Gray school1 by wardmac

The Detroit Free Press reports that a group called Save Our Schools Michigan (SOS Michigan) is predicting a bleak future for Michigan schools:

Michigan public schools will lay off thousands of employees and more than 100 districts could be insolvent if the state doesn’t find a way to plug a $400-per-pupil funding shortfall in funding next year.

That assessment comes today from a coalition of education groups that urged the Legislature to resolve what they call a school funding crisis by July 1, the start of a new fiscal year for schools.

Save Our Students (SOS), a coalition of 17 associations that represent school and school officials statewide, released results of a survey of 300 of the state’s 540 school districts that paints a bleak picture of 4,000 additional layoffs statewide next year, school closures and elimination of programs.

The survey indicates 47 school districts could deplete their fund reserves this year, and another 60 to 80 could do so next year...

The Detroit News adds a list of more findings from the survey:

• 85 percent report class sizes will increase due to staff cuts and closing schools.
• 83 percent will freeze salaries and benefits for some or all employees.
• 76 percent plan to combine services with other districts to cut costs.
• 56 percent will reduce or eliminate extracurricular activities.
• 53 percent will cancel orders for major capital spending.
• 46 percent will reduce or eliminate bus transportation for students.

I hate to say it, but Michigan's elected officials have been turning a blind eye to this brewing storm for years. Don't believe me? Here's Jack Lessenberry from 4 years ago:

Someday we may find leaders who have the vision and courage to fix it, but in the meantime, we need to avoid destroying public education in our state.

We still haven't found leaders with the courage to make the hard choices, and Jack's still writing.

Conversely, opposition to slavery did grow. Michigan was an active participant of the Underground Railroad even before it became a state. In 1836, thirteen former slaves organized the Second Baptist Church in Detroit. Besides allowing African Americans to worship without discrimination, the church also opened Michigan's first school for black children and it was a stop on the Underground Railroad.

Michigan's black population grew slowly but steadily during the years before the Civil War. Famed black abolitionist Sojourner Truth made Battle Creek her home in 1857. At a time when women, especially black women, did not give speeches, Truth used her remarkable speaking skills to promote equality and the need to end slavery. Truth stood six feet tall and had a deep voice. Her listeners were "melted into tears by her touching stories."

As automobiles became Michigan's central focus, tens of thousands of African American moved north, seeking employment in the auto factories. During the twentieth century, the list of African Americans who had an impact on Michigan - and the world - includes world champion boxer Joe Louis, political scientist Ralph Bunche (the first African American to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize), Motown Records' founder James Earl Jones, Congressman John Conyers Jr. and activist Rosa Parks.

For a massive listing of happenings check out: "Black History Month events: February is full of music, exhibits and cultural events celebrating African-American achievement" - via Freep.com

Photo Credit: Visual Materials from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Records (Library of Congress)

Guardian by Ralph Krawczyk Jr

Our years of neglect of the ongoing structural problems in our budget has left Michigan in a position where we're cutting all kinds of services drastically. When you're taking millions from classrooms, public safety and basic human services for our most needy, it's hard to advocate against cuts for the arts.

However, after watching this video from ArtServe Michigan, that looks at the jobs & economic impact of the arts and the bigger picture of how art & civilization work together, I have to say that Michigan needs to think long and hard about how we will foster art & culture in these challenging times.

What do you think? Watch the video and comment below or over on the ArtServe blog.

Also check out the 4400 plus "art" slideshow in the Absolute Michigan pool.

Frankfort, Michigan Lighthouse and Beach by forestlady

Here's a few highlights of the many events being held around Michigan for the month of January. A lot of them are out in the snow for snowmobiles, skates, skis and sled dogs, but there's also a chance to heat up with the Ann Arbor Folk Fest, Ferndale Blues and the Detroit Auto Show. The weatherman says there's a 100% chance we didn't get them all so please add links and information for those we missed along with reviews of ones we list in the comments below!

• January is named after Janus (Ianuarius), the god of the doorway; the name has its beginnings in Roman mythology, coming from the Latin word for door (ianua) - January is the door to the year.
• January's birthstone is the garnet which represents constancy.
• Its birth flower is the Dianthus caryophyllus or Galanthus.

"New Year's Day is everyman's birthday." - Charles Lamb

"The Old Year has gone. Let the dead past bury its own dead. The New Year has taken possession of the clock of time. All hail the duties and possibilities of the coming twelve months!" - Edward Payson Powell

"Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home." - Edith Sitwell

All Month
Ice Skate Campus Martius Park - Detroit
Skating among the skyscrapers at Campus Martius Park. At 64 feet by 120 feet, it's a bit larger than the Rink at Rockefeller Center and showcases surround-sound music and color-changing lighting. Skaters and visitors can enjoy a warming pavilion for renting and changing skates, as well as outdoor seating. The rink is open daily until March.

January 9
Tahquamenon Country Sled Dog Race - Newberry
We are again looking forward to pristine trail conditions over beautiful terrain. Each year we seem to get just the right amount of snowfall, and each year our trail crews do a fantastic job of preparing great racing conditions for all our classes.

January 11 - January 24
The North American International Auto Show - Detroit
Experience the next generation of transportation at the North American International Auto Show 2010. See more than 700 vehicles on display, representing the most innovative designs in the world and experience North America's largest and most prestigious automotive showcase.

January 16
Winter Warm-Up Weekend - Traverse City
Cabin Fever? Cooped up with the kids! If you are looking for an excuse to take a weekend getaway, then look no further! The Wineries of Old Mission Peninsula (WOMP) has teamed up with peninsula area businesses for 2009’s WINTER WARM UP. Guests may visit any of the five Old Mission wineries between 12-5 to purchase a souvenir mug. This mug is your “ticket” into each participating winery and business on Old Mission, entitling you to mulled wine tasting, desserts, appetizers and other special promotions. On Saturday Jan 17, 2009 each of the wineries will have a special artistic/performance offering! Some peninsula area restaurants are offering special promotions when you present your mug.

January 16 - 17
Kalkaska Winterfest - Kalkaska
One of the largest races in the Midwest. Longest continuous running race in Michigan -- Since 1965. Largest purse in Michigan -- $6,000. The only race in the state with an Unlimited/Open Class.

