“…With the Greatest Determination…”

February is Black History Month! In observance, the Archives of Michigan presents this photo of Samuel Lett. Lett served in the 102nd United States Colored Troops (102nd U.S.C.T.) during the Civil War. This regiment officially mustered into federal service in Michigan on February 17, 1864 -144 years ago this month!

The 102nd United States Colored Troops

It began as the 1st Michigan Colored Infantry. On March 28, 1864, this regiment boarded a train for Annapolis, Maryland. From there, the men were sent to Hilton Head, South Carolina, arriving on April 19th. On May 23, 1864, the 1st Michigan Colored Infantry officially changed its designation to 102nd U.S.C.T. It was no longer under control of the State of Michigan but instead administered by U.S. Army’s Bureau for Colored Troops.

After arriving in Hilton Head, the 102nd was divided, with troops assigned to picket duty (or “guard duty”) on St. Helena, Jenkins and Hilton Head Islands. A few weeks later, the regiment was assigned to occupy Port Royal and construct fortifications there. On August 1, 1864, it was sent to Jacksonville, Florida. From there, the men marched twenty-one miles to Baldwin, Florida. There, a Confederate cavalry force attacked them. The 102nd U.S.C.T. fought bravely and drove the invaders from the field. The men continued marching through Florida. At Magnolia, they built more fortifications. Finally, the regiment was transferred to Beaufort, South Carolina, arriving on August 31, 1864.

Samuel Lett

At this point, Samuel Lett enters the story. He enlisted in Grand Rapids on August 31, 1864. Muster rolls note that he was twenty years old, although no birth date is cited.

Lett was mustered into the 102nd U.S.C.T.’s Company G. He arrived in Beaufort on October 4, 1864. He remained with the 102nd U.S.C.T. until it was mustered out of service at Charleston, South Carolina on September 30, 1865. The descriptive rolls provide no further details on his service, and no other biographical information is available.

“Covered Itself With Glory”

We do know that Lett’s regiment saw a great deal of action during his tour of duty. In November, 1864, a detachment of 300 joined a Union action to destroy the Charleston and Savannah Railroad around Pocataligo, South Carolina. One of the 102nd men declared that his regiment “covered itself with glory.” He asserted that the 102nd “maintained the steadiest line of battle and fought with the greatest determination of any troops.” The Confederates possessed greater firepower, however, and Union troops were forced to retreat. Men of the 102nd U.S.C.T. then participated in a successful counterattack to retrieve three hastily-abandoned Union cannons. Fighting continued in December, with the 102nd U.S.C.T. encountering combat at the Tillifinny River.

The year 1865 brought more hardship for the 102nd U.S.C.T. In late January, the entire regiment moved to Pocataligo. The Record of Service of Michigan Volunteers in the Civil War states that the 102nd U.S.C.T. then “made several expeditions in the enemy’s country, driving off his cavalry and destroying railroads and building breastworks.” The regiment separated into detachments at times, but then reunited in Savannah Georgia in March, 1865. The whole regiment then moved to Charleston, South Carolina.

In April, it again split into two detachments. One was commanded by Colonel Henry L. Chipman; the other by Major Newcom Clark. Chipman’s detachment was assigned to march from Charleston to the Santee River at Nelson’s Ferry (a total distance of seventy miles). These soldiers encountered – and drove off – Confederate cavalry along the way. Clark’s detachment joined with the 54th Massachusetts (another famed African American regiment). This group fought in several skirmishes and encountering a large Confederate force at Boykin’s, South Carolina. The Confederates were driven away and the two detachments of the 102nd U.S.C.T. were then reunited. Finally, on the morning of April 21, Companies A, B and C of the 102nd U.S.C.T. faced an attack by two hundred Confederates. The 102nd inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy and drove them back.

This would prove to be the 102nd U.S.C.T.’s last battle. The regiment spent the next five months on occupation duty and was then officially mustered out of service on September 30, 1865.

Sources

The Samuel Lett photo above was donated to the Archives of Michigan by Civil War researcher Hondon Hargrove. Mr. Hargrove’s short history of the 102nd U.S.C.T. proved essential in composing this essay. This history, entitled “Their Greatest Battle Was Getting Into the Fight,” can be found in Michigan History Magazine, vol. 75 (January/February 1991), pp. 24-30.

Photos of Samuel Lett and other Michigan Civil War soldiers can be viewed at Seeking Michigan’s “Discover” section (seekingmichigan.org/discover ). Click to view the descriptive entry on Samuel Lett.

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Michigan Cherries by jdurchen

Did you know that Michigan is the largest producer of Montmorency tart cherries, growing 70-75% of the crop? February is National Cherry Month, and the Cherry Marketing Institute (link below) has bushels of info about 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.

Cherry Facts

• Tart cherries are loaded with antioxidants that are believed to relieve the pain of arthritis and gout and help fight cancer and heart disease. They're also especially high in the antioxidant melatonin, which may help prevent or reduce brain deterioration associated with aging. And to top it off, they're high in vitamin A and beta-carotene.
• Cherries were brought to America by early settlers in the 1600s. Cherry trees, in fact, were part of the gardens of French settlers when they established Detroit.
• Peter Dougherty, a Presbyterian missionary on Old Mission Peninsula north of Traverse City, started modern-day cherry production in Michigan in 1852. Now, Michigan grows about 75 percent of the nation's tart cherries and Traverse City calls itself the cherry capital of the world.
• It takes about 250 cherries to make a cherry pie; enough cherries grow on the average cherry tree to make 28 pies, industry officials say.
• Tart cherries ripen two or three weeks after sweet cherries. Look for them in mid to late July.
• Cherries are a truly ancient delicacy - explorers have found cherry pits from the Stone Age in European caves.
• Tart cherries have fewer calories and more beta-carotene than sweet cherries.
• Michigan grows 75 percent of the nation's tart cherries.

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

Cherry Marketing Institute is the best place to go for information about this delicious and healthy fruit!

Absolute Michigan's Cherry Links has all kinds of info about the cherry!

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

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. They are one of the featured supporters of The Daily Michigan and are giving away 5# of cherries today!

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

Video & Photos

Definitely check out the Cherry slideshow from the Absolute Michigan photo group on Flickr. On the video front, we hope you will enjoy 'Cherry Cherry' (circa 1967) by Neil Diamond and also this video of the harvest at an organic cherry farm in Northern Michigan!

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We continue our Michigan's 175th Birthday Bash giveaway today. What's more, we've had so much fun doing a giveaway a day that we're going to see just how long we can keep things going with our new program called The Daily Michigan that will feature a giveaway a day from the Great Lakes State! It all starts on Monday so tune in!

In celebration of Michigans 175th birthday, we'll be featuring some tweets to #mich175 that we like, paired with photos from our Absolute Michigan pool on Flickr! They'll also be on our Absolute Michigan Facebook page! Reload for updates, share YOUR thoughts in the comments below, in our Flickr group or on our Facebook and Happy Birthday to Mamma Michigan!!

bethanylouise (Reware Vintage)  How's it going, Michigan? Having a good birthday? #Mich175

photo: dunescape by tbug2

MMFlint (Michael Moore) RT @imajoebob You are aware that Corn Flakes were created 2 reduce one's sex drive? I shudder thinking what was behind Fruit Loops.#Mich175

photo: Phototherapy, breakfast cereal and the Battle Creek Sanitarium courtesy Willard Library

epeep yet another reason to celebrate the #mitten :D!!! Fossils of #mastodons have been found in 250+ locations in #Michigan. #Mich175 #mittenlove

Photo: Painting the Mastodon by kafka4prez

freep (Detroit Free Press) Why is #Michigan is called the Wolverine State? Story has to do with being as bloodthirsty and gluttonous as wolverines #Mich175. Get the story at  gulo gulo: The Wolverine and Why Michigan is the Wolverine State on Michigan in Pictures.

photo credit: Gulo gulo by anikarenina

HuffPostDetroit We've been loving your MI facts all day! MT @stabenow: Rosie the Riveter was a real woman from MI who built planes for the war #Mich175 (see Lansing’s Rosie the Riveter: Geraldine Hoff Doyle from Absolute Michigan)

photo: The Real Rosie the Riveter from Seeking Michigan

Sheplersferry @anellah Us, too! "I love Michigan because it has more lighthouses than any other state in the US." #mibirthday #Mich175

Photo: "September Gale" Grand Haven Breakwater Lighthouse is located in the harbor of Grand Haven, Michigan by Michigan Nut (the second most popular photo in the Absolute Michigan pool!!)

hayleyscomment @PureMichigan @stabenow One of my favorite mitten state facts: We are the 2nd most agriculturally diverse state in the country! #Mich175

photo: Carrots by amzakem

MackenzieRauch One of my favorite things about Michigan is fall time. Especially the donuts and cider! Happy birthday, Michigan! #Mich175

photo: happle bokeh wednesday eve! by mlephotos

@glamorousmoms Great things about Michigan..our rising arts and fashion industry, our auto companies and our GREAT talented hard working people! (glamorousmoms.com right out of Detroit)

photo: Detroit Auto Show 2012-6147 by RichardDemingPhotography

@DrinkMichigan Did you know? Frankenmuth Brewery (@fb1862) is one of America's oldest breweries & is known as Michigan's Original Craft Beer. #mich175

photo: Frankenmuth Brewery HDR edit by SL Morrison

@Alexis Shull You helped me develop my love of cherries, wine, lakes, whitefish, automation,music, food, culture & more! Happy Birthday Michigan! #mich175

photo: Traverse City, Michigan Cherry Orchard by Pamela Bevelhymer

Continue in the Absolute Michigan pool on Flickr!

