The Michigan Messenger

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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.

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Class action lawsuit filed against MERS over unpaid taxes

By Todd A. Heywood | 11.15.11 | 11:05 am

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.

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Granholm: Tax breaks, wage concessions don’t help attract business

By Ed Brayton | 11.15.11 | 7:22 am

Former Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm appeared on CNN with Fareed Zakaria recently and pointed out that during her administration, all the tax breaks and wage concessions offered to businesses didn’t keep them from leaving for other countries.

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Supercommittee members face pressure over energy subsidies

By Eartha Jane Melzer | 11.09.11 | 8:32 am

The Congressional deficit reduction “supercommittee” that has been charged with finding $1.5 trillion in budget savings by Thanksgiving could save billions by eliminating tax breaks and subsidies for oil and gas companies, which advocacy groups from across the ideological spectrum support, but energy companies are battling to keep their good deals.

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Under state control, Pontiac’s water goes to troubled company

By Eartha Jane Melzer | 11.04.11 | 10:39 am

The company with the contract to operate Pontiac’s water system has a record of service problems in other cities and is facing felony charges, but it’s unclear whether these issues were taken into account before closing the deal because the contract was issued by an Emergency Manager who is not accountable to local residents.

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Michigan Republicans sought stimulus funds

By Ed Brayton | 11.02.11 | 7:43 am

Newsweek reveals a series of newly released documents from the Department of Energy that shows all of the Republican members of the Michigan congressional delegation seeking stimulus funding for projects in the state on the grounds that such spending would create jobs — despite frequently claiming that the stimulus bill created no jobs.

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Kennecott may be asked to pay new mining tax

By Eartha Jane Melzer | 11.01.11 | 11:59 am

Michigan assesses severance tax when companies remove natural gas and oil and some state officials say operators of high-grade metallic mines should also be charged for removing minerals from the ground. In an article published in The Bridge today Jeff Alexander writes that Michigan could raise $400 million in revenue from Kennecott’s UP nickel and [...]

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Supercommittee may look to cut ag subsidies

By Virginia Chamlee | 10.31.11 | 10:31 am

The 2012 Farm Bill will be hotly debated in Congress in coming months, as members look to cut spending from the federal budget. But recent reports detail a move to include major agricultural cuts in the deficit reduction plan to be developed by the so-called congressional “Super Committee,” as a way to ensure that legislators don’t make even more drastic cuts when they write the forthcoming farm legislation.

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Hertel meets with residents about foreclosure crisis

By Todd A. Heywood | 10.26.11 | 10:46 am

Ingham County Register of Deeds Curtis Hertel, Jr. spent Tuesday evening at the African American Health Initiative in Lansing explaining the roots and complications of the ongoing foreclosure crisis.

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Occupy Lansing to protest Chase Bank

By Todd A. Heywood | 10.18.11 | 10:21 am

Participants of the Occupy Wall Street-inspired Occupy Lansing will protest the downtown Lansing branch of Chase Bank Tuesday afternoon. In a press release sent out this morning, the protests were explained: “Chase Bank is one of the abusive lending institutions responsible for the sputtering economy,” said Ian Eberhart, one of the Oct. 18 spokespersons. “The [...]

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Conyers asks officials to restore lights to Highland Park

By Eartha Jane Melzer | 10.12.11 | 10:04 am

Rep. John Conyers (D-Detroit) is asking state and federal officials to find funding to restore Highland Park’s street lights, which are being removed by DTE Energy because the city can’t afford its electric bill.