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Friday, October 07, 2005
Five things you probably don't need to know for 10/7
On the National Geographic WildCam this morning, the Absolute Michigan's Elite CamTeam reports:
1) we saw zebras 2) we saw impalas and elands 3) we saw warthogs 4) we don't count birds 5) we haven't see a cheetah (we did see a nile crocodile though) Five Things You Need to Know for Friday, October 7, 2005Ma, They Stole the Sawmill!
Michigan History Magazine has a great feature on an intricate 1889 theft of the Moiles sawmill. Telling you any more would spoil it. You'll also want to be sure to read about the Griffin, the first sailing vessel on the Great Lakes.
Also check out The Griffin from Michigan History Magazine on Absolute Michigan Michigan Walk of Fame Nominations
Yesterday's Great Lakes IT Report informed us that Michigan Walk of Fame is now accepting nomination online. The Walk is a partnership between the Lansing Principal Shopping District, Lansing & Downtown Lansing, the Michigan Historical Museum and the city of Lansing and will honor Michigan residents who have made significant contributions in the categories of arts & entertainment, athletics & recreation, agriculture, business and industry, civic & community leadership, education & literature, medicine, science & technology in the state, nation or the world.
Lansing Principal Shopping District Great Lakes Salmon in the Spotlight
Interlochen Public Radio has a pair of features regarding salmon in Lake Michigan. As fisheries biologists and anglers are discussing salmon stocking on Lake Michigan, lake managers say conditions on Lake Michigan are similar to what was observed in the late 80s just before disease killed many of the salmon and want to reduce stocking. The second feature looks at the alewife, once hated but now loved as the main food for salmon.
Listen to Salmon Situation from IPR Listen to Our Favorite Invasive Species from IPR WiMax Provisions Draw Criticism
The Detroit News reports that a proposed $60 million package of grants to encourage development of a new wireless internet technology is sparking controversy, in part because it would benefit a Grosse Pointe Shores businessman and political donor. Critics say that attorney Robert Liggett Jr. is a co-owner state's largest wireless Internet company is SpeedNet LLC, a Saginaw-based firm. House Speaker Craig DeRoche (R-Novi) says the donations have "no correlation at all" to his inclusion of the WiMax language in the bill. WiMax is not yet available commercially, but promises to deliver fast, long-range and inexpensive wireless Internet service. The article also provides great background on WiMax.
State to Cut PILT Payments
The Mining Journal reports that the State of Michigan continues to have problems honoring its financial commitments and will cut the annual Payment In Lieu of Taxes (PILT) to compensate townships, counties, school boards and other local units of government whose borders contain Department of Natural Resources land, which technically cannot be taxed.
Thursday, October 06, 2005
Five Things You Need to Know for Thursday, October 6, 2005
Michigan History Magazine reminds us that on October 6, 1972, the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore was officially dedicated. It was the nation's first national lakeshore and encompasses more than 70,000 acres along the Lake Superior shore from Munising to Grand Marais.
Seattle Timber Company to become Michigan's Largest Landowner
The Traverse City Record-Eagle reports that Plum Creek Timber Co. of Seattle, one of the nation's largest corporate timberland owners, plans to buy 650,000 acres of forest in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The $345 million deal is expected to be concluded later this year, making Plum Creek the biggest private landowner in Michigan. The company says it plans to keep much of the land open to open for hunting, fishing, snowmobiling and other recreation, and keep it from being fragmented.
Also see 650,000 acres in U.P.; Land deal struck in the Mining Journal Plum Creek Timber Co. web site Head Start Cuts in Detroit
The Detroit Free Press reports that about 800 poor children currently without early education opportunities in the wake of school closings will remain without spots in Detroit's Head Start program because the city can't find the needed classrooms. The program provides early education and meals for preschoolers and works to meet the emotional, social and health needs of their families.
Infomaniacs Beware!
The Lansing State Journal has a feature that looks at how too much information can make you function poorly. A study conducted for Hewlett Packard showed the average worker loses 10 points in functioning IQ when distracted by e-mails and phone calls. LSJ's Christine Rook pens this instant classic line: "Distraction affects "functional" IQ, not actual intelligence. So, you'll only appear dumb or do dumb things, but you'll retain your full intellect to completely appreciate your humiliation."
Michigan Wine Country
Travel Michigan reminds Michiganians that they don't have to travel across the ocean, or even the country, for great wine tasting opportunities. They profile Grand Traverse area wineries, the Southeast Michigan Pioneer Wine Trail, Southwest Michigan Wine Trail and the Mackinaw Trail Winery.
Used Book Stores Face Online Challenge
The Detroit News has a feature on how online used books are challenging traditional stores. Figures from the Book Industry Study Group say used book sales topped $2.2 billion in 2004, an 11% increase. Most of this was dues to the web, where sales jumped 33%. Sales at traditional stores rose only 4.6%.
Wednesday, October 05, 2005
Five Things You Need to Know for Wednesday, October 5, 2005MSU Professor Brings Classic Adventure Tales Back to Life
The Lansing State Journal has a feature on Gary Hoppenstand, a professor of American studies at Michigan State University who has edited and written introductions for six critical editions of classic adventure stories including The Prisoner of Zenda and Rafael Sabatini's Captain Blood. Hoppenstand persuades publishers to bring the classic novels back into print and "resurrects them" by making them more authentic and true to the initial release of the book.
Pumpkin Crop Early, Get Your Jack-o-Lantern Now
WZZM TV-13 Grand Rapids reports that Michigan's pumpkin crop is way ahead of schedule and could run out by Halloween. Pumpkin experts are advising getting them now (or get stuck with an inferior jack-o-lantern) and store them in a cool, dry place.