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Note: This article originally appeared in the January/February 1999 issue of Michigan History Magazine. It has been updated in two ways: 1) “State Archives of Michigan” was changed to “Archives of Michigan,” to reflect the Archives’ current name. 2) The statistic on the amount of paper in the Archives (see concluding paragraph) now reflects the current, 2012 number, rather than the number from 1999.

President Andrew Jackson

The Archives of Michigan collects and preserves significant records generated by the state and local governments of Michigan. On rare occasions, however, this depository of Michigan’s documentary heritage is called upon to care for selected federal papers. There are four good examples of this unusual situation, and they all occurred years ago and at the same time.

The story of these seemingly strayed records begins in 1933, when U.S. Senator Arthur H. Vandenberg discovered several interesting items squirreled away in the nation’s Capitol. In the files of the secretary of the Senate, he uncovered several original sheets of parchment that qualify as Michigan’s birth certificates.

The first of these handwritten treasures was a letter from President Andrew Jackson dated December 9, 1835. Addressed to the members of “the Senate and House of Representatives,” it notified Congress that Michigan had met the qualifications for statehood. [Editor's note: To read this letter, clickAndrew Jackson, Page 1 and Andrew Jackson, Page 2.]

The next find was Senate Bill 81 from the second session of the Twenty-fourth Congress. This document, bearing the date it was reported from the Senate Judiciary Committee, December 29, 1836, was the bill granting statehood to Michigan. [Editor's note: To read this bill, click Senate Bill 81, Page 1 and Senate Bill 81, Page 2.]

The remaining two documents were the credentials of Michigan’s first two U.S. senators, Lucius Lyon and John Norvell. Both of these men took their seats on January 26, 1837, the same day Michigan joined the Union.

Believing that these manuscripts would be more appreciated in Michigan than in Washington, Vandenberg crafted and submitted Senate Resolution 341. This measure directed the secretary of the Senate “to make photostatic copies” of the noted documents and deposit them in the Senate files. This having been done, the originals were to be sent to Lansing for permanent retention and preservation.

Vandenberg’s colleagues agreed to his proposal on February 9, 1933, marking the first time any state had been given the original documents admitting it to the Union. Two weeks later, the four congressional records arrived in Lansing.

Within the nearly full vaults of the Archives of Michigan are housed over sixty thousand cubic feet of the most important papers produced by public officials at the state, county, township and municipal level. But it is doubtful that anything in this vast amount of material has more sentimental value than the four isolated sheets of paper that declared Michigan the twenty-sixth state in the Union.

President Andrew Jackson's signature on the 1835 letter to Congress. The complete letter can be read at seekingmichigan.org/discover, in the Early Documents section.

Here's the link to the letter, and Happy Birthday, Michigan!

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Photo by Aunt Owwee

On January 26, 1837 President Andrew Jackson signed a bill declaring Michigan the 26th state of the union.  That means the Great Lakes State turns 175 next Thursday. That seemed like a pretty big milestone to us, and to celebrate, we're throwing Michigan's 175th Birthday Bash and giving out a week's worth of prizes!!

The rules are simple: if your email address is on our email list (sign up below), you are entered to win. We'll draw a name at random every day and let the winner pick want they want from our "grab bag." Here's what we have:

• Two tickets to the Michigan International Auto Show in Grand Rapids (January 26-29) (click to read more)
• Two tickets to see legendary Detroit alternative rockers Sponge and their "Rotting Pinata" Rewind Show at the Emerald Theatre in Mt. Clemens on January 28 (click for the details!)
• The History of Michigan Wines: 150 Years of Winemaking along the Great Lakes and From the Vine: Exploring Michigan Wineries, two books exploring the history and present day of the Michigan wine industry by Lorri Hathaway and Sharon Kegerreis of Delicious Michigan.  (read more) These have been selected by Lissa Richardson
• Two tickets to the Taste the Passion wine tour celebrating wine, chocolate and love on the Leelanau Peninsula (February 4 & 5) - these have been won by Dawn Dodge! (read more)
• Two tickets to the Traverse City Winter Microbrew & Music Festival with 40+ breweries, cideries, meaderies and wineries and great live music (February 11) - these have been chosen by Tracy Miller, Executive Director of the Japan America Society of West Michigan!
• Two tickets to the Romancing the Riesling wine tour on the Old Mission Peninsula featuring some of the top-notch Rieslings of Northern Michigan with wine & food pairings and deals on wine purchases (February 18)  (read more) These have been picked by Jessica Kelley of hippsylake.com
• A skateboard deck from Yooper Steez (click to read more!)
• ...and just in from The Henry Fordin Dearborn, 2 tickets to the museum to see Driving America, the brand-new 80,000 sq ft automotive experience with 130 vehicles, interactive displays and more than 60 cases of artifacts! These have been selected by Sue Trussell

We're not the only ones celebrating this momentous occasion. The Michigan Historical Center in Lansing will celebrate the 175th anniversary of Michigan Statehood on Saturday, January 28th. The celebration starts at 11 AM with birthday cake for the first 100 people through the door, Michigan's first constitution on display along with a digital copy that visitors can page through on an iPad. and a concert by singer/songwriter Joel Mabus which will include some Michigan songs, and Michigan inventions and re-inventions from birch bark canoes to Vernors soda will be highlighted.

The folks over at Buy Michigan Now have called for everyone to make social media shout-outs about great things about Michigan the week of January 22-28 (and especially on Jan 26th). Be sure to include the word MICHIGAN somewhere in your message and on Twitter use the hashtag #Mich175.

Absolute Michigan features regular giveaways of products and services from all kinds of Michigan businesses. It's free, fun and all you have to do to be eligible is to be on our email list - sign up using the form below. We guarantee that we will not share your email address with anyone!

If your business is interested in participating, you can get all the information right here.

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Neither of these new laws would stop piracy, which Absolute Michigan is opposed to. Both, however, would put control of online content in the hands of large entertainment corporations and the government, placing a giant burden on web media outlets like Wikipedia, WordPress, YouTube ... and even little old Absolute Michigan.

With our Absolute Michigan, Michigan in Pictures and Leelanau.com websites all down yesterday, there was some time to think about the issue, and we'd like to share one thought: We live in a world very different from the early 1700s when Parliament enacted the Statute of Anne to address the concerns of English booksellers and printers (you can look it up ... for now, on Wikipedia).

We are encouraged at every turn and by every consumer device to sing along to commercials, dance to the latest music and in general, swim in a sea of ever-present media. You can debate the pros and cons of doing that but it seems that expecting our candid videos, blogged observations or Facebooked^TM thoughts won't incorporate background music or samples, brand names is flat-out silly. We need intelligent and well thought out laws that recognize the modern world, and SOPA and PIPA definitely aren't either of those things.

Click here to watch a short video or read more about this issue and please take a moment to contact your elected officials through the links we provide!

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Goby by swatzo

Last year the National Park Service produced a series of short documentaries exploring invasive species in the Great Lakes. The series was funded by the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative showing how invaders are changing the ecosystems in national parks and what’s being done to stop them.

All four of them are available through the Great Lakes Echo. Part 1: Aquatic Invasives is below and it explores how zebra mussel, quagga mussel, round goby and other invasive species are creating havoc in Lake Michigan, causing the food web to tilt out of balance. People can help, clean drain and dry all boating and fishing gear to stop aquatic hitch hikers. here's Part 2: Invasive Plants in our Parks, Part 3: Spotted Knapweed, and Part 4: Emerald Ash Borer!

