Bonus Week – 5/5/23
CNS Budget
To: CNS Editors
From: David Poulson and Judy Putnam
http://news.jrn.msu.edu/capitalnewsservice/
Welcome to the bonus week CNS file of the 2023 spring semester.
Please note that the first two stories of this budget are moving for the first time. The remainder of the budget consists of stories that moved earlier in the semester. If you missed them the first time around, you may wish to consider them for publication now.
CNS looks forward to serving you with new correspondents and new stories in the fall of 2023.
For technical problems, contact CNS technical manager Eryn Ho at (616) 485-9295, hoeryn@msu.edu.
For other matters, contact David Poulson at (517) 899-1640; poulsondavid@gmail.com
Here is your file:
NO MOW MAY: Communities around Michigan will suspend enforcement of grass and weed codes in May in an effort to give bees and other pollinators a chance to thrive. Michigan cities promoting “No Mow May” this year include Ann Arbor, Ferndale, Royal Oak, Jackson and East Lansing. We talk to a No Mow May enthusiast in Muskegon Heights, the Rochester Hills-based Wildflower Association of Michigan and the West Michigan Environmental Action Council. By Morgan Womack. FOR DETROIT, LANSING CITY PULSE, FARM NEWS, PLANET DETROIT, WKTV, HOLLAND, LUDINGTON, IONIA, GREENVILLE AND ALL POINTS.
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TELEPRESCRIPTIONS: During the pandemic, doctors were allowed to prescribe controlled substances via telemedicine instead of face-to-face appointments. But that option may be coming to an end under a proposed rule by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency. Doctors serving rural patients want to keep the telemedicine option. We talk to a medical director for the Thumb area, a University of Michigan health policy professor and the Community Mental Health Association of Michigan. By Samuel Blatchford. FOR ALL POINTS.
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EDITORS: THE FOLLOWING STORIES MOVED EARLIER THIS SPRING. IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY USED THEM, YOU MAY WISH TO CONSIDER DOING SO NOW.
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TRAVEL COSTS: The cost of gas, food and even recreational park passes are on the rise. Travel experts say look for deals and think off-season to keep from paying more for your recreational time. Businesses are getting creative. One Ludington B&B owner even offered a knitting event to draw more visitors. We talk to a Pure Michigan official and the Ludington business owner. By Sophia Brandt. FOR LUDINGTON, HOLLAND, GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS and ALL POINTS.
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DISABILITY COMPLAINTS: Disability discrimination complaints to the Department of Civil Rights now outpace complaints based on race. The department wants to ramp up its enforcement of legal protections and increase public education and awareness. The governor wants the Legislature to provide more money to do so. We talk to the executive director of the department, its head of special projects, and an advocate in Rochester. By Jack Timothy Harrison. FOR LANSING CITY PULSE, DETROIT AND ALL POINTS.
w/DISABILITY COMPLAINT TABLE: Number of complaints filed from Oct. 1, 2021, to Sept. 30, 2022 by category. Source: Department of Civil RightS
w/DISABILITY COMPLAINTS PHOTO1: Director John Johnson Jr. of the Department of Civil Rights. Credit: State of Michigan
w/DISABILITY COMPLAINTS PHOTO2: Jenny Brown, CEO of Dutton Farm, with her sister, Rebecca ‘Becca’ Smither. Credit: Jenny Brown
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CHEATING: Some Michigan education officials and teachers are worried that the free new ChatGPT artificial intelligence software will make it easier for students to get away with cheating, while others see its availability as a positive. Superintendents of Traverse City and Anchor Bay schools, Grandville and Waverly teachers and the Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals discuss. By Samuel Blatchford. FOR TRAVERSE CITY, WKTV, DETROIT, LANSING CITY PULSE AND ALL POINTS.
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LOBBYISTS: A White Lake senator is making another likely futile effort to slow the revolving door that lets legislators become registered lobbyists immediately after leaving office. Only one fellow Republican, from Holly, and no Democrats, are cosponsoring his ethics bills, which would also prohibit legislators’ spouses from lobbying. A Marquette Democrat, who just left the House and heads the Michigan Chemical Council, discusses. We also hear from Common Cause and the Southfield senator who chairs the committee. By Dan Netter. FOR MARQUETTE, CORP!, GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL, DETROIT, LANSING CITY PULSE, SAULT STE. MARIE AND ALL POINTS.
