All in the name: "Eat the Invasive" dinner. When columnists attack: Stopping Pistons no easy task. Answering the bell: Red Wings wake up, win 4-2.

Arbor Day in Michigan

In honor of Arbor Day, the Detroit Free Press has a slew of reader stories about the importance of trees in their lives (be sure to click the link for more stories).

According to the Michigan Arbor Day Alliance: The first Arbor Day was celebrated in Nebraska on April 10, 1872. In 1885, the Michigan Legislature resolved "that the Governor is hereby requested to call the attention of the people of the state to the importance of planting trees for ornament and by naming a day upon which the work shall be given special attention to be known as Arbor Day. Until 1965, the Upper and Lower Peninsula had separate Arbor Days in the spring because of the difference in weather conditions for tree planting.

Governor George Romney proclaimed an Arbor Week for the last week in April 1966. In his proclamation, Governor Romney broke with the traditional one day, "Because of the increased interest in and the importance of the statewide 'Keep Michigan Beautiful' program, one or two days do not afford enough time and opportunity for a full and proper observance of Arbor Day."
Read THE ROOTS OF LIFE: Readers share fond memories about trees in the Freep
Michigan Arbor Day Alliance web site
Businesses and articles at keyword "tree"
Also check out this cool Mixed Media: Tree photo by Matt Callow

US Manufacturing Czar Under Fire from Michigan Delegation
The Detroit News takes a look at Albert Frink, the U.S. Commerce Department assistant secretary for manufacturing and services. "That job came in like a lion and has lingered around like a mouse in the landscape of Washington," said U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Brighton. "I'm not even sure if anybody is reading the papers (Frink) is shuffling. The position is ill-conceived. (The Bush administration) talks a great game, but they are moving in inches and we are losing in miles." Rogers concern was echoed by other Michigan lawmakers who feel that Frink lacks the influence and access to aid Michigan's embattled manufacturing sector, which has lost almost 1/3 of its jobs over the last 10 years.

Frink responed that "America does some of its best work when it's against the wall I have confidence that Michigan folks will rally and take the necessary course to put themselves into a competitive position."
Read The Invisible manufacturing czar in the Detroit News

On the Trail of the Michigan Morel

The LSJ has a great feature on the hunt for the morel mushroom that includes tips about how to tell true from false morel, where to hunt and links to a number of more web sites.
Read Morel - fresh from the forest, prized mushrooms are 'manna from heaven' in the Lansing State Journal
Visit Michigan Morels web site
Check keyword "mushroom" for articles and Morel Mushroom events from Absolute Michigan

Michigan Ranks Well in High-Tech
Michigan's technology employment ranked as the 10th largest in the United States in 2004, adding some $13 billion in payroll to the state's economy, according to a report just released by Cyberstate. 9300 Michigan high-tech firms employed 49 of every 1,000 private sector workers in 2004, and they earned an average wage of $70,800.
Read Michigan's Technology Workforce Ranks 10th Largest In Nation from MITECHNEWS.COM

Probing the Disappearance of Lake Huron Salmon
The Detroit Free Press reports that althought salmon fishing in Lake Huron collapsed in two years with the disappearance of alewives, their primary prey fish, but some researchers think it's a temporary problem. They think Huron's prey base can be repopulated by alewives produced in the vast, rich nursery grounds of southern Lake Michigan. The article offers a look at conflicting views held by scientists. Some feel that Huron's alewive collapse is due to zebra and quagga mussels altering the bottom of the food chain while others feel it is a result of overpredation by salmon.
Read Hope for salmon in the Detroit Free Press

Questions: Bob Allen at Crain's wonders whether someone slipped an envelope of unmarked bills to an editor at USA Today and why President Bush is being criticized on a state government Web site paid for by taxpayers. Also, What's wrong with the WINGS?

Detroit About to Get a Media Behemoth
Beginning May 5, the Detroit Free Press and WDIV-TV (Local 4, Michigan's first TV station) will begin sharing reporting resources in print, on television and on the internet. The new "convergence editor" will be Mike Wendland who spent 18 years at WDIV-TV before joining the Free Press as technology columnist in 2000.
Read MIKE WENDLAND: Free Press, Local 4 join news forces, plan Michigan polling in the Freep (includes video of newscast)
Also see Local 4 News, Detroit Free Press Announce Partnership from ClickonDetroit/Local 4

Tying the Knot in Detroit

Jaime Halaas (aka Girl in the D.) has a feature in Model D looking at a variety of possible wedding venues in metro Detroit including the Masonic Temple or the Scarab Club in Midtown, Detroit Yacht Club or the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory on Belle Isle, the Gem or Fox Theatre and Ford Field downtown.
Read 'I Do' in the D in Model D
Links from around Michigan at keyword "Wedding"

