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.
U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis and Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm speaking Monday in Lansing.
“We [the Obama administration] see the beginning of a green recovery here in Michigan,” Jones said. “The future for Michigan is green and it’s bright green.”
Jones went on to say that the real jobs and innovation race in the greening of America was in storage capacity of energy, not in the production of it.
“The real race is about storage,” he said, noting that solar and wind power are seen as unpredictable energy sources, dependent on having abundant sunlight and regular wind. Being a leader in how to store energy generated from wind and solar would make Michigan a major innovator in energy infrastructure.
Gov. Jennifer Granholm echoed Jones’ optimism.
“By investing in our work force, manufacturing infrastructure and natural resources, we can make Michigan the state that helps end our nation’s dependence on foreign oil and create good paying jobs in the process,” Granholm said. “Michigan is uniquely positioned to diversify its economy and create jobs by growing the renewable energy sector.”
To back up her claim, Granholm trumpeted the results of the state’s first ever study on green jobs. Among the report’s findings:
There are 109,067 green jobs in in Michigan today. Among those, 96,767 are employed directly in the process of generating green energy, while 12,300 of those jobs are support positions making those green energy production positions possible.
Clean transportation and fuels compromise 40 percent of the jobs.
From 2005 to 2008, Michigan firms saw a 7.7-percent increase in green sector jobs, while seeing a decrease in traditional employment of 5.4 percent.
To assist in the governor’s call for investment in the work force, U.S. Labor Secretary Hilda Solis was on hand to announce that Michigan is receiving $4.1 million in emergency grant funding. Those funds will continue to assist 1,500 workers by lay offs and plant closures in the auto industry. The money is the second payment on an approved $6.6 million OK’d in June 2008. The original funding was for $2,475,000. The remainder of the $6.6 million approved in June of last year was released today because Michigan has proved it continues to require the assistance.
“Despite this tough economy, Gov. Granholm is ensuring that Michigan leads the way in this new green economy,” Solis said. “The work that is being done here is at the heart of our emerging green economy. These green jobs will guarantee a bright future for Michigan, and they will also ensure a bright future for the United States.”
Do you know where to vote on Election Day? Do you know what to bring with you? Get comprehensive voter information for your state here.
Sign up for our email newsletter