Hey! Check out this Historic Look at Grand Marais from Michigan History Magazine!

Miller Seeks Federal Study of Great Lakes Water Loss
The Detroit Free Press reports that US Rep. Candice Miller has proposed a $2.5-million federal study to determine if St. Clair River erosion has permanently lowered Great Lakes water levels. An engineering study commissioned by a homeowners group concluded earlier this year that lakes Michigan and Huron have permanently lost a foot of water since 1970.
Read Miller seeks federal study of erosion link to lakes' water loss in the Freep

Michigan 2nd in Corporate Expansion for 2004
Crain's Detroit Business reports that Michigan ranked 2nd in the nation (behind only Texas) for corporate expansions and locations (up from 5th in 2003) according to Site Selection magazine. In 2004, the Michigan Economic Development Corp. recorded 653 projects, a nearly 46 percent increase over 448 for '03.

Arguments for Increasing Tourism Spending
The Oakland Press has an editorial advocating that Michigan invest more (not less) in tourism. They have some compelling figures including that tourism in Michigan is a $16 billion industry (roughly the same as agriculture, behind manufacturing). The industry also employs the equivalent of 173,000 full-time Michigan workers who earn $3.8 billion per year. Despite all that, spending on tourism is only half the national average.

Sweet Science
The Detroit News has a feature on this weekend's Cranbrook Institute of Science's annual Maple Syrup Festival. Families can see syrup being made in the Institute's longhouse by re-enactors dressed as French fur trader who talk about the Native American way to make maple syrup and how they taught Michigan's French settlers.

First Winter Guests Check In
The Detroit Free Press reports that Michigan's landmark hotel, the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, has opened 2 months earlier in an effort to secure the hundreds of foreign laborers required for operations. Federal law limits to the number of visas issued to foreign nationals who take seasonal jobs in the US and employers cannot apply for the visas until 120 days before they need the workers.

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