Republican candidates for Michigan's open Senate seat told the Detroit News last week that they support in vitro fertilization, but Democratic rivals are skeptical.

Why it matters: IVF is top of mind for many after the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos created through IVF are children under state law, Axios' Carly Mallenbaum writes.

• In vitro fertilization accounted for 1.9% of all births in Michigan in 2021, according to the most recent CDC data.

By the numbers: Michigan had 2,015 babies born in 2021 with the use of assisted reproductive technologies like IVF, according to the CDC.

• More than 4,000 embryo transfers were performed in order to get that number of infants.

The intrigue: Michigan Republican candidates for Senate — Mike Rogers, Peter Meijer and Justin Amash — all told the Detroit News they don't believe in restrictions on IVF.

• Meijer and Rogers signed onto versions of the Life at Conception Act during their time in Congress, which advocates say would limit certain aspects of IVF treatments.

Yes, but: Both said they wouldn't support legislation that would restrict IVF.

The other side: "My Republican opponents' records on abortion and IVF are public for everyone to see, and the hypocrisy is hard to stomach," U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin, who's also running for Senate, tells Axios.

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With an ongoing educator shortage, Michigan has invested nearly $1 billion over the last two years in recruiting more teachers.

Driving the news: Advocates and parents are now saying lawmakers must do more to retain and support teachers of color who work in communities experiencing high rates of poverty, Chalkbeat Detroit reports.

• Suggestions made last week during a meeting of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on PreK-12 were higher pay, culturally responsive support and stipends for teachers in districts with retention problems.
• Students of color have improved attendance and outcomes when taught by a diverse group of educators, research shows.

By the numbers: Michigan had a teacher retention rate of 73% during the 2021-22 school year, according to the most recent state data.

• But the retention rate for Black teachers was 59%.

Context: The state has focused mostly on recruiting future teachers with less funding going toward retaining them, Renee Morse with nonprofit Launch Michigan said during the hearing.

• "Of the $1 billion investments in the teacher workforce the past two fiscal years, approximately 9.8% has been focused on teacher retention," she said.

Zoom in: Angela Wilson-Turnbull of the Michigan Education Justice Coalition asked the committee for $600,000 to fund a research study on teacher retention and recruitment for Black and brown educators in districts with high concentrations of poverty.

• The coalition also asked for $15 million to fund a "culturally responsive education toolkit" to address the racial disparities of Black students' outcomes.

Read Chalkbeat's full story

⚕️ Michigan is among 16 states where Medicaid covers the cost of newly in-demand weight loss drugs. (Bridge Michigan)

The EPA is helping clean up the Clinton Township vape supplier that exploded last week, with debris striking and killing a 19-year-old. (Crain's)

The Gaza war is a heavy weight for Muslims in Metro Detroit as Ramadan begins this week, lasting through early April. (Detroit News)

A snazzy bungalow in the historic Green Acres neighborhood just went on the market.

What they're saying: Houses like this don't go up for sale in Green Acres often, listing agent Austin Black II tells Axios — a relative scarcity that's reflected in the price.

20429 Lichfield Road, $250,000

State of play: The house has three bedrooms, two full bathrooms, an updated kitchen, a living room fireplace and a whole-house water filtration system.

• It's located near 8 Mile Road, between Woodward Avenue and Livernois.
• The sellers made updates over recent years and are moving for more space, Black says.

💭 Joe's thought bubble: I live just across 8 Mile in Ferndale and love the location. Woodward and the surrounding highways make it easy to get pretty much anywhere in the metro. Restaurants, grocery stores and other shops are within walking or biking distance.

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Hi, it's Sam, your friendly neighborhood juice drinker!

• I went to Prince Valley Market and found this simple delight.

The intrigue: Four ingredients deliver a sweet, rich flavor for $4.49: water, mango, pineapple and sugar.

The bottom line: I'm going back to try the other flavors because this is one of the best juices I've had.

• Is it just me, or is fresh and affordable juice that isn't overloaded with sugar harder to find these days?