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Clouds are Cooler than Smoke by Jon DeBoe

I guess it's Coal Week on Absolute Michigan. After taking a look back at the history of coal mining in the Saginaw Valley on Tuesday, we're back on the subject with news from the Great Lakes Echo.

Michigan coal-fired plants to close; wind and air to step up by Nick McWherter of the Capital News Service says that Consumers Energy will close seven coal-fired power plants in Michigan and has cancelled construction of another to focus on clean energy. In their news release on the topic, Consumer's President & CEO John Russell said that their investments - part of a $6.6 billion plan to add value to customers and improve the environment - were projected to create more than 2,000 construction jobs in Michigan and provide significant emissions reductions. Environmentalists concur:

“There are simply smarter ways to produce energy then relying on coal,” said Bruce Nilles, national director for the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign. The inherent costs associated with mining and burning coal make clean energy more attractive, he said. Economically and environmentally, coal does not make sense.

Michigan is now in position to make strides in clean energy throughout the state, he said.

“There is a significant shift going on in the electric sector,” Nilles said. “Michigan has a chance to really be at the forefront. It has one of the oldest coal fleets in the country; many of these plants are literally teetering. It presents a tremendous opportunity to put people back to work and eliminate all the pollution that today is having such profound impacts across the state of Michigan.”

The motivation for the decision is Michigan’s Clean, Renewable and Efficient Energy act. Established in 2008, the act requires utilities to supply 10% of their energy via renewables by 2015. Consumers is the second largest utility in the state and is at 5% renewable generation right now. Last month they also started construction of their first wind-farm, the Lake Winds Energy Park, part of a $1 billion investment in Mason County. Follow that link for details and a video from the Muskegon Chronicle.

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Hope For The Future by Flint Foto Factory

Last week Gov. Rick Snyder appointed Michael Brown as the emergency manager for the city of Flint under Public Act 4. A state-appointed review panel recommended a state takeover for the city of Flint, citing recurring cash flow shortages and other financial deficiencies. Flint had an estimated $15 million deficit in 2010 and is projected to have a $7 million deficit in 2011. The Flint Journal explains that:

Brown is under no illusion that fixing the city's long-standing financial problems will be an easy task.

"I know it's a major challenge, there's no glossing it over," Brown said hours after his appointment was announced by Snyder's office. "I think there's a long road ahead and we've got a lot of work to do."

Under state law amended in March under Snyder's administration, emergency managers can strip local elected leaders of their power and have unilateral authority to cut pay, outsource city services, merge departments and, as a last resort, change employee contracts.

Flint Emergency Manager Michael Brown

Brown eliminated pay and benefits for the mayor and Flint City Council, ousted numerous appointees of Flint Mayor Dayne Walling and also canceled City Council meetings until further notice. Brown was interim mayor for six months in 2009 and is the current President of Prima Civitas and director of the Flint Area Reinvestment Office which he founded.  He will receive a salary of $170,000 for the position. There's a special page now on the City of Flint website where you can view orders of the Emergency Manager.

You can hear an interview with Michael Brown from Michigan Radio and also a series of video responses from Cindy Shafran's blog.  Follow the discussion at Flint Talk and check out more stories from Flint on Absolute Michigan.

In 2002 the state took over Flint, and Engler appointed Ed Kurtz who issued over 120 directives during his 2 year tenure. Last week the state also took the first steps toward a takeover of Detroit, and Jack Lessenberry notes that the Michigan Emergency Manager law may be placed on hold due to a ballot measure. You can also hear Jack Lessenberry's thoughts on the Flint and Detroit takeovers and hear what Mayor Dave Bing and other Detroit officials to say about that and share your thoughts below.

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These visitors have generated $605 million of additional revenue, and between 2009 and 2010, the tourism industry grew by $2 billion, enough to generate an additional 10,000 jobs in Michigan. The campaign also generated $43 million in state tax collections, creating a return on investment (ROI) of $4.32 for each dollar Michigan spent on tourism advertising. Resident leisure travel rose 6.1% to $6.3 billion, and non-resident leisure travel that Pure Michigan ads are targeting rose 21.1% to $6.4 billion, the first time non-resident spending has exceeded Michigan resident spending for leisure travel.

While the state and national economies and overall tourism spending floundered in 2009, Michigan received 2% of all the tourism spending in the United States, good for a rank of 14th nationally, a success many credit to the Pure Michigan advertising campaign. George Zimmermann, VP of Travel Michigan says:

"Most Americans know Florida, California and Hawaii. We are just the opposite. We’ve only done a national campaign for just three years, with a modest budget. Michigan also is starting from a negative image of the Rust Belt, the depressed auto industry and urban decay in Detroit. The image of the state is much more favorable after visitors have seen the Pure Michigan ads.”

We encourage you to read on at Bridge for some other thoughts on the campaign including some criticism from Michael LaFaive of the Mackinac Center for Public Policy.  They have a second feature that looks at how Pure Michigan stacks up against other state tourism promotion efforts.

One thing is clear, it's important to agree upon the numbers, because if the ROI is that high, Michigan would be foolish not to continue funding Pure Michigan.

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Buck on the run by oakwood

Opening day of deer season probably ranks pretty high in the list of Michigan holidays. I know a lot of businesses that will be closed for the next few days in recognition that their employees would just be out sick anyway with buck fever. And just as I know that the sunny skies forecast for today are making a lot of people dressed in orange unhappy, I know those same folks are happy that snow is on the way tonight!

The Michigan DNR has all the details on deer hunting in Michigan, including a reminder that much public land is open to hunting - be aware! While Michigan saw 750,000 hunters just a few years ago, less than 650,000 will purchase licenses for the November 15-30 firearm deer season. In 2011, some of these will be 10 and 11 year-olds due to Michigan's new Hunter Heritage Act. Speaking of the DNR, check out their MI-Hunt program, which allows you to locate public lands open to hunting. You can get a forecast for the 2011 Michigan Deer season from Game & Fish Magazine, and a lot more info from the White-tail Deer Portal from the DNR and MSU.

The Livingston Daily news reports that the overall deer population in Michigan has quadrupled since 1970, with southern Michigan's deer herd increasing 10 times! An excellent, in-depth report from Bridge Magazine titled Deer have Michigan on the run says:

The number of hunters in Michigan has been shrinking since the 1960s, according to state data. Hunting license sales have decreased 15 percent over the past 15 years, from 934,430 in 1995 to 786,880 last year.

The ranks of hunters are shrinking nationwide. But the effects of that trend are especially prevalent in Michigan, where deer dominate vast areas of the landscape, hunters are the primary method for keeping the herd in check and revenue from the sale of hunting licenses funds many of the state’s wildlife management programs.

Fewer hunters mean: Less money for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to manage wildlife; less money to maintain forests, marshes and other areas where birds and mammals reside; less money for conservation officers who keep poachers in check; and less money for small businesses that count hunters among their best customers.

It also means more deer - read on to learn about the impacts of our 1.7 million deer.

AnnArbor.com notes that Opening Day is Michigan's other Black Friday, as deer hunters spend an average of $800 each, making deer hunting a half a billion dollar industry in Michigan. If you are headed out, be sure to look in on our Sporting Goods section.

Happy hunting!

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University of Michigan ~ West Hall
by Trish P. - K1000 Gal

The Saginaw News reports that as state support has dropped over the last 30 years, Michigan’s 15 public universities have compensated by raising tuition, fees and room and board, adding $3,000 each semester in tuition in the last decade alone. As need rises, so has student debt:

The average university student will leave college owing $20,000 to $24,000 in loans.

Over the past 10 years, the number of Michigan State University students applying for aid has gone up 23 percent, said Val Meyers, associate director of financial aid. “People who used to be able to pay themselves and didn’t bother to apply are now applying because they need some help,” she said, given rising costs and the struggling economy.

...At the same time, state scholarships and grants have been reduced. The Legislature ended the $4,000 Michigan Promise scholarship in 2009, and the Michigan Competitive Scholarship decreased its funding, Meyers said.

Tough times have forced those in Lansing to cut and cut again, and while higher education is 3rd in terms of general fund dollars:

Lou Glazer, president of the Ann Arbor-based think tank Michigan Future, notes Michigan ranks 49th in the nation in per-pupil spending for higher education.

“It’s a big mistake,” Glazer said. “Disinvesting in universities is not smart.”

Of the 15 states that have the highest college attainment rates, 13 have the highest incomes, he said.