Detroit Roller Derby Exhibition
The Detroit Free Press has an interesting feature on the Detroit Derby Girls, a group of 72 women who are about to kick-off their first-ever season of league play with an exhibition this Saturday at the Masonic Temple of Detroit. The two teams, the Motown Hit Squad and the KILLpatricks, hearken back to the early days of roller derby and focus on the sport (rather than big-time wrestling-esque action). Within a year, they hope to be meeting teams from other U.S. cities. Definitely check this article out.
Read ROLL MODELS: Detroit's Derby Girls gear up for league play with a slammin', jammin' exhibition Saturday at the Masonic Temple in the Freep
Visit DetroitRollerDerbyGirls.com (we'll rate this link "PG-13")
Nice set of Detroit Roller Derby photos on Flickr

Grand Rapids Has a Secret
WOOD-TV reports that the Grand Rapids Downtown Alliance board today unveiled the new branding theme for the city's downtown area: "Keep it a secret." The brand project (logo, slogan, roll-out plan) cost $82,000 to develop and has an expected life of 3-5 years.
Read We've Got A Secret in Grand Rapids from WOOD-TV

Ford Announces Reality Show
The Detroit News reports that the Ford Motor Company is planning to produce a reality show in which contestants work with Ford designers to produce a hot new concept car. The program is part of Ford's new "Bold Moves" campaign aimed at Amercians who "share a belief in hard work, family, patriotism and enjoying an adventurous life".
Read Ford's bold move: Its own reality TV show in the Detroit News
Also see Ford plans 'bold moves' in marketing in CNN Money

Quoteable: "Even if I were the biggest gambler on the planet, I would not be willing to bet the planet on the views of a small minority of scientists. Do they have a fallback planet if they are wrong?" (Catherine Kozlowski, Sterling Heights) Michigan Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land is on the right track with the proposals she outlined this week to revamp the state campaign finance system. Her best idea is that no money can be spent until it is reported on a public Web site. (Detroit News), Genetically modified crops aren't coming; they are already here. The question today is not whether farmers should be allowed to grow them, but whether a community has the right to tell farmers who live there not to grow them. (Jack Lessenberry Op-Ed)

Michigan's Resurgence Noted

USA Today has the first article we've seen in the national media in some time that takes a positive look at Michigan's economy. They report that fresh county population estimates from the Census Bureau show that although Detroit continues to shrink, 60 of Michigan's 83 counties have grown this decade, and 19 had population gains of at least 5%. The article focuses on three regions: the West Michigan cities of Muskegon, Holland, Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo; Washtenaw County as a center of research and development and biotech activity; and northwest lower Michigan and Traverse City where tourists, retirees and entrepreneurs and executives who can work anywhere because of wealth and technology are moving in, lured by beaches and other natural attractions.

A well done article, though we are a little surprised that an article about successes outside of Detroit would use an image of the RenCen ... maybe USA Today is in the market for a little more photography of Michigan?
Read Michigan pulling itself out of slump in USA Today

Agriculture Has $60 Billion Impact on Michigan
Jack Lessenberry notes that while Michigan's manufacturing sector is struggling, the state's second-leading sector, agriculture, is doing very well. A recent Michigan State University study found that agriculture has a $60 billion impact on the state's economy, and provided a million jobs. Click below for a very interesting interview with Michigan Director of Agriculture Mitch Irwin.
Listen to Interview: Mitch Irwin from Michigan Radio

Made in Michigan Festival, May 20 & 21, 2006
BuyMichiganProducts.com, the MSU Product Center and the Old Town Lansing Association have teamed up to create the Made In Michigan Festival. The event kicks-off the statewide Michigan Week (May 20-26) and is scheduled for May 20 & 21 in Lansing's Old Town district. The goal is to educate Michigan residents about the wealth of Michigan-made products and services and to provide a venue for Michigan-based businesses to promote and showcase their products.
More details and links for the Made In Michigan Festival
Also see Take 5 with Ryan Anderson of buymichiganproducts.com in the LSJ

Report Finds Native American Students Play a Major Role
The Soo Evening News writes that a new report finds that Native American students play a major role in the Sault Ste. Marie Area Public Schools. The report has some interesting numbers, including news that while the drop-out rate has historically been quite high for students coming from Native American families, that does not appear to be the case anymore.
Read Native American students play major role in Sault Schools in the Soo Evening News

Conditions Great for Inland Trout Opener
The Detroit News reports that with near-perfect water and insect-hatch conditions on the Au Sable and Manistee rivers, Saturday's inland-water trout opener should be a classic. Grayling Fly Shop owner Steve Southard says "We have black stone-flies, blue-winged olives, Hendricksons, and a few caddis. Water levels are great. And everything, including the South Branch (Au Sable) is fishable." Southard feels brown trout are up while brook trout are down.
Read Good fish story: Forecast is promising for Michigan's trout opener in the Detroit News

Jeremy Herliczek writes: Hundreds of blooming tulips line the sidewalk outside the St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery on Willow Street in Lansing.

