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All week long, MLive reporters Brian McVicar and Julie Mack have delved into the topic of education in the state as part of our Michigan Beyond series. Among their many articles, they've covered the current state of education with a post about how Michigan's national assessment numbers are slipping. They documented a day in the life of Amber Keathley, a second-grade teacher in Jackson County. They wrote about a Lansing couple who have returned to college in their late 30s, and the struggles they face. The stories have a unifying theme: The importance of a quality education cannot be stressed enough. From children to adults, those with less education consistently fare worse than those with more education. And while there is much to be done to fix Michigan's educational system, the good news is there is much we can do. It might take some work. It might take some time. But most anything worth doing, is worth doing right. MORE
► Education is essential - but expensive - for Michigan's youngest residents
► More Michigan Beyond

Detroit's building boom: Is this the peak or just the beginning?

More than $5 billion is being spent on building construction and rehabilitation projects in Downtown Detroit and the surrounding central business districts. That is a massive number, and doesn't even include projects that are in the proposal stage. The crazy part is that the recent construction boom is only scratching the surface. There are hundreds of buildings and vacant sites within Detroit's core just waiting for the right developer to come along with a vision. So, while the boom is impressive, it is hard not to wonder if we are nearing the end of a short burst, in the beginning of a long-lasting renaissance, or somewhere in the middle of the rebirth of Motown. MORE
► What $5.1B in Detroit building construction looks like
► Detroit's population still falling, Grand Rapids still growing

Democratic candidates for governor agree to primary debates

There's nothing like a good candidate debate to help decide who to vote for in the gubernatorial primary Aug. 7. Republican candidates (Bill Schuette, Brian Calley, Patrick Colbeck and Jim Hines) held their first debate May 9, and have a second debate scheduled for June 28. Democratic candidates (Abdul El-Sayed, Shri Thanedar and Gretchen Whitmer) this week agreed to participate in their first debate June 20, with a second set for July 19. The top three candidates from both parties also have been invited to a debate during next week's Mackinac Policy Conference. MORE

Orlando Magic reportedly interested in hiring Izzo

It really only was a matter of time. According to The Athletic, the Orlando Magic have an interest in hiring Michigan State's Tom Izzo to fill their head coach vacancy. This isn't the first time Izzo has been linked to an NBA team. (Such is the life of a successful college coach.) Of note, the Atlanta Hawks came calling in 2000 and the Cleveland Cavaliers were a major suitor in 2010. When asked about his future in East Lansing earlier this year, Izzo indicated he had no plans to leave MSU. MORE
► Updating MSU's 2019 recruiting board

Game review: 'Detroit: Become Human' a visually arresting romp

Forget that line about children being our future. That's nothing new, and to be honest, fairly self evident. The updated version is: Androids are our future. More startling, perhaps, is the thought: Sentient androids are our future. Such is the premise of the PlayStation 4 game "Detroit: Become Human," which was released today. MLive video game beat reporter Ed Pevos previews the game that is set in Detroit in 2038. A quick takeaway: The storyline is compelling and the graphics are outstanding, but the star of the show is Detroit. MORE