WHAT WOULD YOU PAY?: If ESPN were purchased as a standalone channel, fans of collegiate baseball and other sports would have to shell out $30 per month, according to one analysis. (Bridge archive photo) *Would you be willing to pay $30, each month, just to have access to a single channel? That’s the calculation of […]
Derek Melot
Derek Melot is a former assistant editorial page editor, columnist and reporter at the Lansing State Journal, where he covered state and local issues extensively, earning awards from the Associated Press and Michigan Press Association. The Oklahoma native moved to Michigan in 1999, and served as Bridge editor through mid-2013.
Posted inLand O Links
Land O Links
POSITIVE TREND: In 2012, the number of fatalities on Michigan roads was 26 percent less than the number in 2002 – even though the number of miles driven was basically the same for both years. (courtesy photo/used under Creative Commons license) *Illinois became the 50th state to legalize the carrying of concealed weapons. As of […]
Posted inLand O Links
Land O Links
A REPRIEVE: A $20,000 donation by the president of the Irish Hills Historical Society may help these historic viewing towers stave off the wrecking ball. (courtesy photo/Mlive) *Homeowners know what July means … property tax bills. While it might not feel like it, Michigan is not at the top when it comes to taxing property. […]
Posted inBusiness Watch
With Michigan costs rising, rail group proposes surge in seats for high-speed Amtrak line
SUCCESS NOW, CHALLENGES AHEAD: More people are choosing to ride Amtrak lines in Michigan these days, but the state’s subsidy for passenger rail will increase significantly starting in October. A group of rail advocates is offering a plan to boost the number of seats available on Michigan rails to help the state defray those costs. […]
Posted inLand O Links
Land O Links
*A perennial problem in Michigan elections will reach its yearly peak soon. August primary elections sneak up on voters who quickly find they might not have ready access to independent information about candidates and issues. Vote411 is an attempt to help. Sponsored by the League of Women Voters Education Fund, the site offers ballot language, […]
Posted inLand O Links
Land O Links
(courtesy photo/used under Creative Commons license) *On the subject of death, surveys show most people will agree to practically any “life-saving” treatment available. Doctors, by contrast, would reject almost all of the current treatments in such situations, except for pain meds. Why?: “First, few non-physicians actually understand how terrible undergoing these interventions can be. He […]
Posted inLand O Links
Land O Links
MEDICAID MESS: Despite the Michigan Senate’s refusal to vote on his proposal to expand Medicaid health services, Gov. Rick Snyder said this week he has no plans to recall the Legislature from its summer break to work on the issue. (courtesy photo) *This was not the kind of national press Gov. Rick Snyder was expecting […]
Posted inLand O Links
Land O Links
BELIEVE OR LEAVE: A woman says U.S. immigration officials tell her that she has to join a church or her bid for citizenship will be rejected. (courtesy photo/used under Creative Commons license) *Land of the free?: “Margaret Doughty … is being told by officials that her application to become a naturalized U.S. citizen could be […]
Posted inLand O Links
Land O Links
HOW DOES THIS WORK?: Michigan’s system of road safety rules, which require seat belts in autos, but not helmets on adult motorcycle riders, is confusing. (courtesy photos/used under Creative Commons license) *It is the avowed policy of the state of Michigan that: A. Drivers and passengers in motor vehicles must be belted in order to […]
Posted inLand O Links
Land O Links
FROM LAKE TO HERE: Waukesha, Wis., wants to draw its city water supply from Lake Michigan under the provisions of a 2008 compact of Great Lakes states. (courtesy photo/used under Creative Commons license) *Waukesha, Wis., located about 15 miles west of Milwaukee’s Lake Michigan shoreline, wants to draw its water from the Great Lakes because […]