Nov. 2, 2012 CNS Budget

Nov. 2, 2012 – Week 9
To: CNS Editors
From: Eric Freedman & Sheila Schimpf
http://news.jrn.msu.edu/capitalnewsservice/
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All articles ©2012, Capital News Service, Michigan State University School of Journalism. Nonmembers cannot reproduce CNS articles without written permission.
STATE POLICE AHEAD: On Monday, Nov. 5, your correspondents will interview Col. Kriste Etue, director of the State Police. Potential interview topics include the extra State Police workload caused by shrinking local law enforcement agencies, its regional policing plan, new forensic technologies, homeland security efforts and meth enforcement.
HERE’S YOUR FILE:
MIDDLE-SKILLWORKERS: The Manufacturers Association and Community College Association are teaming up to meet the growing industry demand for middle-skill workers. We hear from Grand Rapids, Oakland and Macomb community colleges and the Workforce Intelligence Network for Southeast Michigan. By Yanjie Wang. FOR MACOMB, ROYAL OAK, GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS, ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN CITIZEN & ALL POINTS.
RECIDIVISM: Michigan leads the nation in reducing the rate of new crimes by ex-offenders, a new study shows. The Corrections Department credits its prisoner re-entry program for the improvement. Among the local programs are ones in Midland and Wayne counties. A Wayne State expert and the Michigan Council on Crime and Delinquency comment. By Silu Guo. FOR MICHIGAN CITIZEN, ROYAL OAK, MACOMB, LANSING & ALL POINTS.
CHESTNUTS: It’s been a tough year for the state’s commercial chestnut growers, most of them in Southwest Michigan, but the industry is responding to poor weather conditions with new products and research. We hear from a Hadley Township grower who represents a Jackson-based growers’ cooperative and from MSU experts in Cadillac and East Lansing. By Edith Zhou. FOR LAPEER, BROWN CITY, STURGIS, THREE RIVERS, CADILLAC & ALL POINTS.
w/CHESTNUTSPHOTO1: Credit: Michigan State University.
w/CHESTNUTSPHOTO2: Credit: Michigan State University
PRESCHOOLFUNDING: The Education Department wants $130 million more for pre-school programs for 4-year-olds from low-income families. The Senate appropriations subcommittee chair, from Traverse City, is open to discussion. Business groups, including ones in Detroit, Lansing and Grand Rapids, advocate more preschool opportunities. The superintendent of public instruction and president of the Traverse City Area Chamber of Commerce explain. By Celeste Bott. FOR MICHIGAN CITIZEN, GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS, TRAVERSE CITY, MACOMB, ROYAL OAK, LANSING & ALL POINTS.
CRIMEVICTIMSCOMMISSION: The Chippewa County prosecutor is the newest member of the Crime Victim Services Commission. Challenges include getting more information about services to victims, local agencies and police.  The Ionia and Wayne County prosecutors, a Wayne State expert and the Michigan Council on Crime and Delinquency comment. By Lauren Gentile. FOR ST. IGNACE, MARQUETTE, GREENVILLE, MICHIGAN CITIZEN, MACOMB, ROYAL OAK & ALL POINTS.
FILM: Sweetened incentives for film and digital media productions have industry experts optimistic that more projects – and their economic benefits – will come to Michigan. We talk to the new head of the state Film Office from Fenton, a Manistee filmmaker, the West Michigan Film Office commissioner and the East Lansing Film Society. For news, entertainment and business pages. By Yanjie Wang. FOR GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS, MANISTEE, LUDINGTON, HOLLAND, LANSING, TRAVERSE CITY, PETOSKEY, HARBOR SPRINGS, SOUTH BEND, STURGIS, THREE RIVERS & ALL POINTS.
CREDITRECOVERY: School districts in the Northern Lower Peninsula and West Michigan are using credit recovery programs that allow high school students to make up classes, work for better grades and stay on track to graduate. Among them is a program in Gladwin. We also talk to a company that provides online classes for credit recovery. By Anjana Schroeder. FOR GLADWIN & ALL POINTS.
LIGHTHOUSES: Researchers plan archaeological excavations at Port Huron’s Lake Gratiot Lighthouse, Michigan’s oldest, to seek artifacts that shed new light on the daily lives of lighthouse keepers and their families. It’s expected to be especially fruitful because the grounds overlap an historic fort. Similar projects have taken place at the Grand Traverse and McGulpin Point lighthouses. We also hear from a Clarkston-based preservation group and a Central Michigan University researcher. By Lauren Gibbons. FOR HOLLAND, SOUTH BEND, LUDINGTON, MANISTEE, PETOSKEY, HARBOR SPRINGS, TRAVERSE CITY, CHEBOYGAN, ST. IGNACE, MARQUETTE, ALPENA, ROYAL OAK, LAPEER, MACOMB & ALL POINTS.
w/LIGHTHOUSEPHOTO: Fort Gratiot Lighthouse in Port Huron. Credit: Pure Michigan.
AUTISM: A new law requires health insurers to cover diagnosis and treatment of children with autism spectrum disorders. However, Lt. Gov. Calley and experts in Grand Rapids, Oakland County and Sault Ste. Marie say families still face challenges in obtaining suitable services. By Yanjie Wang. FOR ROYAL OAK, MACOMB, ST. IGNACE, MARQUETTE, MICHIGAN CITIZEN, GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS, LANSING & ALL POINTS.
PLASTICS: A new study found that the Great Lakes have more plastics than any other bodies of water on earth, based on testing in lakes Huron, Superior and Ontario. The project will study Lake Michigan next summer. By James Dau. FOR MARQUETTE, ST. IGNACE, CHEBOYGAN, ALPENA, TRAVERSE CITY, PETOSKEY, HARBOR SPRINGS, LUDINGTON, MANISTEE, HOLLAND, SOUTH BEND, MACOMB & ALL POINTS.
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