Maureen Patzer of the Greater Lansing Woman (LSJ) has three reasons we're not going on vacation outside of Michigan until my children are old enough to stay home.

TC Film Festival a Rousing Success
The Traverse City Record-Eagle reports that while the Traverse City Film Festival may not rival Sundance or Cannes, Michael Moore says the film festival was a bigger hit than expected. It featured 31 films, mostly sold out, and panel discussions with Hollywood insiders. About 20,000 tickets were sold for the indoor showings and total festival attendance was estimated at 50,000.

Farmers Markets Boosting Business
The Michigan Land Use Institute has a feature on the spin-off business and social buzz that farmers markets bring to downtowns. The number of farmers markets nationwide more than doubled between 1994 and 2004 — from 1,755 to 3,700. In Michigan in 2004 nearly two-thirds of the state's 120 farmers markets were sponsored by governmental groups, chambers of commerce, and downtown groups.

iPod in Michigan
The Detroit News has a feature on how Apple's iPod (and other MP3 players) are affecting the Michigan nightclub scene as well as how Michigan's radio stations are incorporating podcasting.

Higher Tax Revenues May Stave Off UP Cuts
The Mining Journal reports that higher than expected state tax revenues may help save two Upper Peninsula prison facilities (Newberry Correctional Facility and Camp Manistique) and erase a proposed funding cut for Northern Michigan University.

Marathon Swimmer Seeks Superior Crossing
The Detroit Free Press reports that endurance swimmer Jim Dreyer has tried five times to swim across Lake Superior. He began his sixth attempt yesterday and seeks to swim roughly 54 miles from Whitefish Point to Cape Gargantua, Ontario, and become one of the first swimmers to make direct crossings of all five Great Lakes. His site has a live tracking feature and he looks to be over half way.
Jim Dreyer's web site

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