This is an extremely interesting read about a critical issue to Michigan's future  - read more.

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This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave.
~Elmer Davis

Today's photo and quotation is provided by luna.nik and I think that it pretty much sums up what is asked, what is given and what we are called to remember and honor on Veterans Day and all the year long.

If you don't get a chance to get out to Veteran's Day parades or ceremonies to hear some veterans speak, you can see some interviews with veterans from the Southfield Veterans Commission that were produced as part of the Library of Congress Veterans History Project. This one features Herbert Howard of Southfield and there are many more right here.

Much more Michigan Veterans Day information.

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Do you suppose that Tom Izzo uses lines like "I can't offer you beaches and palm trees, but chances are you'll be playing on aircraft carriers and on national television in March."??

This Friday, November 11th at 7 PM on ESPN the Michigan State University Spartans men's basketball team will face the North Carolina Tar Heels aboard the USS Carl Vinson (Wikipedia/Facebook) in what is being dubbed the Quicken Loans Carrier Classic.  Friday is also Veterans Day, and former Lakers MSU great Magic Johnson and James Worthy of UNC, both former Lakers will be on hand as honorary captains.  They'll also have at least one VIP in the stands, President Barack Obama.

Home Post has a slideshow of the process of turning the deck of the USS Carl Vinson into a basketball court and ESPN has a pretty cool look at the science behind the challenges the players will face in an outside game on a ship. At the bottom of the post there's a video with a look at the special uniforms the Spartans will be wearing that also provides a nice chance to meet a team that is largely unheralded and facing the pre-season #1 team in the nation. A great primer by David Mayo of the Grand Rapids Press begins:

The night before Michigan State’s basketball season ended in March, athletic director Mark Hollis sat in a Tampa hotel, proudly disclosing plans for how this season would begin.

On his tablet, he swiped through artists’ renderings of how the USS Carl Vinson will look Friday night in San Diego Bay, with a temporary basketball arena on its flight deck, where the Spartans play top-ranked North Carolina in their Veterans Day opener, with President Barack Obama and thousands of military personnel dominating the invitation-only crowd.

Read on at the GR Press.

Photo credits

USS Carl Vinson PACIFIC OCEAN (June 3, 2011) The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) is underway in the Pacific Ocean. Carl Vinson and Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 17 are underway in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Nicolas C. Lopez/Released) 110603-N-GZ277-247

Michigan State vs. Hillsdale Freshman guard Branden Dawson stretches out for an uncontested dunk early in the game against Hillsdale Friday night at Breslin Center. Dawson netted 10 points for the Spartans in the 80-58 victory. Matt Hallowell/The State News

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Collectively Falling - Bond Falls by Aaron C. Jors

The Department of Natural Resources announced today that Michigan state parks and recreation areas have won the 2011 National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) Gold Medal for the top state park system in the nation. The DNR was notified today by the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration and NRPA.

Michigan was named one of four finalists in May, and beat North Carolina, Florida and Missouri for the top honor.

"This award is a credit to the people of Michigan," said Michigan Governor Rick Snyder, who recently appointed a blue-ribbon panel to guide the parks system into the future. "For more than 90 years, Michiganders have realized that these unique areas are an integral part of the cultural enhancement, economic enrichment and overall quality of life that we value. Our parks are what we make of them and the people of this state clearly prize these treasures. I commend the DNR for its outstanding stewardship of these resources and look forward to working with all stakeholders so that we have a parks system that serves our state and its visitors for generations to come."

The Gold Medal Award honors communities throughout the United States that demonstrate excellence in long-range planning, resource management, and agency recognition. Each agency is judged on its ability to address the needs of those it serves through the collective energies of citizens, staff, and elected officials.

"We are very proud to receive this award, and I want to recognize the employees of the Parks and Recreation Division who have worked hard to make sure our 99 state parks and recreation areas remain excellent places for our citizens and visitors to experience Michigan's abundant and amazing natural resources," said DNR Director Rodney Stokes. "This is the result of teamwork, talent and vision that is aimed at protecting our special places, and also making sure that visitors have an enjoyable, high quality experience."

In its winning application, the DNR focused on innovation, such as the Recreation Passport, which is the new funding model for state parks and outdoor recreation in Michigan. The $10 optional fee that Michigan residents can pay when renewing their vehicle registration at the Secretary of State gives them annual access to all Michigan state parks and boating access sites and also supports state forest recreation programs. A portion of the funding also supports a grant program for local parks.

"This achievement is indicative of the tremendous staff who works in the Parks and Recreation Division, who strive for excellent customer service every day to provide a positive experience for our customers," said DNR Parks and Recreation Chief Ron Olson.

Michigan is home to 99 state parks and recreation areas, offering visitors more than 13,000 campsites, trails, access to inland lakes, rivers and the Great Lakes.

For more information on state parks in Michigan, go to www.michigan.gov/stateparks.

And for even more, check out the Absolute Michigan Parks section!

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November by Karen from Michigan

Here's a bunch Michigan festivals & events for the month of November. As usual, there's no way to get them all, so please add links and information about the one's we've missed (or reviews of ones we have here) in the comments below.

November Fast Facts

• The Leonids meteor shower reaches its peak around November 17
• November's birthstone is the yellow topaz.
• Its birth flower is the chrysanthemum.
• November 10th is the birthday of the United States Marine Corps
• November 11th is Veterans Day
• Americans celebrate Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of November.
• The day after Thanksgiving in the USA, a famous day for shopping, known as "Black Friday."
• Monday immediately following Thanksgiving Day in the USA is know as Cyber Monday

- November, Wikipedia

In 1863, Abraham Lincoln, proclaimed the last Thursday of November to be a National Day of Thanksgiving(pdf).

November Quotes

"All in November's soaking mist
We stand and prune the naked tree,
While all our love and interest
Seem quenched in the blue-nosed misery."
- Ruth Pitter

"November always seemed to me the Norway of the year."
- Emily Dickinson

"So dull and dark are the November days.
The lazy mist high up the evening curled,
And now the morn quite hides in smoke and haze;
The place we occupy seems all the world."
- John Clare, November

"November's sky is chill and drear,
November's leaf is red and sear."
- Sir Walter Scott

"The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down
Of the big lake they call Gitche Gumee
Superior, they say, never gives up her dead
When the gales of November come early."
- Gordon Lightfoot, "The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald"

Things to Do, Places to Go

Also see Pure Michigan's November 2011 Event Calendar!

Through November 21
Northern Michigan C. S. Lewis Festival - Traverse City
The Northern Michigan C. S. Lewis Festival welcomes you to our annual month-long celebration. Events take place during late October and November in the Petoskey area on Little Traverse Bay, including music & theater performances, school & library programs, scholarly lectures, community discussion groups, and more.

November 3 -13
Grand Rapids Restaurant Week - Grand Rapids
Over 50 GR restaurants will feature a three-course menu for a fixed price of $25 in addition to their regular menu and some are offering 2 for $25!

November 5
Iceman Cometh Challenge - Traverse City
Nearly 4000 cyclists from the United States and Canada converge on Traverse City for the Iceman Cometh – a 27-mile point-to-point mountain bike race from Kalkaska to Traverse City through the Pere Marquette State Forest.

November 5 & 6 or November 12 & 13
Toast the Season Wine Tour - Leelanau Peninsula
The annual Toast the Season wine trail tour features a special wine & food pairing and a holiday gift bag featuring local food at each of the 19 Leelanau Peninsula member wineries.

November 5 – 6
First Frost Arts and Fine Crafts Festival - Flint
Enjoy a glass blowing demonstration, view & bid on decorated holiday tree or wreath and explore artwork in wood, fiber, clay and more from more than 50 juried artists.

November 9 -17
East Lansing Film Festival - East Lansing
The East Lansing Film Festival (ELFF) is the largest and most diverse film festival in Michigan to screen independent and foreign feature, documentary, short and students films from around the world. The Lake Michigan Film Competition (LMFC) will be held during the festival. This competition gives cash awards to the filmmakers whose film was at least one quarter filmed, produced, or financed in the states that border Lake Michigan.

November 10
Annual Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial Service - Whitefish Point
The service includes reflections, music, and the Call to the Last Watch Ceremony in which the ship's bell is run 29 times for each crewman who went down with this famous vessel plus a 30th ring for all who have lost their lives on the Great Lakes.

November 10 – 12
Michigan Festival of Sacred Music - Kalamazoo
The Michigan Festival of Sacred Music offers events which represent diverse religious traditions, promoting mutual respect and understanding through sharing the music treasured by these traditions.

