A LITTLE LATE: Detroiters, through their neglect of civic duties, are in a poor position to complain about the appointment of an emergency manager or the actions he takes, argues Karen Dumas. (courtesy photo/used under Creative Commons license) The city of Detroit has become a glaring example of what happens when citizen engagement and voter […]
Detroiters pay price for their lack of diligence
Posted inSuccess
Bridge sweeps online news category in Detroit SPJ contest
Bridge Magazine swept the online general news category in the Society of Professional Journalists Detroit Chapter’s Excellence in Journalism contest for 2012. In its first year of competition in the contest, Bridge garnered first-, second- and third-place awards for news coverage. Winners were announced April 17 at an event in Troy. Ron French Senior […]
Posted inGuest Commentary
Guest commentary: Money Smart Week starts with 10 top tips for families
By Kelly Masters/ Money Smart Week chairwoman Of all the issues we currently face, few have greater potential to cause harm to individuals and communities than the consequences associated with poor financial decision-making. Kelly Masters is owner of Graceful Communications and chairwoman of the Federal Reserve Bank Money Smart Week in Michigan. When this occurs […]
Posted inTalent & Education
Michigan isn’t properly monitoring schools, education group says
Increasing school choice doesn’t help students, if the new options are bad. All too often, that’s been the case in Michigan recently with charter schools and cyber-schools, claims a new report by the reform group Education Trust-Midwest. CLICK TO ENLARGE The report to be released today, “Invest in What Works: A Call to Michigan Leaders,” lays […]
Posted inTalent & Education
Consensus on Common Core school standards evaporating
(courtesy image/used under Creative Commons license) Seven years ago, Michigan’s Democratic and Republican lawmakers arrived at a rare moment of consensus: They agreed to dramatically raise the bar for high school graduation. A two-bill package passed the Senate without dissent, and there was just a smattering of no votes in the 110-member House. Michigan […]
Posted inTalent & Education
Legislators eye changes to high school graduation requirements
TOO MUCH?: Almost a dozen bills are before the Legislature to alter requirements for a high school diploma – requirements adopted less than a decade ago. (Bridge illustration/A.J. Jones) Seven years ago, Gov. Jennifer Granholm and the Legislature surveyed Michigan’s high school academic landscape and did not like the view. The state had but one […]
Posted inLand O Links
Land O Links
*Michigan Capitol Confidential, an arm of the Mackinac Center, reports that, “For the first time since 2006, the Service Employees International Union is not deducting money from the Medicaid checks of the state’s 59,000 home-based caregivers. James Haveman, director of the Michigan Department of Community Health, confirmed that the money no longer is being taken […]
Posted inGuest Commentary
Analysis: Detroit raises large sums with high tax rates
By Jeff Guilfoyle/Citizens Research Council With Michigan’s largest city now under the direction of an emergency manager, statewide attention has focused on the city of Detroit’s finances. The Citizens Research Council, a nonpartisan, nonprofit research firm, has published an analysis of the city’s fiscal structure and trends — Detroit City Government Revenues. This report attempts […]
Posted inQuality of Life
Let the river run: Dam removal accelerates in Michigan
THE GOAL: An artist’s rendering shows a section of the Grand River in downtown Grand Rapids after a nearly $28 million river improvement project is finished. (courtesy image) Michigan may be the Great Lakes State, but its 36,000 miles of rivers are becoming popular commodities for cities looking to revitalize downtowns, attract visitors and lure […]
Posted inQuality of Life
In Ottawa County, parks leader shepherds quarter-century of green growth
The Lake Michigan coast near Grand Haven features two spectacular natural areas, each of which gives rise to towering sand dunes that are cloaked by lush forests. John Smoltz, as head of Ottawa County’s Parks Commission, has spearheaded a massive increase in parks acreage in the county just west of Grand Rapids. He’s shown on […]
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