Dec. 1, 2006 – Week 13

To: CNS Editors

From: Eric Freedman, Vic Rauch, Fred Fico & Sue Carter

STATE POLICE AHEAD: On Monday, Dec. 4, your correspondents will interview Deputy Director Timothy Yungfer of the State Police. Likely topics include State Police involvement in homeland security and anti-terrorism; impact on State Police and law enforcement in general from overall drop in number of officers around the state; MSP's and administration's crime-related legislative priorities for 2007; innovations and planned projects in equipment, weapons, forensics etc.; plans to open new posts or consolidate existing ones; enforcement initiatives and strategies against Internet-related and other high-tech crimes.

HERE’S YOUR FILE:

STATEFORESTS: Unauthorized off-road vehicle use is damaging the environment and wildlife habitat in the state forest system, the Department of Natural Resources and Sierra Club warn. The head of the state’s advisory board describes the destruction of a hill on a 26-mile stretch of trail between Tawas and Oscoda. Last year, DNR law enforcement officers issued 721 tickets for illegal off-road operations, including 75 in Alpena, Otsego and Montmorency counties, but the department doesn’t have enough money to properly maintain and police all its trails, 73 percent of which are in state forests. By Brian McVicar. FOR CADILLAC, ALPENA, GRAYLING, UP NORTH & ALL POINTS.

ROADMAINTENANCE: Declining gas tax revenue and higher prices for asphalt, concrete and other essentials leave county road commissions with insufficient money for highway maintenance, Lapeer County Road Commission officials warn. By Sarah McLeod. FOR LAPEER & ALL POINTS.

            w/ AVERAGESPRICES: Info box.

CHRISTMASMONEY: ‘Tis the season for holiday cheer, merriment—and money. November and December generate a large proportion of the year’s earnings for Michigan’s retail sector and restaurant and travel industries. A Romeo florist says the season contributes about 25 percent of her annual sales, and a ski resort in Freeland counts heavily on favorable weather the week before Christmas. For news and business desks. By Kevin Lehman. FOR ROMEO, MACOMB, MIDLAND, CLARE & ALL POINTS.

AFTERSCHOOLMEALS: The state Education Department is looking for sponsors to run a federally funded after-school snack and supper program for at-risk children. There are participating sites in Detroit, Flint, Marquette, Muskegon and Oakland and Kent counties but none yet in Macomb County. We hear from a Warren Schools official and a future teacher from Eastpointe. By Alison Bergsieker. FOR MICHIGAN CITIZEN, MACOMB, OAKLAND, MARQUETTE, LUDINGTON & ALL POINTS.

AIRPOLLUTION: Businesses in Mason County will find it easier to get air quality permits now that DEQ has found them in compliance with federal ozone standards. Mason, Ottawa, Huron, Ingham, Eaton, Clinton, Kent, Kalamazoo, Benzie and Van Buren counties had been under tighter restrictions although their ozone problems were caused primarily by out-of-state emissions crossing Lake Michigan from Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin. By Brian McVicar. FOR LUDINGTON, GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS, HOLLAND, SOUTH BEND, LANSING, BAD AXE, UP NORTH  & ALL POINTS.

MEDICALMARIJUANA: A House committee won’t pass a bill this year to legalize medical marijuana use, and lawmakers say the proposal as written has major gaps including how patients would obtain the drug. The lead sponsor, a Detroit representative, said it will be reintroduced next year, but a Plainwell lawmaker calls it unnecessary. We hear from a Detroit pro-legalization group and residents of Traverse City and Davisburg, who favor the measure. By Chris Jackett. FOR MICHIGAN CITIZEN, PETOSKEY, UP NORTH, HOLLAND, OAKLAND, SOUTH BEND & ALL POINTS.

CAPITALOUTLAY: Oakland, Northern Michigan, Lake Superior State and Eastern Michigan universities and University of Michigan-Dearborn are in line for $103.2 million in state aid for capital projects. Oakland will use its share to help build a new engineering center with instructional and research facilities. Northern’s allocation will help renovate an academic building, while Lake Superior State will renovate its school of business and economics. By Alex Doty. FOR OAKLAND, LAPEER, MARQUETTE & ALL POINTS.

FLUSEASON: Flu season has officially started, and the Oakland County Health Department and the state Department of Community Health are geared up. So far, 2.4 million doses of flue vaccine have been shipped to health care providers across the state. By Nicole Hale. FOR OAKLAND & ALL POINTS.

