What's that white stuff falling from the sky this morning???

Deal Reached to Protect 271,000 acres in U.P
The Associated Press reports that two years after losing a bidding war over a mammoth tract of Upper Peninsula timberland, conservationists and state officials have struck a $57.9 million deal that will keep most of the property open for public recreation. The deal is the largest in state history and involves 423 square miles of forests and inland waterways, including more than 300 lakes and 516 miles of rivers and streams. Most of the land is in the northeastern Upper Peninsula, but the deal also includes parcels in Marquette County and near the Porcupine Mountains State Park on the western end.

Governor signs legislation replacing high school MEAP test
The Associated Press reports that Gov. Jennifer Granholm on Wednesday signed bipartisan legislation that will replace the current MEAP high school test in the 2006-07 school year with a version of a college entrance exam, the Michigan Merit Exam.

Storm Hammers Southern Michigan
The first storm of '05 is closing schools, creating driving misery and could leave up to 7 inches of snow in some areas before it tapers off later today.
Freep story on the first winter storm of 2005

Detroit News storm report

Petition for Affirmative Action Ballot Initiative Reaches Goal
The Detroit News reports that the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative whose goal is to ban affirmative action programs in Michigan college admissions and government hiring intends to file petitions today calling for a 2006 ballot proposal.

Naming Michigan's Highways
The Lansing State Journal has a feature on a book that explores the twists and turns of how Michigan's highways and roads. The book "A Drive Down Memory Lane: The Named State and Federal Highways of Michigan" by LeRoy Barnett is available from Wayne State University Press. For example, the Lodge Freeway is named after We have an expressway named after John Lodge, who never owned or drove a car.
Order A Drive Down Memory Lane from WSU Press

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