January 22-24 and 29-31
Tip Up Town USA - Houghton Lake
It's hard to put into words how Tip Up Town USA has come to be the very description of winter fun and enjoyment for the whole family at Houghton Lake. Thousands of Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and neighboring residents return each year to see this largest Winter Festival in Michigan, held annually the last two weekends in January. Whatever the weather, TUT will be fun, fun, fun all the way. There will be all the usual popular attractions - the carnival, parade, Polar Bear Dip, Family Fun Tent, Beverage Tent, crazy games and more! Plus, the Ice Fishing contests will be bigger and better than ever and we're adding Broomball this year!

January 27 - February 1
Zehnder's Snowfest - Frankenmuth
Zehnder's Snowfest has been host to one of the top snow sculpting events in North America for the past 19 years. Visitors have enjoyed larger-than-life snow sculptures and beautifully detailed ice carvings each year. Zehnder's Snowfest 2010 will again dazzle and excite you with snow and ice sculptures created by professional ice and snow carvers from around the world.

January 29 - 30
Ann Arbor Folk Festival - Ann Arbor
In keeping with the Festival's longstanding reputation, each night will feature a blend of renowned and up-and-coming performers, providing audiences with the opportunity to hear popular artists working at the top of their field while discovering terrific new talent. All funds raised through the Festival benefit The Ark, Ann Arbor's non-profit home for folk, roots, and ethnic music.

January 29 - February 6
Ferndale Blues Festival - Ferndale
The Ferndale Metro Blues Festival has been a hugely popular and wildly successful event. In fact, it was an official sanctioned event of Super Bowl XL in 2006. The Ferndale Metro Blues Festival averages more than 60 concerts held over nine days at two dozen locations in the region.

January 30
Subaru Noquemanon Ski Marathon and mBank Half Noque - Marquette
The MGH Noquemanon Ski Marathon and mBank Half Noque, both in their eleventh year, continue to attract cross country skiers from around the nation and around the world. Thousands of skiers have taken the 51K or 25K trek from Ishpeming, the birthplace of organized skiing and home to the U.S. National Ski Hall of Fame to Marquette’s Superior Dome, the world’s largest wooden domed stadium along the shores of Lake Superior.

January 30
Heikinpäivä - Hancock
Heikinpäivä is set for January 30, 2010, with events throughout the week leading up to the primary festival day, as well as the days immediately following. Organizers keep a watchful eye on the celebration's uniquely ethnic flavor and it features Finnish crafts, music, food, films and games. Although a Hancock City event, the Heikinpaiva spirit has spilled into neighboring communities from Calumet to South Range.

beets450 by CreateWithKim

The Michigan Land Use Institute's Patty Cantrell is reporting on how communities across Michigan building stronger communities with healthy, local food in the Good Food Tour. The latest, Kalamazoo: Oh, the Webs They Weave!, begins:

The rise of Kalamazoo’s strong Good Food movement is a story about people—and about how one good thing often leads to another when those people are passionately committed to a local food economy—and communicating with each other.

For many in this region, the Good Food movement revolves around a non-profit called Fair Food Matters. FFM hosts the Eat Local, Kalamazoo! group, which sponsors events throughout the year to connect local people and local foods. FFM also puts on the Fair Food Film Festival and operates projects like the Can-Do Kitchen, summer chefs classes for kids, and learning gardens, like the Roots of Knowledge garden at Woodward Elementary School, in nearby Portage.

Read on for much more about good, local food in Kalamazoo & Southwest Michigan and also check out Fair Food Matters.

Green Rocks by {D}

Scientists say that 350 parts per million of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is the safe upper limit for life as we know it. We're currently pushing 400, and this Saturday (October 24, 2009) is the 350 International Day of Climate Action, a day designed to show through public action that life as we know it is something we're interested in keeping.

The science of 350 is as inexorable as an approaching train and basically goes like this: For all of human history until about 200 years ago, our atmosphere contained 275 parts per million of carbon dioxide. Beginning in the 18th century, people began to burn coal and gas and oil, causing the stored carbon in the fuel to rise. It's currently at 390, and is rising by about 2 parts per million every year. CO2 traps heat, and this heat causes glaciers to melt, water sources to fail, farmland to turn to desert and lakes to dry up. It also helps diseases like malaria to spread and is a prime factor in the rise of invasive plant and animal species (and growth of the seaweeds like that on the rocks above that are increasing on Michigan's beaches).

Although Michigan is just about the best place to be in a warming, drying world, Lisa from Ishpeming notes in the posting for her talk titled Three Degrees: The Great Lakes and Climate Change that:

NOAA scientist have predicted that if the world temperature increases by three degrees, the Great Lakes will be come incontinuous, ie, they will shrink to a point where they will no longer be connected.

If the concept of your great-grandchildren walking to the UP without the need for the Mackinac Bridge (as they fight off a water-starved world probably) bothers you, it might be time to raise your voice to say that you'd prefer a different future. Below is a map of 350 actions scheduled for in Michigan. A couple that caught our eye were:

• Saginaw River Basin 350 Festival
• TC-350 Climate Action Festival and TC-350 Ball
• 350 @ The Big House (Ann Arbor)
• Bike Rally to the Michigan Capitol

ArtPrize 09-Open Water no.24 by deviant_anomaly

ART PRIZE 2009-0032 by RichardD72

AND THE WINNER IS... by rkramer62

DETAIL FROM WINNERS CANVAS by bitsorf

The first-ever ArtPrize in Grand Rapids has ended with Open Water no. 24, a 6' x 19' oil painting by Ran Ortner being chosen as the winner by public vote from 1,262 artists who exhibited at 157 venues across the city. A former pro motorcycle racer, Ortner will receive a quarter of a million dollars for his finish. The Freep reports:

Ortner said he was stunned by his win. “Wow. Exhilarating, captivating, ridiculous. Can’t get my head around it.”

It means a lot to him that those choosing his work were not professional art critics but people who were moved by his work. “There’s been a heart connection here,” he said.

And it has been good for those who voted, Ortner said. “All of a sudden, those who know nothing about art have an opinion that matters,” he said. “It really has a life larger than anything anybody anticipated.”

