About 700 families who can’t hold jobs because they’re caring for seriously ill or disabled family members will continue to receive welfare cash assistance, under the terms of a welfare reform bill awaiting the signature of Gov. Rick Snyder. The bill codifies policies put in place by the Department of Human Services in the fall […]
700 families get to keep cash welfare benefits
Posted inMichigan Government
Snyder veto sought on gun-zone changes
School, religious and hospital leaders plan to continue their opposition to pending changes to Michigan’s concealed weapon law this week by asking Gov. Rick Snyder to veto Senate Bill 59. That bill, passed in the last hours of the recent “lame-duck” legislative session, would allow certified concealed weapon permit holders to carry weapons into schools […]
Posted inGuest Commentary
Guest column: Getting serious about ‘Agenda 21’
By Brad Garmon/Michigan Environmental Council Depending on where you hang your political hat, United Nations Agenda 21’s environmental recommendations represent one of two things. It could be the playbook of a shadowy global elite working to achieve total “global control,” in the words of former Fox News provocateur Glenn Beck. This is a commonly held […]
Posted inLand O Links
Land O Links
* Michigan is No. 15 among the states for its reliance on coal to produce electricity, according to these figures. While Michigan voters rejected a constitutional amendment to mandate a greater use of renewable energy sources for electric power, the trend is toward less coal. And Michigan is far from alone on that front, as […]
Posted inBusiness Watch
Factory work drives slow Mich. recovery
If there’s one thing we’ve always been able to count on in Michigan, it’s that manufacturing will drag us into recession and lead us back to recovery. And it’s happening again. Durable goods manufacturing output has jumped 41 percent in the past two years, far outpacing any other segment of the economy since 2009. The […]
Posted inBusiness Watch
Construction industry sees more work, more jobs on Michigan’s horizon
No industry contracted more during Michigan’s “lost decade” than construction. The value of new construction, including homes, offices, factories, hospitals and schools, fell by more than half, from $21 billion in 2001 to $9.2 billion last year, as measured by state gross domestic product. During the same period, Michigan lost 82,000 construction jobs, a 40 […]
Posted inBusiness Watch
Health sector surges, but Michigan economy still faces educational drags
Manufacturing is still the engine driving Michigan’s economy, but several other industry segments are fighting to grab the steering wheel. Health care; finance and insurance; professional, scientific and technical services; management of companies; wholesale trade; and lodging and food service all have shown near or above double-digit growth of the past two years as measured […]
Posted inGuest Commentary
Guest column: Flashing yellow turn lights improve driver safety
By James Lake/Michigan Department of Transportation The flashing yellow arrow left-turn signal is becoming more common on Michigan roads. If you haven’t seen one on your travels yet, you will soon. As with anything new, however, the flashing yellow arrow can be a bit confusing at first. But, as drivers encounter them more often, and […]
Posted inBusiness Watch
RTW law and referendum just won’t mix
Michigan is one of 24 states where the public can pass judgment on the work of their elected representatives via the power of referendum. But just as Superman’s foes found kryptonite could neutralize him, Michigan legislators have found their way to neutralize the referendum. The majorities backing Right to Work legislation included a $1 million […]
Posted inBusiness Watch
Right to Work bills won't touch State Police
Thousands of union workers converged on Lansing Tuesday to protest the passage of Right to Work legislation. They stood on a Capitol grounds well-populated with Michigan State Police troopers – troopers who, ironically, are not only unionized themselves, but insulated from the current debate due to a constitutional provision. A spokesman for MSP declined Tuesday […]