Agriculture

New, improved robot fish designed for Great Lakes

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Capital News Service
LANSING — New and improved robot fish will soon track live fish and toxic algae blooms in the Great Lakes. This next-generation fish, going on its second year of development, is the third model built by Xiaobo Tan, an associate professor of electrical and computer engineering at Michigan State University, and his research team. “We have a deadline right now to have two of these new ones done before summer, probably May,” said Cody Thon, a research assistant and a mechanical designer of the robot. “There is an algae problem every summer in Lake Erie, so it would be wise to bring them out and see what they can do.”

One prototype is already in testing at the university’s Kellogg Biological Station on Wintergreen Lake, in Augusta between Kalamazoo and Battle Creek, Tan said. “We were able to run the robot: Diving, swimming, going to certain spots, collecting data on harmful algae and temperatures, and send back that data to laptops,” he said.

Health

Folks who eat fish tested, show high mercury levels

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By DANIELLE WOODWARD
Capital News Service
LANSING – Health authorities in Michigan are waiting for the results of tests for elevated levels of chemicals and metals in people who eat lots of Great Lakes fish. Blood and urine from volunteers in Michigan and two other states were tested for PCBs, pesticides, mercury, lead and cadmium. Each state focused on a community. Michigan tested anglers along the Detroit River and Saginaw Bay. Minnesota tested members of the Ojibwe tribe near Lake Superior.

Agriculture

Burgeoning beer brewers good for Michigan barley farmers

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By DANIELLE WOODWARD
Capital News Service
LANSING – Michigan-grown barley is slowly making a comeback, thanks to the state’s burgeoning craft beer industry. “The number of breweries is growing, the amount of beer they are producing is growing and the amount of barley they use is proportional to that,” said Scott Graham, executive director of the Michigan Brewers Guild. However, Graham said, “There has not been much barley production in Michigan since the mid-eighties. There is interest for it in Michigan, and I’ve been working to encourage the reemergence of that as a viable business. “I think barley could become a significant industry when you look at how much Michigan breweries are making and the fact that you can grow barley in areas that other crops aren’t grown in,” he said.

Government

Lawmakers propose tuition help for Michigan National Guard

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By DANIELLE WOODWARD
Capital News Service
LANSING — Members of the Michigan National Guard could get $4,500 in tuition assistance under a bill recently introduced by legislators. It would set up a program where members could apply for help towards a college degree or vocational training, said Rep. Bruce Rendon, R-Lake City, who sponsored the bill. It’s an attempt to raise the state from the bottom ranks of those offering assistance to veterans, Rendon said. “To qualify, one would have to have a service contract with the Michigan National Guard where they have committed to a six-year contract at some point in their career,” said Brig. Gen. Mike Stone of the Michigan National Guard.

Transportation & Roads

It’s agreed: bridges need work, but who will pay?

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By DANIELLE WOODWARD
Capital News Service

LANSING — Officials are predicting it will take $101 million annually in additional funding to save Michigan’s deteriorating bridges. State-owned bridges need about $70 million for repair and bridges owned by local agencies like counties, cities and villages need $31 million more, said Jeff Cranson, director of communications for the Michigan Department of Transportation. Gov. Rick Snyder recently announced that one in eight bridges is rated structurally deficient, meaning it needs to be monitored and inspected regularly. “Bridges are rated as structurally deficient, functionally obsolete or in good condition,” said Lance Binoniemi, vice president of governmental affairs at the Michigan Infrastructure and Transportation Association. The three major elements of a bridge are decks, beams and supporting substructure.

Environment

Michigan bats found with white-nose fungus

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By DANIELLE WOODWARD
Capital News Service
LANSING — A fungus that has already killed more than 10 million bats nationwide has been found for the first time in Michigan. White-nose syndrome was confirmed April 10 in little brown bats in Alpena, Dickinson and Mackinac counties. It is expected to spread quickly through the state, said Bill Scullon, wildlife biologist and statewide bat coordinator for the Department of Natural Resources. The bats were found during a routine winter inspection done by researchers contracted by the department. Michigan farmers, foresters and homeowners count on bats as the primary predators of nighttime insects.

Business & Economy

Test kitchen and production line could cook up new Michigan jobs

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By DANIELLE WOODWARD
Capital News Service
LANSING — Michigan food entrepreneurs could take an idea to a frozen meal on the shelves of your grocery store using a proposed mock production line in Okemos. Companies across the state could test any food product from start to finish at the line managed by the Michigan State University Product Center, an organization that aims to help entrepreneurs develop successful food and farm products. Proponents hope to generate an additional $300 million to $400 million in sales and 1,000 jobs annually if the center proposed near Lansing reaches around 20 clients per year. “Essentially, companies would be able to experiment with new processes and products by setting up an entire food processing line running from input all the way to the packaged good,” said Chris Peterson, director of the MSU product center. “They would be able to sell the finished product into test markets to see if it is successful.”
MSU officials have completed a feasibility study and business plan for the $5.25 million facility, Peterson said.

Environment

State officials launch tourism initiative to promote trail network

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By DANIELLE WOODWARD
Capital News Service
LANSING — Information for all Michigan trails – including those on the water – would soon be available at the click of a button under legislation recently introduced by lawmakers. That kind of accessibility is part of the Department of Natural Resource’s  plan to attract tourists to Michigan’s trails by improving them and making them easier to find. Lawmakers recently introduced a package of five bills that would label all state trails as Pure Michigan trails, use “trail towns” to connect trails between communities and make trail information available both on a computer and through an app. The department worked closely with the Michigan Trails and Greenway Alliance to develop the plan and the legislation to implement it. The legislation also includes a bill that would take the snowmobile specification out of the Michigan snowmobile and trails advisory council.

Education

Schools prepare for new test on Common Core Standards

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By DANIELLE WOODWARD
Capital News Service
LANSING — State education officials are testing a new test over the next two weeks to measure high school students’ college and career readiness. From March 24 to April 11, a pilot will be given to 120,000 Michigan students in 675 schools. Some local officials worry that the test may not measure up if it takes too long or if students lack the computer skills or the schools lack the computers needed to take it. The test was created by the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium, a national group developing a test that aligns with the Common Core standards. Those are a consistent set of standards created to measure math, science, English and social studies programs in most states.

Government

Bill would prohibit employers from asking about birth control

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By DANIELLE WOODWARD
Capital News Service
LANSING — Employers couldn’t discriminate against employees who use birth control or have had abortions under a new bill recently introduced by lawmakers. “It is mainly to protect women from discrimination and questioning from employers on whether or not they use birth control or have had an abortion,” said Rep. Marcie Hovey-Wright, D-Muskegon, who is the primary sponsor of the bill. The bill is pushed by the American Civil Liberties Union. “It is really based on the recent controversy over employees who don’t want to cover birth control in their insurance plans,” said Shelli Weisberg, legislative director for the group. “That gave rise towards companies acting discriminatory towards females that have taken birth control or who have had an abortion.”

Those are questions asked of women but not of men, she said.