What’s better: 2- or 4-year degree? It depends

By CHEYNA ROTH
Capital News Service
LANSING – This spring, thousands of students across Michigan will collect high school diplomas with sights set on higher education. But where those students can get the best education for their needs has become a matter of debate between the governor and the universities. Gov. Rick Snyder has pushed hard for more students to consider two-year community college degrees, earning skills needed to fill a growing number of technical job openings across the state. In late February, he announced the distribution of $50 million in grants to community colleges to support technical training. “The positive business environment and job growth are major reasons for the increasing demand for skilled trades positions,” Snyder said in a press release about the grants last fall.

Lawmakers move to regulate Uber statewide

By CHEYNA ROTH
Capital News Service
LANSING – Who should be in charge of regulating Uber, the app-based network of independent taxi drivers that’s operating in cities across Michigan? A state representative thinks the legislature should make the rules to provide consistent statewide regulation. But local governments that have already negotiated regulations with Uber and traditional taxi companies think the state should mind its own business. Uber is an entrepreneurial taxi service that connects people in need of a ride with approved drivers through a mobile app. An Uber driver can be anyone over 21 who has signed up, passed a background check, and owns a reliable vehicle with insurance.

Lawmakers seek to resweeten school fundraisers

By CHEYNA ROTH
Capital News Service
LANSING — School bake sales have gotten an extreme health makeover this past school year, but state lawmakers are hoping to bring back the traditional sweet fare. Michigan public schools that participate in federal meal programs have been required since July to follow the federal “Smart Snacks” program, which regulates the types of foods served and sold on school grounds. The regulation, which targets growing childhood obesity rates, establishes nutrition standards and applies to any food sold on school grounds within 30 minutes of the end of the school day. Under USDA guidelines, foods must meet certain sodium, fat, calorie and sugar limits as well as other requirements such as having the first ingredient be a fruit, vegetable, dairy product or protein. If schools do not comply with the regulations, they could potentially face a fine dictated by the USDA, which has not yet been set.

Changing photo lineups could improve identification, advocates say

By CHEYNA ROTH
Capital News Service
LANSING — Michigan has cleared more than a dozen people who were wrongly identified as suspects by eyewitnesses since 1989. Lawmakers and advocates are working to reduce the chances of it happening again. Sen. Steve Bieda, a Warren Democrat, said he hopes to introduce newly re-drafted legislation this spring that studies and task forces suggest will reduce the number of wrongful identifications by changing the suspect photo lineup procedure. The current primary method for photo identification in Michigan involves an officer aware of who the potential suspect is laying out six side-by-side photographs. This method is flawed, says Nancy Diehl, former co-chair of the Special Committee on Eyewitness Identification Task Force, and it contributes to the No.

New visa rules mean increased efforts to attract Chinese visitors to Michigan

By CHEYNA ROTH
Capital News Service
LANSING — The U.S. is making it easier for Chinese residents to visit the United States, and Michigan is working hard to take advantage of this new economic opportunity. Leisure visas into the United States from China are now good for 10 years, which makes it cheaper and easier for Chinese tourists to come and go. A rising economy and growing upper middle class mean Chinese visitors can stay longer and spend more than they used to, tourism officials said. About 1.8 million Chinese tourists traveled to the U.S. in 2013, according the U.S. Office of Travel & Tourism Industries. In 2014, a little over 1.9 million had visited by October.

Barely making it — minimum wage still isn’t enough for single people in Michigan

By CHEYNA ROTH
Capital News Service
LANSING — Michigan minimum wage earners are not making enough to afford their most basic needs like housing, food, clothing or transportation, statistics show. The Michigan League for Public Policy argues that the minimum wage of $8.15 is not enough to live on. In Lake County, for instance, a single adult, full-time worker would need to make $10 an hour to meet basic needs, according to a 2014 study by the league. In Grand Traverse County, the amount goes up to $11 an hour. In Manistee County, you can get by on $9.94 per hour.

New law expands DNA collection from Michigan suspects

By CHEYNA ROTH
Capital News Service
LANSING – Authorities in Michigan will soon begin collecting DNA samples when they arrest felony suspects under a new law that significantly expands the number of people required to give up such information. The law, which will take effect July 1, aims to increase the pool of samples investigators can use to match suspects with unsolved crimes. Under current law, DNA samples are required of people arrested for a violent felony, entering prison or convicted of specific felonies or misdemeanors. The new law will require samples at the time of arrest for any felony. Refusal to supply a DNA sample will be a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail and/or a fine of up to $1,000.