w/LOBBYISTS RUNESTAD: Sen. James Runestad of White Lake. Credit: Michigan
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ACCESSIBILITY: More all-terrain wheelchairs will be added to state parks, making the outdoors more accessible to people with disabilities. Parks in Emmet, Berrien and Crawford counties will feature the wheelchairs this summer. That brings the total to 14. Holland, Grand Haven and Ludington already have them. We talk to a Department of Natural Resources official, three nonprofits – including one in Coopersville – and the Friends of Island Lake in Brighton. By Sophia Brandt. FOR ST. IGNACE, HARBOR SPRINGS, CHEBOYGAN, CRAWFORD COUNTY AVALANCHE, HOLLAND, LUDINGTON, GRAND RAPIDS, WKTV AND ALL POINTS.
w/ACCESSIBILITY PHOTO: With the addition of three new all-terrain wheelchairs, the total number of such wheelchairs at Michigan state parks will be 14. Credit: Michigan Department of Natural Resources
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AGRITOURISM LABOR: With an upcoming shortage of tourism personnel expected this year, the safety and health of some agritourism workers may be at higher risk than usual, a new study cautions. Meanwhile, agritourism businesses are struggling to hire staff for the upcoming prime season. We talk to the researcher, the vice president of Pure Michigan and a winery in Traverse City and Suttons Bay. By Dan Netter. FOR GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS, MICHIGAN FARM NEWS, CORP! TRAVERSE CITY, LEELANAU, PETOSKEY, HOLLAND, CLARE, LEELANAU, GLADWIN, CADILLAC, HARBOR SPRINGS, ALPENA, MONROE, CRAWFORD COUNTY, OCEANA, ALCONA, BENZIE, GREENVILLE, GLADWIN, BIG RAPIDS, LUDINGTON, MANISTEE, CRAWFORD COUNTY, MARQUETTE, SAULT STE. MARIE, ST. IGNACE, CHEBOYGAN, BIG RAPIDS AND ALL POINTS.
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PURE MICHIGAN REVAMP: Pure Michigan is launching its first campaign aimed at younger travelers, those in their 20s and early 30s. A Detroit poet joins actor Tim Allen in pitching the new ads and new music is aimed at appealing to younger folks. We talked to Pure Michigan vice president and members of Assemble Sound in Detroit. Traverse City, Ann Arbor and Grand Rapids mentioned. By Andrew Roth. FOR DETROIT, GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS, WKTV, CORP! TRAVERSE CITY AND ALL POINTS.
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POLICE OFFICER SHORTAGE: Police agencies across the state are trying to figure out how to attract more applicants for law enforcement jobs. The decline is dramatic, down 4,000 positions from a peak of 22,000, due to attrition, according to interviews with the Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police, the Michigan Sheriffs’ Association, the Michigan State Police and the Harbor Springs police chief. By Jack Timothy Harrison. FOR HARBOR SPRINGS, LANSING CITY PULSE and ALL POINTS.
w/POLICE OFFICER SHORTAGE PHOTO: Michigan State Police promotes trooper openings through a billboard campaign, including one in Barry County, with Wayland Post Trooper Steffon Mayhue. Credit: Michigan State Police
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WHEELCHAIRS ON PLANES: Airline travel has its hassles, but the experience can be harrowing for wheelchair users. Possible ways to allow passengers to travel using their own chairs are getting a renewed look. We talk to a Lansing disability advocate who travels by plane, a University of Michigan transportation researcher and the International Air Transport Association. By Samuel Blatchford. FOR LANSING CITY PULSE, GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS AND ALL POINTS
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POLLUTER PAY: During the governorship of John Engler, Michigan weakened laws intended to make polluters foot the bill for cleanup of contaminated land and water. Now there are lawmakers calling for holding the polluters financially liable rather than relying on tax money for cleanups. We hear from Clean Water Action, Ann Arbor and Royal Oak senators and the Attorney General’s Office. By Andrew Roth. FOR PLANET DETROIT, GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS, CORP! DETROIT AND ALL POINTS.
–FISH SURVEYS: If you’re a fish in a Michigan stream, prepare to be shocked – literally. DNR’s latest survey of 172 inland lakes and 99 streams will help the department track fisheries populations, evaluate stocking efforts to increase angler opportunities and address angler concerns. References to parks and streams in Allegan, Montcalm and Manistee counties. For news and outdoors sections. By Morgan Womack. FOR GREENVILLE, HOLLAND, MANISTEE, IONIA, LUDINGTON, CADILLAC, LAKE COUNTY, WKTV AND ALL POINTS.