CNS budget, Feb. 5, 2021

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2/5/2021 CNS Budget — Week 2

To: CNS Editors

From: Eric Freedman and Judy Putnam

http://news.jrn.msu.edu/capitalnewsservice/

For technical problems, contact CNS technical manager Eryn Ho at (616) 485-9295; hoeryn@msu.edu. 

For other matters, contact Eric Freedman at (517) 256-3873; freedma5@msu.edu.

Here is your file: 

SCHOOL NURSES: The pandemic is putting an additional burden on school nurses who find themselves doing contact tracing, looking for symptoms of the disease among students and staff and their traditional duties. We hear from school nurses in the Big Rapids and Ottawa Intermediate districts and from a consultant for the state Education and Health & Human Services departments. By Tia Potsema. FOR BIG RAPIDS, HOLLAND AND ALL POINTS.

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AGRICULTURE GRANTS: A grant competition from the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development for value-added and regional food systems runs until March 18. The goal is to develop and expand food processing in the state. We talk to the department and a past awardee from Lansing. Story mentions several past grantees from Petoskey, Caledonia, Grand Rapids and Shelby. By Sophia Lada. FOR MICHIGAN FARM NEWS, PETOSKEY, GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS, LANSING CITY PULSE, OCEANA. LUDINGTON AND ALL POINTS.

MINIMUM WAGE: How would raising the federal minimum wage as Biden proposes to $15 an hour affect Michigan? We hear from Grand Valley State University and Oakland University economists, the Small Business Association of Michigan and two D.C. think tanks. By Sheldon Krause. FOR GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS, CORP!, GREENVILLE, IONIA, DETROIT, LANSING CITY PULSE AND ALL POINTS.

MASKED PASSENGERS: How will small and rural public transit systems enforce the new federal mask mandate? Bus drivers in Detroit and elsewhere in the country have been assaulted for trying to enforce existing requirements, but small systems in Michigan haven’t reported similar problems. We talk to officials at transit systems in Allegan, Clinton, Delta and Schoolcraft counties and the Michigan Public Transit Association. By Samuel Blatchford. FOR MARQUETTE, SAULT STE. MARIE, HOLLAND, LANSING CITY PULSE AND ALL POINTS.

CONSERVANCIES: The pandemic has led more people to enjoy the outdoors by visiting preserves owned by nonprofit nature conservancies across the state. We talk to the Land Conservancy of West Michigan, Nature Conservancy and Heart of the Lakes. Story mentions preserves in Benzie, Washtenaw, Van Buren, Allegan and Kent counties. By Kirsten Rintelmann. FOR BENZIE, LUDINGTON, STURGIS, THREE RIVERS, DETROIT, GREENVILLE, IONIA, MANISTEE AND ALL POINTS.

TELEHEALTH: The COVID pandemic has spurred the growth of telemedicine as safer, less expensive and more efficient than in-person medical visits, especially for patients in rural areas. Between February and April of last year, primary care telehealth visits in Michigan jumped over 59%, and there is a move in Congress to permanently assist telehealth efforts. The Michigan Primary Care Association, which has 44 affiliated health centers, explains. By Chloe Trofatter. FOR ALL POINTS.

FRESHWATER CONSERVATION: As North America grapples with climate change and a rising population to feed, the agricultural industry’s interest in tapping into the region’s freshwater supply is growing. That’s setting off alarm bells for researchers in the U.S. and Canada, the two nations that economically rely on the water-rich region. A retired MSU soil biophysicist is among those working on the challenge to preserve freshwater. By Claire Moore. FOR MICHIGAN FARM NEWS AND ALL POINTS.

w/FRESHWATER CONSERVATION MAP: This map shows the geographical composition of Great Lakes Basin surface freshwater and groundwater. Credit: U.S. Geological Survey.

w/FRESHWATER CONSERVATION PHOTO: This diagram shows where Alvin Smucker’s polymer “SWRT” troughs are placed to retain water at plant roots. Credit: Alvin Smucker. 

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HERRING GULLS: Herring gulls are “opportunistic generalists” that  use whatever food sources are available and serve as environmental change indicators. It’s a “common species in steep decline,” says an expert from Audubon Great Lakes and the DNR. A new study found declining numbers in lakes Superior, Michigan and Huron and in colonies along the Detroit River. By Kalah Harris. FOR ALCONA, SAULT STE. MARIE, MARQUETTE, ST. IGNACE, CHEBOYGAN, TRAVERSE CITY, LEELANAU, HOLLAND, HARBOR SPRINGS, PETOSKEY, OCEANA, BENZIE, LUDINGTON, MANISTEE, DETROIT, BAY MILLS, MICHIGAN FARM NEWS AND ALL POINTS.

w/HERRING GULLS MAP: Where researchers did their study. Credit: Journal of Great Lakes Research.

AIR QUALITY: Marginal nonattainment areas for air quality are Livingston, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, St. Clair, Washtenaw, Wayne and Berrien counties and parts of Allegan and Muskegon counties. On the brighter side, Michigan could avoid new federal air regulations on ozone if the pollution increase is shown to be from California wildfires. The Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy and the Michigan Environmental Council discuss. By Taylor Haelterman. FOR HOLLAND, FOWLERVILLE, DETROIT, GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS & ALL POINTS.

w/AIR QUALITY GRAPHIC: Monitors are used to measure ozone levels in Michigan. Credit: Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy.

w/AIR QUALITY MAP: Michigan counties that could bump up to moderate health threat from ozon, Credit: Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy.

ENERGY GRANHOLM: Advice and reactions as ex-Gov. Granholm becomes U.S. secretary of Energy comes from ex-U.S. Sen. Spencer Abraham (himself a former Energy secretary), the Public Service Commission chair (from Northport), Michigan Municipal Electric Association and Michigan Energy Innovation Business Council. Includes references to Traverse City, Marquette, Harbor Springs, Hillsdale, Holland, Sturgis, Coldwater, Grand Haven, Negaunee, Zeeland, Hart, Wyandotte, Charlevoix, Petoskey and Lansing. By Eric Freedman. FOR GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS, CORP! TRAVERSE CITY, LEELANAU, HARBOR SPRINGS, STURGIS, THREE RIVERS, HOLLAND, PETOSKEY, HILLSDALE, COLDWATER, OCEANA, LANSING CITY PULSE, DETROIT, MICHIGAN FARM NEWS AND ALL POINTS. 

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