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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

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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

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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

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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.

U.S. House passes unemployment extension bill

By Ed Brayton | 09.23.09 | 7:02 am

The U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday passed H.R. 3548, a bill co-sponsored by Michigan Reps. Gary Peters, Sander Levin, John Dingell, Dale Kildee and Candice Miller to extend unemployment benefits in certain high unemployment states for an additional 13 weeks. The bill passed by a 331-83 vote.

In a press release, Rep. Peters said:

“With the highest unemployment rate in the country, there’s no question an extension is critical for Michigan. An unemployment extension will help Michigan businesses and all of us by injecting billions into our economy. In fact, every unemployment dollar generates over $1.60 in economic activity. One in six Michigan residents are out of work through no fault of their own and are struggling to find a job and Michigan needs an extension more than any state. Congress has frequently extended benefits in previous recessions, and given that this is the worst downturn since the Depression, it is certainly appropriate to do so now.”

The legislation applies to all states with an unemployment rate above 8.5 percent. Michigan’s 15.2 percent unemployment rate leads the nation. Those whose unemployment runs out before the end of 2009 are eligible, with an estimated 25,500 Michigan residents immediately eligible for the extension and 62,800 eligible by year’s end.

An identical bill on the Senate side, S.1647, is co-sponsored by Michigan Sens. Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow. That bill remains in committee but Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has promised a flood vote on the measure soon. President Obama has pledged to sign the bill if it passes.

Comments

  • afraidinmich

    Flood Vote? Soon? How soon Senate ML Reid? I'm desperate. I called Marvin for the last time on September 1st. I've applied for approx 145 jobs in the last 21 months. Via internet job sites, fax, cold call (just riding around and dropping my resume off to businesses-whether hiring or not), giving my resume to neighbors who are fortunate enough to still have a job, and also the Michigan Talent Bank. My car is in need of repairs and I don't have the money. DHS has increased my Food Assistance for the month of October but my landlord will need his rent payment and DTE shows no mercy. A saying in my family is ” When things get tight, tie a knot in the rope and hang on”……I'm hanging on for dear life.

    • rochellebermudez

      afraidinmich I feel you, your story is so similar to mines I just recieved a shutoff notice and took it down to DHS so if you have that issue they can help you out. My Stamps have increased as well but like you said the rent is due! Lets keep our fingers crossed and hope that we see a check by the 1st.

  • patascot

    When is this Flood Vote to take place?
    Is there a date yet?

  • johndean

    Hello, can anyone tell me how many extensions there are total so far. my first 26 weeks expire soon. I am curious. thanks

    • jrdclintontownship

      All I can tell anyone is that I have been getting it since Oct. 2007 (auto supplier worker fro 13 years) I cannot even get a job at the local fast food joints

    • pnnydav

      So far there are whats called 3 tiers of extensions, each 13 weeks long. i.e.) you are eligable for three 13 week extensions (in Ohio anyway) and when the house and the senate get off their dead @553S and pass the life line bill, you will be eligable for another 26 week extension if needed.

    • tinadobson

      There is a Michigan extension and a federal extension. If you go to the website, you can see how many weeks you have left.

    • joblessinmi

      according to unemployment office 3 so you should get two more at 13 weeks each

  • noMOREtv4u

    In 21 months, following the Fed minimum, you should have applied to no fewer than 270 jobs.

    • afraidinmich

      noMOREtv4u- I'm sure my job search will top 300 in the next few weeks. 5 of those weeks were not taken to provide hospice care for my Mom who recently passed. I've back in the saddle, looking for work and ready to work!! for the last 2 months.

      johndean- (1) 26 (2) 33 (3) 20 while reporting to UIA your job search efforts (4) will be the same as 3 but only for states with an 8.5% or higher unemployment rate.

      Please I don't anyone take my situation as if I just want to sit home receive unemployment. Quite the contrary. I want to work!! I've worked in Human Resources for the past 13 years. I enjoy helping others. It's what I want to get back to. But I also realize that I need A job and I have applied for jobs out of my skill level below and above. If I got wind that there were jobs on the moon, I sign up for the first space shuttle out.

      • noMOREtv4u

        I hear you on the difficulty of finding work. I had never been out of work more than 24 hours before I turned 50 — 2 years ago. And it is tough to convince employers you will work for less money or at a lower position. A company got me to come here in 1994, telling me that Michigan was no longer dependent on the automotive industry. Going broke trying to stay here was my fault, though.

