Fourth of July Fireworks Display... by Doug Langham

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 of July. 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 Doug Langham. He adds:

...at South Haven. The North Pier, where the fireworks were detonated is approximately one mile South of the beach where I captured these images on July 6, 2008.

This image was posted on the Center for Michigan's Photo of the Week, July 10, 2008. www.thecenterformichigan.net/blog/south-haven-fireworks/

It should be noted that Michigan played proud host to slew of great events most notably the Rothbury festival and the Traverse City Film Festival. Absolute Michigan was on location at both and you can check out the coverage on our Absolute Michigan On Location blog.

A few of the posted news items from July 2009

Although Michigan's population has thinned those who remain seem to be growing. Read all about it in Michigan climbs scales as 9th fattest state, study says from Michitwitter June 2009 from the Freep.

Nearly two-thirds of the state is battling either obesity or being overweight, considered a BMI of 25 to 29.9. The obesity percentage has steadily increased since 2005, when 25.3% of the state was obese. The state is now spending upward of $3 billion a year dealing with obesity-related medical issues.

July was Michigan Craft Beer Month and was highlight by the 12th Annual Michigan Brewers Guild Summer Beer Festival. Fittingly July also saw resurrection of America's second oldest brewery. See Frankenmuth Brewery makes a comeback in the Detroit News.

"We're back and ready for action," said Dave Scholten, general manager of the restaurant on Frankenmuth's main street, just alongside the Cass River. "It's a good day for Michigan beer."

The Frankenmuth Brewery claims status as America's second-oldest beer-making operation, but it hasn't been an easy trip to the present from its beginnings in 1862, just 17 years after German settlers founded the town that morphed during the 20th century into one of the state's most notable tourist destinations.

Gov. Jennifer Granholm has proposed putting wetlands protection back in the hands of the federal government. The National Wildlife Federation thinks this is a bad idea. Read Group says wetlands should stay in state hands in the Detroit News.

"While we believe there are some shortcomings in the current Michigan wetlands program ... returning the program to federal administration under Section 404 would neither result in a stronger, more comprehensive program, nor likely result in any cost savings overall," according to the report. "Instead, the state should identify resources as needed and make a commitment to maintain administration of this important program."

A lot of money has been poured into the Pure Michigan advertising campaign. Many are speculating that without out it the influx of tourism dollars would be much less in these tough economic times. Find out more in Pure Michigan paying off for tourism industry on WZZM13.com.

Michigan's tourism industry is taking a hit because of the economy. But, some say it would be worse if not for the Pure Michigan advertising campaign, which is running nationally for the first time this year.

As the long Fourth of July holiday weekend drew to a close, tourists still roamed the streets and waterfronts of Grand Haven on Monday.

Motown is celebrating it's 50th anniversary this year and the Freep ran a real cool piece 50 years, 50 videos.

With Motown Records celebrating its 50th anniversary, the Free Press went for the gold. Our staff traveled literally coast to coast uncovering stories that demonstrate the label's continued relevance.

The other shoe dropped for the Department of History, Arts and Libraries in July. Read Governor eliminates Michigan Dept. of History, Arts and Libraries on crainsdetroit.com.

Gov. Jennifer Granholm has signed an executive order eliminating the Michigan Department of History, Arts and Libraries and eliminating about $2 million in associated, annual costs from the 2010 budget.

The U.S. government is looking for input on issues surround the Great Lakes. How would you spend $475 million to restore the Great Lakes? is from mlive.com.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency wants public comment on plans to spend $475 million for a Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.

But the only public meeting on the plan in Michigan will be Aug. 3 in Lansing.

These are just some of the stories you can find on the Absolute Michigan's Michitwitter page.