It appears that the 1st Annual Motor City Music Conference was a great success.

Military Recruiters Falling Short in Michigan Schools
The Detroit Free Press has an interesting feature on the mission to recruit about 80,000 fresh recruits for the U.S. Army this year, almost 2,400 of them from Michigan that is failing to meet quotas. Little known clause in the No Child Left Behind Act: Every high school that gets federal money must allow military recruiters the same access to students as they give college & job recruiters.
Also see this peripherally related story about the Army-sponsored eCYBERMISSION contest

New Wave in University Housing
The State News has an interesting feature on the rise of gated communities that provide hotel-like living experiences for students with amenities including a 50-seat movie theater, indoor tennis courts, sand volleyball and even a golf simulator. The article also explores the challenges of cities as they try to lure students back to downtown areas.

Oakland County Wireless Internet Plans Unveiled
The Detroit News reports on the reactions of Oakland residents & business leaders as well as technical experts to plans to construct a $50-100 million wireless Internet network to blanket the over 900 square mile county. County leaders propose partnering with private technology firms to build the network using some 2,400 publicly owned access points and pledge that no public monies will be needed.

Michigan Shoreline Access in the Courts
WZZM TV-13 Grand Rapids has a reprint of a Detroit News story (couldn't find it on detnews.com!) that explores how courts increasingly are being asked to settle battles over access to 11,000 inland lakes and four Great Lakes (the second-largest shoreline of any state). Recent interpretations of law from Michigan's courts favor property owners' rights over public interest in water access.

Upper Peninsula Business Leaders Hopeful for 2005 Tourism Rebound
The Soo Evening News reports that two eastern UP business leaders, Sault Area Chamber of Commerce Director Virginia Zinser and St. Ignace Mayor Bruce Dodson, see reasons for a tourist season turnaround after a poor year in 2004. Both voiced the hope that high gasoline prices may bode well rather than ill for the make-or-break summer season as visitors choose to stay in-state.

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