Government

Inmates who throw bodily fluids could get book thrown back

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By KAREN HOPPER USHER
Capital News Service
LANSING — Inmates who throw excrement and other bodily fluids at their jailers could be charged with a felony if legislation under consideration by the Senate passes. The proposal, sponsored by Sens. Rick Jones, R-Grand Ledge, and  Margaret O’Brien, R-Portage, would turn “dressing out” (throwing excrement, urine, spit, semen or blood onto a corrections employee) into a felony punishable by up to four years in the slammer. The new bill is necessary because convictions are unlikely under a current assault law that could add 10 to-15 years to sentences, O’Brien said. The bill recently passed  the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Energy

State energy bill could increase costs for solar users

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By RAY WILBUR
Capital News Service
LANSING — Environmental and renewable energy advocates are concerned that proposed legislation would discourage investment in clean energy. Sen. Mike Nofs, R-Battle Creek, introduced bills in 2015 to meet the state’s energy requirements as coal plants continue to shut down as utilities use cleaner fuel sources over the next three years. The bills have passed the Senate and await action by the House, where Nofs said he hopes to see them pass before the end of the year.. But some supporters of alternative energy say that new language added to the bill would create a utilities charge for state residents who use solar power to generate their electricity. The bill does not specify the amount, but gives the Public Service Commission the power to decide how much it would be.

Education

Students outside community college districts could get tuition breaks

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By BRIDGET BUSH
Capital News Service
LANSING– Some students could pay cheaper community college tuition if lawmakers approve a change in state law before the end of the year. What’s more, some employers could get better access to community college job training programs under legislation the Senate is poised to take up. It would give voters in counties that don’t border community college districts the chance to approve joining a district. The bill sponsored by Rep. Amanda Price, R-Park Township, could be voted on by the Senate Education Committee as early as Tuesday. Co-sponsors include Reps.

Elections & Politics

Researchers battle bird botulism

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By SAM CORDEN
Capital News Service

LANSING — Two researchers are monitoring the Lake Michigan coast where dead birds have washed up. Dan Ray of the National Park Service and Jeanie Williams of the Inland Seas Education Association walk a beach in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore littered with about two dozen dead birds including scoters, loons and ducks. Researchers say the birds are dying because of a toxin called avian botulism, which can form on the lake bed under certain conditions. Standing over a dead duck, Ray describes what he sees, and the procedure that follows. “So we have a long-tailed duck, and we’re going to pick that up away from the shoreline, take it up into the foredune,” Ray says.

News

Hunting with horses and hounds rides on in Michigan

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By KAREN HOPPER USHER
Capital News Service

AUGUSTA — From the far side of a plowed field comes the sound of a brassy bleat. A red-coated figure astride a small chestnut horse crests a small slope. The man is Bob Carr, the joint master of foxhounds and huntsman at Battle Creek Hunt. As a joint master of foxhounds, Carr is responsible for hunting operations. As a huntsman, he is in charge of the hounds.

Environment

State gets “fair” rating — or worse — in environmental survey

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By MARIE ORTTENBURGER
Capital News Service
LANSING — The Michigan public is dissatisfied with state government’s handling of environmental issues. That’s what the latest State of the State Survey finds. The telephone survey of more than 1,000 Michigan residents explored how they feel state and local government officials are doing on the environment and asked them to rate officials as “excellent,” “good,” “fair” or “poor.”
State government is responsible for regulating air and water quality, parks, hunting and fishing, wildlife, land development and alternative energy, among other environmental  topics. The largest group of residents surveyed (42 percent) rated Gov. Rick Snyder as “poor” in carrying out environmental responsibilities, and 32 percent rated him “fair.” Only 2 percent gave him an excellent rating for his efforts on environmental matters. State agencies and the Legislature generally received “fair” ratings for their roles in environmental regulation.

Environment

St. Clair River still battling old pollution

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By MEGAN McDONNELL
Capital News Service

LANSING — The St. Clair River that connects Lake Huron with Lake St. Clair has a long history of environmental problems that continues today, despite serious attempts to solve them. They are challen­­­­­­­­­­ges as diverse as E. coli bacteria that shut down beaches, industrial pollution by PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) and mercury contamination so severe that residents are advised to limit their consumption of locally caught fish. Cleanup and sediment remediation projects have improved the river recently and it is beginning to flourish once again.

CNS Budget

Budget Nov. 18, 2016

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Nov. 18, 2016
To: CNS Editors
From: David Poulson and Sheila Schimpf
http://news.jrn.msu.edu/capitalnewsservice/
For technical problems, contact CNS technical manager Pechulano Ali, (517) 940 2313,pechulan@msu.edu. For other issues contact David Poulson, poulsondavid@gmail.com. (517) 899-1640. Editors note: Stories next week will move Tuesday to accommodate Thanksgiving.

CNS Budget

Budget Nov. 18, 2016

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Nov. 18, 2016
To: CNS Editors
From: David Poulson and Sheila Schimpf
http://news.jrn.msu.edu/capitalnewsservice/
For technical problems, contact CNS technical manager Pechulano Ali, (517) 940 2313,pechulan@msu.edu. For other issues contact David Poulson, poulsondavid@gmail.com. (517) 899-1640. Editors note: Stories next week will move Tuesday to accommodate Thanksgiving.

CNS Budget

Budget Nov. 18, 2016

By |

Nov. 18, 2016
To: CNS Editors
From: David Poulson and Sheila Schimpf
http://news.jrn.msu.edu/capitalnewsservice/
For technical problems, contact CNS technical manager Pechulano Ali, (517) 940 2313,pechulan@msu.edu. For other issues contact David Poulson, poulsondavid@gmail.com. (517) 899-1640. Editors note: Stories next week will move Tuesday to accommodate Thanksgiving.