        But for nearly 5 years, Michigan has been losing 100,000 business owners, professionals, technologists, etc. That leaves the unskilled and people who have ties locally that held them. And it will be a long time before anyone from other states will come to the worst state in the nation. Eventually, employers will realize the era of having candidates that fit narrowly defined descriptions at deflated prices are over. I've noticed more and more job listings are going months with no “perfect” candidates. So let's hope employers get the message.

        Michigan does not make it easy to broaden yourself, either. With the extension, MI had to allow people to get training, but it is case by case. In many other states, you are required to sign up for education to get benefits and tuition is waived for the unemployed. The subsistence of unemployment is pretty bleak without some concrete hope for future improvement.

  • brendanruff

    Wow, me too. Soon? How about Friday? You're going to pass the bill, why wait? I ran out of benefits last onth and barely scraped together the rent. That's it. anything past this week and my life ends.

  • Pipster

    Ditto… exhausted all benefits a month ago…and no help from DHS for me because I don't have children …I have applied for WAY more than three jobs a week for the last 79 weeks, including anything remotely suitable. I have 'simplified' my resume to keep from being 'underqualified, and 'dumbed down' my resume to keep from being 'overqualified', and even submitted applications without a resume, trying to find employment of any kind. It is very demoralizing.

    Michigan's No Worker Left Behind program has been offering dislocated workers $10,000 for two -year degrees for the last three years…. the waiting list is long, but it's there. I started the process last winter and might, just might, get to go back to school in Jan…. for which I will be grateful…even if I am living in a cardboard box at the bus station.

    • casmere

      .Does anyone have a idea when this will start. Hopefully before Thanksgiving & Christmas.

    • rvicki68

      No worker left behind is a joke> I am in the Michigan Works office right now. I went through the No worker left behind. The problem is Employers want experience. With the new job you have not experience. I am a licensed Phlebotomist and Ekg technican, cosmetologist still no work. Thats a job and a waste of tax money.

  • katydid51

    We all need to send a message to Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid — as well as Stabenow & Levin. Here is Harry Reid's contact page > > http://reid.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm

    We need to beg him to get with that “flood vote” NOW.

  • bblathrom

    I called this week and they told me it should take a few weeks to get the new ext.
    I have they prorate it!!!!

    • penmichigan

      Are you saying if you are eligble for the new exention they will prorate it back to the day you ran out of the last extension?

  • Ypikmichigan

    I called the state unemployment hotline and they're hoping for january 1st

  • freemont3456

    If January is true I will for surely be reading my name in the obituaries by then

  • wolfgang0508

    i have been otu of unemployment for a month now also and my bills are getting sky high. i have heard of this new extension bt when i called unemployment they said they have nto been notified of it and when they are i should receive a letter in the mail. but that was abotu 2 or 3 weeks ago now. so which one is it that they hope soon it will be in efffect or by january 2009. i am so depressed over this. feel like im losing my life. i cant control anything anymore.

  • afraidinmich

    Well folks you are certainly not alone in this mess. We are all in the same club of unemployment.

    Pipster: I can relate to the resume situation, I have 4 different resume types – 1: skilled 2: not so skilled 3: willing to be taught some skills 4: stupid and just need to work! I've been turned down and demoralized at almost every turn. It's sickening!

    And now you have scammers going on the job websites, getting your information off your resume and emailing and calling you with nonsense. I received an email which said “They have reviewed my resume and want to set up and interview” Finally! I screamed out loud…I finally got a hit!! But Noooooo. As I clicked the link in the email and submitted my resume as requested I could not submit it until I answered questions regarding online schooling. After answering a few questions I realized the email was bogus so I didn't complete it. But it was too late. They already had my email address and phone # (off the resume). My phone starting to jump off the hook from online schools, online financial aid programs etc.

    I think these jerks using job websites (CareerBuilders, Snag a Job) as their data base for things other than to offer a job is shameless. I must say that my language when I answer these calls has reduced their frequency but not stopped the flood.

    Anyway… (venting!!)…By January I'll be homeless. Made my last call to Marvin Sept 1st. Michigan is well above the 8.5% unemployment rate and Detroit is at approx. 17+%. What am I suppose to frickin do?? My cell phone $ is due and so is my Internet $. This site gives me the chance to blog with folks in my same situation and keep hope alive. I will lose the only connection I have to jobs and a response. No bus fare…No $. No gas $ my car is down anyway. No $ for new interview outfit…lost weight over the stress.

    I go to the senate website to check to see if the vote is even on the schedule. NO!! I Google for “Michigan Unemployment Extension Updates” to check all current new updates.

    But I wake up every morning and I start fresh like yesterdays disappointments were just a bad dream. Don't know how long this can go on. Just don't know. But the rest I hope it will be soon.

