I am writing today to announce the closure of the Michigan Messenger. After four years of operation in Michigan, the board of the American Independent News Network, has decided to shift publication of its news into a single site, The American Independent at Americanindependent.com. This is part of a shift in strategy, towards new forms [...]
An abstinence-only presentation provided to numerous school districts in Calhoun and Eaton Counties in October of this year provided false and misleading information to students about HIV, experts allege.
Two county registers of deeds filed a class action lawsuit Monday on behalf of Michigan’s 83 counties alleging that the Mortgage Electronic Registration Services owes millions of dollars in property title transfer taxes.
Despite evidence of the impact of mercury on children and public health, Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette last month joined with 24 other state attorneys general in filing a lawsuit to scuttle new EPA regulations that would reduce mercury emissions from power plants.
Gov. Jennifer Granholm at press conference regarding failure of automaker bridge loan bill.
A visibly tired Gov. Jennifer Granholm welcomed the Bush administration’s announcement that it would steer funds originally intended for the Wall Street bailout to the auto industry. But warned that quick action is needed.
“The clock is ticking, the auto industry is drowning,” she told a press conference in Lansing. “The bottom line is that, while we are not yet over the finish line, I believe this industry has been extended a life line. There is much work to be done. But there is a path to viability.”
Granholm spoke after the White House changed course on Friday by issuing a statement that said, “We will consider other options if necessary — including use of the TARP program — to prevent a collapse of troubled automakers.” The White House had previously opposed using the Troubled Asset Relief Program to help the Big Three.
Describing the events of the last week as “brutal,” Granholm blasted lawmakers in Washington, D.C., who voted against the loans to the auto companies, saying their votes were “shocking,” and that “having a strong manufacturing line means nothing” to them.
But Granholm said there was no timeline in place as to when the money would be released.
“There is not a timetable. The moment is urgent,” she said. “It has to happen as soon as it possibly can.”
Granholm appeared surprised to learn General Motors had announced factory shutdowns, including at locations in Detroit, Lansing and Flint. When asked about the cuts, she started to say the cuts had not been announced and it was unclear how they would impact the state. Reporters cut her off mid-sentence, noting that the closures had already been announced.
“Oh, Lansing?” she said before sayng that rapid response teams were going to be deployed throughout the state to address auto workers’ needs.
In addition, Granholm encouraged people to invest in the automakers, announcing that she personally purchased 300 shares of an American auto maker today (she declined to state which one) for her children.
She also announced the state was accelerating the fleet replacement purchases for 2009. An order for 500 cars had been placed, and by the end of the calendar year a total of 1,616 cars will be ordered by the state to replace fleet vehicles for 2009.
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