The
Associated Press (AP) selected the top 10 news stories in Michigan as follows:[1]
Court-ordered busing in the
Pontiac public schools (AP-1);
An order by federal judge
Stephen Roth finding that the Detroit public schools were segregated by law, triggering concerns that he might order cross-district busing as a remedy (AP-2);
The Michigan Legislature's reducing the age of adulthood to 18 (AP-3);
A Supreme Court decision banning public aid to parochial schools (AP-4);
The Michigan Legislature's adoption of a 50% increase in the state income tax (AP-5);
Gov.
William Milliken's plan to change the source of education funding by cutting local property taxes and raising the state income tax (AP-6);
The Michigan Legislature's reduction of penalties for drug possession (AP-7);
The debate concerning the state's budget which totaled more than $2 billion (AP-8);
An explosion on December 11 in a water tunnel being built under
Lake Huron near
Port Huron resulted when methane gas built up and caused the deaths of 21 workers (AP-9); and
A court challenge to the constitutionality of the property tax as a mechanism for funding education (AP-10).
The AP also selected the state's top 10 sports stories as follows:[2]
The death of
Detroit Lions wide receiver
Chuck Hughes after collapsing on the field with a heart attack during a game;
In the
1970 United States census, Michigan was recorded as having a population of 8,875,083 persons, ranking as the seventh most populous state in the country. By 1980, the state's population had grown 4.4% to 9,262,078 persons.
Cities
The following is a list of cities in Michigan with a population of at least 70,000 based on 1970 U.S. Census data. Historic census data from 1960 and 1980 is included to reflect trends in population increases or decreases. Cities that are part of the Detroit metropolitan area are shaded in tan.
The following is a list of counties in Michigan with populations of at least 120,000 based on 1970 U.S. Census data. Historic census data from 1960 and 1980 are included to reflect trends in population increases or decreases. Counties that are part of the Detroit metropolitan area are shaded in tan.
1971 Detroit Lions season – The Lions, under head coach
Joe Schmidt, compiled a 7–6–1 record and finished in second place in the NFL's Central Division. The team's statistical leaders included
Greg Landry with 2,237 passing yards,
Steve Owens with 1,035 rushing yards,
Earl McCullouch with 552 receiving yards, and
Errol Mann with 103 points scored.[6]
Albums released by Michigan acts and/or recorded in Michigan in 1971 included the following:
Chronology of events
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
December 11 - An explosion in a water tunnel being built under
Lake Huron near
Port Huron resulted when methane gas built up and caused the deaths of 21 workers.
Births
January 17 -
Kid Rock, recording artist, in Detroit
February 2 -
Jase Bolger, 71st Speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives (2011-2014), in Grand Rapids
August 23 -
Gretchen Whitmer, 49th Governor of Michigan, in Lansing