Our neighbors are exploring alternative energy too: Wisconsin Senate passes bill requiring 10% of state utilities' energy production to come from renewable sources by 2015, EPA will propose a rule that would raise the emissions threshold for corn-milling plants that produce ethanol fuel, Minnesota has 17 ethanol plants in operation or under construction, Ohio is trying to catch up with other states to encourage electricity production from wind power, and to promote the production and availability of biofuels.

Ford Educational Buyout Has Takers

The Detroit Free Press business writer Jason Roberson reports that Ford has offered 5,000 hourly workers up to $15,000 a year in college tuition in exchange for leaving the company. The buyout is offered through Automotive Components Holdings LLC, a temporary collection of unprofitable plants that includes Chesterfield Township, Milan, Monroe, Saline, Utica and Ypsilanti. In addition to tuition, the buyout contains provisions for benefits, living expenses and a stipend equal to one-half of their annual pay. 1,500 already have accepted buyouts. Commentary: the entry for "Doing Right by Your Employees" in the Encyclopedia of Honorable Business Practices probably would look a lot like this.
Read Workers weigh college tuition as Ford buyout in the Freep

Home Values Plateau, Assessments Don't

Today's Detroit News reports that although home values remained pretty much flat, residential assessments (which go a long way toward determining property tax bills) rose in 115 of 137 communities in Macomb, Oakland, Wayne and Livingston counties in 2005.
Read Home taxes up, but values flat in the Detroit News

Bill Would Address Michigan's Nursing Shortage

Michigan Radio's Jack Lessenberry has an excellent interview with Barbara Redman, a nurse and the dean of nursing at Wayne State University regarding a bill that would allow nurses who are licensed in other states to practice in Michigan with out getting a separate license. The bill is designed to address a nursing shortage in Michigan, and Dean Redman comments that the practice is widespread in the US. She also observes that if Michigan became a "compact state", nurses could migrate out of Michigan.

Michigan has a shortage of roughly 2,500 nurses now. However, if present trends continue, we'll be short 7,000 nurses in four years and 18,000 nurses in 2015. Lessenberry quips: "Suddenly, I had a glimpse of the future, and it involved my generation being cared for by a phalanx of rough-handed, laid-off former auto workers."
Read/Listen to Interview: Barbara Redman from Michgan Radio
Also Read Essay: Calling All Nurses by Jack Lessenberry

Michigan Near Top in New Project Rankings

MITECHNEWS.COM reports that while Michigan ranks near the bottom of all states in unemployment rates, it remains near the top of Site Selection magazine's Governor's Cup rankings, behind only Texas, Ohio and Illinois. The rankings track new facilities and expansions worth at least $1 million with 50 or more new jobs. 505 such projects were counted in Michigan last year.

Since the magazine was founded in 1997, Michigan has been among the top-ranked states and won several Governor's Cups. Over that period, it is the only state that had more than 11,000 projects on the list (the 11,387 projects easily topped the 7,987 in second-place California) and Detroit was the 4th best metro area with 208 projects.
Read Michigan Ranks No. 4 In Nation For New Facilities, Expansions from MITECHNEWS.COM
Site Selection Magazine

Children's Book Writer Talks with Students

Grand Rapids Press has a feature on Jan & Gary Bower, illustrator/author team of the new book "I'm a Michigan Kid: An Artistic Tour of the Great Lakes State." The book melds portraits of children alongside their favorite Michigan places including Frederik Meijer Gardens, Holland's Windmill Island, Sleeping Bear Dunes, Mackinac Island, Soo Locks and Greenfield Village.
Read Students learn power of imagination in the Grand Rapids Press
Bower Gallery (includes artwork & book information)

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