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.
LANSING — Shortly before 2 p.m. the Michigan Senate approved the budget for the Michigan Department of Community Health. The vote was 20-17.
The budget cuts Medicaid payments to providers by eight percent, as well as chops programs such as pregnancy prevention. Democrats, who are in the minority, argued against the legislation saying it was untenable to balance the budget on the backs of Michigan resident’s health.
“I have heard over and over again that there will be a supplemental that will restore some of the cuts we are making. Well I say I don’t wish to play roulette with people’s lives,” said Sen. Deb Cherry, D- Flint. “And I believe we should take this action now so our budget can provide basic needed services to our vulnerable citizens. I reject the idea that only by cutting programs can we balance this budget.”
Republican Sen. Tom George, who is a medical doctor and is a candidate for the Republican nomination for governor in 2010, said the Medicaid programs merely illustrates how damaged the state’s budget is.
“I wish to point out that this budget more than any other illustrates the structural problems in our budget the state faces. It represents a program that is open ended. From one million medicaid to nearly 1.7 million, one in every ten to now one in every six Michigan residents covered by medicaid. It’s not sustainable,” said the Texas Township Republican.
The budget was approved earlier Wednesday and now heads to Gov. Jennifer Granholm’s desk for signature or veto.
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