Once again, there won't be anything you need to know this Thursday & Friday ... at least we don't think so!

MSU Women's Basketball Team Falls in NCAA Title Game
The Lansing State Journal reports that the Baylor Lady Bears turned in a near perfect game, soundly defeating the Spartans 84-62 in the women's NCAA championship game last night. The Spartans (33-4) surpassed the program's previous highest win total by 10 and finished with a school-record 13-2 mark against ranked opponents.

Bill to Limit Gas Sales Tax Introduced, Relief Questionable
The Detroit Free Press reports that Rep. Robert Gosselin, R-Troy, introduced a bill that would limit the sales tax collected on gasoline. Above $2.30 a gallon, the 6 percent Michigan sales tax would not be collected. The article points out that if gas prices stayed at $3 per gallon for a year, a taxpayer only would save about $30 for the year under the bill, according to the House Fiscal Agency.

Potential Neurotoxin Linked to Blue-Green Algae Blooms
From the "Really Scary Headlines Department" comes this story (Brain toxin found in algae in water) from the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel that an international team of researches reports finding an environmental toxin linked to common neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease in blue-green algae-contaminated water throughout North America and the world (including in the Great Lakes).

NFL to Plant Trees in Detroit
The Great Lakes Radio Consortium has a feature detailing the plans of National Football League officials to plant acres of trees in Detroit. They're hoping to offset extra greenhouse gases that will be emitted during next year's Super Bowl.
Read a Related Story NFL planting trees in Detroit to offset Super Bowl emissions the Freep

Michigan/Canada Border Will Tighten
The Detroit Free Press reports that Michigan (and US) residents might need passports to re-enter Michigan from Canada under new federal rules being phased in by 2008. Such a regulation would represent a significant tightening of a border that has been one of the world's freest for more than two centuries.

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Like beer? Like ice cream? Why not try chocolate cherry stout ice cream with Michigan tart cherries!!

Tigers Power to Opening Day Victory
The Detroit Free Press reports that pitcher Jeremy Bonderman and the Detroit Tigers needed only one of Dmitri Young's three home runs to record the most one-sided victory of the Tigers' 105 Opening Days on Monday at Comerica Park -- an 11-2 thrashing of the Kansas City Royals.
Also Read MITCH ALBOM: What a wonderful time in Detroit in the Freep

Luring Large Factories Requires Regional Coordination
The Muskegon Chronicle reports that it takes a support from the entire region to entice large manufacturers such as Airbus or Toyota to locate factories that would create large numbers of industrial jobs.

Big Three Join Plans for Hydrogen Fueling Corridor
The Oakland Press reports that the Big Three automakers have joined with the State of Michigan and nonprofit NextEnergy to create a "hydrogen highway" (hydrogen-fueling corridor) that will include six hydrogen fuel stations. The Michigan refueling corridor is part of the Bush administration's $1.2 billion initiative to make hydrogen fuel competitive for powering vehicles and generating energy.

Marquette Mountain Seeks Four-Season Business
The UP Mining Journal has a feature on Marquette Mountain, a UP ski resort. The feature reviews the ski season and discusses some plans for the summer including their successful frisbee golf course, chair lift rides for mountain bikers and the potential of constructing a bandshell and holding summer concerts. As always with the Mining Journal, great photos are included.

Snowmobile Deaths Down for Winter 2004-05
WOOD-TV Grand Rapids reports that twenty-four snowmobilers were killed in Michigan crashes this season, five fewer than last winter and down considerably from the record of 48 set in 1995-96.

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It's Opening Day!!

Spartan Women Beat Tennessee in Final Four, MSU Men Fall
The Lansing State Journal reports that the MSU Women's basketball team rallied from 16 points down to post a 68-64 comeback win over Tennessee in the Final Four. They will meet Baylor Tuesday night at 8:30 for the national title. The MSU men's team didn't fare as well, falling 87-71 to North Carolina.
Read Fans bask in glow of women's historic win in the LSJ (be sure to check out the photo gallery from the game!)
Read All blue in St. Louis in the LSJ
Also better read MITCH ALBOM: Izzo lets 'er rip in the Freep

Comerica Bank Takes Over Schuss Mountain / Shanty Creek Resort
The Detroit Free Press reports that Comerica Bank has taken ownership of the Shanty Creek-Schuss Mountain resort after the sprawling complex's former management failed to stave off a mortgage foreclosure. Shanty Creek is Antrim County's largest employer, with more than 600 workers in peak season and San Diego-based Douglas Wilson Companies is operating the resort.

Great Lakes Folk Festival Receives Maritime Heritage Grant
The Lansing State Journal reports that Michigan's maritime heritage will be on display at this summer's Great Lakes Folk Festival, thanks to an $18,000 grant from the Michigan Humanities Council. The grant will be used to bring experts in traditional skills like boat building, sail making and knot tying from across the state to the August 12-14 free music festival in East Lansing.

Big Blue Ox Optional
The Detroit Free Press reports that the Michigan agriculture department has sent letters to some 900 tree-cutters, timber and paper companies asking them to pitch in to drop a circle of ash trees within a half mile of borer infestations in Emmet, Cheboygan, Presque Ile and Alcona counties in northern Lower Michigan. Michigan received less than half of the funds sought to cover ash tree removal.

Monster Lake Sturgeon Found by Research Team
The Muskegon Chronicle has a feature on a 6 foot+, 135 pound lake sturgeon found by a sturgeon research team on Muskegon Lake. The team is catching sturgeon on the way to the Muskegon River spawning ground, attaching monitoring equipment to the giant lake-dwellers and releasing them.

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Flickr is an interesting (though anarchical) web site that allows folks to upload photos and everyone to "tag" it. Careful kids, this link has a lot of photos behind it and not all are appropriate.

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