If these are related, then everything is... Google Search Battle: Granholm v DeVos (Dick wins the search battle but Jennifer trumps him in news mentions). 9 year old hits hole-in-one (I'm still waiting).

First Six CAP Loans Announced

Yesterday the first six Michigan businesses to receive loans under the re-established Capital Access Program (CAP), part of the 21st Century Jobs Fund initiative, were announced. The program is designed to help smaller firms obtain access to capital that might not otherwise be available through traditional lending. Recipients were Primera Plastics in Zeeland, Clear Ridge Optics in Harrietta , Two Bean Coffee Co. in Dexter, House of Cabinets and Tile Gallery in Mt. Pleasant, Michwave Technologies of Grand Rapids and Borck Family Chiropractic in Hudson. The article also has a list of Michigan banks participating in the program.

Ads not Enough to Boost Tourism

Booth Newspapers columnist Rick Haglund writes that Michigan's tourism industry, which already contributes $17.5 billion a year to the state's economy and provides nearly 200,000 jobs, needs to be further promoted to turn the state around. University of Michigan economist George Fulton says snazzy television ads alone won't boost the industry. In a recent paper, Fulton says Michigan could do supplement the attraction of the Great Lakes with more restaurants, cultural activities and recreational facilities like theme parks that "would allow Michigan to take advantage of its enormous natural asset."




Michigan has the highest hotel vacancy rate of any state in the nation.

Read Tourism can play bigger economic role from Booth Newspapers

Michigan Film News

The Metro Times has a nice feature on Ann Arbor's Cinema Slam that offers a mix of regionally produced shorts (many from the University of Michigan's film school) and films solicited from festivals and the internet.



Michigan Theater and Sundance Institute have announced the Michigan Theater's participation in The Sundance Institute Art House Project, a new national initiative that pairs Sundance Institute with 14 art house cinemas across the country. Beginning on May 19, the Michigan Theater will showcase 25 recent and classic films from the Sundance Film Festival, a core program of Sundance Institute. The Michigan Theater has added three films with Michigan ties, "The Upside of Anger," "Purple Rose of Cairo" and "Roger and Me," to its series.

Read Big time for little flicks in the Metro Times


Visit cinemaslam.com

Read Michigan Theater and Sundance Institute announce exclusive film series from pridesource.com

Michigan's Youth Population Grows ... via Immigration

mLive reports that Michigan had about 176,500 fewer residents between the ages of 25 and 34 in 2004 than in 1994 (a decline of about 12%), but had about 46,400 more residents between the ages of 18 and 24 in 2004 than in 1994 (an increase of about 5%). The increase was mainly attributed to immigration. Michigan's overall population was estimated at 10.1 million in 2004, up about 5% from 1994.

Read Michigan loses some young adults, gains others from mLive

Job Outlook Bright for West Michigan Grads

WZZM TV-13 Grand Rapids reports that a new survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers predicts college hiring will be up 14.5% from last year. Graduates here in West Michigan are feeling the improvement in the job market, especially in technology, accounting, finance, nursing and health sciences.

Read Job Outlook Best in Years For Local College Graduates from WZZM