CNS budget March 13, 2020 – Week 8
To: CNS Editors
From: Eric Freedman & Sheila Schimpf
http://news.jrn.msu.edu/capitalnewsservice/
For technical problems, contact CNS technical manager Tony Cepak at (517) 803-6841; cepak@msu.edu.
For other matters, contact Eric Freedman at (517) 355-4729 or (517) 256-3873; freedma5@msu.edu.
Here’s your file:
LOCAL CONTROL: Local plastic bag bans? Nope. Local restrictions on dog breeds? Nope? The GOP-led Legislature continues to reduce the autonomy of counties, cities and townships, thus consolidating more power in state government. A committee has passed a bill, co-sponsored by Marquette and Meridian Township legislators, to prohibit locals from banning allegedly dangerous dog breeds, as Morenci, Carson City, Claybanks Township and Bessemer Township have done. A Wayland lawmaker wants to limit how locals regulate knives. We talk to a Greenville lawmaker, an opponent of the dog proposal and experts from the Michigan Municipal League and U-M Dearborn. By Maddy O’Callaghan. FOR GREENVILLE, IONIA, LANSING CITY PULSE, CORP!, GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS, BLISSFIELD, MARQUETTE, BAY MILLS, OCEANA, SAULT STE. MARIE, HOLLAND AND ALL POINTS.
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MINORITY VOTERS: When it comes to the level of African American political participation, Michigan ranks in the middle of the states, a new study shows. Democrats are pushing to increase black turnout for the November election. We talk to a Detroit lawmaker, the ACLU and the Lansing branch of the NAACP. By Joe Dandron. FOR LANSING CITY PULSE AND ALL POINTS.
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SYRINGE PROGRAM: The Department of Health and Human Services wants to expand syringe service programs to reduce the number of opioid overdoses in Michigan. The state already has more than 20 such programs, including ones in Baldwin, Harrison, Marquette, Ionia, Petoskey, Traverse City, Lansing, Grand Rapids, Mancelona and Houghton. By Maddy O’Callaghan. FOR BLISSFIELD, CLARE COUNTY, LAKE COUNTY, GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS, IONIA, LUDINGTON, GREENVILLE, LANSING CITY PULSE, MARQUETTE, BAY MILLS AND ALL POINTS.
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INFANT HEALTH: The state has a large disparity in deaths of African American and white infants, and critics say the state isn’t doing enough to close the gap. Wayne, Saginaw and Ionia counties have the highest overall infant mortality rates, while Livingston, Ottawa and Allegan counties have the lowest. We hear from experts at MSU, the University of Minnesota, a Detroit nonprofit and the Michigan League for Public Policy. By Joshua Valiquette. FOR IONIA, GREENVILLE, FOWLERVILLE, OTTAWA, LANSING CITY PULSE AND ALL POINTS.
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NEW MOTHERS: The Whitmer administration wants to expand services, including longer Medicaid eligibility and more home visits, for new mothers to improve maternal health. We hear from the Department of Health and Human Services, the Michigan League for Human Services, a maternal health expert in Flint and the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, which calls it unnecessary. By Danielle James. FOR ALL POINTS.
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WATERS: Rising water levels, including the Great Lakes, inland waters and groundwater, could threaten the safety of drinking water from wells and damage septic and sanitary sewage systems. We talk to a well driller in Traverse City, a Grand Traverse County environmental health expert and the Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy. By Katrianna Ray. FOR TRAVERSE CITY AND ALL POINTS.
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STUDY ABROAD: Small colleges and universities in Michigan are dealing with big problems caused by cancellation of current and planned study abroad programs for their students. We hear about Albion, Cornerstone, Hope and Kalamazoo. By Joe Dandron. FOR HOLLAND, GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS AND ALL POINTS.
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SECRETARY OF STATE: The Secretary of State’s Office is pushing to reduce waiting times at branch offices, including plans to expand self-service kiosks at supermarkets. The agency is partnering with Meijer. A Milford lawmaker offers his own proposal to slash waiting times and lines. Among the co-sponsors are legislators from Hancock, Coopersville and Lake Ann. We also talk to the Michigan Retailers Association. By Joe Dandron. FOR GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS, CORP! MANISTEE, LUDINGTON, BENZIE, LEELANAU, TRAVERSE CITY, MARQUETTE, SAULT STE. MARIE AND ALL POINTS.
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BEVERAGE GRANTS: The Michigan Craft Beverage Council handed out more than $400,000 for research projects to benefit the state’s wine, beer, cider and distilling industry. Projects include the effects of climate change on crops, pest and disease management, and development of new varieties of hops, barley, fruits and rye for use in brewing. We talk to the council and an MSU economics expert. By Kyle Davidson. FOR CORP!, GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS, LANSING CITY PULSE, TRAVERSE CITY, LEELANAU, HOLLAND AND ALL POINTS.
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CORMORANTS: The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service has logged more than 1,000 public comments on a proposed rule that would give state agencies more choices in controlling cormorants that some anglers complain eat too many fish in the Great Lakes and inland waters. New options would include lethal means. We hear from Michigan United Conservation Clubs and the Audubon Society. Includes references to Ionia County and Saginaw Bay. By Katrianna Ray. FOR LUDINGTON, MANISTEE, ALCONA, BENZIE, TRAVERSE CITY, LEELANAU, PETOSKEY, HARBOR SPRINGS, CHEBOYGAN, OCEANA, SAULT STE. MARIE, ST. IGNACE, MARQUETTE, BAY MILLS, IONIA, GREENVILLE AND ALL POINTS.
w/CORMORANTS PHOTO: Credit: U.S. Department of Agriculture.
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SCOOP POOP: Your doggy’s poop may be polluting waterways and beaches, posing health threats and leading to closures for swimming and fishing. We hear from experts at Michigan State and from other Great Lakes states. By Ri’An Jackson. FOR ALL POINTS.
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INVASIVES NETWORK: A Northwest Michigan program to help control invasive species may spread statewide with new grant funding. A network that serves Grand Traverse, Leelanau, Benzie and Manistee counties has secured grants to expand its reach. By Lucas Day. FOR TRAVERSE CITY, LEELANAU, BENZIE, MANISTEE AND ALL POINTS.
w/INVASIVES NETWORK PHOTO. Japanese barberry is a popular choice for gardens. Go Beyond Beauty is trying to end that. Credit: U.S. Department of Agriculture.
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ICE FISHING: Warmer-than-normal temperatures are bad news for anglers who enjoy ice fishing on Lake Erie, but those willing to travel north can find more suitable conditions in the U.P. and Saginaw Bay areas. Includes references to Bergland, Dryden and Ann Arbor. For news and outdoors sections. By Hunter Hicks. FOR MARQUETTE, BAY MILLS, SAULT STE. MARIE, CHEBOYGAN, ALCONA AND ALL POINTS.
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