This Week's File

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April 20, 2007 – Week 13

To: CNS Editors

From: Eric Freedman, Vic Rauch & Dawn Parker

GRANHOLM SESSION CANCELED. The scheduled CNS interview with Gov. Granholm on April 23 has been canceled because she will be in budget negotiations with the Legislature.

LAST REGULAR FILE AHEAD: Friday, April 27, will be the last regular CNS file of the semester. As in the past, however, we will provide with a bonus week filing on Friday, May 4, with still-timely stories you may not have had space to run before.

HERE’S YOUR FILE:

MARITIMEHERITAGETOURISM: Lake Huron’s Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary is drawing divers, an Alpena scuba shop owner says. Last year’s Grand Haven Coast Guard Festival brought $12 million and 350,000 people to the Lake Michigan vacation spot known as “Coast Guard City.” And the Grand Traverse Lighthouse Museum in Northport tallies more than 150,000 visitors a year. They’re all part of the promotion to tourists of Michigan’s maritime heritage. By Erik Adams. FOR ALPENA, LEELANAU, TRAVERSE CITY, HOLLAND, SOUTH BEND, LUDINGTON, BAD AXE, MARQUETTE, PETOSKEY & ALL POINTS.

BRIDGES: At least one failing bridge across the Boardman River in Grand Traverse County might not get replaced until “the day some overweight truck collapses it.” The plight of the Cass Road Bridge reflects widespread safety problems that plague other troubled bridges under the jurisdiction of the Grand Traverse County Road Commission— crumbling structures but not enough money to repair or replace them. By Michael Carney. FOR TRAVERSE CITY & ALL POINTS.

            w/BRIDGEPHOTO: A school bus nears the crumbling Cass Road bridge over the Boardman River in Garfield Township. Credit: Grand Traverse County Rod Commission.

MEDICAID: About one of every 10 Montcalm County residents is on Medicaid, and the rolls have skyrocketed in recent years as plants shut down and employers left the area, leaving ex-workers and their families without private health insurance. Meanwhile, many physicians and dentists refuse to treat Medicaid patients, a trend that the president of the Michigan State Medical Society, from Grand Rapids, is seeing statewide. We interview local health officials about the situation and its impact on low-income county residents. By Brooke Meier. FOR GREENVILLE, GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS, MICHIGAN CITIZEN & ALL POINTS.

            w/FARRPHOTO: Dr. Paul Farr, president, Michigan State Medical Society. Credit: Michigan State Medical Society.

BOOSTERSEATS: Proposals to increase the booster seat age from 4 to 8 are intended to boost the safety of young passengers, sponsors say. In 2005, 144 children received an  “incapacitating injury” and 17 died in motor vehicle accidents in Michigan—only one who died and 14 who were severely injured used a child restraint seat. The lead sponsors come from West Branch and Dundee. We talk to lawmakers from Grand Ledge and East Lansing, as well as safety experts at the University of Michigan and in Lansing. By Justin Kroll. FOR LANSING, MONROE, MICHIGAN CITIZEN & ALL POINTS.

EARLYEDUCATION:  Some lawmakers and child development experts worry that many Oakland County preschoolers don’t receive an adequate early education. We hear from Oakland Schools and other agencies on a legislative proposal to make preschool programs more affordable and to mandate kindergarten for 5-year-olds, By Hannah Northey. FOR OAKLAND, MICHIGAN CITIZEN & ALL POINTS.

OFFICIALCARS: A Waterford Republican wants to pull the state wheels from most elected state officials and cabinet department heads, a move heralded by budget cut advocates. By Alexander Scott. FOR OAKLAND, LANSING & ALL POINTS.

CARTAX: Sticker shock at the car lot won’t be so severe if legislation passes to change the way sales tax is calculated when there’s a trade-in. House legislation would subtract the value of a trade-on from the purchase price of a new vehicle, a move that could cost the state $175 million a year. Forty-five Democrats are pushing the plan, led by a Northville representative, and a Traverse County Republican is leaning toward supporting it. The Michigan Automobile Dealers Association likes the idea. By Michael Carney. FOR LANSING, MICHIGAN CITIZEN, TRAVERSE CITY, UP NORTH & ALL POINTS.

FOODSAFETY: Health agencies and the restaurant industry are focusing on safe practices after norovirus outbreaks hit three Lansing-area restaurants last year. The Eaton County Health Department inspects restaurants twice a year. A Michigan State food safety expert says counties lack enough funding to inspect restaurants more often. By Tanya Bigham. FOR LANSING & ALL POINTS.

BIODIESELCARNIVAL: When a Mason-based carnival company and another in Chesaning take their trucks and amusement rides on the road to county fairs, they’re running on soy-based fuels. And a  Zeeland company that cranks out 100 million pounds of soy oil a year sells 55 percent for use in biodiesel. Some lawmakers, including ones from West Branch, Monroe, Grosse Pointe Woods, Marquette, Dundee and East Lansing, are pushing for more in-state production of biodiesel. By Erik Adams. FOR LANSING, HOLLAND, GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS, UP NORTH & ALL POINTS.

BIODIESELMANDATE. A proposal to require at least 5 percent biodiesel in all diesel fuel sold in Michigan is igniting debate. The West Branch lawmaker who is leading the charge says it’s good for Michigan agriculture, but the state Chamber of Commerce and Associated Petroleum Industries of Michigan oppose such a mandate. Sponsors come from West Branch, East Lansing, Southfield, Detroit and Grand Rapids, among other places, By Nick Pelton. FOR OAKLAND, LANSING, GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS, UP NORTH & ALL POINTS.

IMMIGRATIONTUITION: Michigan legislators aren’t joining the rush to follow Arizona and Georgia by banning in-state tuition for illegal immigrants attending public universities and community colleges. Nor are they in a hurry to explicitly make them eligible for in-state tuition. A Detroit lawmaker, who says many high school valedictorians in his district are illegal immigrants, says eligibility should be left up individual public universities and community colleges. We also interview officials of the Presidents Council of State Universities and an anti-immigration group. By Hannah Northey. FOR MICHIGAN CITIZEN & ALL POINTS.

STATEPARKS: As state park officials prep for the summer camping season, DNR Director Rebecca Humphries warns that budget woes may force the closure of some parks, which are supported by user fees and not general tax revenue. We also talk to a U.P. legislator on the House appropriations subcommittee for DNR and to officials at Sleepy Hollow State Park and Travel Michigan. For news and outdoors desks. By Justin Kroll. FOR LANSING, MARQUETTE, LUDINGTON, HOLLAND, SOUTH BEND, TRAVERSE CITY, PETOSKEY, CADILLAC, ALPENA, GRAYLING, CLARE, GREENVILLE, BAD AXE, MONROE, UP NORTHY & ALL POINTS.

            w/HUMPHRIESPHOTO: Department of Natural Resources Director Rebecca Humphries. Credit: Sarah McLeod, Capital News Service.

CNS

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