Read Tulips are better than none and look at the beautiful springtime photos!

GLRC writes: Many communities throughout the country are rebuilding their sewer systems to comply with federal pollution regulations. Nationwide, the work is costing taxpayers billions of dollars. But in some communities, a concept called "low-impact" design is making the projects cheaper and better for the environment. The GLRC's Erin Toner reports.

Read or listen to LOW-COST SEWER SOLUTIONS
Or read or listen to LOW-COST SEWER SOLUTIONS (short-version)

Dave writes: Gail Houwman welcomed the chance to get lost in the sweeping view of Lake Superior as she sat in a newly opened medical waiting room Monday.

The 56-year-old Grand Rapids woman had done enough dwelling on the cancerous tumor recently removed from her lung.

"You've got an awful lot to think about when you're in here," she said. "It's nice just to be able to look out the window and meditate on the lake."

Read lake-effect healing...

detroitarts writes: The gallery is more like a shed or a garage, very rough but it still does the job. An interesting place to check out and maybe stay for some donuts and coffee!

Read Alley Culture and check out the photos of the art in the American Icon, American Myth - Here's Your Story of Paul Bunyan show

Matt Blackcustard writes: Time was, I used to write everyday, and I miss it. I need to do something about that. Anyway, the wife has been thinking and talking about process vs. goals recently, and it's a topic I'm interested in, and I remembered that back in the days when I wrote regularly, I knocked out a little piece on the process and goals with respect to building a dry stone wall.

Read Zen and the art of dry stone walling

dETROITfUNK writes: First of all, it iS a bridge, which I didnt realise at first. Not only is it a bridge, but it spans Telegraph Road, which is no easy engineering task.

So, aside from the football thing, lets take a closer look at this suspension bridge with a more open mind.

Read Back to the Bridge and check out the photos

Sports Guy writes: Born on April 19th, Mark is 8 pounds, 15 ounces. ...Oh yeah, the Wings are in trouble!

Read Newest Sports Guy is here! and check out the hospital photo of this future hockey star.
Congratulations Sports Guy!

Farm Bill Feed Back: LSJ: Legislature unwise to back farm bills built on distrust of DEQ (Freep), Farm Favoritism: Legislation would mainly benefit largest operations (Freep), Better for farms and for Michigan (GR Press)

Using Wikipedia to Explore the Michigan Walk of Fame
Absolute Michigan and the Michigan Walk of Fame would like to encourage anyone with an interest in one or more of the inductees to visit the popular Wikipedia online encyclopedia to read about the inductees and possibly add to their entries with unique facts and historical accounts of their lives. It is our hope that Michigan's pride in these twelve individuals will show through and make their online entries an example of what is possible when we work together on the internet.
Read Explore the Michigan Walk of Fame on Absolute Michigan

1% Tax for Transit Floated

The Detroit News reports that State Sen. Gilda Jacobs, D-Huntington Woods, said she'll ask lawmakers this month to authorize a referendum to change the state Constitution so counties would have the option of raising the state's 6% sales tax to 7% to pay for regional transportation and roads. In Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties, the extra 1-cent tax per $1 would raise $503 million a year, according to the Citizens Research Council of Livonia. Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson has declared the measure DOA and says Oakland won't raise taxes for transit.
Read Plan would let counties raise sales tax for transit in the Detroit News
Also see Draining Michigan's Rapid Transit Swamp from the Michigan Land Use Insitute
Michigan Blog Watch: Everyone takes their turn (tagline: Everyone takes their turn being an idiot.. some people cut in line)

Granholm, DeVos to Appear at Detroit Town Hall Meeting

The Freep reports that Gov. Jennifer Granholm and her Republican rival, Grand Rapids businessman Dick DeVos, will be on the same stage Friday for the first time at a National Town Hall meeting in Detroit. The meeting is not a debated and billed as an opportunity to see where each candidate stands on the important issues. Regardless of what it is, it may be a rare occurence as Granholm and challenger Dick Posthumus appeared together only twice in the 2002 campaign, and the campaigns haven't even started talks regarding debates in the 2006 cycle.

