Top Stories

The Michigan Messenger going forward

By Staff Report | 11.16.11

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 [...]

Colorado-based abstinence program provided false and misleading information to Michigan students

HIV-AIDS-small
By Todd A. Heywood | 11.16.11

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.

Class action lawsuit filed against MERS over unpaid taxes

foreclosure
By Todd A. Heywood | 11.15.11

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.

Schuette fights important mercury regulations

epa_logo
By Eartha Jane Melzer | 11.14.11

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.

Help Michigan Messenger review the stimulus package projects

By Todd A. Heywood | 01.26.09 | 2:34 pm

We need your help eyeballing the stimulus bill. Michigan Messenger reporters have started digging through the lists of Michigan public works projects proposed for President Obama’s stimulus bill looking for projects that are not needed, misguided, wasteful or environmentally unfriendly. We found the “railroad to nowhere” project, brought scrutiny to the $10 million twice rejected central library in Meridian and we think there may be more like it.

But we need your help to find them.

Take a look at the projects in your area touted by interest groups representing Michigan’s local governments — from the Michigan Township Association to the Michigan Municipal League (MML) and the state’s County Road Association — and let us know of any that don’t deserve taxpayer dollars. With your help, we can improve the stimulus bill.

Leave us a note in comments here if you find or know of any projects that don’t make sense in terms of jobs, sustainability, effective use of resources, or are just plain pork.  You can also email us at michiganmessenger [at] gmail.com.

Comments

  • casspat

    I can understand public concerns about alleged “shovel-ready” projects that are either similar to the Alaskan “bridge to nowhere” or not really ready. But I know of many, many projects that are ready to go; contrary to another story about Michigan's preparations for stimulus funds. For example, there are at least 44 public school district bond issues that did not receive voter support last year. There are many others that have not been placed on the ballot because they have been turned down previously to 2007. Most of the primarily renovation plans have been made and are waiting on shelves to be implemented. Many of the projects involved efforts to “go green” through new roofs, windows, etc., replacement of aging boiler with most efficient HVAC systems, and are designed to improve the educational environment for students. Lansing, for example, has $340 million in plans that have not been approved and Hamtramck, an enclave inside Detroit, desperately needs to replace all its 70-plus years old buildings, but cannot afford to. It's an immigrant city with 3,000 kids. I work for a construction management firm that is trying to help many school districts, plus a city or two and even a transit light rail system get going. They have the plans, they meet the criteria released by the Obama administration, and they are ready to turn over shovels of dirt and get going.

    Just thought you might be interested my point of view on this. I'm a good friend of fellow Messenger reporter Dave Good. We in the building business are doing our best to help kick start the stimulus fund uses in Michigan in order to trigger construction industry jobs.

    Best Regards, Cass Franks

  • casspat

    I can understand public concerns about alleged “shovel-ready” projects that are either similar to the Alaskan “bridge to nowhere” or not really ready. But I know of many, many projects that are ready to go; contrary to another story about Michigan's preparations for stimulus funds. For example, there are at least 44 public school district bond issues that did not receive voter support last year. There are many others that have not been placed on the ballot because they have been turned down previously to 2007. Most of the primarily renovation plans have been made and are waiting on shelves to be implemented. Many of the projects involved efforts to “go green” through new roofs, windows, etc., replacement of aging boiler with most efficient HVAC systems, and are designed to improve the educational environment for students. Lansing, for example, has $340 million in plans that have not been approved and Hamtramck, an enclave inside Detroit, desperately needs to replace all its 70-plus years old buildings, but cannot afford to. It's an immigrant city with 3,000 kids. I work for a construction management firm that is trying to help many school districts, plus a city or two and even a transit light rail system get going. They have the plans, they meet the criteria released by the Obama administration, and they are ready to turn over shovels of dirt and get going.

    Just thought you might be interested my point of view on this. I'm a good friend of fellow Messenger reporter Dave Good. We in the building business are doing our best to help kick start the stimulus fund uses in Michigan in order to trigger construction industry jobs.

    Best Regards, Cass Franks

  • casspat

    I can understand public concerns about alleged “shovel-ready” projects that are either similar to the Alaskan “bridge to nowhere” or not really ready. But I know of many, many projects that are ready to go; contrary to another story about Michigan's preparations for stimulus funds. For example, there are at least 44 public school district bond issues that did not receive voter support last year. There are many others that have not been placed on the ballot because they have been turned down previously to 2007. Most of the primarily renovation plans have been made and are waiting on shelves to be implemented. Many of the projects involved efforts to “go green” through new roofs, windows, etc., replacement of aging boiler with most efficient HVAC systems, and are designed to improve the educational environment for students. Lansing, for example, has $340 million in plans that have not been approved and Hamtramck, an enclave inside Detroit, desperately needs to replace all its 70-plus years old buildings, but cannot afford to. It's an immigrant city with 3,000 kids. I work for a construction management firm that is trying to help many school districts, plus a city or two and even a transit light rail system get going. They have the plans, they meet the criteria released by the Obama administration, and they are ready to turn over shovels of dirt and get going.

    Just thought you might be interested my point of view on this. I'm a good friend of fellow Messenger reporter Dave Good. We in the building business are doing our best to help kick start the stimulus fund uses in Michigan in order to trigger construction industry jobs.

    Best Regards, Cass Franks

Categories & Tags: Economy| Local Politics| State Politics| | | | |