Marquette Schools Turn Forest into Classroom
The Mining Journal has a nice feature on Northern Michigan University students, parents and teachers set up about a dozen learning stations in the woods, while groups of third and sixth graders went from station to station taking part in educational activities. Stations included a predator-prey examination demonstrated in a game of tag, a lesson in fossils where kids got to make their own, a paddle wheel demonstration illustrating the power of water, an experiment that studied changes in habitats, a leaf-rubbing demonstration, a treasure hunt using a GPS machine, and more.
Fall Rose Care Tip
The Detroit News has a brief item debunking the top rose care myth that you should cut back roses in the fall. According to Roger and Nancy Lindley, owners of Great Lakes Roses, pruning encourages growth (a bad idea heading into winter) and also increases the likelihood that tip kill will seriously damage the plant in winter.
Visit Great Lakes Roses State to be Graded on Forest Management
The Traverse City Record-Eagle reports that two watchdog groups, Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, will grade Michigan for management of its 3.9 million acres of state forestland. Michigan's $9 billion forest products industry employs 150,000 but has lost jobs to foreign competition, company mergers and improved technology and needs. The DNR determined that if state forest lands weren't certified, the state might lose markets.
Tuesday, October 04, 2005
Five Things You Need to Know for Tuesday, October 4, 2005
Two more stories: Prospecting for wind in the Midwest and Norway Maple invading Mackinac Island.
Major Utilities Request Higher Natural Gas Rates
Crain's Detroit Business reports that Southeast Michigan's two largest natural-gas suppliers are asking the Michigan Public Service Commission for permission to increase rates. Michigan Consolidated Gas Co. is seeking approval to raise rates 23% ($10.09 to $13.10 per thousand cubic feet of gas) while Consumers Energy Co. seeks to raise rates about 8% ($8.38 to $9.11).
Also see Winter gas bills will grow if utilities' request granted in the Detroit Free Press Cadillac Kiss Show Still Remembered
The Northern Express has a feature on an October 9, 1975 concert by the rock band KISS in the northern Michigan city of Cadillac, considered by some one of the great rock and roll publicity stunts of all time and by folks in Cadillac as a defining moment for the Cadillac student body and faculty. I had no idea...
Jim Neff's web site (letters and more from the event) Trammel Out, Leyland Likely Next Tiger Skipper
The Detroit Tigers fired manager Alan Trammell yesterday. The Tigers went 186-300 under Trammell and lost an American League-record 119 games in 2003. His likely replacement is Jim Leyland, who won the '97 World Series title with the Florida Marlins (Tiger GM Dave Dombrowski was the Marlin's GM as well). it Bench coach Bruce Fields and third-base coach Juan Samuel also interviewed Monday.
Read MITCH ALBOM: 3 and out in the Freep Also see Leyland: 'I'll accept it' in the Detroit News U of M Announces Support for Great Lakes Center
The Michigan Daily reports that University of Michigan President Mary Sue Coleman voiced support for a center at UM that would bring together five of the premier organizations that study the Great Lakes: the Great Lakes Commission, the Great Lakes Fisheries Commission, Michigan's Institute for Fisheries Research, the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory and the Great Lakes Science Center.
Senate Working on Job Plan
The Detroit News had a report that the Michigan Senate will start work this week on a $1 billion plan to attract high-tech, life sciences, homeland security and alternative energy businesses. The House package, passed 103-1, is tied to business tax cuts passed earlier this year.
Monday, October 03, 2005
Five Things You Need to Know for Monday, October 3, 2005
UM 34 - MSU 31. For those MSU fans who want to get away for a while, try the amazing National Geographic WildCam.
Endangered Species Overhaul Opposed by Most of Michigan's Delegation
WMMT TV (Kalamazoo) reports that most of Michigan's congressional delegation opposed a House-passed overhaul of the 1973 Endangered Species Act that would help property owners receive payments if species protection measures hurt their development plans, and prevent the government from designating "critical habitat" for species where development is limited. The state's Democratic delegation (joined by three Republicans) voted against the measure while 6 Republicans supported the proposal.
Harbor Beach Attractive to Wind Energy Companies
The Huron Daily Tribune reports that Wind Energy Partners, a Traverse City company, has begun securing leases in four townships around Harbor Beach for a potential wind turbine park to be operational sometime in 2006. The company becomes at least the third enterprise joining Noble Environmental Power and Midland Energy to seek installation of wind energy facilities in Huron County.
Marquette Prosecutor Longest Serving in Michigan History
The Mining Journal has a feature on Marquette County Prosecutor Gary Walker. Walker's 31 years is the longest tenure since Michigan was made a state in 1837. Walker, who was fascinated by the books (Anatomy of a Murder, Trout Madness) of Michigan Supreme Court justice and writer John Voelker (aka Robert Traver) took a position as assistant prosecutor in 1972 and was made prosecutor in 1974. Walker & Voelker enjoyed a friendship, fly fishing and talking regularly.
More about John D Voelker / Robert Traver from the State of Michigan Oakland Schools Program Teaches Internet Safety
The Detroit News has a feature on an Oakland school district program that helps teachers, parents and students avoid online predators that uses the Web Wise Kids interactive program Missing. An estimated 1 in 5 children has received a sexual solicitation online, according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Good links including the FBI guide below.
FBI's Parent's Guide to Internet Safety Michigan Newspapers of the Year Announced
In an act of understandable narcissism, Traverse City Record-Eagle reports that the Michigan Press Association has named it best newspaper in its class (15,000 to 40,000 circulation). Other daily papers honored were the Detroit Free Press, The (Pontiac) Oakland Press and the Petoskey News-Review. The Herald Times, in Gaylord, was one of four papers receiving the award in the weekly division.
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