The Detroit Regional LGBT Chamber has expanded statewide, becoming the Michigan Pride Chamber of Commerce.

Why it matters: The group's leaders say that all across this purple state, entrepreneurs need support to grow — whether they're in metropolitan southeast Michigan, the west side of the state or rural country in the UP.

• Expanding statewide builds connections and opportunities for a community that helps drive the state's economy, but has seen its supporters pull back in recent years.

State of play: The chamber's offerings for its members include education, access-to-capital prep, safety and understanding of their identities, and help getting certified as LGBTQ+ owned in order to access new contracting jobs.

• Over the next several years, the chamber will offer its resources further across Southeast Michigan, then to Lansing, Grand Rapids and eventually all the way to the UP.

What they're saying: "Every single city has someone who is LGBT. We know that," founder and executive director Kevin Heard tells Axios.

• "So going statewide is intentional, to bring representation to those areas, to ensure that resources are provided, and we're working with the people already on the ground doing the work [in those cities]."

By the numbers: The chamber started in 2013. By 2019, it had 74 members, per Crain's, and is now at more than 140.

• More LGBTQ+ people have been starting businesses in recent years, making up 10% of all new business ownership in 2024, per research by Gusto.
• The increase coincides with more American adults identifying as LGBTQ+.

Context: Growing its statewide networks also helps the chamber advocate for pro-LGBTQ+ and pro-small business policies with the state Legislature.

• Plus, it's part of efforts to attract more people to move to Michigan as a pro-LGBTQ+ state.

The bottom line: "[LGBTQ+] businesses right now, speaking in the sense of how things are going in the world, need advocacy, need support, need to feel heard, need to feel seen," board vice chair Christina Ware tells Axios.

• "It's a pivotal time for our community, because we need more people that are speaking in rooms that we're not necessarily in."

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In this second consecutive summer of dangerous wildfire smoke, you may already know to wear a mask, reduce outdoor exposure and check AQI levels, but do you know how to create a "clean room" in your house?

Why it matters: Even fairly well-sealed homes can end up with dirty air during these times of "unhealthy" to "very unhealthy" air quality levels.

• Clean rooms can create a haven in your home with better air for all during periods of heightened risk.

The latest: Metro Detroit's air quality has improved since last week, but the potential for unhealthy conditions remains throughout the week, per AirNow.

The intrigue: Young people may think they're less vulnerable, but — along with the elderly, pregnant people and people with breathing complications — they face some of the biggest respiratory risks because lung development continues until about 20-25.

Clean room tips: The EPA recommends choosing a room that can fit everyone in the household, with more pointers below.

• Consider a bedroom with an attached bathroom "because you can close it off from the rest of the house and keep the door closed for long periods of time."
• The room "should be free from activities that create particles such as cooking or smoking, and the doors and windows should be kept closed."
• During these periods, avoid frying, broiling, smoking, using aerosols, candles and vacuuming without a HEPA filter in any part of the home.
• Use a "portable air cleaner that is the right size for the clean room and run it continuously on the highest fan setting." ComEd offers rebates for air purifiers of up to $50. 

Tips for those without AC

🦠 Michigan's cyclosporiasis cases rose to 6,148 since June 22, state health officials reported yesterday. (WDIV)

🛣️ The I-75 cap project's latest details will be shared at a July 30 public meeting at the MSU Detroit Center. (Michigan Chronicle)

⛵ A 105-foot schooner on the Detroit River is helping teach teens local history and environmental lessons through hands-on sailing programs. (BridgeDetroit)

U-M is overhauling its athletics department following an independent review that found weaknesses in accountability, organizational structure, oversight and reporting.

Why it matters: Michigan's athletics department is one of the country's most prominent and influential, making Manuel's departure a pivotal moment in the university's effort to reform it.

Driving the news: U-M president Domenico Grasso said yesterday that athletic director Warde Manuel is stepping down and will remain through the end of the calendar year to help implement reforms.

Catch up quick: The university hired Jenner & Block last year for two reviews — one into former football coach Sherrone Moore's conduct and the other into the athletics department's culture.

Zoom in: The broader review identified interference, poor oversight, failures in accountability, weak reporting systems and concerns about retaliation. Grasso called the findings "unacceptable."

What's next: The university will launch a national search for Manuel's successor.

Even the "cheap seats" at most World Cup games were expensive, with last-minute prices reaching thousands of dollars for some matches.

The big picture: Get-in prices ranged from just over $300 for a group-stage match in Atlanta to nearly $7,500 for Sunday's final in East Rutherford, N.J., per TicketData.

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