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Friday, June 24, 2005
Five Things You Need to Know for Friday, June 24, 2005
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No Repeat for Pistons The Detroit Pistons took the San Antonio Spurs as far as you can take someone but came up short in an 81-74 loss. A heartbreaker for sure, but as a Pistons' fan, you have to like their chances to get back to the top next year. MITCH ALBOM: Time finally runs out on Pistons' magical reign in the Freep Freep's Game 7 Photo Gallery Read Spurs lock down Game 7 from ESPN's Daily Dime Natural Resources Trust Fund Could Be Bankrupted AP writer John Flesher reports that the recent rulings by a local judge and the Michigan Court of Appeals suggest the state may have acquired some of its mineral holdings illegally. That means the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund (funded by royalties that energy companies pay to develop state-owned oil and natural gas deposits) could be in serious trouble. National Ruling on Condemnation at Odds with Michigan's The Detroit Free Press reports that the U.S. Supreme Court appeared Thursday to declare open season on private property with a decision affirming the power of governments to condemn land to make way for projects that promise economic development. The ruling did allow for states such as Michigan, where our Supreme Court has restricted government condemnation powers (aka eminent domain). Detroit Library Gets 1/4 Million for Online Photo Database The Great Lakes IT Report tells us that the Detroit Public Library announced Thursday it had received a $250,000 grant from the Library of Michigan to create a digital database of 19th and early 20th Century photographs of Detroit. Formats include glass negatives, lantern slides, cased images, albumen prints and stereograph cards. Detroit Public Library web site Library of Michigan Beach Users Asked to Watch for Piping Plover The Cheboygan Daily Tribune reports that the Michigan Department of Natural Resources is asking those who visit beaches along the Great Lakes this summer to be aware of the presence of the piping plover, an endangered bird protected by federal and state law. This is the time of year when the eggs will be hatching and beach users are asked to respect these small birds. Piping Plover infor from Michigan Tech Join the Michigan Piping Plover Patrol! Thursday, June 23, 2005
Summer road...
Here's a nice Michigan summer image from Dunns Farm Rd in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.
Hope you're enjoying your summer too. Five Things You Need to Know for Thursday, June 23, 2005
Can Technology Save the Planet? by futurist and science fiction writer Bruce Sterling is a thought-provoking article on how employing technology as a means to preserve and enhance life on our planet could change everything.
Canada Blasts Michigan, Ohio for Smog Bloomberg Canada writes that a government report by the Canadian province of Ontario says that factories in Ohio, Michigan and other states are generating more than half its smog-causing pollutants. Air pollution from the U.S. contributes to more than 2,700 deaths in Ontario each year and generates C$5.2 billion ($4.2 billion) in health-care costs and environmental damage, the report said. The Detroit Difference The Elm Street Writers Group (a project of the Michigan Land Use Institute) has an engaging feature about the many distinctions that make Detroit and its suburbs so much different than anyplace else that is well worth a read. Also see In Denver's Transit Breakthrough, A Lesson For Detroit Poorer Districts Would Get Boost The Associated Press (by way of the TC Record-Eagle) reports that school districts that would get less than $7,200 per student even with the additional $175 would get an extra $25 in the upcoming school year under a spending plan approved Wednesday night by the state House. Michigan Retailers See Slight Improvement in May According to the Michigan Retail Index, a joint project of the Michigan Retailers Association (MRA) and Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, 39% of retailers increased sales over May 2004 and 59% of retailers believe their sales will increase for June-August over the same period last year. Michigan Retail Index Michigan's Urban Animal Wave The Detroit Free Press has a feature about Michigan's recent wave of urban animal encounters that includes theories as to why these animal sightings seem to be increasing. They missed the Marquette Moose! [photo] fire192 (Detroit Fire Photo)
toybreaker took this photo (and about 300 more) from the 5 alarm, former Studebaker Piquette Avenue Plant fire.
Wednesday, June 22, 2005
The Expression on Tony Parker's Face is Worth the Visit...
... and the shot of Big Ben's MONSTER STUFF of Ginobli is just icing on the cake! Detroit News Pistons/Spurs Game 6 Photo Gallery
Google may build site in Ann Arbor
The Detroit News reported last week (and we missed it - thanks CyberMichigan for the heads up) that Ann Arbor may become home to a new technology center for up to 1,000 employees from Google. The company was recently hired to digitize the University of Michigan's 19 libraries. Google real estate reps are looking for up to 75,000 square feet of space for a technology center that could grow to 200,000 square feet .
Five Things You Need to Know for Wednesday, June 22, 2005
The Solar Sail ... Is it in orbit or not??
