By Derek Melot/Bridge Magazine

* As this ProPublica story mentions, Michigan is familiar with the consequences when an oil or gas pipeline ruptures. The story also notes that pipelines are considered safer than alternative means of fuel transport (trucks, trains):

http://www.propublica.org/article/
pipelines-explained-how-safe-are-americas-2.5-million-miles-of-pipelines

* Jack Lessenberry pays tribute to former Michigan first lady Helen Milliken, who passed away last Friday.

http://www.michiganradio.org/post/commentary-helen-milliken

* Another fact about the Asian carp: It now represents 2/3 of the fish in the Illinois River basin. That point was made by Bridge Magazine contributor Jeff Alexander in his blog All Things Great Lakes. Check it out:

http://allthingsgreatlakes.wordpress.com/2012/11/14/asian-carp-domination-of-illinois-river-bodes-ill-for-great-lakes/

* This spiffy infographic details some less-than-spiffy economic trends in Michigan in the 21st century. Michigan is becoming a much less equal place as the wealthiest among us increase their assets while struggling families are encountering greater struggles:

http://www.cbpp.org/files/pullingapart2012/Michigan.pdf

* The state’s Agriculture Department has created a website that provides restaurant health inspection data in a searchable format – a move reported by Great Lakes Echo, a journalism endeavor at Michigan State University:

http://greatlakesecho.org/2012/11/14/new-website-posts-food-safety-inspection-reports/

* A depressing factoid in a depressing story about financial problems in the Flint School District – the district spent $900,000 last year to deal with vandalism:

http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2012/11/audit_flint_school_district_ru.html#incart_river_default

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