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Messages to the Editors

Dec. 9, 2005 – Week 14

To: CNS Editors
From: Eric Freedman, Vic Rauch & Arvind Diddi


FINAL REGULAR FILE: This is your last regular weekly file for 2005. Our first weekly file of 2006 will be Friday, Jan. 20.

BONUS WEEK AHEAD: As in the past, we will move a selection of still-timely articles from the fall on Friday, Dec. 16. If you didn’t have space for them before, they may fit your needs over the holiday season.

WADE McCREE AWARDS: The State Bar of Michigan is soliciting applications for its prestigious annual Wade McCree Awards for work published in calendar 2005. “The purpose is to grant statewide recognition to broadcast and print media journalists who help to foster greater public understanding of the inherent values of our legal and judicial system through their published materials.” The application is available at www.michbar.org/programs/pdfs/McCree2005.pdf. Feb. 13 is the deadline.

HERE’S YOUR FILE:



Articles for week of Friday, December 9, 2005

• GENERIC -- A Macomb County lawmaker wants to require pharmacists to dispense generic drugs unless a physician specifies a name brand. The Michigan Pharmacists Association questions the need for the proposal and says it would benefit only a small proportion of consumers—those who pay cash for their prescriptions. For news and business desks. By Brandon Bennett. FOR MACOMB, ROMEO, MICHIGAN CITIZEN, GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS, NORTHWEST MICHIGAN BUSINESS & ALL POINTS .

• ENERGYEFFICIENT -- Energy-efficient appliances should be exempt from the 6-percent sales tax, a Southwest Michigan legislator says, saying it would promote energy conservation. Retailers are hot on the concept, but the state Treasury Department is cool because it would reduce the sales tax revenue that funds state aid to public schools. Other sponsors include representatives from Manistee and Allendale. By Stefanie Carano. FOR SOUTH BEND, STURGIS, THREE RIVERS, GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS, LUDINGTON, HOLLAND & ALL POINTS.

• NOKILL -- Katie is a 14-year-old terrier-poodle mix with only six teeth, sores all over her body and an irritable bowel disorder. She’d be put to death in most shelters, but lives on at the Huron Humane Society in Alpena, one of the state’s few no-kill shelters. Legislators from Macomb and Alpena county back a resolution that would encourage more pounds and shelters to adopt a no-kill philosophy. Among the few other such shelters are ones in Battle Creek and Quincy. By Kevin Curtin. FOR ALPENA, GRAYLING, MACOMB, STURGIS, THREE RIVERS, SOUTH BEND, LANSING & ALL POINTS.

• ELECTIONGRANTS -- Nineteen local governments will share more than $200,000 to improve polling place accessibility to voters with disabilities. Recipients include cities and townships in Ottawa, Macomb, Wayne, Leelanau, Marquette, Midland, Presque Ile, Chippewa, Keweenaw and Tuscola Counties. By John Sturk. FOR HOLLAND, MACOMB, LEELANAU, MARQUETTE, MIDLAND, ALPENA, LAPEER, MICHIGAN CITZEN & ALL POINTS.
  

• STATEPARKS -- DNR Director Rebecca Humphries is weighing an increase in camping fees for 2006 at some of the state’s most popular parks, including Ludington, Holland, Warren Dunes and Cadillac. With the park system now wholly supported by user fees and an endowment, without any general tax support, DNR needs more money to run it. The department is also pushing a longer camping season and more winter activities. By Lesley Whiting. FOR LUDINGTON, CADILLAC, SOUTH BEND & ALL POINTS.
  

• FLORICULTURE -- While many people across the state are picking out evergreens and blue spruce for Christmas decor, many of Michigan’s 711 commercial floral growers are worrying about the impact of high energy costs and planning for the spring. As the nation’s third-largest producer of flowers, greenhouses and nurseries in Ottawa and Kalamazoo counties and southwest Michigan must start early to ensure enough begonias, impatiens and geraniums to go around, a Berrien Springs grower says. By Kristin Cain. FOR SOUTH BEND, HOLLAND, GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS, STURGIS, THREE RIVERS & ALL POINTS.
  

• LEGISLATIVEGOALS -- GOP and Democratic lawmakers representing Oakland County discuss what was and wasn’t accomplished this year and what their priorities are for 2006, include health, the economy and education. By Lesley Whiting. FOR OAKLAND & ALL POINTS.
  

• RENAISSANCE -- The Senate majority leader is pushing a plan to authorize a renaissance zone in Grand Rapids on the site Steelcase had used for manufacturing. If passed, developers would get significant business and property tax breaks. For news and business desks. By Nathan Thompson. FOR GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS, GREENVILLE, NORTHWEST MICHIGAN BUSINESS, HOLLAND, STURGIS, THREE RIVERS, SOUTH BEND & ALL POINTS.
  

• BREASTFEEDING -- Mothers who breast-feed would be able to skip jury duty under a proposal approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee. If it passes, Michigan would join nine states that already exempt nursing mothers from jury duty. The St. Joseph County clerk says nursing mothers pose unique problems for the courts. The lead sponsor, from Holland, says it would make it easer for mothers to be with their babies. Among the co-sponsors are senators from DeWitt, Battle Creek, Algonac and Kentwood. By Amy Payne. FOR HOLLAND, GREENVILLE, LANSING, LAPEER, SOUTH BEND & ALL POINTS.
  

• AGDESTRUCTION -- A Traverse City legislator is leading the fight to increase sanctions for people who damage farmers’ crops. He cites callous snowmobilers as an example, and the Farm Bureau warns that some damage can have a multi-year impact. Co-sponsors include legislators from Alpena, North Branch, Sheridan, Allendale and Midland. By Nathan Thompson. FOR NORTHWEST MICHIGAN BUSINESS, HOLLAND, ALPENA, GREENVILLE, MIDLAND, LAPEER & ALL POINTS.
  

• DIGITALLIBRARY -- The Michigan Library Consortium has endorsed the controversial Google Print project that would digitize millions of books and make them available online without charge to users. But many publishers and copyright holders oppose the project. By Matthew Schuler. FOR LANSING & ALL POINTS.