    • donpersuado

      At least you have maintained one hell of a sense of humor! I know what it feels like – I'm 61 & now out-of-work for 10 months! Good Luck to all on this board!!!

      • afraidinmich

        Hmmmm…Sense of rumor?? Really i just laughing to keep from crying. Who am I kidding. I cry every night. And I also PRAY!!

  • afraidinmich

    It's me again. For information to to “About.com” and type in “Unemployment Extension Updates in Michigan”. You can get current info from a variety of sources. GOOD LUCK & GOD BLESS US ALL!

  • mikie43

    I found out that my my unemployment ran out when I called MARVIN last week. I literally almost passed out, had to sit down. This latest extension does not appear to be in effect yet. I am going to college full time thru the No Worker Left Behind program for an associates in registered nursing and am very thankful to the state for this opportunity. I have been laid off for 14 months. I am a divorced, single mother. No child support, as we have joint custody. I went to DHS for help and I will receive cash assistance of $403.00 a month. My mortgage and lot rent alone equals $530.00. So I am listing my double wide with a realtor. I am scared. However, I am trying to be positive, as is my nature and I thank God every day for what I do have. I will pray for all those facing similar situations that have been posted here. God bless and sweet dreams. Things have to get better for all of us.

  • hawaii25

    This needs to pass now with people who have excasted there unemployment here in Ohio as well We need to start calling our Republicians there are holding this all up for us who are not gettting any thing. they want to use it for some thing else. We the people need to voice it loud to the sentate and get this passed what is people going to do for holidays now. NO THANKSGIVING NO CHRISTMANS. what is this now let all go to there house and have our thanksgiving and our christmans they will be the only ones who have a job and money ????

  • SycoRed

    Yes, How soon? My unemployment benifits also ran out at the begining of September and my bank won't take food stamps for the mortgage..I worked 30 years to have this place. Now I might lose it because they gave all the money to the banks (but that didn't help me any, they still want their mortgage payment) I also worked a job and raised my kids so I can't get any help from welfare for the mortgage payment. (But there's another issue)

  • joblessinmi

    still looking for work there is none those who have help wanted signes say they are just accepting apps still calling marvin inhopes it will be retro when unemployment come in if it comes in and i am about to be on the streets so none of it matters anyway with out an address

  • joblessinmi

    what happens when all of us unemployed folks become homeless? what will the rest of the country think then.

  • robert9999

    The Petition to the Senate to Pass S.1699 (H.R. 3548) has now reached 1300+ signatures. Please continue to notify friends and relatives of the Petition and please continue to post the Petition link on other websites. The Petition contains the powerful stories of many of the unemployed. Hopefully, we can get the national media interested in the Petition and the stories of the unemployed. Thank You!

    http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/pass-the-unemp…

  • joblessinmi

    what does the senate and the president think? that all of the people that unemploymet has run out esp in michigan are just going to disappear….. no we will become the goverments problem anyway. please pass this so some of us can go where there is work to be had and we can have a living supporting ourselves with pride and dignity like true americans enjoy doing.

  • trustgod

    In God we trust is printed on our money! I too am on unemployment and need a job. But we must remember we have for to long leaned and put our trust in man and its systems. These are the times we must remember to trust in God and that he knows what we have need of. Yes I know you have prayed so have I, I know the bills are still due, but wait on the Lord and be of good courage and he will strengthen your heart. Faith is a process that we must encourage ourselves through when the news doesn't sound so good. Again I say wait, trust, and lean on the Lord. He will never leave us or forsake us. Lets encourage each other and not depress each other. God Bless all!!

  • johnoakl

    what ever you do, do not stop calling marvin, or faxing your work search.
    that will drop the statistic by state and shows that the job market is improving, not mentioning the reall mess.

    I have been out of work over 19 months. they keep saying socialism is this and that, well I worked in Germany for years, and every one had healthcare, every one got 30 days vacation, everyone got support and protection, if they lost their job. above all, there is no At Will law.

    don't give up, join the welfare, push the same system who collected our hard working tax money, and instead of saving and investing it wisely, they just spent it without any planning and thinking, dems or reps, they are all the same.

    save, save, and save your money which you don't have. please this is the most important thing you could do. spend your money wisely, don't listen to TV or radio about 401k investments or stock market blooming. put it in the house, in a saving accounts with no risk. before you spend your money, ask yourself do I need it or want it. the more we spend on not needed items, the richer the rich become, and the more power they get to destroy us.
    use any resources in the state to save money, your electric subsidised money that state will pay for your bill, the food stamp, cash programs, healthbenefits, please don't give up, pound their doors. they ruined our lives,the least we could do is to pulled them down in our level.