ArtPrize 2009 Winners

1. Ran Ortner – Open Water no. 24
2. Tracy Van Duinen – Imagine That!
3. Eric Daigh – Portraits
4. David Lubbers – The Grand Dance
5. Bill Secunda – Moose
6. Nessie Project – Nessie on the Grand
7. John Douglas Powers – Field of Reeds
8. Sarah Grant – The Furniture City Sets the Table for the World of Art
9. Jason Hackenwerth – Ecstasy of The Scarlet Empress
10. Michael Westra – winddancer 2

You can get some more links to coverage at Who won ArtPrize? on the ArtPrize blog and stay tuned to absolutemichigan.com/ArtPrize for news about ArtPrize 2010!

Check out this video below for some scenes from the Winners Celebration - the close of this dance number is really impressive!

More videos can be found at ArtPrize 2009 Absolute Michigan.

What is 350?

350 is simply the number of parts per million that scientists have identified as the safe upper limit for carbon dioxide (CO2) in our atmosphere. For all of human history until about 200 years ago, our atmosphere contained 275 parts per million of carbon dioxide. Right now, we're pushing 400 and all that CO2 is trapping heat, melting glaciers, contributing to the spread of disease and in general, screwing things up to a point where we could very well create our own demise. But 350 is more than a number--it's a symbol of where we need to head as a planet. You can get much more information at 350.org (including this nifty animation that makes it simple).

Right now, the 350 movement is focusing on a planetary day of action on October 24, 2009 to send a clear message to world leaders that the solutions to climate change must be equitable, grounded in science and meet the scale of the crisis. Have a look at the October 24 map to see some of the events that are slated for Michigan.

Today I'm at the Michigan Downtown Conference in Lansing. This morning I'll be posting some updates from the conference as I'm able. This afternoon I'm on a panel with Julielyn Gibbons, Ryan Knott and Bigby Coffee co-founder Bob Fish, talking about new media marketing and promoting our downtowns.

capital evening by cmu chem prof

Downtown Lansing

Flash back to last night at 9 PM. I checked into the Radisson and then went out to walk around downtown Lansing. I spent some time talking to a guard at the city jail about the "vibe" downtown (or lack thereof).  She said that when there are events, the area is humming but that on nights when there's no planned festivities, it's ghostly.

Over on Facebook, Bill Palladino noted that in his travels, state capitols are seldom (Austin TX, go get a drink of water)  happening places. Richard pointed out several others that were doing well. In any case, I think there's something a little sad about a city that is supposed to be the heart of Michigan with shuttered storefronts, perpetually torn up sidewalks and lack of life.

Durant Hotel by detroitsky

Dan Kildee, Keynote Speaker

"Our ability to make progress is determined in large part by our ability to work together"

Dan Kildee is the Genessee County Treasurer and director of the Genessee County Land Bank who has worked to use Michigan's new foreclosure law for community development and neighborhood stabilization. He's also pretty proud that he drew Rush Limbaugh's ire for his plan to reduce the size of Flint (and ultimately cities across the country) to reduce their size and increase the ability to deliver services.

Dan notes that even in our terrible economy, it's easier to build on a green field than to reinvest in our cities. He says that Michigan's foreclosure system had a large role in creating our downtown problems by setting up a system that rewarded speculators. Now, he says, the system allows cities to treat urban land as if it has value and to apply community values and vision.

He had a very interesting talk in which he looked at the toolbox that is available to Michigan downtowns and some success stories from Flint including the redevelopment of the Durant Hotel in Flint as rental housing for students and young professionals. He notes that 70% of Michigan's population lives on 8% of the land and that an overwhelming 97% of Michiganians feel that redevelopment in existing urban centers is preferable to building new. With a decent set of tools, he says all that's missing is a bias on the part of lawmakers and our laws to support this pattern of development.

Lansing Mayor Virg Benaro asked us to close our eyes and imagine when the auto industry was in its heyday and how we built great cities during that time. Now, as the auto industry contracts we are still left with these great cities, but what are we doing to preserve and restore them. He then talked about how East Lansing and Lansing - two one horse towns driven by MSU and the Capitol could be 10 times the city if they worked together. He also called for cities and their surrounding communities to cooperate and build the brand of Lansing, Grand Rapids, Detroit and other cities.

Why Live in Detroit? by Derek Farr

Niche Marketing: Success through creativity and collaboration

A panel with Elissa Sangalli Hillary (Executive Director of Local First in Grand Rapids),
Claire Nelson (Co-Owner & Operator of the Bureau of Urban Living & cofounder (with Liz Blondy) of Open City Detroit) and Liz Blondy (Founder of Canine to Five Detroit Dog Daycare) talking about what they do and how small business can be a driver of vibrant downtowns.

Elissa noted a commonly cited statistic (view graphic) that shows 73% of dollars spent at a local business stay in the community as compared to 43% if you spend your money at a national chain. She discussed some strategies they are using to give small businesses access to pooled advertising and purchasing.

Claire talked about her small business and how Detroit offered an opportunity to start a business that would have been impossible in New York City where she moved from. She talked about the importance of creating a climate that's business friendly and also - through events and collaboration - draws folks to burgeoning downtowns. She also drew a laugh by noting that small business in Detroit doesn't face too many threats from national chain stores.

When Liz Blondy came on I lost wireless, making me again think that about the best thing a downtown can do is to deliver a free wireless cloud. She explained her philosophy of focusing on free networking and and promotional efforts rather than exclusively advertising. Small actions like referring waiting customers to another business to pass the time cost nothing and reap big rewards. Wireless is apparently back.

ABOUT THE DETROIT WINDSOR INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

The DWIFF brings truth to the term "International", with an event that spans two metropolitan, international cities!

Our Inaugural event in 2008 was a huge success as we brought a bit of fun, film, fame and friendship to downtown Detroit! Film lovers mingled with film makers throughout the wonderful spaces of Detroit's University Cultural Center and in downtown Windsor. Wayne State University, College for Creative Studies, the University of Windsor, the Scarab Club, the DIA, the Detroit Public Library all combined in the perfect "campus" to celebrate film, friends and the future of our creative economy.

Winners of the 2009 Festival Announced

Follow them on Twitter

Join them on Facebook

Friend them on Myspace

urban hope by buckshot.jones

Throughout each month we post items of Michicentric interest to our Michitwitter page. In case you missed them here is a look back at just a few of the items for the month June. If you find these interesting there are plenty more for you to check out. We encourage you to add any news items, events, links to vids, podcasts or whatever you find interesting about the Great Lakes State!

