Arts & Entertainment

Michigan farmers markets look to add local distillery samplings

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FARMERS MARKET LIQUOR: Sunday morning strolls to the farmers market could include a few stumbles home if distillers are given permits to sell at them. Small winemakers already can get permits to conduct tastings at farmers markets and now a Watervliet lawmaker would extend that to local distilleries. We talk to the owner of a Grand Rapids distillery, the Marquette farmers market manager and the Michigan Farmers Market Association. For news and business pages. By Danielle Parker. FOR GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS, CORP!, MICHIGAN FARM NEWS, WKTV, MARQUETTE AND ALL POINTS.

Capital News Service

Proposed hotline aimed at bottle bill fraud

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BOTTLE RETURN VIOLATIONS: Some state lawmakers and environmental advocates want to create a hotline to stop retailers from fraudulently cashing in on Michigan’s bottle deposit law, taking funding from pollution cleanup and prevention programs. It isn’t to stop the kind of scam immortalized in a “Seinfeld” episode where Kramer and Newman trucked empty cans to Michigan for the higher deposit redemption. Rather, the idea is to clampdown on retailers who may buy beverages in nearby states without the deposit and resell them in Michigan. By Danielle James. FOR DETROIT, HILLSDALE, MONROE, ADRIAN, BLISSFIELD, GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS, CORP!, COLDWATER, STURGIS, THREE RIVERS, SAULT STE. MARIE and ALL POINTS.

Business & Economy

Many in Michigan struggle to buy feminine hygiene products

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PERIOD PRODUCTS: Ann Arbor may be the first city in the U.S. to mandate free feminine hygiene products in public restrooms. Meanwhile the state has exempted the items from sales tax. Both attempts to increase the accessibility of the products are aimed at improving the health of low-income residents. But whether other cities follows Ann Arbor’s lead is uncertain. We talk to health advocacy groups and state and local officials. By Danielle James. FOR ALL POINTS.

Capital News Service

Some communities in Michigan opt out of fluoridation

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FLUORIDE: Eighty nine Michigan communities were recently recognized for fluoridating their water systems to improve dental health. But dozens of others cannot afford it or outright refuse to use it. Nearly a third of residents don’t have access to adequately fluoridated water. We talk to officials in Ludington and Benzonia. Ionia, Traverse City, Grand Rapids, Sault Ste. Marie, Three Rivers, Cadillac, Baldwin, Harrisvilled and Leelanau are mentioned. By Danielle James. FOR ALL POINTS

Autos & Manufacturing

Grant program repels Great Lakes invaders

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INVASIVE SPECIES: For most Great Lakes beachgoers, zebra mussels are a minor inconvenience when they step on them. But for boaters and businesses, they can be an expensive problem. They are among the 160 invasive species that state officials are targeting with a new grant program to deter such invaders. By Danielle James. FOR TRAVERSE CITY, PETOSKEY, CADILLAC, CHEBOYGAN, SAULT STE. MARIE, LUDDINGTON, MARQUETTE, ST. IGNACE AND ALL POINTS.

Capital News Service

Churches, libraries could offer overdose treatment under proposed legislation

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OPIOID OVERDOSES: Churches, libraries, homeless shelters and other community gathering places could offer life-saving drugs to prevent overdose deaths under a Senate bill. We spoke to Sen. Winnie Brinks of Grand Rapids, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and the Michigan Health and Hospital Association. By Danielle James. FOR GRAND RAPIDS, LANSING and ALL POINTS.

Capital News Service

Lawmakers weigh shifting mental health emergency responses from police

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MENTAL HEALTH: Rural communities could get priority for funds to shift responses to mental health emergencies from law enforcement to trained mental health professionals. The state Senate has already approved legislation for community grants to help divert people with mental health conditions from jails. We talk to lawmakers from Detroit and Six Lakes. By Danielle James FOR HARRISON, BIG RAPIDS, DETROIT AND ALL POINTS

Arts & Entertainment

CNS marks 40 years of capital news coverage

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CNS 40th ANNIVERSARY: This fall marks the 40th anniversary of CNS, launched by the late publisher Dick Milliman to cover state government, policy and politics for news outlets across Michigan. Participants, including ones from such far-flung locations as Russia, Kazakhstan, Denmark, China, India and South Korea, practice real-world journalism for real-world audiences. CNS has influenced the careers of hundreds of students and provides readers with coverage of their government’s activities in Lansing. It began with 10 newspapers, three of them still CNS members: Cadillac News, Holland Sentinel and Traverse City Record-Eagle. Authored by a CNS correspondent and CNS director for opinion sections. By Danielle James & Eric Freedman.. FOR HOLLAND, CADILLAC, TRAVERSE CITY, LANSING CITY PULSE and ALL POINTS.

Capital News Service

Proposed body cameras on conservation officers draw opposition

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DNR BODYCAMS: A state lawmaker is pushing for conservation officers to wear body cams, insisting that it would help avoid costly deepwoods confrontations. His bill would reduce use of force incidents and citizen complaints against conservation officers, said Rep. Beau LaFave, R-Iron Mountain. DNR officials say it would be a costly move for an agency that In the last 10 months gave over 900 citations and assisted with over 150 arrests. We talk to LaFave, DNR officials and Michigan United Conservation Clubs which is not taking a position. By Danielle James. FOR MARQUETTE, SAULT STE. MARIE, ST. IGNACE, CHEBOYGAN, PETOSKEY, TRAVERSE CITY, CADILLAC AND ALL POINTS.

Capital News Service

Student loans could be forgiven as incentive to teach in low-income districts

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LOAN FORGIVENESS: Student loans could be tied to student lunches for teachers in some Michigan school districts desperately seeking to attract them. Proposed state legislation would establish a student loan forgiveness program for people teaching in schools where at least half of the students meet the income eligibility criteria for the free or reduced lunch program. Incentivizing teachers in lower income school districts could help combat educator shortages, says the Michigan Education Association. By Danielle James.