NORTHCOUNTRYTRAIL: Outdoor recreation groups are getting new trails on public and private land, but there are conflicts over how the trails can be used. The North Country Trail Association, based in White Cloud, and hikers want segments of the state’s longest trail limited to foot travel, but mountain bikers and horse riders disagree. We interview stakeholders in the northern and western Lower Peninsula. The North Country Trail route in Michigan starts in Hillsdale County, crosses Southwest Michigan and into the Huron-Manistee National Forest and Pere Marquette State Forest , running north into and across the UP. For news and outdoors desks. By John Bronz. FOR CADILLAC, GRAYLING, GREENVILLE, SOUTH BEND, CLARE, UP NORTH, PETOSKEY, MARQUETTE, LUDINGTON & ALL POINTS.

            w/NORTHCOUNTRYTRAILMAP: Map of North Country Trail route between New York and North Dakota. Credit: North Country Trail Association.

HORSEHERPES: The state racing commissioner has ordered vaccinations against equine herpes virus for all horses stabled at Great Lakes Downs, Hazel Park Harness Raceway Northville Downs, Jackson Harness Raceway, Sports Creek Raceway and Mount Pleasant Meadows. An Allegan veterinarian who treats horses in Allegan, Van Buren, Kent, Ottawa, Kalamazoo and Barry counties recommends all horses be vaccinated. For news and sports desks. By Jeffrey Joe Pe-Aguirre. FOR HOLLAND, SOUTH BEND, OAKLAND, CLARE & ALL POINTS.

EBLIFLOOR: The junior lawmaker from Monroe, Democrat Kate Ebli, has a bit of a head start on her fellow newly elected representatives. She’s been sworn in to fill a vacancy for the rest of the year and is already immersed in tax and job issues. By Kevin Lehman. FOR MONROE & ALL POINTS.

            w/EBLIPHOTO. Rep. Kate Ebli, D-Monroe. Credit: Alex Doty, Capital News Service.

ALCOHOLTESTING: A new law will authorize judges to order random substance abuse  testing of minors convicted of alcohol crimes. The chief of casework services at Oakland County Circuit Court says the move is long overdue. By Alex Doty. FOR OAKLAND, MICHIGAN CITIZEN & ALL POINTS.

ELECTRONICIDTAGS: Dairy and cattle farms face a March 1 deadline for electronic ID tagging of all their cattle, a move intended to make it easier to track animals if bovine TB breaks out. Tagging is cheaper than vaccines, the state Agriculture Department says. The Farm Bureau’s Northwest chapter, covering Grand Traverse and Leelanau counties, compares the electronic ID tags to a GPS system.  By Nicole Hale. FOR LEELANAU, UP NORTH & ALL POINTS.

SINGLEBUSINESSTAX: The governor is pushing her new business tax plan, and prodding the Legislature to move fast so businesses aren’t left in the lurch. Meanwhile, human services advocates want to ensure that any replacement for the SBT produces enough revenue to support state programs. For news and business desks. By Alison Bergsieker. FOR GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL & ALL POINTS.

STJOSEPHBRIDGES: A 6-mile stretch of M-60 between Three Rivers and Vandalia and three bridges in St. Joseph County are slated for repair next year if the state Transportation Commission and Legislature approve MDOT’s requested $6.6 billion budget plan for bridge and road work. By Jeffrey Joe Pe-Aguirre. FOR STURGIS, THREE RIVERS, SOUTH BEND & ALL POINTS.

MARTSCRIPT: Pharmacy chains are counting on location, loyalty and convenience to keep customers in the face of Wal-Mart’s extending its $4-per-prescription plan to Michigan, covering more than 300 generic drugs. The Michigan Pharmacists Association said the relationships between its members and customers outweigh the discounted price. For news and business desks. By John Bronz. FOR GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS & ALL POINTS.

FARMPOLLUTION: The Farm Bureau and the Sierra Club are facing off in a dispute over proposed legislation to relax anti-pollution regulations for some agricultural operations and bar anonymous complaints to DEQ. We also interview legislators from North Branch and St. Joseph. For news and farm desks. By Andrea Byl. FOR LAPEER, OAKLAND, SOUTH BEND & ALL POINTS.

CNS

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