The photo featured in this post is from the Absolute Michigan Flickr pool and was shot by the very talented buckshot.jones. He states:

This little garden is on the near west side of Detroit. The significance for me is it may very well be on an empty lot where one of my mother's childhood homes once stood. I also find it significant because it makes a statement about the resourcefulness of the folks in Detroit- a turning lemons into lemonade kind of a thing. Around the corner, right off Cass Avenue, sits a vacant corner lot. The locals have salvaged old couches and discarded auto bench seats and have fashioned a small park with the make- do seating placed under of the shade of a few low hanging maple trees.

A Sampling from Michitwitter June 2009

The folks attempting to save Tiger Stadium lost their fight in preventing the demolition and the Freep let us know in their article Detroit commission votes to level Tiger Stadium.

A Detroit city commission has voted to demolish the section of Tiger Stadium left standing after much of the historic ballpark was knocked down last year.

The city’s Economic Development Corp. board voted 7-1 today to authorize the complete demolition of the stadium.

We often talk about how the buy local revolution and urban farming is gaining popularity and that farming is once again becoming a viable career choice. The State News ran the article More students opting to take on farming opportunities in summer, as career choices.

Growing up in metro Detroit, Adam Montri, outreach coordinator for the MSU Student Organic Farm, didn’t consider farming to be a career choice. “I definitely grew up in the suburbs and thought of agriculture as something you did on the weekend or after school or that kind of thing,” he said. Now, Montri, who graduated from MSU in 2001, owns his own organic farm in Bath, Mich.

In our state's quest to harness the power of wind a report was released that the Thumb area is ranked #1. From Crains Detroit Business West Michigan, Thumb best for wind energy, report says

Three regions in West Michigan and one region in the Thumb area have the state’s highest potential for wind energy projects, according to a report released Tuesday by a state board.

We were shown a ray of light shining through the darkness of our current economic quagmire. The Freep reported Economist: Michigan to start to recover in 2010

Comerica Bank's chief economist predicted today that Michigan's battered economy will finally start to recover next year, aided by a rebound in the national economy.

In another positive story on Michigan's economic turnaround Michigan.gov announced Granholm Announces Companies Investing Over $247 Million, Creating More Than 11,000 New Jobs in Michigan

Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today announced that Michigan's aggressive strategy to diversify the economy and attract investment to Michigan has resulted in 15 job-creating projects, which will generate more than 11,125 new jobs, retain another 846 and bring more than $247 million in new investment to communities across the state.

One of the more interesting and unusual biit of news came from mlive.com in their story University of Michigan researchers find clues at bottom of Lake Huron to ancient hunters

University of Michigan researchers have found the first archaeological evidence of ancient human hunting activity preserved under the Great Lakes.

Using detailed government data on lake floor topography, a research vessel and a remote mini-rover equipped with a camera, scientists found what they believe are hunting pits, camps and rock structures called caribou "drive lines" on the bottom of Lake Huron.

Much discussion has been made of late that the revitalization of our auto industry would be to go back to square one and the inventors, entrepeneurs and small company jump into the game for some fresh thoughts. Wired.com brought us Tesla Motors Founder: Let Me Run Detroit

Elon Musk has tackled electric cars, space ships and modular renewable energy stations. Now he wants a real challenge: running Detroit.

“When the mess gets sorted out, I’d like to have a conversation with whoever’s in charge at the time — the car czar or whoever — and say ‘I’d like to run your plants, if you don’t mind,’” Musk said, starting that conversation Monday at Wired’s first-ever business conference, Disruptive by Design in Manhattan.

Last but not lease Detroit's art community received some huge support and encouragement. The Detroit News reported Kresge Foundation steps up gifts to Detroit causes

Call it an artist's jackpot, or a clever gambit to help Michigan hold on to some of its best creative talent.

Today, 18 Detroit-area artists officially will win $25,000 each, the first awards of an unprecedented no-strings-attached annual fellowship program designed to keep the area's top visual artists from leaving the state in search of greener pastures.

Crooked Tree Arts Center by joseph a

Jennifer Guerra of Michigan Radio recently took a trip to northwest Michigan and produced three features on how organizations & individuals are dealing with economic challenges titled Up North in a Down Economy.

In addition to a story on the bright spot of growth that is the region's wine industry, she explored how people and nonprofit organizations are adapting. A Nonprofit Cafe Grows in Ellsworth looks at how folks in Ellsworth have banded together in the face of 16% unemployment to create a nonprofit, volunteer run cafe. In Arts Groups Press On Despite Recession, she documents how regional nonprofits are reacting to plummeting dollars by working together:

"The idea of that partnering has become greater and greater over time because there are limited dollars," says Murphy. "Even in a wonderful place like this where people support the arts, there's a limit to how many dollars there are."

In order to save money, Murphy convinced three other nonprofit arts groups, including the Traverse Symphony Orchestra, to pool there money together and create a website called TREAT. The group shares all the advertising and ticketing costs. People can just log on to one site, they can buy tickets there, and find out about all the arts events that are going on in the region.

If you have the time, I definitely encourage you to check out all three!

The June 10th, 2009 kickoff of the four-day festival will feature the documentary "Surfing 50 States". Actress Yeardley Smith, better known as the voice of Lisa Simpson, will be there, as will Miss America 2008 Kirsten Haglund and world renowned street artist Ron English. The opening-night party will also include a musical performance by South Florida rock band, Fallbrooke.

The festival itself will run June 11th-14th. Michigan's own Jeff Daniels will be there for the Midwest Premiere of his film, "Answer Man", and Daryl Hannah is scheduled to attend to promote her film, "Fierce Light".

Check out Absolute Michigan keyword Saugatuck for more about the festival and Saugatuck links and visit our Michigan Film Festivals page for many more film experiences!

Thursday April 30th at the Magic Bag in Ferndale features Rachael Davis, My Dear Disco, Nervous But Excited, and Chris Bathgate. ACLU of Michigan staff attorney Jay Kaplan will discuss what his organization’s LGBT project is working on to help the cause of LGBT victim rights. Tickets are $10 at the door and the show starts at 8pm.