November 12
Wagbo Farm Cider Making Demo - East Jordan
Join the Martha Wagbo Farm and Education Center for their free monthly potluck program! Potluck lunch starts at 12pm. Bring a dish to pass if you want, but it's not mandatory. Wagbo provides drinks and table service. The presentation begins at 1 pm. Homebrewers Keith Kintigh and Jason Stephens will provide an introduction to the art of making "hard" cider. Discussion will include history of cider making, the role of apple varieties, and the importance of yeast choice. Free and open to the public.

November 12 - 20
Christmas Tree Galleria - Caspian
Head to the Iron County Historical Museum Complex in Caspian for a display of over 50 trees with rural, ethnic and international themes.

November 14 - 22
Annual Children's Film Festival - Saugatuck
Artful, educational, funny, thought-provoking films for young audiences (made by both adult and young filmmakers). Public screenings are on November 19.

November 15 - 30
Deer Hunting (Regular Firearm Season)
If you think this isn't a major event, then you probably live south of Clare.

November 17 – 27
Festival of Trees - Muskegon
Designers & artists present beautifully decorated holiday trees and wreaths at the Muskegon Museum of Art. Also included are a holiday movie festival.

November 18
Silver Bells in the City - Lansing
Silver Bells in the City attracts 120,000 attendees annually and features an Electric Light Parade followed by the lighting of Michigan's official Christmas tree and a firework show (weather permitting) over the State Capitol. The evening is also filled with free family entertainment including free admission to Lansing's cultural institutions, horse-drawn wagon rides on Washington Square, and performances by more than 50 local arts and cultural institutions throughout downtown Lansing.

November 18 - 27
Christmas WonderFest - Detroit
Glittering buildings, busy sidewalks, brisk air, dazzling gift displays and decadent treats are highlights of a bustling Christmas season in the city. In November 2011, the city’s central plaza Campus Martius Park will debut Christmas WonderFest, a highly anticipated indoor/outdoor festival and return to the legacy of Detroit Christmas Past. WonderFest, modeled upon traditional European Christmas Markets, will kick off the holiday season in grand style with an International Marketplace, seasonal food & drink, Carousel and Ferris Wheel spins, and Holiday Tree-Lighting.

November 19
Kalamazoo Russian Festival - Kalamazoo
Celebrate the partnership between Kalamazoo, Michigan and Pushkin, Russia at this years Kalamazoo Russian Festival; a unique Russian cultural event in the Midwest.

November 19 - December 31
Battle Creek International Festival of Lights - Battle Creek
The six-week holiday lighting extravaganza in greater Battle Creek, Michigan, features over one million sparkling lights, special events, lighting displays, and entertainment.

November 24 - Thanksgiving Day
Detroit's Thanksgiving Day Parade - Detroit
The theme for the 2011 America's Thanksgiving Parade is "So Much To Believe In". The parade down Woodward Avenue is one of the nation's oldest and most celebrated parades. They start at 9:20 a.m. on Woodward Avenue and Mack and end at Woodward Avenue and Congress in downtown Detroit before hundreds of thousands of parade-goers, in person and on WDIV Local 4.

November 25
Fantasy of Lights - Howell
Parade & Town Activities in Historic Howell, Michigan

November 26 - December 18
Santa's Village - Chesaning
Experience Santa's Village - North Pole USA.Young and old alike will enjoy a visit to the enchanged village. Nestled snugly at the North Pole (aka, Saginaw County Fairgrounds, Chesaning, Michigan), Santa's Village embodies the spirit and excitement of the holiday season. North Pole Express Engine 1225 arrives at Santa's Village at 11 am and 5 pm daily while the Village is open. View the steam engine made famous in the movie Polar Express.

November 25 - December 30
Christmas at Crossroads Holiday Magic - Flint
This holiday fantasyland features thousands of sparkling lights and Michigan's most spectacular moving light display, the Huckleberry Railroad. The entire village is aglow with colored lights and more lights decorate the railroad's locomotive, coaches and trackside displays. Costumed villagers prepare for the holiday season in the village's homes and shops, the Colwell Opera House presents live entertainment and Santa Claus talks with the children. See model trains, craft demonstrations, holiday music and unique shopping opportunities delight all ages.

November 26
Great Macaroni & Cheese Bake-Off - Old Mission Peninsula
The Wineries of Old Mission Peninsula will host local restaurants who have turned the classic comfort food, Macaroni and Cheese, into culinary marvels! This rich and creamy fare is paired with wines from Old Mission - Rieslings, Pinot Grigios, Chardonnays and more. Taste what our local Chefs have come up with this year!

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Mallory Horton Waters Plants in the
GreenHouse at Harvesting Earth Urban
Garden by Michigan Municipal League (MML)
Click for slideshow from MML!

Last week we featured Urban Farming and the Gift of Detroit. Detroit is not the only Michigan city that is turning to urban farming as a means of economic development and simple subsistence.

The Kings of Flint is a documentary that features Jacky and Dora King, of King Karate. Jackie and Dora are also Master Gardeners who see farming as not only a means of self defense - Jackie points out that historically martial arts students have also been farmers - but also as a way to revitalize Flint. They use the discipline of farming and hard work to help their students prepare to meet the challenges that growing up in Flint present.

Jacky King and Dora King by MML

In six years, the Kings have grown their urban gardening program from nothing to a program that now encompasses 16 former vacant city lots in Mt. Morris Township and Genesee Township. Last year they involved more than 900 volunteers and paid workers. In this feature in Farm World, Michigan State University instructor Troy Hale who co-produced the documentary with fellow MSU Communication Arts and Sciences teacher Geri Alumit Zeldes explained:

“We found out that the Kings are a couple of interesting characters. We just started going up and started to capture what we could capture. The Kings are really passionate about it. The main thing for them is these kids, teaching them some life skills. I think it’s a sense of community, as well."

They use hoop houses to farm all year round, selling the fruits, vegetables and eggs they harvest at the Flint Farmers Market. You can learn more including how you can support their efforts at the Harvesting Earth Educational Farm web page.

An article from MSU about the project explains that Zeldes, a Flint native, was fascinated with the idea of sustainable agriculture and the city's initiatives in revitalizing its community.

Students sharpened their investigative reporting skills and learned how to shoot and edit their own video. They traveled to Flint about twice a month to gather footage and interview the Kings, residents and local government officials.

...The documentary also includes a full-length music video completely shot and edited by MSU and performed by Flint residents Willie White, Ian Reddington, Hakim Gillard and Desiree Brown.

"In Michigan, I think Flint is known as a terrible city with lots of crime and it's going nowhere, but there are actually people trying to change it," said journalism student Alyssa Firth, who is the webmaster and a producer of the film.

There's a whole bunch more videos and last summer the Great Lakes Echo ran some of the documentary footage exploring different facets of the story. Settle back and watch a 13 minute version of a Michigan success story:

The Kings of Flint 13min. Cut from Troy on Vimeo.

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Detroit Public Television (DPTV), in partnership with the International Joint Commission, the Great Lakes Commission, U.S. EPA, and Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition provided unprecedented access to the largest gathering of scientists, political voices, educators, environmentalists, and interested groups ever assembled to discuss the status and the future of the Great Lakes at greatlakesnow.org.

Sleeping Bear by ideowl

Great Lakes Week takes place October 11-14, 2011 and celebrates one of the world's true natural wonders, the five interconnected Great Lakes. Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie and Superior provide jobs, recreation and drinking water to more than 30 million people in the Great Lakes basin. Great Lakes Week is a new partnership to improve the places around the basin where people live, work, learn and play. This week's activities, meetings and conferences bring representatives of the U.S. and Canadian governments together with a broad coalition of public and private groups to highlight efforts to implement solutions for the lakes' most pressing problems. The event is headquartered in a single city for the first time ever and that city is Detroit.

Today's coverage kicks off at noon with an overview of Great Lakes Week, highlights of yesterday's Great Lakes Commission Meeting. Also on tap is the International Joint Commission of US and Canadian government agencies, a report on U.S. and Canadian efforts to restore the chemical, physical and biological diversity of the Great Lakes Basin, updates on critical issues from algae to aquatic invasive species and the Great Lakes Town Hall featuring top officials from both the U.S. and Canada answering on-site and virtual audience questions (Twitter hastag #AskGLW). Much more to follow tomorrow and Friday - check the schedule of events out for an idea.

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Vanishing Point by e.rabior

Business Week reports that Michigan made some major moves toward high-speed rail yesterday:

A high-speed passenger train service between Chicago and Detroit took two big steps forward Wednesday with a $196.5 million federal grant to Michigan and the state's acquisition of a 135-mile stretch of track.

