Faced with choices between fixing roads or paying less in taxes, Michigan voters overwhelmingly opted for smoother streets in the Aug. 3 election. They also opened their wallets for fire and police departments, for senior citizens and libraries.
Across the state, voters approved 86 percent of the 623 ballot proposals affecting how much they would pay in taxes or, in a few cases, fees, according to a Center for Michigan analysis. They OK'd 96 percent of the requests to either renew taxes or restore rates that had been reduced by the Headlee amendment in the Michigan Constitution.
And perhaps most surprising: They supported to 69 percent of the proposals that were flat-out tax increases.
Should Violent War Game Videos Be Regulated Just Like Hard Core Pornography?
(Christine)
From Thom Hartmann's blog -
This new Afghanistan war game raises two questions. The first, of course, is whether it's appropriate for a major corporation to be giving our children an opportunity to play the role of Taliban killing American soldiers. The second and larger issue, is whether these games of violence - which were first developed three decades ago by the US military to help train US soldiers learn to overcome the cultural prohibition against killing - should be considered as neurologically dangerous to young and developing minds as hard core pornography.
Michigan's unemployment rate has continued its downward trend, dropping a tenth of a percent to 13.1 percent in the latest monthly figures.
State officials said Wednesday that Michigan added 20,000 manufacturing jobs in July, most tied to the auto industry.
July's seasonally adjusted jobless rate was a full point lower than the July 2009 state rate of 14.2 percent, but remained significantly above the national rate of 9.5 percent.
Automakers and suppliers cut back on the usual summer retooling layoffs due to increased demand and low inventories.
Republicans who control the Michigan Senate again have rejected several appointments from Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm.
The appointments rejected 21-17 today mostly along party lines include Granholm nominees for the Northern Michigan University and Grand Valley State University governing boards.
Fordson Gridders Juggle Training Camp and Ramadan
(Snarky Anderson)
The next time a right-winger brands all Muslims as anti-American, show him or her this story about Dearborn Fordson High School's football team, most of whose players are Muslim.
Because Ramadan--which requires observant Muslims to abstain from food and drink during the day--overlaps training camp, Fordson's players are holding their two-a-day practices to 11 pm to 4 am.
By the way, the Fordson Tractors play good ball. They're coming off a one-loss season.
Senior citizens and those soon facing retirement can rest easier thanks to President Obama and Democrats. Via Huffington Post:
The new health care law has significantly improved the prognosis for Medicare, extending the life of its trust fund by 12 years until 2029, and thereby delaying any need for dramatic changes in benefits or revenues, according to a new report.
The annual check-up from government actuaries overseeing the nation's two central safety-net programs also found that Social Security continues to be much less of a problem than Medicare, and will remain in strong financial shape at least through 2037.
The Medicare report concluded the "financial outlook for the Medicare program is substantially improved as a result of the far-reaching changes in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act."
“Pink Slip” Jobs Tour comes to Detroit
(Christine)
To help local residents in Detroit, Virgin Mobile is partnering with JobsDirectUSA to host a Pink Slip Party that allows job seekers to connect with recruiters of companies looking to hire and network in a relaxed and casual environment - think speed dating for the unemployed.
Job seekers and recruiters/company representatives will be identified by different color nametags making it easier to mingle with the right people. The so-called party for the unemployed is the most fun and laid-back job interview most who attend will ever experience.
The Pink Slip Party is free and will be open to the general public. Job seekers are encouraged to dress to impress, bring copies of their resume and be ready to network. All hiring companies in the Greater Minneapolis area are also encouraged to attend.
Thursday, July 22, 2010 from 4 - 8 p.m. MGM Grand - Int Ice, 777 Third Street, Detroit, MI
Huge wind turbines could pop up in Manistee farmlands in 2012, generating enough electricity to power 30,000 homes, while employing nearly 300 workers in a rural county hard hit by the recession.
Duke Energy of Charlotte, North Carolina, has been quietly contacting farmers in Manistee and Benzie counties to see if they would be willing to lease land for the Gail Windpower Project, which would consist of 56 wind turbines capable of generating 101 megawatts of clean, renewable electricity. The first phase of the project will encompass approximately 8,000 acres of land in Manistee County, primarily around Arcadia and Pleasanton.
Michigan Joins Midwestern States in New Suit Over Asian Carp
(wizardkitten)
Doubtful that this lawsuit will make any difference, but maybe it's worth a try...
Despite being rebuffed twice by the U.S. Supreme Court, five states filed suit today with a lower federal court demanding tougher federal and municipal action to prevent Asian carp from overrunning the Great Lakes and decimating their fishing industry.
Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Minnesota and Pennsylvania said in their complaint the situation had become more dire since a live bighead carp was found last month in a Chicago-area waterway only 6 miles from Lake Michigan - well past an electric barrier designed to block the voracious fish's path.
If this suit fails as well, then maybe it's time to stop with the lawsuits and start thinking about directing our money and efforts at other ways of dealing with the problem.
Our team of journalists today kicks off 17 consecutive days of exploration of the lifeblood of this community (and many others, as it turns out), the Grand River.
The Press has joined Grand River Expedition 2010 and we're taking you along for what promises to be quite a ride. A 262-mile-long ride, in fact, which makes the Grand Michigan's longest river.
Stories about the river and some great photos from the trip can be found here:
MLive does a pretty good job with this - type in your address, and your primary races appear. Candidate bios, and questions on the issues, can then be compared side-to-side. They also have separate links that list the 382 races and 1079 candidates, if you prefer to look at it that way.