Friday May 1st in Ann Arbor is Nervous But Excited and Breathe Owl Breathe will play at The Ark. Coalition for Adoption Rights Equality (CARE) President Beverly Davidson will discuss House Bill 4131 that could allow for second-parent adoptions in Michigan. Tickets are $15 at the door and the show starts at 8pm.

Saturday May 2nd at the Insideout Gallery in Traverse City is Kalamazoo-based old time string-bang Who Hit John? (pictured above) will be there along with songwriter Michael Beauchamp and Cmoon, featuring local freestyle artist Cnote, Moon Beam and Adam Reid. Triangle Foundation Victim Service Director Melissa Pope will discuss various legal and political issues. Tickets are $15 at the door, $12 in advance.

Here's their promo video...

inducement by powerbooktrance

Yesterday the city of Grand Rapids announced the ArtPrize, a competition open to artists of all kinds from around the world that will award nearly one-half million dollars to prize winners, including $250,000 to the artist who receives the most public votes. The display and voting will run from September 23 - October 10, 2009:

“It’s time to reboot the conversation between artists and the public. ArtPrize will be a celebration of art, design, and innovation that will bring artists and the public together like never before,” said ArtPrize creator Rick DeVos.

The city of Grand Rapids will become art gallery. ArtPrize art works and performances, professional and amateur, will be exhibited at hundreds of venues, all within a three-square mile area in Grand Rapids’ downtown riverfront district. The city has offered up parks and bridges for outdoor venue displays. Scores of businesses will convert lobbies and public space for displays.

They are holding a town hall meeting on Monday (Apr 27) to explain the ArtPrize and you can view the press conference with Rick DeVos announcing the competition from mLive.

Last "Everything" at Tiger Stadium by RichKD

Tiger Stadium from Wikipedia

Tiger Stadium (formerly known as Navin Field and Briggs Stadium) is a stadium located in the Corktown neighborhood of Detroit, Michigan. It hosted the Detroit Tigers Major League Baseball team from 1912 to 1999, as well as the National Football League's Detroit Lions from 1938 to 1974. It was declared a State of Michigan Historic Site in 1975 and has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1989. The stadium is nicknamed "The Corner" for its location on Michigan Avenue and Trumbull Boulevard. Many in the metropolitan Detroit area feel that the stadium serves as a living metaphor for the city.

On April 20, 1912, Navin Field was opened, the same day as the Boston Red Sox's Fenway Park. The intimate configurations of both stadiums, both conducive to high-scoring games featuring home runs, prompted baseball writers to refer to them as "bandboxes" or "cigar boxes".

The folks behind Save Tiger Stadium tell us:

The reports of Tiger Stadium’s demise are greatly exaggerated. For over a year The Old Tiger Stadium Conservancy has been quietly working on a plan to preserve the entire playing field and a significant portion of the beloved old ballpark. This is a plan the Detroit City Council approved last summer because we don’t want to build a monument to honor Detroit’s baseball history, we want to keep it.

What would a birthday be without song? So we present The Corner by Ben Hassenger

morel mushroom by Latitude 45

The Boyne City National Morel Mushroom Festival takes place May 14-17, 2009. This year is the 49th annual*, and the 4 day celebration of the morel mushroom includes a morel seminar and guided mushroom hunt on Friday and of course the Boyne Valley Lions National Mushroom Hunt on on Saturday (be sure to display your finds on the Mushroom Pole too!). In addition to the Taste of Morel event where you get to try all manner of morel dishes, there is a seminar on foraging & cooking with wild food guru John Sheets and another on hunting with local expert Tony Williams, concerts with Michigan Blues legend Larry McCray and others, there's a carnival, euchre & poker tournaments, zany car race and plenty of fun for kids.

One of the highlights of the weekend is the "Morel Taste of Boyne" featuring a Chef's Challenge along with the area's finest restaurants in the big tent on Saturday afternoon serving different morel dishes and also presenting morel cooking demonstrations. This is the largest morel cooking (and eating) event in the world!

You can grab your sweetie and get warmed up with The Mushroomers Waltz and if you're hungry,Lake Magazine has a recipe for morel & hazelnut soup that looks very simple but very tasty! Chef Eric Villegas of the TV show Fork in the Road offers a recipe for midwestern risotto of carnaroli and minnesota wild rice, morel mushrooms and white truffle oil that looks more complex but every bit as tasty.

MichiganMorels.com reminds you that you can eat any mushroom ... once. They offer tips to help keep you safe, but the biggest tip is to hunt with someone who knows what they're doing! Speaking of hunting, here's a video interview of morel expert Tom Nauman that gives you a couple useful tips for morel hunting.

If you can't attend the Mushroom Festival and can't get to any morel-filled woods, you can still get morels (and leeks and other tasty treasures) courtesy of Michigan-based Earthy Delights.

Visitors will want to visit the Boyne City Chamber of Commerce and/or try Absolute Michigan keyword "Boyne" for lodging and other information. I thought it was pretty funny that the best article online about the Boyne City Mushroom Festival is from a Pittsburgh, PA newspaper. It's from May of 2003 but has great background on the festival with a focus on the National Mushroom Hunting Championship. Check out Boyne City mushroom championship has no lack of morels.

* Next year the 50th annual takes place May 13 - 16, 2010 - they are seeking recipes for a commemorative cookbook, so send them if you have them!

In Rob Bliss calls artists of all ages to downtown Grand Rapids, Rapid Growth reports that social networking maven Bliss (who Facebooked up a giant pillow fight and a the world record zombie walk in Grand Rapids last year) is at it again:

Bliss plans to hand out 10,000 30,000 pieces of sidewalk chalk at Rosa Parks Circle on Saturday, April 18, to see what collective creative energy will bring to the core city. He hopes the Sidewalk Chalk Flood will bring the most age diverse crowd to downtown Grand Rapids of all his prior social experiments, such as the pillow fight that received national television coverage on CBS News last fall.

"The chalk flood is really meant to appeal to the child in us all," says Bliss, a sophomore at Grand Rapids Community College studying vocal and piano performance. "We hope everyone from experienced artists to families with kids will let their creative side come through that Saturday."