The U.S. Department of Transportation announced that it has awarded Michigan the funds for signal and track improvements on the rail line between Kalamazoo in western Michigan and Dearborn in suburban Detroit.

..."Investing in rail service will spark economic development in communities along a corridor linking Detroit and Chicago, two vital Midwest cities," Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder said in a statement. "A faster, reliable passenger rail system is a priority for younger generations and vital to Michigan's ability to compete globally as businesses look to locate or expand."

Snyder added that the rail upgrades will speed freight transportation for Ford and other companies. You can read the complete release from the Department of Transportation forecasting that this will create 800 new jobs in Michigan.

You can see the Wolverine in action right here. It's the train that runs three Detroit-Chicago routes daily. That's a neat video showing just how fast a 95 MPH train is, but this fantastic timelapse from 1988 shot with a Super-8 from trainluvr is too good to pass up! Here's Amtrak's Michigan schedule too.

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by Michael Lesich

The Red Scorpion Tower by jacalynsnana

Michigan is transitioning from its 20th Century industrial roots to a global, interconnected, knowledge- based economy. Decisions about the future of our state’s economic direction are being made in the boardrooms of private companies and the halls of our state capitol. The most important innovation of my lifetime, the Internet, relies increasingly on a solid broadband infrastructure (land-based and mobile), to carry exponentially increasing traffic. Robust and universal access to the Internet is vital to the companies and residents of Michigan and the United States. However, we are still a long way from that critical goal.

As an owner of a small IT company, I know firsthand the benefits that come from readily available broadband access. We embrace telecommuting, remote access, and online education. We have the ability to hire the best person for the job, regardless of their location. Today’s knowledge workers, and their employers, benefit from telecommuting arrangements that reduce traffic, increase productivity, and enhance the quality of the products and services they provide.

In a recent USA TODAY Op-ed Julius Genachowski, Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, correctly identified how universal broadband can stimulate job creation and economic growth. He focused on the ability of businesses to hire work-from-home employees, using the example of at-home call centers. "Twenty percent of call center jobs in America today are at-home jobs, powered by broadband," he wrote. "The ability to work from home provides new employment options for returning veterans, people with disabilities, and parents who need flexible work schedules."

Jobs4America, a coalition of companies calling for legislation to improve job creation in the U.S., has announced that 100,000 new call center jobs will be created in the U.S. over the next two years, including "300 new jobs in Holland, Michigan." These jobs and many like them would not be possible if not for broadband Internet access. Citing a study by Novo 1, Chairman Genachowski explained that "returning a call center to the U.S. from overseas can save companies about 15%." That savings means companies have more revenue to invest in expanding business and hiring new staff.

Broadband infrastructure efforts over the past 20 years have led to entire new industries and advancements. However, the growth and availability of broadband access has been largely focused on areas with a high population density. Rural areas and remote destinations were initially cost prohibitive. Advances in land-based and wireless mobile broadband technology have improved performance and lowered the cost to provide these services to a wide area. But we are a long way from universal access to all Americans, and this must quickly change in order to be competitive in a global marketplace.

Broadband increases local job growth (from 10 Ways Broadband Helps Rural Communities)

According to PEW Research, 35% of adults in the US use smartphones, and do much of their internet access on these devices. Increasingly, these users now expect access to the internet everywhere they go. When it is not there, many will not return. When it is not there, companies will not expand to those areas.

When it comes to education for students of all ages, internet access is increasingly at the core of the curriculum. Many students have better access to the internet and technology at home than they do at school. Providing Internet access at all schools across this country should be a priority for every educator and legislature. A student population accessing online courses, reference materials from around the world, and participating in collaborative endeavors with students across the globe represent the future of education, far beyond the walls of libraries of schools past.

Linda Teeter of the Michigan Action Center succinctly lays out the benefits of Bridging the Digital Divide in Michigan. "If every household, school, and community in Michigan had high-speed wireless broadband we would be able to boost productivity, rapidly improve communication speeds, and provide our children with the type of technology and education they need to succeed in an ever-evolving job market." She also includes several recent infographics from the Internet Innovation Alliance that "show how mobile broadband can benefit many aspects of rural communities as well as health IT" and can spur job creation.

With reliable high-speed Internet, Michigan businesses anywhere will be able to compete worldwide. Without reliable and universal high-speed internet, we will be competing with other states and even countries that have made the decision to put knowledge and information into the hands of their citizens. In these troubling economic times, we cannot afford to handicap our local businesses by failing to expand this critical 21st Century Infrastructure.

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For fifty years Canada and the U.S. have been battling an eel-like creature across the Great Lakes. Sea lampreys are parasites that drill holes in fish to feed on blood and body fluids. They often kill the fish. The sea lamprey was one of the first invasive species to arrive in the lakes, and it’s the only invasive to be successfully controlled by humans.

But in recent years, the lamprey has been getting the upper hand in the struggle. As Peter Payette reports there might be more setbacks in the near future:

The mouth of a lamprey. It uses suction, teeth, and a razor sharp tongue to attach itself to its prey... and then it starts drinking blood. Photo courtesy of USFWS

If you’re on a lamprey control team you get to see all the prettiest streams and rivers in the Great Lakes. That’s because lampreys like clean water.

“Part of our problems recently have been some of the streams that were too dirty to harbor lampreys have been cleaned up and now we have lampreys in parts of the Saginaw River. We never had lampreys in that up until 15 or 20 years ago.”

Ellie Koon supervises one of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife treatment teams. They spend the warm months killing young lampreys by the thousands.

They treat rivers using a chemical called lampricide. It’s a poison that rarely hurts other fish. In fact, during a treatment the fish get a feast they normally wouldn’t. Young lampreys look a bit like worms at this stage and stay in the mud. But when they’re poisoned they swim out where fish can grab them.

Ellie Koon and one of her team members, Hank Cupp, say fish and other animals in the river pig out.

“You can almost hear the fish burping the day after we treat. You can see them swimming around with lampreys hanging out of their mouths that they can’t swallow.”

These teams can usually kill about 95 percent of the young lampreys in a river. Without this, the Great Lakes would not have a multi-billion dollar fishery today. But in recent years, the fish-killing lamprey has been rebounding in some of the lakes and hurting the fishery...

Much more at Michigan Radio. There was an interesting episode of Dirty Jobs last fall where Mike Rowe spent time with the US Fish & Wildlife Service on lamprey control. You can see all the videos at that link and watch one of them below!

Photos via US Government and Wikipedia's Sea Lamprey entry.

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by Sara Qamar

More than 100 Michigan communities have been honored under the Tree City USA program that promotes the economic, health and aesthetic benefits of trees on public property.

Main Street Rockford by Eridony

Some benefits of trees, such as energy conservation and savings on heating and cooling costs, are important economic factors, said Department of Natural Resources (DNR) urban forestry program coordinator Kevin Sayers.

“Properly planted trees in areas that might shade a building or shade an air conditioning unit are seen to help a lot in energy savings. They can block cold winter winds and minimize heating costs during winter,” he said.

Trees can also affect the price of homes, he said.

“Real estate studies show that properties which have well-maintained landscapes and mature trees are worth more,” he said.

Alpena received its 12th Tree City USA designation this year, city engineer Rich Sullenger said.

Toy Town by lefeber

It's among 119 communities in the program this year. Others include Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor, Allegan, Brighton, Charlevoix, Big Rapids, Ionia and Rockford.

“There's nothing prettier than looking down a tree-lined street in the summer. That's a huge benefit to the community. Anytime I personally I see a tree, it's a lot more pleasing than seeing a barren section of property,” Sullenger said.

Rockford, which was one of two new Michigan honorees this year, has had a longstanding comprehensive tree program which included planting 100 trees a year, city manager Michael Young said. The other is Clio.

Rockford is an older community that has expanded in recent years and has many mature trees, but citizens like greenery in newer developments as well, he said.

Click above for more about the program including how your community can enroll!

“It's really important to blend our newer parts with the old parts, and trees are that common thread,” he said.

One program the city will start this year is purchasing and planting a tree for each baby born in Rockford, he said.

The tree most planted is the maple, which residents appreciate because of the different colors its leaves turn, Young said.

One of the chronic problems DNR deals with about the program is convincing communities to diversify their tree selections from maple.

Sayers said uniformity can cause diseases to spread more easily.

“I don't promote planting any particular one. I encourage diversifying and planting the tree that's right for the location,” he said.

