Feb. 1, 2013 CNS Budget

Feb 1, 2013 – Week 3
To: CNS Editors
From: Eric Freedman & Sheila Schimpf
http://news.jrn.msu.edu/capitalnewsservice/. For technical problems, contact CNS tech manager Alyssa Firth (alyssafirth@gmail.com); (248) 635-2398
All articles ©2013, Capital News Service, Michigan State University School of Journalism. Nonmembers cannot reproduce CNS articles without written permission.
MDOT AHEAD: On Monday, Feb. 4, your correspondents will interview Department of Transportation Director Kirk Steudle. Potential topics include funding, highway safety, upcoming projects, trends in airport use, bridge conditions, mass transit and border crossings.
HERE’S YOUR FILE:
TARTCHERRIES: A Canton lawmaker wants to crown the tart cherry as the official state fruit, joining such official symbols as the white pine, Kalkaska soil and Petoskey stone. Michigan is the nation’s largest producer. We hear from the teacher whose 4^th-graders are lobbying for the bill. By Justine McGuire. FOR TRAVERSE CITY, PETOSKEY, HARBOR SPRINGS, LUDINGTON, MANISTEE, HOLLAND, BIG RAPIDS, GRAND RAPDIS BUSINESS, MACOMB, ROYAL OAK & ALL POINTS.
MARIJUANAGROWING: The millions of acres of federal and state forests in Michigan make it tough for law enforcement agencies to discover illegal pot-growing operations. We hear from a State Police expert in Ann Arbor, anti-drug task force leaders in Northern Michigan and the U.P., DEA and the Hiawatha National Forest. By Michael Gerstein: FOR CADILLAC, ALPENA, LUDINGTON, MANISTEE, MARQUETTE, CHEBOYGAN, PETOSKEY, CRAWFORD COUNTY, ST. IGNACE, BAY MILLS, LAKE COUNTY, STAR HERALD, MANISTEE, GLADWIN, ANN ARBOR & ALL POINTS.
IMMIGRANTLICENSING: Immigrant rights advocates say the state should make it easier for immigrants to practice their professions and vocations in Michigan as the governor touts immigrants for their entrepreneurship and skills. We hear from advocacy groups based in Dearborn and Lake Orion and the Department of Licensing and Regulation. By Edith Zhou. FOR GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS,  MICHIGAN CITIZEN, LANSING, MACOMB, ROYAL OAK, DEADLINE DETROIT & ALL POINTS.
LGBTRIGHTSECONOMY: Discrimination against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Michigan residents hurts the state’s economy, a new Department of Civil Rights report says. Findings are based on hearings in Detroit, Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor, Holland and Jackson, We also hear from Equality Michigan and an MSU statewide study. By Celeste Bott. FOR HOLLAND, GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS, DEADLINE DETROIT, MICHIGAN CITIZEN, JACKSON, ANN ARBOR, LANSING & ALL POINTS.
NEWDOCTORS: The opening of new medical schools at Western Michigan, Central Michigan and Oakland universities exacerbates the shortage of post-graduate residency positions at hospitals in the state. That leads to an exodus of Michigan-educated physicians. The shortage of openings is most acute in Northern Michigan, where the only approved programs are based in Traverse City and Marquette. We talk to State Medical Society experts. By Kyle Campbell. FOR GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS, HOLLAND, LUDINGTON, CADILLAC, GLADWIN, CHEBOYGAN, MARQUETTE, ST. IGNACE, TRAVERSE CITY, BAY MILLS, HARBOR SPRINGS, PETOSKEY, CRAWFORD COUNTY, LAKE COUNTY, STAR HERALD, ROYAL OAK, MACOMB, DEADLINE DETROIT, MICHIGAN CITIZEN, THREE RIVERS, STURGIS, SOUTH BEND, LANSING, ANN ARBOR & ALL POINTS.
HEALTHPRIVACY: New changes in federal law are intended to increase the privacy protection of patient records, the Michigan State Medical Society president says. An MSU med student/Grand Valley alum from Shelbyville explains how the topic was part of his orientation. There have been privacy breaches reported in Grand Rapids and Muskegon. By Cortney Erndt. FOR HOLLAND, GREENVILLE, LANSING, LUDINGTON, MANISTEE, GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS & ALL POINTS.
CNS