Education

Federal funds help expand dental care for children

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By BECKY McKENDRY
Capital News Service
LANSING – Smiles in Michigan will soon be a little brighter – and healthier – thanks to a recent federal grant. The Department of Community Health will use a $1.3 million grant to expand oral health programs in Mecosta and Genesee counties. The grant is from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration. In Mecosta County, the funds will expand the SEAL! Michigan program that places hygiene students in elementary and middle schools to provide sealants and dental education.

Business & Economy

Merchants push shopping local this holiday season

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By BECKY McKENDRY
Capital News Service
LANSING – The forecast for this holiday looks to be a steady sprinkle of revenue for Michigan retailers, as local stores work to provide customer service that Internet merchants can’t offer. The Michigan Retail Index predicts an increase in holiday sales, up 1.3 percent from last year. Although that increase isn’t ideal, it is still a moderate bump that shows “cautious optimism,” said Tom Scott of the Michigan Retailers Association. “The actual numbers may turn out even better than that,” Scott said. “That survey was taken during the government shutdown when there was a lot of uncertainty.”
One important step to ensuring a jolly season for retailers: encouraging shoppers to think twice ordering online.

Agriculture

Michigan farmers seek better Internet access

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By BECKY McKENDRY
Capital News Service
LANSING – For farmers, tablets are becoming as common as tractors… and that means higher demand for broadband Internet access. Farmers are increasingly turning to technology to help track weather, map the spreading of fertilizers and seeds, and follow prices for input and services. But Internet access in rural areas lags behind urban areas. Around one-third of rural households and farms nationwide lack broadband Internet, according to the most recent report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Health

Low vaccination rates worry health officials

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By BECKY McKENDRY
Capital News Service
LANSING – As flu season looms, public health officials are trying to figure out how to combat Michigan’s low vaccination rates – among the nation’s worst. Recommended vaccinations vary widely depending on age and health condition. But statistics show that even the most commonly recommended vaccinations – such as influenza and Tdap, which protects against diseases like tuberculosis and pertussis  – are not administered enough. For example, last year, 41.8 percent of Americans over the age of 6 months received a flu shot, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Michigan ranked 41st, with only 38.8 percent of residents receiving a flu shot.

Business & Economy

When it comes to food, pantries work all year

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By BECKY McKENDRY
Capital News Service
LANSING – As food banks and food pantries across the state prepare for the challenges of the holiday season and talk of looming cuts to federal food benefits, there is one message they’d like you to carry well into the new year. People are hungry year-round. “The holidays are a busy time in volunteering and donating,” said Anne Schenk, senior director of advancement at Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeastern Michigan in Detroit. “But sometimes people forget that we have these needs all year.”
Schenk said volunteers and donations tend to taper off in spring and plateau during the summer. That can be especially challenging, as donations are often in high demand when children are on spring and summer breaks – and not receiving meals at school.

Business & Economy

Rural counties top divorce chart

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By BECKY McKENDRY
Capital News Service
LANSING – Couples in rural counties are more likely to split up than those in more populous areas, according to the most recent state data. The 10 counties with the highest divorce rates in 2012 all have populations less than 65,000, according to information from the Department of Community Health and the U.S. Census Bureau. The average population for a county in Michigan is more than 119,000. Statewide, the average divorce rate in Michigan is 6.7 per 1,000 residents annually. All of the rural top ten counties, which include Crawford, Gladwin and Osceola, have rates at 9 or above.

Agriculture

More farmers markets welcome food benefits

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By BECKY MCKENDRY
Capital News Service
LANSING – Food stamp use at farmers markets is expanding – and soon it may be easier for markets to accept food stamps. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently requested suggestions to improve service and eligibility requirements for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, also known as SNAP or food benefits. And the East Lansing-based Michigan Farmers Market Association (MIFMA) submitted comments calling for improvements in the way farmers markets seek SNAP eligibility. Among the suggestions: Simplify the paperwork for markets to apply for SNAP eligibility and provide more assistance with associated costs. “We have a lot of opportunities for growth here,” said Amanda Shreve, manager of programs and partnerships at MIFMA.

Government

Want to keep roadkill? Bill would make it easier

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By BECKY McKENDRY
Capital News Service
LANSING – Sen. Darwin Booher, R-Evart, wants you to keep your roadkill – please. A bill by Booher and Sen. John Pappageorge, R-Troy, would relax the rules for claiming roadkill. Booher said he drafted the bill after constituents asked for simpler, quicker protocol than current Department of Natural Resources (DNR) requirements. “Some people said they’d see animals lying on the side of the road that they could use in their compost piles instead of stinking up the side of the road,” he said. “Why not make it easier?”
The bill would give first dibs to the driver who hits the animal.

Government

Soon you may BYOB to Michigan restaurants

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By BECKY McKENDRY
Capital News Service
LANSING – It’s date night. Don’t forget the cologne, your nicest earrings – and your favorite bottle of pinot grigio? Yes, it may soon be okay to “BYOB” (bring your own bottle) to your favorite restaurants. A bill introduced by Rep. Jim Stamas, R-Midland, would allow customers to bring their own bottles of wine to any establishment licensed to serve alcohol and willing to allow it. “I had visited Illinois and a few other places out of state that had these laws, and I thought it was a neat idea,” Stamas said.

Health

HIV rates remain high, report finds

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By BECKY McKENDRY
Capital News Service
LANSING – The HIV crisis is far from over in Michigan. Thirteen of Michigan’s 83 counties have high HIV rates as of 2012, according to the most recent Department of Community Health report. They include Ingham, Macomb, Allegan and Oakland. But higher than any county is the city of Detroit, with 778 cases per 100,000 people. Wayne County outside of Detroit ranks as the sixth-highest county.