The meeting is part of the 2006 Freedom Weekend at Cobo Hall and is sponsored by the Freedom Institute, a non-profit, non-partisan organization designed to be an urban think tank to address issues of public policy that affect the quality of life. The weekend's events include a Young Filmmakers Festival.
Read Granholm, DeVos to be on one stage in the Detroit Free Press
More weekend events at the Freedom Institute

Michigan Recycling Numbers Abysmal

The AP (via the TC Record-Eagle) reports that the Michigan Recycling Partnership says that 20% of Michigan's trash is recycled, compared with 27% nationwide. Minnesota recycles 45% of household waste and Indiana 35%. Michigan's budgetary woes Tare apparently having an impact as just 27% of Michigan residents have curbside recycling, compared with 37% five years ago, according to the study released last week.
Read 20 percent of refuse recycled in Michigan in the AP
Michigan Blog Watch: Media Mouse

Searching for Bigfoot
Michigan Radio's Dustin Dwyer has a (mostly) tongue in cheek look at the search for Bigfoot in Michigan that's well worth a listen. He refers to the Monroe Monster sightings of 1965, so we added a link to that as well.
Listen to Searching for Bigfoot from Michigan Radio
Michigan Bigfoot Information Center
Also see Monroe Monster from the Michigan Anomalous Information Network

GLRC writes: Activists who strike out in the name of the environment or animal rights could find themselves labeled terrorists under a new law. The GLRC's Lester Graham reports.

Read LAW LABELS ECO-PROTESTORS AS TERRORISTS

michpics writes: Untitled, photo by OddZen.

tags: M57, Cedar Springs, Michigan, Atmosphere, Good Food ...sounds like a recommendation to me!

You'll probably want to visit the web site for Rosie's Diner.

Check out this twilight view of Rosie's Diner in Rockford

DetroitWonk writes: Simply put, this is the best time of the year for sports fans. The NBA and NHL are both beginning the opening rounds of their playoffs, and baseball is a sign that summer isn't that far away. This is especially a great thing in Detroit, where the Red Wings and Pistons both had the best records in their respective leagues, and the Tigers are posting a winning record (12-7).

Read Playoff Fever Erupts in Detroit

Y. writes: HERE'S A BIG MARKET IN HENRY FORD'S HAIR. You can get it for $14.28 a strand. A bargain!

Read The Market in Henry Ford's Hair: Getting Hotter!

GLRC writes: Some of the large state asylums for the mentally ill built in the late 1800s were designed with the idea that natural beauty has a healing effect. And architects designed the buildings to be majestic… not just institutional looking. In the decades since the asylums closed, their stately grounds remain valuable. But many of the fine buildings either have been torn down or are facing demolition. Some are being partially renovated for new uses. The GLRC's Bob Allen reports on one of the very few in the country that's being fully restored.

Read or listen to NEW LIFE FOR OLD ASYLUMS

Jack Lessenberry writes: We have to face the future, and it is going to be a future where the Detroit-based auto industry is never again what it was. Not only will the industry never again employ as many people as it once did - it will never again employ as many people as it does now.

Let's put last week's news in perspective. To show how unreal expectations have become, analysts were happy because General Motors "only" lost $323 million dollars in the first three months of the year.

Read or listen to Essay: Autodepression Syndrome
Also listen to companion Interview: Thomas Klier

Bucks freeze in Pistons Headlights (awesome blow-by-blow account by Detroit Bad Boys), Wings all tied up.

Global Warming's Impact on Michigan

The Muskegon Chronicle has the best feature we've read thusfar exploring the many ways global warming is changing (and will change) Michigan's environment. They explore impacts including less ice cover on lakes, lower lake levels, stronger storms, more acute pollution and wilder temperature swings.

Over the next century, experts predict that average air temperatures in Michigan will rise by as much as 10 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter and 13 degrees in the summer. If the predictions hold true, summer in 2030 in Michigan will feel like southern Ohio and by 2100, summers here will be more like northern Arkansas. The Chronicle only keeps stories up for one week, so be sure to read this now!!
Read Global warming hitting home - and the future looks warmer yet in the Muskegon Chronicle

Grand Rapids Renaissance Zones a Michigan Success Story
The Grand Rapids Press had a detailed feature this weekend looking at how the city's decision in 1996 to create Renaissance Zones and forgoe millions in taxes helped to create millions in investments, redevelopment of some of the city's most depressed properties and a dramatic revitalization in some neighborhoods. Between 1996 and 2005, taxable value (about half of market value) of city Renaissance Zone properties has grown by $115 million. The article also looks at several businesses that have grown dramitically thanks to the program and is well worth a read.
Read Renaissance revisited: what Grand Rapids has accomplished in 10 years in the Grand Rapids Press

