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.
Are motorcycles the answer to $4 a gallon gasoline? Some lawmakers and the Michigan secretary of state seem to think so. The Michigan House recently approved a plan proposed by State Rep. Richard LeBlanc (D-Westland) to promote more fuel-efficient commuting practices by designating July 16 as Ride Your Motorcycle to Work Day throughout the state.
“I proposed this plan because our quality of life depends in large part on the choices we make each and every day,” said LeBlanc, an avid biker. “With gas prices topping $4 a gallon, filling up your tank every week is becoming very expensive. If more people start riding their motorcycles to work it will save money at the pump and help lessen our dependence on foreign oil.”
LeBlanc’s plan will add Michigan to the growing number of states participating in Ride to Work Day, which is nationally recognized on the third Wednesday in July. This year, Ride to Work Day is scheduled for July 16.
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According to the U.S. Census, there are more than 129 million commuters in the U.S. and 6.6 million registered motorcycles. However, only one percent of commuters ride motorcycles to work regularly — fewer than 150,000 people.
“There are millions of motorcycle riders across the country,” LeBlanc said. “If more commuters rode their bikes to work, just think how much less gas we would use. We would need fewer parking spots, use less gas and do less damage to our roads. Not to mention, the morning commute would be a lot more fun.”
Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land urges participating Michigan riders to make safety a priority.
She is promoting Ride Your Motorcycle to Work Day for gas savings and reduced pollution and traffic congestion, as well as for the minimal space motorcycles require for parking.
“Ride Your Motorcycle to Work Day provides riders from all walks of life with an excellent opportunity to promote motorcycling as a cost-conscious, more environmentally friendly means of transportation,” Land said. “But, whether you ride for fun or as part of your daily commute, safety is the No. 1 priority. This means wearing the proper safety gear and having the training and skills necessary to safely operate your motorcycle. And all motorcyclists must have a motorcycle endorsement on their driver’s license to legally ride on public roads.”
Land also emphasized that all motorists — including drivers of cars and trucks — share an equally important responsibility in promoting safety by keeping alert for motorcyclists at all times and by taking special care at intersections, when changing lanes, and at night, when crash risks are greater.
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