  • desperatenana

    I am so desperate. I have been out of work since March 2007. I am out of energy as it takes more energy to be out of work than to be working. My unemployment has exhausted and I'm so tired of fighting this battle!!

    • joblessinmi

      i feel your pain… i as well have been unemployed since then too and i am soo tired of looking and applying and sending in faxes and filling out computorized apps and dropping off apps, my car is a dead so now i borrow my friends truck i get food stamps but my gas is going to be turned off and my rent is so backed up its impossible to catch up. so i guess if we do not get some sort of cash help we should all rally to the white house and set up tents maybe then they would get the point but then again maybe not. i am looking to move there has to be some kind of living out there for us born americans. keep your chin up… somthing has to give

  • tinadobson

    I agree with most of you. When I lost my job Jan 2008, when my company left Michigan, I never thought that I would be out of work for long. I did go back to school, but I have accumulated a large student loan debt. I can't get a low paying job, because the companies look at my MBA and say, no way. I have applied for 40-60 jobs a month including out of state. Credit card companies are doubling interest rates even though I've been paying.
    A note of advice to all above.
    I found Angel Food Ministries. This is a charity which works with churches in the area (and all over the world) to offer food at about 1/2 the price. There are some rules to be followed, but no application or qualification. This has helped my family and I highly recommend.

  • tvcrebel

    stimulus money was given to companys to hire new people, After 11yrs of not taking even one sick day and being a valued employee, I was let go to some greedy kid's that the company was passed on to along with about 40 others so they could hire new people and get the stimulus money and state money for training new people. Being a women in road work and being 53 yrs old, No one want's to hire me and what is school going to do for me? Iv'e been in road work since I was 23 yrs old. I hate to have to leave michigan, My home, My family but I might have to. I'm so scared I'm about to lose my mobile home because I can't affored the lot rent and it need's so many repairs. And I haven't held out tax's because I can't afford my bills if I pay them. Guess I'll either end up homeless or in jail for no tax's or if I do find a job, I'll be garnashed for tax's. Trying to get thu these hard times. I wonder if stimulus wasn't offered to hire new people would they have kept there 40 employees? Mabe they should have kept chargeing the company's for unemployment on workers they would have called them back to work.

  • mcacreate

    What about temporary servces? I know that everyone here needs a permament position but I'll tell you what. I am with Express. A few months after losing my job, they called me. I got a job that lasted for about 10 days. Then, nothing for months. Then I got another assignment that lasted a few weeks. I had one that lasted only 3 days. But during those times, you're getting up, having to get dressed, be to work on time, all that. When the job ends, you feel like you're losing your job all over again but while you are working, it takes away that depression and makes you feel normal again, even if only for a little while. It also lets you take a few days off job searching.

  • mcacreate

    What about temporary servces? I know that everyone here needs a permament position but I'll tell you what. I am with Express. A few months after losing my job, they called me. I got a job that lasted for about 10 days. Then, nothing for months. Then I got another assignment that lasted a few weeks. I had one that lasted only 3 days. But during those times, you're getting up, having to get dressed, be to work on time, all that. When the job ends, you feel like you're losing your job all over again but while you are working, it takes away that depression and makes you feel normal again, even if only for a little while. It also lets you take a few days off job searching.

  • joblessinmi

    michigan has died! the goverment has let michigan fall, all of us on unemployment and those who it has run out and those who it will run out should think of ways to move.i have seen this before when the steel mills out east closed. unemployment office told me yesterday that there is no extension that i have had my 3 that was available GREAT JUST GREAT!!! well i am selling all my life long belongings and moving to a nice warm place to hell with this state.just think tho , when you are homeless there is no taxes, no bills, free food shelter, clothes all on the govs tab……not a bad thought i guess they still have to take care of us don't they.

  • joycecsengeri

    we need another extension lost job husband work not making much got bills just kike everyone eslse does . If we don't get ext. who's going to help us ! You know that and I know that there are no good paying jobs out there. I am use to working not sitting home, I can't help it company down sized and etc. No benefits insurance what so ever.

  • Conservative895

    Will there be a tier 5 unemployment extension in California???

  • laaylowww2

    what if they offered unemployment but for the long term unemployed after tier 4
    it was a loan ….hummmmm people wouldnt go under, but they would look for work.

  • laaylowww2

    what if they offered unemployment but for the long term unemployed after tier 4
    it was a loan ….hummmmm people wouldnt go under, but they would look for work.

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