Check out Michigan at Gettysburg. Also: Mitch Albom writes on the complex game of chicken between the Pistons & Larry Brown while Brian Dickerson says to follow the wine money.

Republican Leadership Hopes to Leverage Tobacco Monies
The Detroit News reports that Republican leaders in the Legislature hope to jump-start Michigan's economy with $268 million a year in tax relief to businesses and guaranteed future merit scholarship awards for students. The proposal would be funded by selling investors most of Michigan's future tobacco settlement and using a lump payment of $3 billion to invest in venture capital and research, guarantee loans to new high-tech companies and set aside a half-billion dollars in reserve for Medicaid health care for the poor.

Children's Email Addresses Protected in Michigan
Registration for the Michigan Children's Protection Registry, a secure database of protected e-mail addresses, begins today. It allows parents and schools to register children's e-mail addresses and provides for civil and criminal penalties (up to 3 years in jail) for advertisers of alcohol, tobacco, pornography and other items who email the addresses after August 1, 2005.

DNR Plans Service Cuts
Eric Sharp writes that in an effort to offset a major budget deficit ($8.1 million), the Michigan DNR will eliminate or reduce funding for coho salmon stocking, trees in the Au Sable River (trout habitat), and testing deer for bovine TB and chronic wasting disease. Sharp wonders if rather than cutting services for hunters, anglers and campers, the DNR should consider cutting staff.

Edwards Speaks to Minimum Wage Rally
The MSU State News reports that Sen. John Edwards speech to a crowd of about 1,100 who were rallying for legislation that would increase the minimum wage. Legislation to increase the minimum wage to $7.15 (would benefit over 460,000 workers) has stalled in the Legislature. Republicans contend that raising the wage would force layoffs and hurt business.

Students Plant Chinook in Muskegon River
The White Lake Beacon has an interesting feature on an ongoing project by Reeths-Puffer Intermediate School 5th & 6th grade students to plant Chinook salmon in the Muskegon River. The article says that there is a webcam available - bonus points to anyone who can send us a link for it!!
small>(Via the Great Lakes IT Report)

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