Booth Newspapers' Sarah Kellogg leads her thoughtful piece with "Gov. Jennifer Granholm may soon have to decide which is a higher priority in her administration: protecting Michigan's environment, or reviving the state's struggling economy." Read the analysis.
Sounds kind of like a lose-lose choice...here's hoping the Governor can find a (c) Both of the Above option.

GM Employee Discount Program a Huge Success
The Detroit News reports that General Motors' employee-discount-for-everyone sale appears to have delivered the automaker's best sales month in nearly four years. Some analysts predict that June sales will be up 30% over June 2004 and GM's share of the U.S. auto market could rise to 30%.

2005 Michigan Cool Cities Grants Announced
The Muskegon Chronicle reports that Grand Haven and Whitehall received technical assistance grants to put together marketing programs for their downtowns. Other Cool Cities grants went to Ann Arbor, East Lansing, Kalamazoo, Lansing, Traverse City and four projects in Detroit.
Michigan Cool Cities for details on all projects receiving funding

Grant to Fund Migrant Farm Worker Census
The Detroit Free Press reports that a $30,000 federal grant will fund a census of the state's migrant farm workers. 45,000-125,000 farm workers come to Michigan every year to harvest the state's crops of strawberries, asparagus, blueberries, apples and other produce and social service agencies hope the census will provide a more precise figure.
Michigan Migrant & Seasonal Farm Worker Program (for farm job postings, grower profiles & migrant services information)
Also see Vistas del Campo (Migrant Children's Perspectives)

Gambling Interests Top 2004 Election Spending
The Detroit Free Press reports that an analysis of Michigan's 2004 election by the Lansing-based Michigan Campaign Finance Network found that Michigan political campaign spending topped $120 million in the 2004 cycle. Gambling was the big ticket item with 5 casino owners and 6 horse racing tracks spending a total of $27 million on opposing sides of Proposal 1.
Michigan Campaign Finance Network

Trail a Victim of Popularity
The Mining Journal reports that the popularity of the Blueberry Ridge Pathway (Sands Township in Marquette County) is taking a toll on the trail. Even thought the heaviest use occurs is by cross country skiers and snowshoers, warm-weather users like hikers, runners, mountain bikers and horseback riders are causing significant erosion.

Read More (external link) »