This Week's File

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March 14, 2008—Week 8

To: CNS Editors

From: Eric Freedman & Vic Rauch

IN-DEPTH WEEK AHEAD: There will be no group interview on Monday, March 17. Our Friday, March 21, file will include the second-round of in-depth stories.

HERE’S YOUR FILE:

DRUGSINWATER: The recent discovery of pharmaceutical drugs in drinking water is no cause for immediate alarm, the departments of Environmental Quality and Community Health insist. But environmental groups warn the long-term health effects on people and wildlife may prove serious. Many people are unaware that it’s unsafe to flush unused medications down the toilet. By Matt Flint. FOR MICHIGAN CITIZEN, MACOMB,  OAKLAND, ROYAL OAK, LANSING, SPORTSMEN & ALL POINTS.

FULLDAYKINDERGARTEN: Pending legislation would lower the minimum age for kindergarten from 6 to 5 and require kindergarteners to stay in school the full day. Now, only about 330 of the state’s 781 public school districts offer full-day programs. A Western Michigan University early childhood education professor discusses the proposal and opposes a lower minimum age for kindergarteners. By Clay Taylor. FOR HOLLAND, STURGIS, THREE RIVERS, BATTLE CREEK, LUDINGTON & ALL POINTS.

FIREFIGHTERS: Some volunteer firefighters in Utica faced termination from their paying jobs because they missed work to respond to emergencies, so a Roseville senator wants the state to protect the jobs of volunteer EMTs and firefighters who miss work to perform their public safety duties. The Three Rivers fire chief favors the proposal, saying it may spur more volunteers. Michigan has about 5,000 volunteer firefighters. By Diane Ivey. FOR MACOMB, THREE RIVERS, STURGIS, SOUTH BEND & ALL POINTS.

HOOKEDONHOOKAH: An Oakland Community College student knows the health risks of smoking hookah tobacco, an increasingly popular fad among teens and college students, but finds it relaxing. We hear from lawmakers from Dearborn and Detroit who want the state to launch a public education campaign about those risks and to require health warning signs and labels. The Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services in Dearborn pushed for the legislation. Among the co-sponsors are legislators from Farmington Hills, Highland Park, Highland, Royal Oak, Warren and Troy. By Brooke Meier. FOR OAKLAND, ROYAL OAK, MACOMB, MICHIGAN CITIZEN, GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS, LANSING & ALL POINTS.

LIQUORLICENSES: Proposed new restrictions on liquor licenses in Michigan’s downtown development areas would improve the licensing system, a legislative aide says. Some DDAs, including the one in Romeo, have been wary of the bill, but the Traverse City DDA and the Traverse City sponsor of the proposal say it would help bars and restaurants in popular tourist destinations. By Rob Dale. FOR ROMEO, MACOMB, TRAVERSE CITY, LEELANAU, GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS & ALL POINTS.

BRIDGECARDFRAUD: Authorities are cracking down on Bridge card fraud, and investigators say electronic “paper trails” make it easier to detect rip-offs that cost the state millions of dollars annually. Fraud occurs when merchants pay beneficiaries less in cash than their Bridge cards—electronic debit cards that replaced paper food stamp coupons—are worth. Beneficiaries then can spend the money on drugs, alcohol or anything else they want. Some stores are little more than fronts for such schemes, police say. A sweep earlier this year in Detroit and Dearborn nabbed more than two dozen suspects. By Whitney Lloyd. FOR MICHIGAN CITIZEN, OAKLAND, MACOMB, ROYAL OAK, LANSING & ALL POINTS.

TOURISM: The Michigan Lodging and Tourism Association and other hospitality industry groups are pressing the Legislature to earmark a record $40 million for tourism promotion over two years, including money for the first time to promote winter tourism. Experts say Michigan must compete more aggressively against other states for tourism dollars to create jobs. Primary sponsors are from Monroe, Pigeon and Frankenmuth. We also talk to tourism interests in Holland and Thompsonville. By Andrew McGlashen. FOR HOLLAND, GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS, BAD AXE, MARQUETTE, CADILLAC, SOUTH BEND, LUDINGTON, PETOSKEY, TRAVERSE CITY,  LEELANAU, GRAYLING, CLARE, SPORTSMEN, LANSING. MONROE, ALPENA, PETOSKEY & ALL POINTS.

DRUGGRANTS: The State Police and local law enforcement agencies are pushing Congress to restore millions of dollars for multi-jurisdictional drug enforcement teams. The Manistee County sheriff and State Police director worry that some local agencies may have to pull out of regional anti-drug teams without federal financial support. By Harry Gillen. FOR LUDINGTON, OAKLAND, ROYAL OAK, MICHIGAN CITIZEN & ALL POINTS.

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