Chalk will be distributed free of charge from noon to 5 p.m., primarily funded by the Downtown Alliance, with support from the Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts and Grand Rapids Community College. Artwork on public pavement only; anything on buildings is strictly verboten.

Click through for the Grand Rapids Sidewalk Chalk Facebook group and if you get photos, definitely add them to the Absolute Michigan pool on Flickr!

People and Land (PAL) is an organization focused on growth and change in Michigan, funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Every day, decisions made by local officials and state leaders about how Michigan’s land is used have great impact on both regional quality of life and our state’s economic future. Those decisions are often chaotic and damaging.

PAL is focused on Six Pillars for Prosperity, an agenda to reinvent Michigan as a global economic player. With this agenda as a guide, Michigan needs to carefully plan how communities and regions grow so they will develop in ways that create outstanding quality of life and economic prosperity, and strategically position those communities and regions as contributors to the New Economy.

Untitled by Vanessa Miller
Vanessa has a great set of photos from
allied media conference oh8

Wiretap's Jenny Lee has a great article called In Detroit: Arsenal of Creativity. It begins:

“Michigan will be the next film capitol of the world,” Clint Eastwood said in a recent interview following the release of his new film Gran Torino, shot in Detroit. The state’s generous tax incentives for film production have spurred a boost in jobs in a year that's seen declines in nearly every other industry. While it's exciting to see the rise of film-based enterprise in Michigan, we can't rely on it, or any single industry to fill the enormous hole left by the decline of the auto industry. Amid the current crisis we have an opportunity to fill the gap in our region's economy with diverse local initiatives, including community-based media, which thrives off the city's creative past and present.

It continues and ends well as it does a great job of introducing you to Allied Media Projects (AMP) and looking at some of last year's conference recommendations like building community wireless and broadband, cultivating local music and teaching media arts. You should go read it.

AMP hosts the annual Allied Media Conference in Detroit, which attracts North America's most creative and skilled media makers and social justice organizers. The 11th AMC takes place July 16-19, 2009 - check it out!

Michigan Cherries by jdurchen

Did you know that Michigan is the largest producer of Montmorency tart cherries, growing 70-75% of the crop? With February being National Cherry Month, it's only appropriate we celebrate Michigan's almost-official fruit!

The Cherry Marketing Institute has information available for educators and other folks regarding the history and present state of the cherry industry including growing research showing that antioxidants in tart cherries may relieve the pain of arthritis and gout & help fight cancer and heart disease.

For more tasty cherry info, be sure to check these out!

Michigan Cherries from Taste the Local Difference is PACKED  with all kinds of information and delicious cherry recipes.

Michigan Cherries from the Department of Agriculture

Cherry Marketing Institute

Absolute Michigan's Cherry Links

MSU's Michigan Cherry Information features more cherry information than you can shake a whole tree at!

For all things edible, drinkable and wearable, check out Cherry Republic in Glen Arbor

The National Cherry Festival in Traverse City is a celebration of cherries and the cherry industry held every year at the beginning of July.

Recipes from Chef Eric Villegas - Fork in the Road

Balaton Cherries Jubilee - The great French chef Auguste Escoffier has been held responsible for creating Cherries Jubilee in honor of Queen Victoria. Here's Eric's version with the "new" Balaton cherry…

Balaton Cherry & Michigan Maple Crisp - A unique combination of Michigan flavors…

Balaton Cherry Mojo - This sauce is great hot or cold on poultry, waterfowl, pork and veal

Grilled Grape Leaves Stuffed with Goat Cheese and Michigan Cherries - Grape Leaves and Goat Cheese on the grill

Michigan Steamed Brown Bread with Dried Cherries and Walnuts - This bread is a variation of the classic steamed brown bread of Boston

Michigan Tart Cherry Worcestershire Sauce - A great taste treat as a condiment with meat. In Show #110 it was served it with our Buffalo Hanger Steak.

And Now for Something Completely Different...
Neil Diamond, 'Cherry Cherry' (circa 1967), and I do hear the influence it had on the Michigan based band The Romantics and their song 'What I Like About You'.

All winter we have the chance to walk on water, frozen water that is. Snowshoeing allows us to walk into the magic of winter, discovering the quiet sounds and subtle colors that await our discovery, often right outside our backdoor. Snowshoeing in Michigan is available to anyone who can walk; basically we can all discover the miracle of winter and walking on water.

The event Snowshoe d' Art offers us that opportunity. Spend a morning discovering the beauty of northern Michigan and the hidden beauty of the Michigan Legacy Art Park on Saturday, January 31st. The art park offers a snow-covered gallery of sculptures, a visual hide and seek of shapes and colors. All ages can begin their Saturday morning with a choice of guided tours, sharing it with friends or enjoying it alone.

Besides the spiritual side of snowshoeing, there is the obvious physical benefit of getting outside and discovering the winter landscape.

Snowshoeing is a weigh baring activity that all ages can participate in. It offers an aerobic workout that builds muscular strength in both the legs and upper body (when poles are used). Snowshoeing offers a low impact activity that is easy on joints especially in deep powder and the design of snowshoes act as shock absorbers on hard packed snow.

High caloric expenditure is another perk- allowing us to drink more hot cocoa and enjoy the comfort foods of the winter season!

There is no excuse to feel good, and connect with your inner spirit and strengthen your physical body!

Women's Winter Tour Weekend - January 31 - February 1, 2009

You can register for Saturday's Snowshoe d'Art at womenswintertour.com. It's just one of many events the Women's Winter Tour Weekend at Crystal Mountain in Thompsonville offers. The weekend benefits Active Women Now, an organization dedicated to supporting domestic abuse charities and shelters. Check the schedule for complete details, and definitely think about Saturday night's LUNAFEST and Chocolate, where you can learn about the nuances of African & South American chocolate while watching the short films in the LUNAFEST national traveling film festival. It's followed by  dancing in your best sixties costume with music from the Fabulous Horndogs. On Sunday there's the original WWT, a cross-country ski or snowshoe through scenic, private courses with great food, wine and chocolate featured along the trail and at the main staging area!

About the Author

Kaye Krapohl is the founder of the Women's Winter Tour, and believes that art, as well as outdoor activity is a vital part of a person's development. An artist herself, she envisioned the Snowshoe d'Art as a way to help share her love of winter, but also support two causes near and dear to her heart: resources for women struggling to escape an unhealthy relationship by donating funds to domestic abuse centers and an appreciation for art.