Competition among neighboring communities and citizens' grassroots efforts have helped the program grow in Michigan in the last 10 years, he said.

“There's a growing sense of responsibility to do something in terms of environmental initiatives. Local citizens are working with the city to get this designation,” he said.

Tree City USA operated by the Arbor Day Foundation, a nonprofit group in Nebraska.

The program requires no application fee. The only condition is that communities spend $2 per resident on anything related to trees. That could include planting, annual leaf pickup, purchasing equipment and other care and management, he said.

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Untitled by maggiesonmain

A little movie company called Disney announced that the blockbuster Oz will be filmed in Michigan! The AP reports:

A Sam Raimi-directed prequel to the story of "The Wizard of Oz" — called simply "Oz" — will be filmed later this year at a Detroit-area studio that recently opened on the site of a former General Motors truck plant and office complex.

Raleigh Michigan Studios said Friday the Disney film will be the largest feature to shoot in the state, which has been luring some major film projects in recent years thanks to a program that offered some of the most generous tax credits in the nation.

..."'Oz' was originally written in Holland, Michigan, and so it is fitting that our great state should be part of this new production," said Michigan Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville.

The film also represents a homecoming for Raimi, who grew up near Detroit and attended Michigan State University. He's known for such movies as "Spider-Man" and "The Evil Dead."

While the Michigan Film Incentive that brought this production to Michigan looks to be doomed, a bill was introduced last week to preserve the tax credit.

WOOD-TV has details on the cast for Oz which tells the story of the Wizard's arrival and rise to power. James Franco will play the Wizard with Mila Kunis & Rachel Weisz in the role of Wicked Witches East & West with Blake Lively as Glinda.  You can get the details on casting for extras for Oz: The Great and Powerful from MichiganActing.com.  It will come as no surprise that they are Looking for people age 18+  that are 4' 10" or shorter, but they're also looking for folks that are 6'8"+ as well.

While we don't have a video directly related, but this video of the University of Michigan Marching Band performing the Wizard of Oz last fall is pretty cool!

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Ready for the Harvest by lpwines

While Governor Snyder has made a lot of changes in his first few months in office, he joined his predecessor in proclaiming April Michigan Wine Month. Sales of Michigan wines in the state rose nearly 12 percent in 2010, while total wine sales increased just 4 percent. Michigan wine sales have outpaced total wine sales for the past 10 years, doubling the Michigan wineries' market share to 6.5 percent. In the past year alone, Michigan added 10 new wineries. New Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development (MDARD) Director Keith Creagh said:

"Michigan's 81 wineries welcome more than 1 million visitors to their tasting rooms each year and offer a truly Pure Michigan agri-tourism experience. Not only do these businesses offer a quality product and memorable experience, but our wine and grape industries also contribute nearly $800 million to the state's economy annually."

We have a ton of Michigan wine events and If you can't make it out to the tasting rooms please take time to explore Michigan wine through Absolute Michigan's Michigan Wine section and the Michigan Wine & Grape Industry Council web site to learn about the excellent offerings that are produced right here in the Mitten!

Upcoming 2011 Michigan Wine Events
If you haven't done so, you owe it to yourself to get out and explore Michigan's various wine regions. Here is a sampling of upcoming events designed for both seasoned tasters and those wanting to learn more and experience first hand the excellent wines that our wineries are producing. Know of one that's not here? Post it in the comments!

Michigan International Wine Expo - April 15 & 16 - Rock Financial Showplace, Novi

Michigan Wine Celebration - April 9 & 10 - Southeast Michigan Pioneer Wine Trail

The Michigan Wine & Food Showcase- April 11 - Radisson Bloomfield Hills

Spring Sip & Savor - April 30 & May 1

Blossom Days - May 14 & 15 - Wineries of Old Mission Peninsula

Great Lakes Wine Festival - May 21 - Michigan International Speedway

Leland Wine & Food Festival - June 11 - Leland

Festival of the Sun June 25, 2011 - Lansing Old Town

Traverse City Wine & Art Festival - August 20 - Traverse City

Meadow Brook Wine & Food Festival - August 27 & 28 - Rochester Hills

For a complete list of events celebrating Michigan Wine Month and wine in Michigan, visit www.michiganwines.com.

Michigan Wine Country Magazine

The 2011 edition of Michigan Wine Country is now available. It is an an indispensable guide to the wines and wineries of Michigan. The magazine contains maps and touring information, as well as a popular section on "what's new at the wineries. Order your complimentary copy today. While there we encourage you to join the Vintage Michigan Club and take advantage of the special savings it offers.

Here is an interview with Steve Scheffel, President of Goodrich's East Lansing about the growth of Michigan wines. Goodrich's is one of the leading sellers of Michigan wine. Find many more places to buy at absolutemichigan.com/Wine. Steve says he doesn't carry Michigan wines because he's a nice guy (although he is) but rather because the sell.

Also click here to check out a whole lot more Michigan wine videos!

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Thanks Blogging for Michigan for the find!

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"Winds of Change" Point Betsie
Lighthouse by Michigan Nut

The Pure Michigan Facebook fan page topped 200,000 fans over the weekend. According to the Street, this makes Pure Michigan one of only four state tourism Facebook pages with more than 100,000 fans and the first state tourism Facebook page with over 200,000 fans:

"We could not be more pleased with the increase of Pure Michigan Facebook fans," said George Zimmermann, Vice President of Travel Michigan, a business unit of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. "As we look ahead to summer travel, our fans are sharing their favorite vacation spots and experiences, which we know will result in new and more visitors to Michigan."

Tourism is a major source of revenue for Michigan's economy. Since its launch in 2006, the award-winning Pure Michigan campaign has attracted seven million new, out-of-state visitors to the Great Lakes State, visitors who spent $2 billion at Michigan businesses and paid $138 million in Michigan taxes, primarily sales tax. The campaign generated $3.29 in tax revenue for the state for each dollar spent on Pure Michigan advertising.

Way to go, Pure Michigan and speaking of Facebook, don't forget the Absolute Michigan and Michigan in Pictures Facebook pages!

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R.I.P. - James McMillan School (1894-2008)
by SNWEB.ORG Photography, LLC.

HB-4214 - the "local  government and school district fiscal accountability act" -  passed the Senate yesterday.  This is such a strange & sweeping bill that vests power in the executive branch to exercise extra-ordinary powers of finance, administration and even the very existence of municipalities and schools that we're still trying to come to grips with the implications. You can read stories from the right (Detroit News or any suggestions?) and left (Michigan Messenger or  AFL-CIO). The Messenger version says (in part):

According to the law, which has already been approved in the House, the governor will be able to declare “financial emergency” in towns or school districts and appoint someone to fire local elected officials, break contracts, seize and sell assets, and eliminate services.

Under the law whole cities or school districts could be eliminated without any public participation or oversight, and amendments designed to provide minimal safeguards and public involvement were voted down.

An amendment to require Emergency Managers to hold monthly public meetings to let people know how they are governing was rejected by Senate Republicans, along with proposals to cap Emergency Manager compensation and require that those appointed to run school districts have some background in education.

Hrum. Thoughts? If you're thinking that the above paragraph is hyperbole, I urge you to click to read the text of the bill. Page 34 for example. The fact that the proposed 2011 budget includes big cuts for already struggling school districts and municipalities pretty much guarantees that the Emergency Managers will see action.

FYI, Michigan law already allows for Emergency Managers, but their authority is nowhere near what it will be when these bills become law.

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Suffragrists Alice Burke and Nell Richardson in their Golden Flier, 1916

In April 1916, Nell Richardson and Alice Burke (pictured right) crossed the United States in their Saxon Golden Flyer. They hoped to gain support for national woman suffrage (For more on the pair, click Smithsonian Institution America on the Move Exhibit.).

In 1846, a woman named Ernestine Rose spoke before the Michigan legislature, arguing that women needed the right to vote. This was two years before the first women's rights convention in Seneca Falls, New York. In 1849, a Michigan state Senate committee proposed a “universal suffrage” amendment to the Michigan constitution. This would have granted voting rights to both women and African Americans, but no action was taken on the proposal. A woman suffrage bill did not come before the state legislature again until 1866. It was defeated by only one vote. The following year, however, the legislature did pass a law allowing female taxpayers to vote in school elections.

It was time to get organized! In 1870, the Michigan State Suffrage Association (MSSA) formed in Battle Creek. They regularly spoke before the state legislature and actively campaigned for their cause. They convinced the legislature to consider a woman suffrage amendment in 1874, but the male legislators ultimately rejected it. A disillusioned MSSA then disbanded.

