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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Agema plans Sept. hearing on undocumented workers

By Todd A. Heywood | 08.05.11 | 4:36 pm

Rep. Dave Agema (R-Grandville) is planning hearings on Sept. 13 to push his anti-undocumented workers legislative agenda.

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Partner benefits available to about 30 percent of employees in U.S.

By Todd A. Heywood | 07.26.11 | 3:25 pm

The Department of Labor Statistics, part of the federal Labor Department, has released its annual assessment of work related benefits in the U.S. For the first time, the department included benefits offered to domestic partners.

HIV-testing consent bill pases state House

By Todd A. Heywood | 03.29.10 | 7:20 am

A controversial bill that will change the way HIV-testing is done in Michigan has passed the state House. On Wednesday, the House passed the legislation, with 109 yea votes and zero no votes. The legislation passed with one amendment.

2010 economy and stark choices

By Todd A. Heywood | 01.04.10 | 7:23 am

MLive columnist and capitol reporter Peter Luke provided an insightful, albeit depressing, column Sunday about the stark budget realities the state of Michigan will face in 2010. Luke outlines the crisis as it brewed this past decade, thusly:

Mich. lawmakers burn the midnight oil in race for fed cash

By Todd A. Heywood | 12.17.09 | 11:35 pm

LANSING– Both chambers of the Michigan legislature remained in session Thursday night, preparing for four bills lawmakers say are key to Michigan’s educational future. Four bills are pending in joint House-Senate conference committees. There lawmakers will hammer out the differences between the bills passed in the Democratic dominated House and the Republican majority Senate. Once [...]

Byrnes to run for state Senate

By Todd A. Heywood | 12.11.09 | 11:16 am

In an announcement that is surely no surprise to political observers in Michigan, State Rep. Pam Byrnes, the speaker pro-tem of the House, will announce on Sunday Dec. 13 she will seek a seat in the state Senate. According to AnnArbor.com, Byrnes has this to say in a press release:

Mich. Senate passes smoking ban

By Todd A. Heywood | 12.10.09 | 1:57 pm

LANSING — The Michigan Senate passed a bill to ban smoking in public places today, but the legislation includes exemptions for Detroit’s three casinos, private residences used as offices, and vehicles. The ban, which is based on HB 4377 passed by the Democratic dominated House earlier this year, passed the Republican majority Senate 24-13. The [...]

With school aid fund cuts final, schools sharpen knives to carve budgets

By Todd A. Heywood | 11.24.09 | 10:16 am

Schools across the state are making headlines as they prepare to ax millions of dollars half way through their 2009-2010 budget year. The cuts are necessitated by a state budget passed in Oct. which resulted in significant cuts to the school aid funding allowance, as well as a line item veto by Gov. Jennifer Granholm [...]

Meadows denies pushing new tax on doctors

By Todd A. Heywood | 10.07.09 | 5:18 pm

In an e-mail to supporters Wednesday afternoon, Mark Meadows, an East Lansing Democrat, denied he was involved in drafting and pushing legislation which would assess a tax on doctors in order to raise matching funds for federal Medicaid dollars. The legislation squeaked by in the state House on Tuesday night, and was opposed by, among [...]

As state mulls revenue sharing cuts, Detroit’s still hasn’t received last year’s funding

By Minehaha Forman | 09.30.09 | 3:06 pm

For the past two yeas, Detroit has been late to submit their annual audit to the state and thus has not received its bimonthly revenue sharing funds from the state. As state lawmakers create the budget for the upcoming year, revenue sharing risks being slashed. But will Detroit feel it right away? A bill passed [...]