Nov. 3, 2006 – Week 9

To: CNS Editors

From: Eric Freedman & Jim Wallington

HERE’S YOUR FILE:

PUREMICHIGAN: With an extra $15 million to spend, Travel Michigan is targeting more out-of-state visitors through an ad and promotion campaign dubbed Pure Michigan. It replaces Great Lakes, Great Times, and that’s fine with the head of the visitors bureau in Grayling, which isn’t on a Great Lake. The three new target markets are Cincinnati, Milwaukee and southern Ontario. For news and travel desks. By Nicole Hale. FOR GRAYLING, GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS, TRAVERSE CITY BUSINESS & ALL POINTS.
            w/ZIMMERMANNPHOTO: George Zimmermann, vice president of Travel Michigan. Credit Sarah McLeod, Capital News Service.

ROADKILLCLEANUP: November is the busiest month for Russ Stoddard’s company, which cleans up deer carcasses and other road kill on streets and highways around the state, include those in Allegan, Van Buren, St. Joseph, Lapeer and Oakland counties. Fall is, after all, the top month for deer-car crashes, so business is brisk for his Capac-based Michigan Highway Hazard Recovery. The road commission in Kent County, which registers more such collisions than any other, handles its own cleanups. By the way, if you kill it, you can keep it of you get a free permit. By Andrea Byl. FOR HOLLAND, SURGUS, THREE RIVERS, OAKLAND, LAPEER, GREENVILLE, SOUTH BEND & ALL POINTS.

NINEMILEREPAIR: Nine Mile Road will get a $3.8 million makeover, a move intended to save more than 1,600 jobs at GM and Chrysler plants in Warren. The two auto companies recently invested more than $350 million in their Warren plants, and the city will chip in $1.4 million for the roadwork. That project, plus ones in Manistee and Bangor, are sharing in $4.2 million worth of grants from MDOT’s Transportation Economic Development Fund. By Alison Bergsieker. FOR MACOMB, ROMEO, OAKLAND & & ALL  POINTS.

WINTERTOURISM: Summer remains peak tourism season in Michigan, but efforts are underway to promote winter travel as well to snowmobilers, skiers, wine enthusiasts, even music and art fans and macaroni-and-cheese cook-off aficionados. We hear from the Traverse City Convention and Visitors Bureau, a Harbor Springs ski resort, the UP Travel & Recreation Association, a Traverse City winery owner and Travel Michigan. By Alex Doty. FOR TRAVERSE CITY BUSINESS, PETOSKEY, UP NORTH, GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS, MARQUETTE, LEELANAU & ALL POINTS.
            w/ZIMMERMANNPHOTO: George Zimmermann, vice president of Travel Michigan. Credit Sarah McLeod, Capital News Service.

DEERMARKET: Commercial producers of deer and elk have voted to end their state marketing program, with some—including the owner of one in Sand Creek—saying their businesses saw no benefit from the promotion and marketing effort. A Fremont deer farm owner said he supported the idea but didn’t use the program. For news and outdoors desks. By Kevin Lehman. FOR MONROE, LUDINGTON & ALL POINTS.

NATIONALGUARD: Staff Sgt. William Pummill recruits for the Michigan Army National Guard at Cadillac High School and elsewhere, helping the state lead the nation in topping recruitment goals. Another reason for the high enlistment level is the availability of MP units, which officials say help prepare Guard members for public law enforcement jobs later. By Brian McVicar, FOR CADILLAC, LUDINGTON, GRAYLING, LANSING & ALL POINTS. 

ALBINODEER. It’s illegal to hunt albino and all-white deer in Michigan, DNR warns. They’ve been spotted around the state, including Saline and Cheboygan County, but are more vulnerable than normal deer to predators, human and otherwise. Native American cultures value the rare and elusive albino deer, a Hannahville Indian Community spiritual leader says. For news and outdoors desks. By John Bronz. FOR MARQUETTE, SALINE, PETOSKEY, GRAYLING, UP NORTH, CLARE, LUDINGTON, PETOSKEY, ALPENA, BAD AXE, SOUTH BEND, GREENVILLE, LANSING & ALL POINTS.
            w/ALLWHITEDEER: An all-white deer, which differs from an albino deer because it has black — instead of pink — eyes. Credit: Lee Drun, senecawhitedeer.org. Permission given by Dennis Money.

RADONHUNTERS: High radon levels pose potential health threats, especially in eight Michigan counties, but many homeowners fail to test for the hazard, DEQ warns. St. Joseph, Cass, Washtenaw, Lenawee, Branch, Hillsdale, Jackson and Kalamazoo counties have been declared “red zones.” We also hear from a Mattawan company that installs venting systems. By Jeffrey Joe Pe-Aguirre. FOR STURGIS, THREE RIVERS, SOUTH BEND, OAKLAND, MONROE & ALL POINTS.
            w/RADONCOLORINGBOOK: Cover of DEQ radon coloring book for children. Credit: Michigan Department of Environmental Quality.

CNS

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