It took nine years for a true replacement organization to emerge. On May 21, 1884, the Michigan Equal Suffrage Association (MESA) formed in Flint. The group focused its energies, campaigning specifically for the right to vote in Michigan municipal elections. The state legislature rejected two such proposals in subsequent years, before finally passing one in 1893. This seemed a major victory for suffragists, but it didn't last. The Michigan Supreme Court struck down the law, claiming that it violated the state constitution by creating “a new class of voters.”

A woman suffrage tent at the 1912 Michigan State Fair

Following this decision, MESA membership declined. The remaining members, however, refused to give up. The group continued to address the state legislature. MESA members circulated literature, organized speeches, sponsored high school essay contests and erected tents at state and county fairs.

Finally, in 1907, the Michigan legislature called for a constitutional convention. A new state constitution represented a new opportunity. A woman suffrage hearing convened in the state capitol in January 1908. MESA and other pro-suffrage groups presented their arguments before constitutional convention delegates. Their well-organized presentation impressed many of the delegates. Nonetheless, the majority voted not to grant Michigan women the vote. Many feared that male voters would reject the proposed 1908 constitution if woman suffrage became part of the package.

Nonetheless, woman suffrage soon became a chief subject of popular discussion. Michigan voters considered woman suffrage amendments in both 1912 and 1913, but both were defeated. It was believed that liquor interests played a large role in the defeats. Many Prohibition supporters were women, and alcohol producers, distributors and salesmen were well aware of it. Voter fraud by liquor interests was alleged in the 1912 election, whereas the 1913 proposal may have simply suffered from a lower voter turnout (There was a Presidential election in 1912, and that brought many more voters to the polls.). For more on Michigan women and the Prohibition movement, click “Saving Their Husbands One Saloon At a Time” by Robert Garrett

Opposition by liquor interests became moot in 1916, when Michigan voted for statewide Prohibition (National Prohibition would follow in 1920.). In 1917, the United States entered World War I. Subsequent work by women in support of the war effort garnered further male endorsement for woman suffrage. Finally, a woman state suffrage law appeared on the November 1918 ballot – and was passed by Michigan's voters.

National woman suffrage would follow in 1920, with the adoption of the nineteenth amendment to the U.S. constitution. Michigan became one of the first three states to ratify this amendment (Wisconsin and Illinois were the other two.), having done so on June 10, 1919.

The road to American woman suffrage had been a long one, but it had finally come to an end. Throughout the journey, Michigan women had been among those leading the way!

Sources for the article above include:

Dunbar, Willis F., and George S. May. Michigan: A History of the Wolverine State. Third Revised Edition. Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1995, pp. 471-473.

McHaney, Sharon. “Securing the Sacred Right to Vote.” Michigan History Magazine, vol. 75, no. 2 (March/April 1991), pp. 38-45.

Sause, Louise. “How the Suffragists Changed Michigan.” In Elizabeth Homer Giese (Editor), Michigan Women's Suffrage: A Political History. Lansing, Michigan: The Michigan Political History Society and the Michigan Women's Studies Association, Inc., 1995, pp. 2-5.

In the Archives of Michigan:

The Florence Belle Brotherton collection (MS 77-119) contains primary sources related to the woman suffrage movement in the early twentieth century. Among other things, they document Brotherton's activities in the woman suffrage campaigns of 1912 and 1913.

For a list of other women's history collections in the Archives of Michigan, click Archives of Michigan: Records Relating to Women.

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While this article was originally published in 2009, we found it to be still interesting & relevant. Be sure to check out the cool video below and also to head over to Great Lakes Echo for the rest of the stories in their special report on Lake Huron Sinkholes!

by Sarah Coefield

Researchers are exploring sinkholes in Lake Huron off the coast of Alpena, Mich. Photo: NOAA

The locals in Alpena have long known about sinkholes just offshore from their northeast Michigan community. But it will take researchers several years to unravel the local diving spots' mysteries.

The story of the Lake Huron sinkholes and their exotic ecosystems begins on a ship. While surveying shipwrecks in the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary in 2001, Steve Ruberg and his colleagues were surprised to detect underwater basins 300 feet below the surface. To their trained eyes, the basins looked like sinkholes.

The discovery warranted further investigation.

Steve Ruberg

When the scientists returned they discovered salty groundwater venting into underwater sinkholes.

Sinkholes are not unusual. On land they can form wherever limestone is prevalent. Groundwater and rainwater dissolve the rock, carving underground caves and tunnels. If too much limestone dissolves, the surface collapses, forming a depression that can fill with water. The sinkholes in Lake Huron likely formed thousands of years ago, before the lake covered the limestone bedrock.

Though sinkholes are common, scientists have found that the ecosystems flourishing in them under Lake Huron are far from the ordinary.

Bopi Biddanda was immediately intrigued: "I said, what if it's a really different composition (of water) coming out. They'd be seeing very different types of life. Let's go and look there."

Biddanda, a research scientist at the Grand Valley State University Annis Water Resources Institute in Muskegon, Mich., co-leads the sinkhole research with Ruberg.

Beginning in 2003, divers and remotely operated vehicles collected samples and images from the sinkholes. They revealed conditions never before documented in the Great Lakes. The mats of purple and white bacteria thriving in them are reminiscent of life found in permanently ice-covered Antarctic lakes and deep sea vents, Biddanda said. At that point "we knew we were onto something really cool," he said. "Really unique life and possibly life processes that … could add to the exploration of life on the planet itself."

Before bubbling into the sinkholes in Lake Huron, the groundwater passes through 400-million-year-old bedrock rich with ancient marine salts and sulfur. By the time it reaches the lake, the water has little oxygen left. The combination of low oxygen and the presence of salt and sulfur is reminiscent of prehistoric Earth.

The water "is filling food webs that almost resemble what might have prevailed in the ancient shallow seas, probably a couple of billion years ago," Biddanda said.

This summer researchers are aging the water to see if it is as ancient as the bedrock it passes through.

The dense salt-and-sulfur-laden groundwater hugs the lake floor. Its constant temperature provides a nursery for exotic bacteria, but the low oxygen keeps fish at bay.

The brilliant purple mats in the shallow, sunlit sinkholes are composed of cyanobacteria – ancient, complex bacteria that rely on photosynthesis for energy, like plants, but use sulfur compounds in place of water. In the deep, dark sinkholes farther off shore, mats of bright white bacteria coat the sinkhole bottom. These white bacterial mats rely on chemosynthesis – using sulfur for energy in the absence of light or oxygen.

"You know, we never expected that in our own backyard, in the Great Lakes," Biddanda said. "It was totally, totally cool."

The unique bacteria and geology lend themselves to several research projects, including new disease treatments and a search for clues to ancient life and for similar ecosystems in the Great Lakes.

Read more about Lake Huron Sinkholes at Great Lakes Echo and check out Michigan in Pictures for more on karst and the Michigan Karst Conservancy

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Read on for a report on last night's Town Hall meeting but we definitely want to start off by featuring High Five for Film Incentives. Deep Blue Pictures takes a road trip to hear from some of the people and businesses who are benefitting from the incentive. When you hear numbers like 200 jobs at one company and 6,000 room nights at one hotel, you have to take note. Tip: Stick around for the closing song. Amazing work!

Not Your Average Point & Shoot
by photofrenzy2000

The Detroit Free Press has a report on last night's overflowing Michigan Film Town Hall Meeting:

More than a thousand strong, members of Michigan's movie industry came together Thursday evening in a dramatic show of unity, gearing up for a massive lobbying campaign in Lansing to save their livelihoods.

..."We spawned the growth of a new industry in Michigan that might be 1/20th or 1/10th of the 21st-Century economy," said Andy Meisner, treasurer of Oakland County, who helped create the tax breaks. "Can you put a price on bringing young people back to Michigan?"

(and from the other side of the argument)

Though the industry has generated $649 million in spending in Michigan since April 2008, John Nixon, Snyder's budget director, has said the incentives are too much of a drain for a state facing a $1.8-billion budget deficit. Since the program began in April 2008, Michigan has approved $304 million in tax credits for 202 productions, paying out $96 million so far.

The Detroit News has a report as well. On the video front, America Jr was on the scene and has some videos from including Jeff Daniels & Mitch Albom addressing the crowd and some interviews with attendees. There's lots more at absolutemichigan.com/Film!

What do you think? Post a comment, Tell Rick on Facebook or  head over to Rick's Wrong (About the Michigan Film Industry Tax Credit).

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