The Freep has a nice photo feature from the Annual Detroit Fireworks display.

Bill Has the Potential to Crush Michigan's Wine Industry
Detroit News wine editor Sandra Silfven has a detailed report that the House Regulatory Reform Committee "rocketed" the anti wine shipping measure (House Bill 4959) out if its chambers to the House floor. The bill denies the wineries many long-standing rights including shipping to Michigan residents and acting as their own wholesaler. In the words of Ed Gerten of Pentamere Winery in Tecumseh: "It will literally kill our business. This bill will crush us."

You may have noticed Absolute Michigan spotlighting this issue. This is due to the fact that we feel winemaking is an industry vital to Michigan's future as it provides a high return for farmers and keeps land in agricultural production.
Text of House Bill 4959
Wine Consumers Across Michigan site

The Oil of the 21st Century
The Muskegon Chronicle reports that Dave Dempsey author of On the Brink -- The Great Lakes in the 21st Century sees water as the oil of the 21st century and warns that Michigan may lose control of its most precious natural resource by failing to regulate how it is used.
Visit writer David Dempsey's web site

Silver Lake Dune Rides Celebrate 75th Year
The Detroit News has a feature on the Mac Wood's Dune Rides. For 75 years the rides on Oceana County's Silver Lake Dunes have been one of Michigan's most famous and popular tourist attractions. An average of 80,000 riders a year climb aboard the specially modified 1-ton trucks.
Mac Wood's Scenic Dune Rides web site (nice photos!)

National Cherry Festival to Have Local Cherries
The Traverse City Record-Eagle reports that a warm spring has the area sweet cherry crop roughly 5-7 days ahead of this time last year, meaning local sweets will be on hand for the National Cherry Festival. The annual celebration of the cherry begins this weekend in Traverse City, Cherry Capitol of the World.

Detroit Slides to 11th Largest US City
The Detroit Free Press reports that Detroit is now the nation's 11th-largest city with a population of 900,198 (down 12,274 in the year that ended July 1, 2004). The city lost more people in those 12 months than any other U.S. city, according to Census Bureau figures. San Jose, California took Detroit's 10th position.

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