-paid running back. Banking & Regulation: Michigan is among states weighing in as AGs urge federal regulators to block Opportunity Financial’s bid to merge into a national bank charter.

Michigan Senate race: Progressive Abdul El-Sayed narrowly won the Democratic primary for Michigan’s open U.S. Senate seat, beating Haley Stevens and setting up a November showdown with Republican Mike Rogers; the win is already reshaping party strategy and messaging as Democrats try to unify after a bitter, high-spending fight. Consumer protection: Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel reissued a consumer alert on data breaches, urging residents to act fast on compromised accounts and pushing lawmakers to require quicker breach notifications. Healthcare real estate: Henry Ford Health is exploring Cadillac Place as a possible administrative headquarters, weighing space needs as it plans a Detroit New Center hospital. Local business/healthcare growth: Mentavi Health hired Leslie Stahlin as an account executive to expand partnerships and growth. Education policy: University of Michigan’s LSA will pilot pass/no credit for first-semester incoming students starting fall 2027 to reduce grade anxiety and help students acclimate. Ag/industry expansion: Fairlife broke ground on a Coopersville expansion expected to add 245,000 square feet, new production lines, and about 200 jobs, with more milk sourced from Michigan dairies. Sports-business crossover: The MLB trade deadline’s biggest move—Tarik Skubal to the Dodgers—kept Detroit’s offseason conversation focused on what the Tigers got back and what it means for the next competitive window.

Democratic shake-up with big business implications: Abdul El-Sayed narrowly won Michigan’s Democratic U.S. Senate primary over Rep. Haley Stevens, setting up a November matchup with GOP Sen. Mike Rogers and turning the race into a referendum on corporate influence, cost of living, and U.S. support for Israel. Political spending and market signals: The contest drew massive outside spending, including heavy crypto-linked PAC activity that helped shape other Michigan primaries, while Republicans immediately tried to frame El-Sayed as too far left for swing voters. Detroit school funding vote: Detroit voters approved the DPSCD operating millage switch, clearing a path for about $112 million in 2026 revenue for general operations—paid via non-homestead levies. Energy and jobs risk: Michigan Supreme Court setbacks to Enbridge’s Line 5 plan renew uncertainty for a major infrastructure project tied to energy policy and regional economic planning. Auto industry tie-up: GM and SAIC extended their China joint venture through 2047, underscoring how Michigan’s auto supply chain remains exposed to global EV competition and trade restrictions. Local economy and infrastructure: Southwest Michigan Regional Airport secured a 10-year millage renewal, while Benton Harbor advanced a $325,000 Lake Michigan-themed public art project aimed at boosting tourism.

Democratic Senate primary: Progressive Abdul El-Sayed is projected to win Michigan’s razor-thin U.S. Senate nomination over Rep. Haley Stevens, with vote counting still dragging into Wednesday and the margin hovering around a single percentage point—an expensive test of whether the party’s left can win in a more mixed, swing-leaning state. Antitrust & pharma: Michigan AG Dana Nessel joined a coalition of 43 states in a $400 million settlement in principle with Sandoz over alleged generic-drug price-fixing and reduced competition, setting up further state action and a potential 2027 trial. Jobs & rates: ADP reported private hiring far below expectations in July, while the Fed held rates steady amid uncertainty—signals for Michigan employers watching labor demand and borrowing costs. Housing: National Association of Realtors data shows home prices rising faster in Q2 as buyers return despite higher mortgage rates. Workforce development: Northern Lakes Economic Alliance received a $10,000 grant to help employers in Charlevoix and Emmet counties attract and retain workers. Auto industry permitting: EGLE is taking public comments through Aug. 13 on revised air-permit terms for Ford’s BlueOval Battery Park Michigan project in Marshall. Local finance product: Parda Federal Credit Union added Unifimoney to bring more investing and trading options into its online and mobile banking.

Michigan Senate primary: Polls closed statewide in Michigan Tuesday in a high-spending Democratic U.S. Senate showdown between progressive Abdul El-Sayed and moderate Haley Stevens, a fight seen as a referendum on the party’s direction ahead of 2028. Consumer protection: The Michigan Supreme Court struck down a long-running loophole, ruling the Michigan Consumer Protection Act can apply even when a business holds certain licenses—an outcome tied to efforts to curb deceptive pricing. Media jobs: E.W. Scripps cut 268 jobs nationwide as it shifts local TV operations toward streaming, centralized digital production, and automation, including stations in Detroit and Grand Rapids. Food safety: Chipotle shares slid after the company pulled jalapeños from Minnesota stores amid a salmonella outbreak that has spread to more states; Michigan health officials are also monitoring. Cybersecurity: Federal investigators are probing cyberattacks on municipal water systems, including reports tied to Iran-linked activity, raising questions about how vulnerable utilities remain. Local business openings: Metro Detroit saw a wave of new restaurants and cafes in July, including new craft beer and global-inspired dining concepts. Sports-business tie-in: The Tigers’ Tarik Skubal trade to the Dodgers continues to ripple through Detroit’s baseball plans as the team weighs what it did—and didn’t—add at the deadline.

MLB Deadline Fallout: The Tigers’ Tarik Skubal trade to the Dodgers is still reverberating after the deadline, with Detroit brass defending the return—Zyhir Hope, River Ryan and Brady Smith—while other contenders (and stars like Bryce Harper) questioned why Detroit moved a Cy Young-caliber ace. Rural Health Watch: Sturgis Hospital’s switch to the federal Rural Emergency Hospital model didn’t stop decline—ER volume fell and the facility closed anyway—raising fresh alarms about whether the policy can truly keep rural care alive. Democratic Power Struggle: Michigan’s Aug. 4 Senate primary pits progressive Abdul El-Sayed against Rep. Haley Stevens, a test of the party’s direction on Israel, big-money influence, and electability ahead of a must-win general election. Consumer Protection: The Michigan Supreme Court ruling revives consumers’ ability to sue under the Michigan Consumer Protection Act in insulin-pricing investigations, reopening a key enforcement path for the AG. Energy & Industry: Advantage Renewables bought three early-stage Michigan battery storage projects from 5 Rivers Energy, signaling continued grid-reliability investment as AI-driven demand grows. Tech in Healthcare: Mentavi Health expanded coordinated virtual care by integrating with Quest Diagnostics inside DrChrono for faster lab ordering and result review. Business Expansion: Take 5 Oil Change opened its first Chesterfield location, adding quick-service maintenance bays to Metro Detroit.

Auto & Consumer Finance Earnings: Whirlpool reported Q2 results of $75 million net income ($1.15 per share) on $3.52B revenue, missing Wall Street expectations; Jackson Financial posted $655 million net income ($9.16 per share) on $168M revenue (adjusted $2.01B). Sports-Driven Local Economy: The MLB trade deadline’s biggest Michigan headline was Detroit’s Tarik Skubal deal—sent to the Dodgers—followed by a second Tigers move: Casey Mize and Gage Workman to the Padres for Kash Mayfield and Jackson Wolf. Trade Policy & Business Costs: A coalition of 25 states, including Michigan, sued the Trump administration over Section 301 tariffs, arguing the duties are unlawful and used as a forced-labor pretext. Food Access: The Food Bank of Eastern Michigan is expanding into Gaylord with a new satellite warehouse to extend distribution across northern Michigan and into the Upper Peninsula. Politics & Markets: Polling and prediction-market data show Abdul El-Sayed leading Haley Stevens ahead of Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary, while governor primaries set up Benson vs. Swanson and John James vs. Perry Johnson. Community Support: Metro Detroit nonprofits are teaming up to deliver back-to-school backpacks to families facing housing-related hardship.