Michigan's Online Educational Experience

Ars Technica takes a look the requirement that all students take a least one "online learning course" or participate in an "online learning experience" that is part of Michigan's new graduation requirements. Michael Flanagan, State Superintendent of Public Instruction and member of the Michigan Virtual University (MVU) Board of Directors is quoted as saying "The importance of requiring all students to take an online course today can be compared to the efforts to teach young people how to use print resources in a public library 50 years ago." The article asks (and its readers respond in the discussion forums) whether today's students need help getting an online experience.

Meanwhile, the LSJ reports that a new agreement between Michigan State University and the Chinese government will create the first U.S. online K-12 and adult Chinese language instruction through the MSU-backed Michigan Virtual High School. The classes will also help students meet new high school requirements for foreign language studies.
Read Michigan to require "online courses" for high school graduation in Ars Technica
Also see Michigan's New Curriculum a (rare) Bipartisan Success Story at Absolute Michigan
Read MSU program to offer Chinese as online option for K-12, adults in the Lansing State Journal

Agreement Gives Extra $15 Million to Promote Michigan Tourism
The TC Record-Eagle reports that under an agreement between Gov. Granholm and legislative Republicans, Travel Michigan, the state's travel promotion agency, will receive and additional $7.5 million in 2006 and in 2007. The money will be used to promote Michigan as a tourist destination to out-of-state travelers and the $15 million will bring Michigan closer to the tourist promotion budgets of surrounding states. The extra money may definitely be needed as gas prices may already be having an impact on summer travel.
Read Michigan to broaden its approach to tourism in the Traverse City Record-Eagle
Also see Gas prices shudder travelers, businesses in the Traverse City Record-Eagle

More Grandstanding and Electioneering on SBT
George Weeks took a look in on what's happening with the Small Business Tax last week (we were apparently looking elsewhere). He reported that DeVos continued to sing the "job-killer" refrain while Granholm challenged House Speaker Craig DeRoche and Senate Majority Leader Ken Sikkema "to sign an agreement to both repeal" the SBT by the end of this year and craft a replacement that would not shift taxes to individuals or make deep cuts in vital services. Weeks agreed with DeRoche's assessment of the call as a "campaign gimmick" and added that if things worked as they should in Lansing, the three of them would sit down and negotiate an agreement that they would try to sell lawmakers.

I think it's pretty clear that things don't work as they should in the capital ... did I say that out loud??
Read Dancing to different tunes on biz tax in the Escanaba Daily Press

Y. writes: YPSIDIXIT'S ADVENTUROUS FRIEND treated her royally tonight with a dinner at the Chick-Inn. We pulled up to the intercom-thingie and Y. had her friend read to her the choices, since Y. is too myopic to read the tiny lettering on the sign. Y. selected for her repast the Paul Bunyan, which turned out to be two slabs of ground dead cow with Thousand Island dressing and stray bits of lettuce which kept falling onto my shirt. It was good. Y.'s friend had a chicken breast sandwich. We munched in silence, listening to the 50s music. "You don't come to the Chick-Inn for the food," noted Y.'s friend, "you come for the atmosphere."

Read 23 april 2006 by ypsi~dixit

Kitchen Chick writes: We've already tried vanilla, chocolate, and peanut butter ice cream. I had a bunch of frozen blueberries and decided to make blueberry sorbet. You make a sugar syrup, mix it with pureed blueberries, and let the ice cream maker do its thing. Et voila! Blueberry sorbet.

Read Icy Blueberry Heaven

Detroit Bad Boys writes: The beginning of the "real" season couldn't start quick enough for most Pistons fans. While most people expect the first-round to be a mere formality for the Pistons' march to the Finals, it's never safe to underestimate any team in the NBA, especially one with no expectations and nothing to lose. With that in mind, Ian and Matt (but mostly Ian) jotted down a few notes for a real-time recap. Let's get this started!

Read Bucks freeze in Piston headlights; Redd mess results

Mike Wendland writes: Are mobile phones are much more than communication devices.
They tell a lot about us, as a wireless phone data consultant told me in my column for today’s Freep.

Read What your cell phone says about you

It's not what you think....

Check out this photo entitled Stalking...
Also take a look at Saucer

Dave Dempsey writes: To hell with the damned parades, as Nelson might say. Let's have a nationwide grass-roots movement that demands both the environment we deserve and the visionary leadership to make it so.

Read government is us, the environment is up to us