That marked a four-tenths of a percentage point improvement from April's rate, a drop that might mean better days ahead for the state's battered labor markets.
"So far in 2010, Michigan's labor market has stabilized, and some key economic indicators have displayed modest gains," said Rick Waclawek, director of the state's Bureau of Labor Market Information and Strategic Initiatives.
Granholm, MEDC Announce 10,884 New and Retained Jobs
(wizardkitten)
This month's MEGA credit day contained some healthy announcements, the big ones being Detroit Diesel and Fisher choosing Michigan over Mexico, and Gordon Foods on the west side moving some jobs back from Canada.
Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today announced that the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) is helping 10 companies grow in Michigan and backing three brownfield redevelopment projects. Combined, the 13 projects are expected to create and retain 10,884 jobs (1,001 direct new jobs) and generate $382.5 million in new investment in the state.
"We're continuing to work hard to diversify Michigan's economy, bring new investment to the state and create jobs," Granholm said. "Companies are choosing to invest in Michigan because of our competitive business climate, skilled workforce and strong public-private partnerships."
Other states in the running for these jobs included Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Virginia, Florida and Alabama. Whenever someone says "picking winners and losers", keep in mind that, for these companies, we won.
Dr. Ed Montgomery helped get this state through a tough time, acting as facilitator between auto makers, parts suppliers, communities, and the WH's efforts to aid the same. The go-to guy on grants, he was vital in keeping a lot of jobs right here at home.
The Obama administration's auto communities' recovery czar is stepping down after 15 months on the job.
Ed Montgomery, who was named dean of the school of public policy at Georgetown University last week, served as the administration's point man for bringing aid to battered auto industry communities as two major domestic automakers sought bankruptcy protection last year.
"Over the last year, Ed has crisscrossed the country in a tireless effort to cut through red tape and speed the economic recovery for those hit hardest by the auto industry's struggles," President Barack Obama said in a statement today. "The results of his efforts have been felt in auto towns across America -- from the factories being put back to use years ahead of schedule to the workers retraining for jobs in emerging industries."
Thanks for the help Dr. Montgomery, and all the best on your new career.
Kwame Kilpatrick will not be going to prison boot camp, Wayne County Circuit Judge David Groner ruled today.
Groner told the Michigan Department of Corrections that he will not approve putting the former Detroit mayor in an intensive military-style program that would automatically grant him parole if he successfully completed the 90-day program.
A general population program would prove too tricky in the case of a convict with such notoriety, one would imagine...
Texas Township Republican Jack Hoogendyk will officially kick off his campaign Saturday to challenge incumbent U.S. Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, in the Aug. 3 primary.
Hoogendyk will have a joint rally with Tea Party leaders from across Michigan at his first stop Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon at Dyckman Park near the farmers market in downtown South Haven.
Career politicians indeed. It would be funny if it weren't so hypocritical and tragic.
Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers of Brighton appears set to run unopposed in the November election for Congress.
A potential Democratic challenger ended his campaign today. Kande Ngalamulume says in a statement there doesn't appear to be enough interest within the political establishment and many constituents in the district to replace Rogers in Congress.
Neither Rogers or Ngalamulume was to face an opponent in the August primary.
Time for activist Dems from the 8th to head on down to the 7th and pitch in for Schauer...
Michigan Motion Picture Studios L.L.C. film studio got final approval for $28 million in bond financing, the last hurdle to build a major film complex at General Motors Co. Centerpoint Business Campus in Pontiac.
The board of the Oakland County Economic Development Corp. gave final approval this morning of the bond.
"It's a green light, it's a go," said Mary Langhauser, Oakland Co. supervisor for financial services, who attended the meeting.
Michigan Motion Picture Studios intends to build a new 185,000-square-foot building in addition to renovation of the current GM structure. The overall project will cost an estimated $60 million.
Maybe the chatter against the film industry will start to decrease now...
Consumers Delays Bay County Coal Plant
(wizardkitten)
So, will Pete Hoekstra, Andy Dillon, and various House Republicans complain to Consumers about this?
Any bets? Anyone?
Consumers Energy says it will delay the construction of a new coal-fired power plant in Michigan's Bay County.
Utility officials say Thursday the delay is caused by a number of factors, including reduced customer demand for electricity and expected lower prices for natural gas.
The utility says the project is not being canceled. But the time frame for the delay has not been specified.
Demand is sure to pick up again as the economy recovers. If we are lucky, Consumers use this delay to change course and create those construction jobs in renewable energy sources instead of coal.
Click Your Mouse, Plant a Tree in Michigan
(wizardkitten)
Last year this generated $50,000 towards planting trees in Michigan. Let's try and beat that...
Thanks to a partnership with Odwalla, Michigan is once again gearing up to plant trees. Beginning on May 25, 2010, you can visit www.odwalla.com/plantatree, and place a vote for Michigan.
How it Works
After registering on the Odwalla website, you can choose the State in which you want Odwalla to plant a tree. For every Michigan vote received, Odwalla will donate $1 toward trees for Michigan State Parks and Recreation Areas. There is no contribution required. Last year, Michigan received over $50,000 from Odwalla. This money was used to purchase trees for some of the State Parks and Recreation Areas that have been heavily impacted by the Emerald Ash borer, and other exotic forest pests. This year, Michigan will continue replanting efforts in these heavily impacted areas.
Hit the "start here" button - it's easier that clicking around. You can also connect with your Facebook account. Other than that, all they require is an e-mail and a birth date.