Santa Claus Girls by Skywalker_ranch

Dennis has a great set of photos of Grand Rapids charity Santa Claus Girls in action (slideshow) writes that volunteers started showing up at around 5:00am to load Toys and Gifts for 13,000 children of Kent County. This is the 100th year that Santa Claus Girls have operated this massive operation to provide presents for every child in Kent County. The Grand Rapids Press has some great features on the Santa Claus Girls that features stories from people whose lives have been touched by the charity.

"If it wasn't for them, we wouldn't have had anything sometimes. I thought, 'I'm doing it this year, and I'm going to continue.'"
— Loretta Homrich, of Sparta, remembers receiving candy and clothing from Santa Claus Girls as a child.

Across the state in Detroit (in Highland Park) two anonymous secret Santas handed out $11,000 in cash to needy folks. This is a really inspiring story and I hope you get a moment to read it and view the photo gallery.

Welcome To Christmas by Kristina_5

Under the "Bet You Didn't Know" heading, here's the Charles W. Howard Santa Claus School, a Midland based non-profit that was established in 1937 and is the longest continuously running Santa Claus School in the world. Subjects learned in their classes include the History of Saint Nicholas and Santa Claus, proper dress and use of make-up, Santa Sign Language (whatever that is), live reindeer habits and Santa flight lessons. Looks like classes are held every October so if you have visions of sugar plums dancing in your head, bookmark their site!

The enormous Santa to the right towers over the tiny town of Christmas, Michigan. Exploring the North explains that Christmas (pop 400) was given its name by a Munising man who started a roadside factory to make holiday gift items in 1938. The factory is long gone but the town is still Christmas crazy. For more Michigan Christmas-craziness, check out Madman Mike's massive compendium of Michigan holiday fun.

Accuweather notes that Santa is going to need Rudolph's nose and then some as up to a foot of new snow is on the way. Bill Simonson (aka Huge) is hoping that as Santa fills up his bag, he can include a little something for Michigan sports fans. His Christmas Wish List includes a QB for UM, some toughness in the paint at MSU, a refund for Lions fans, coaching lessons for Michael Curry, a bullpen for the Tigers and to please make sure every child has a sports hero and a parent who will hug him or her before he or she goes to bed on Christmas Eve.

Pillars of the Community by Autumm

Crains Detroit notes that our passion for our community can influence economic growth. They link to a new study by Gallup and the Knight Foundation (that included Detroit) that explores the link between economic growth and residents’ loyalty to and passion towards where they live.

According to the "Soul of the Community" study, the qualities that make people love where they live include social offerings (such as entertainment venues and places to meet), openness (how welcoming a place is) and community aesthetics (such as physical beauty and green spaces).

...The study measured residents’ emotional connection to where they live and compared that to the communities’ GDP growth over the past five years. The findings show a significant correlation. Over three years, the researchers will analyze the trends to prove whether emotional connection drives economic growth, or the other way around.

The Traverse City Record-Eagle reports that while demand for charitable assistance is on the rise, giving is down. They cite Michigan Nonprofit Association (MNA) statistics that show 71% of 300 participating organizations said demand for core services has increased over the past 12 months, while just 65% met the demands. Organizations also reported decline in financial supports.

"The state of the economy has affected nonprofits in at least two ways: It has been a reason behind increased demand, and it has played a role in decreased financial and in-kind support," said Lisa Sommer, spokeswoman for the nonprofit association.

The MNA has a blog and on it they have a great guide that discusses how to give wisely to nonprofits this holiday season.

Simpler Times by Brian Merwin

Later today, we're going to roll our our Michigan Holiday Gift Guide. While we do think it's a great thing to give meaningful gifts to the ones we love, we also think that this is a great time to pause and think about the whole holiday process. A nice place to start is this thoughtful article by Kristin Bull in the Freep:

When Julie Whitmore of Royal Oak peeks inside her children's closets, overflowing with games and toys and stuff, she takes a deep breath.

She gently closes the doors.

The Whitmore children -- Brandon, 10, Jacob, 8, and 4-year-old Alyssa -- have plenty. No doubt, they will ask for more.

But this year, their parents realize the importance of shifting the heart of the holiday season from asking and getting to giving.

What do you think? Are you changing your holiday gift giving this season? Share your thoughts in the comments.

The video is May Erlewine singing her song Water and it includes some water photos courtesy photographers of the Absolute Michigan pool on Flickr. There's links to view the photos bigger on Flickr below and you can click to YouTube if you want to spread the word on your blog or Facebook or see the video in high quality.

Guardian Building Flag by paulhitz

Election Day (November 4, 2008) is just a week away. That means that today is probably a good day to focus on the election and how to get informed about the issues and the candidates. We also invite you  to post your comments and thoughts about the candidates and issues below. One caveat: please do not post attacks or bile - we all know that Barack Obama is BFFs with terrorists and John McCain only has about 8 seconds to live. What we'd like to hear is why you are voting FOR a candidate or measure or what issues you're most concerned with.

The Freep notes that Michigan is one of just 19 states that doesn't allow early voting. Exceptions are only made for those over 60 or who will be absent. They say (and we agree) that "The opportunity to vote early is a blessing for people who don't always know how their schedule will end up on any given day. Among the 31 states that now allow early voting, some even make it particularly easy by setting up poll locations in storefronts and other convenient spots."

Since you can't vote early (and you shouldn't vote often a la Chicago) we hope you can vote informed. Far and away the best site for Michigan voting is publius.org. Just go there, enter your name as it appears on your voter registration and you can see your actual ballot! Ballots have links to the candidate's web site and information about the ballot measures. You can even see the location of your polling place and even what machine you'll be voting on and how it works (mine is a Diebold Accu Vote ... darnitall). If you don't show up, they give you links to contact your local clerk - a good thing to check sooner rather than later! They also have a place where you can send eLection eCards to your friends and family to encourage them to vote.

A news item that we somehow missed was Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land's announcement last week that 7.47 million Michigan residents have registered to vote - a record voter registration of nearly 98 percent of the voting age population! They remind you that voter ID is required - all the details at michigan.gov/vote where you can get all kinds of information including a list of all 688 candidates running for state office.