Fire Destroys Studebaker Plant, Piquette Market The Detroit News reports that a huge fire destroyed the former Studebaker Piquette Avenue Plant near New Center and home of the Piquette Market. The fire started late Monday night and wasn't extinguished until yesterday afternoon. The fire is the latest blow to preservation efforts in Detroit, which some consider among the worst cities in the Midwest at honoring old buildings. Fabulous Ruins of Detroit web site for history & bulletin board discussion Amazing (300 picture) photo gallery on Flikr (NOTE: Flikr is a huge site that contains some off-color photos -- be warned!) 11,000 Rally for Education The Lansing State Journal reports that a huge crowd (est. 11,000 by the Michigan State Police) of Michigan teachers, parents and students rallied Tuesday on the Capitol lawn to call for more adequate school funding. Gov. Granhold spoke to the crowd, pushing her proposal that Michigan's 800+ school districts receive $175 more per student. Most of which will be eaten up by higher insurance. Negaunee's Piston Potluckers The Detroit Free Press's Undercover Fan has a feature on the Pistons Potluckers, a group of 25-odd young men ranging in age 9-19 who meet for every playoff game. They eat, play some sports and cheer on the Pistons and (like all Pistons fans) you can bet they are pretty darn happy this morning! Also read MITCH ALBOM: Gritty Pistons rain on Spurs' parade, force Game 7 in the Freep ESPN's Daily Dime Residents Fight to Save Newberry Correctional Facility The Mining Journal has a report on what UP residents and employees are thinking (and doing) about the potential budget-cutting closure of the Newberry Correctional Facility. The prison is on the site of the former Newberry Regional Mental Health Center, which devastated the region when it was closed in 1992. Also see City (of Sault Ste. Marie) formally opposes Newberry prison closure in the Soo Evening News Visit savenewberry.com Rural Broadband Coming to Michigan via Satellite The Detroit News reports that the Midwest Energy Cooperative of Cassopolis will be launching satellite Internet service by July 1, 2005. The Michigan Broadband Development Authority (formed to increase high-speed Internet) says there are large geographical areas unserved or underserved by broadband and Midwest (with the aid of Ka-band satellite technology) will focus on rural & semi-rural areas. Midwest WildBlue web site Tuesday, June 21, 2005
Five Things You Need to Know for Tuesday, June 21, 2005
DetroitYES features the Fabulous Ruins of Detroit and is one of the coolest web sites I've ever seen!
Museum Using Replica Sloop to Teach History The Great Lakes Radio Consortium has a feature on the Friends Good Will. The Michigan Maritime Museum hopes that the 101' replica of a sloop that did battle in the War of 1812 (Battle of Lake Erie) can help the public learn about maritime traditions. Friends Good Will information from the MMM Bills Introduced to Ban Direct Wine Shipment Crain's Detroit Business reports that identical state House and Senate bills introduced last week would ban all direct shipments by Michigan wineries to individual consumers and retailers. Sen. Michelle McManus said that the ban would "cut our wineries off at the knees," and that Michigan can regulate shipments without such a measure. Read the WineMichigan.org position paper on the bills Power Industry Warns of Electric Power Crisis The Detroit News reports that electric industry officials are warning that Michigan could face brownouts and blackouts because uncertainties about electric competition make the climate here too unstable to entice anyone to build a power plant. Our power needs continue to grow but there has been no major generating plant built in Michigan in two decades. Lansing Bear Reports Continue The Lansing State Journal reports that several more black bear sightings were reported to Lansing area police and sheriff's departments Sunday and Monday morning. A Department of Natural Resources bear specialist said the sightings were the first he had heard so close to Lansing in at least 30 years. Also see Black bear spotted by Eastwood mall from yesterday's LSJ MSU, Asparagus Industry Work on Asparagus Products The Paw Paw Courier-Leader reports that the Michigan State University Product Center for Agriculture and Natural Resources is partnering with the Michigan asparagus industry to develop new ways to market fresh asparagus. Researchers are seeking ways to enhance fresh asparagus processing and packaging and to increase consumption of the green vegetable by creating more consumer-friendly products. Visit the MSU Product Center for Agriculture and Natural Resources web site Monday, June 20, 2005
Five Things You Need to Know for Monday, June 20, 2005
Be sure to check out our new guide to Michigan events, entertainment, restaurants and activities: Off the Couch, Michigan.
Nestle Files Suit Against State of Michigan The AP (via the Detroit News) reports that Nestle Waters North America Inc. (bottlers of Ice Mountain) filed a complaint in Ingham County Circuit Court and a federal lawsuit in Grand Rapids, contesting a requirement that water from the city of Evart be sold only within the Great Lakes basin. Federal law allows the governor of any Great Lakes state to veto water diversions outside the Great Lakes basin -- which includes all of Michigan and portions of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York. Nestle Waters Michigan Citizens for Water Conservation Granholm Job, Bond Plan Cut in Half by Senate The Detroit News reports that Gov. Granholm's plan to sell $2 billion in bonds over 10 years to foster growth in areas such as automotive manufacturing, alternative energy, life sciences and homeland security technology has been cut in half by the Michigan Senate. St. Clair Farmland Preservation Seeking a Farm The Port Huron Times-Herald reports that the county Agricultural Preservation Board will seel to identify the first project for a program to preserve farmland in St. Clair County in late summer or early fall. St. Clair County has lost 10% of its farmland since 1990 and the program would pay farmers the difference between the agricultural value of the land and the developed value. 2005 Miss Michigan - Octavia Reese The Detroit Free Press reports that Octavia Reese, a 22-year-old Detroit native and Hope College graduate, was crowned Miss Michigan on Saturday. In addition to winning the right to represent Michigan in the Miss America contest in the fall, Reese won a $7,000 cash scholarship. Miss Michigan web site Rip Current Advisories to Be Posted The Detroit Free Press reports that the National Weather Service plans to start issuing rip current warnings for lakes Michigan and Huron using a model that calculates such factors as wind speed, wave height and time between waves. State parks along the shores are expected to take the forecasts into account when they post warning flags. Grand Rapids National Weather Service web site |
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