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.
While Governor Granholm was in Colorado getting national exposure hosting a question and answer forum that focused on jobs and alternative energy at the Democratic National Convention, new government numbers were adding up to bad news back at home.
U.S. Census Bureau statistics released yesterday (Tuesday August 26, 2008) show Michigan is the only state where the poverty level went up in 2007. The Great Lakes State also had the dubious distinction as being the only place where income dropped.
The numbers show 14 percent of people in Michigan live at or below the poverty level. That number is up from 13.5 percent in 2006 and more than a full percentage point above the national number. Michigan’s rate has grown steadily since 2000, when it hovered around 10 percent.
Michigan’s largest city did not do well in this latest survey. Detroit’s poverty rate was 33.8 percent, making it highest among cities of 250,000 or more. Kalamazoo and Flint tied for fifth among cities with 65,000 to 249,999 people. Both had rates of 35.5 percent.
On the income side, the 2007 median income in Michigan was $47,950. That is down 1.2 percent or $596 from 2006.
Nationwide, the median household income rose to $50,233, a modest increase from the previous year
A downturn in the auto industry and manufacturing is being cited as a big part of the cause for Michigan’s decline and that has Gov. Granholm trying to diversify the state’s economy. In her appearance last night at the convention she was pushing alternative energy, one of the industries she is trying to bring to Michigan.
She has also been the driving force behind bringing film production, high tech companies and more tourism to the state.
Last week, Granholm announced 20 new business expansions or relocations expected to bring $658 million in new investment to the state.
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