In addition to candidates, Michigan voters have two statewide proposals to consider. Ballotpedia's 2008 Michigan Ballot Measures page explains that Proposal 1: The Michigan Coalition for Compassionate Care Initiative would allow the medical use of marijuana for seriously ill patients. Proposal 2: The Stem Cell Initiative (or CureMichigan) would allow the donation of embryos produced in fertility clinics that would otherwise be discarded and would allow researchers to create embryonic stem cell cultures to study disease. It would also allow government funding of stem-cell research and human cloning would continue to be illegal. Both pages list arguments and organizations pro and con and it's really a great resource.

Michigan Radio's Jack Lessenberry has interviewed people for and against the measures and it'd be worth your time to listen to the views of Senator Tom George (against Prop 1), Diane Byrum of the Michigan Coalition for Compassionate Care (for Prop 1), David Doyle of Michigan Citizens Against Unrestricted Science and Experimentation and Dr. Sean Morrison of the University of Michigan Center for Stem Cell Biology (for Prop 2). You can also read what Jack thinks about Proposal 1 and Proposal 2.

Voting is Patriotic (Michigan) by farlane

OK, so 98% of you are registered to vote - how many will make it to the polls? The Detroit News notes that while every four years we face 'the most important election ever', that may actually be the case this year.

"We've got two wars, and the economy is dying," said William Rustem, president of Lansing's Public Sector Consultants and a former aide to Republican Gov. William Milliken. "The enormity of the issues is something we haven't faced."

Even when Ronald Reagan was staring down the Russians at the end of the Cold War, Rustem says, no one was watching the daily numbers on Wall Street and talking about the Great Depression, or debating the need to retool the entire energy sector to avoid climatic disaster.

Finally, I thought this article on How to Pick a President was one of the best things I've read about the voting process this year. Please share things you've read or heard in the comments.

And oh yeah: Vote.

the creative big three by vanessamiller
(John Howkins, Charles Landry & Richard Florida)

We'll lead off with a quick plug for an upcoming conference and a look back at one from the recent past. The Conference on Michigan's Future takes place in a few weeks (Nov 14-16) at Crystal Mountain with a focus on peak oil, energy & transportation choices, local food, climate change and planning. Two weeks ago the Creative Cities Summit 2.0 in Detroit brought folks from all over the world to Detroit to talk about what cities could and should be. Check out Model D's great report from the conference.

The future is kind of a scary concept these days with talk now that the Big Three might very well become the Not So Large Two, so I suppose we in Michigan can be forgiven for closing our eyes and hoping that it will all come out all right in the end.

Up in Northwest Michigan, folks (including myself) are working on a project for Absolute Michigan sponsor The Grand Vision. It's a six county effort that is seeking input on the ways that the region should grow - something that should be useful for those from all over the state. The Grand Vision "Scorecards" are due this week and you can get all sorts of information and fill yours out at thegrandvision.org/scorecard. There's also a video below.

'Peaking' at the 'Future' (one gallon at a time) by PhotoLab507

mLive has a guest blog from MSU Karl Guenther about the role of agriculture in the Michigan's future. He notes that while manufacturing in this state is big and getting smaller, agriculture is big and getting bigger. Karl says that MSU's Project GREEEN (Generating Research and Extension to meet Economic and Environmental Needs) is a tremendous investment. He references their excellent annual report to the Legislature (PDF) to say:

We have about 10 million acres of farmland, or 53,200 farms averaging 190 acres each. Our farmers produce more than 200 commodities commercially, making Michigan second in diversity of production only to California, which has citrus. We export about a third of all that, generating a billion dollars and supporting 13,000 jobs. (and contributes $63.7 billion to the Michigan's economy!)

From the "You really think so?" files is the Detroit News' Nolan Finley saying Michigan should root for warmer earth because although we have 3,288 miles of coastline - more than any other state except Alaska -  cool weather leaves the beaches empty for half the year. Add 5 or 10 degrees and he can imagine Florida's sun and surf worshippers packing up for our shoreline or trading the broiling sun of Arizona for Michigan's golfers paradise. His tongue is probably partway in cheek as he says it may be our only way out of a dark economic hole, but it begs the question of "what's wrong with marketing what we already have?"

Mama's gunna knock you out by Kcjacoby

Last night at the Creative Cities Summit, author and MacArthur Fellow Bill Strickland delivered one of the boldest and bluntest talks about what can and should be done to re-energize our cities and nation. The video below offers a little taste of Bill - you can get more at his web site.

As the video implies, he is helping to get a project going in Grand Rapids (can't find anything about it online - if you have information, please share it in the comments!). There's a great feature on Bill in Pop City and another from Pittsburgh Magazine that talks about Strickland and his book Making the Impossible Possible:

His "how-to" book on achieving success is no ordinary 10-steps-to-your-Mercedes and summering in Mykonos. It's a definition of success that anyone can achieve. It requires "owning up to our responsibilities as citizens of the planet, even in modest ways, [which] generates a sense of purpose and power in our life that is the real engine behind genuine success."

For Strickland "true success" comes from "the point where your passions, values, talents and dreams fall into alignment with the genuine desire to make the world a better place to live for all of its inhabitants."

As founder and head of Manchester Bidwell Corp., Strickland describes himself as "a guy who never forgot where he came from, and who knows first-hand how the realities of race and circumstance, and poverty and lowered expectations, can crush human dreams." His job is to rekindle those dreams and allow people to lead successful lives.

the spirit by n.elle

This week we're broadcasting (sort of) live from the Renaissance Center in Detroit and the Creative Cities Summit 2.0.

In addition to a cool outing that we'll talk about later, we were able to check out the "Unconference" at MOCAD where 150 or so people gathered to focus on the future of Detroit. One of the themes that kept coming up was how the stories of Detroit are impacting the city's efforts to re-invent itself as a place to live, work and play. This can be the mainstream media with a focus on crime and economic meltdown, but it can also come from the popular culture.

Last week the Sam Roberts Band sent me their video Detroit '67 from the album "Love at the End of the World". I love the song and the vibe of the video, but it doesn't seem like it's likely to make people fired up about visiting the city. You can watch below or on YouTube. As you watch, think about what authentic stories can be told about Detroit and share your thoughts in the comments.