LANSING, Mich. – Gov. Rick Snyder has signed legislation to ease the job search for veterans with military police experience. House Bill 5590, sponsored by state Rep. Joe Graves, allows veterans’ experience as military police to meet the experience criterion for licensure as a private security guard. The bill now is Public Act 419 of [...]

Lansing – Michigan’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in November edged down over the month by two-tenths of a percentage point to 8.9 percent, according to data released Wednesday (December 19) by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management & Budget (DTMB). The state’s labor force level recorded a reduction of 24,000 over the month as total [...]

Bridge Magazine has posted two stories regarding gun legislation (Senate Bill 59) that was sent to Governor Rick Snyder late last week.  The stories were prompted by the shooting rampage in Newtown, Connecticut just hours after final legislative action on the bill.  To access the stories from Bridge Magazine, click on the following links: Gun [...]

The Michigan Board of Pharmacy has begun the process of the emergency scheduling of a class of synthetic drugs called Phenethylamine. On Dec. 3, the Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) Director James K. Haveman issued an imminent danger notification to the Michigan Board of Pharmacy within the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs [...]

‘Right to Work’, ‘Freedom to Work’, and ‘Right to Work for Less’ are among the phrases used to describe the historic legislation approved by the Michigan House of Representatives on Tuesday (December 11) and signed into law just hours later by Governor Rick Snyder.  The phrases themselves illustrate the contentious and divisive nature of the [...]

The big news from Lansing Thursday (December 6) was passage of ‘right-to-work’ legislation in both the Michigan House and Senate. Below is a link to an MLive story that provides an overview of the legislative activity, plus four perspectives on the subject – two from Republicans, two from Democrats. Right-to-work bills win approval from Michigan [...]

State Rep. Matt Lori Thursday (December 6) lauded passage of historic freedom to work legislation that he says will allow workers to earn a living in Michigan regardless of union membership. “Workers should have the freedom to work any job in Michigan without being forced to pay for that right to work,” said Lori, R-Constantine. [...]

This holiday season, Michigan residents can honor friends or loved ones by making a donation to the Michigan Nongame Fish and Wildlife Fund in their name. The recipient will be notified of the donor’s generosity with a beautiful certificate and a Living Resources patch featuring one of Michigan’s unique non-game species. According to the Department [...]

EAST LANSING – The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service has announced that on Jan. 17 it will begin selecting applications for conservation financial assistance through its Environmental Quality Incentives Program. “Only farmers who submit applications by Jan. 17 will be eligible for the first selection of applications for fiscal year 2013 funding. I encourage farmers [...]

‘Education reform’ is in the mix of things in post-election, end-of-year legislative activity in Lansing as 2012 draws to a close. For some insights on the subject, here’s a link to an article by Nancy Derringer in Bridge Magazine:  Bills would turn Michigan into ‘super choice’ state. For another perspective on the ‘education reform’ topic, [...]

LANSING, Mich. – A plan to keep Michigan’s economy driving forward by reforming the burdensome personal property tax was outlined Tuesday (November 27) by Lt. Gov. Brian Calley, Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville and House Speaker Jase Bolger. The proposal recognizes the vital role that strong communities and schools play in Michigan’s future by providing [...]

Larry Massie – best-selling author, historian and storyteller – will be the featured speaker for the Sturgis Historical Society meeting Sunday (November 25) at the Sturges-Young Auditorium and Civic Center in Sturgis. As noted in the November 2012 Bulletin published by the Society, Massie is “a best-selling author, historian and storyteller” who “has shared Michigan’s [...]

LANSING, Mich. ‒ Gov. Rick Snyder has filed a grant application to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service (HHS) to collaborate with the federal government on a state partnership exchange (SPE). The governor said, however, that if additional federal deadlines are extended or the Michigan Legislature takes action authorizing a state-based exchange, then [...]

Lansing – Michigan’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in October declined over the month by two-tenths of a percentage point to 9.1 percent, according to data released Wednesday (November 14) by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management & Budget (DTMB). Total employment in Michigan rose by 13,000 in October, while the number of unemployed decreased by [...]

If you’ve not yet voted and are still puzzling over the six statewide ballot proposals in Michigan, coverage provided by Bridge Magazine might prove helpful.  Here’s a link that will take you to the reports:  Ballot Mania.

LANSING, Mich. – Gov. Rick Snyder Tuesday (October 23) signed legislation to protect young athletes from sports-related concussions. “Research consistently has shown that concussions are a serious health threat to athletes,” Snyder said. “Coaches and parents need to be proactive in recognizing the signs of a concussion so we can protect injured children and teens [...]

The Department of Natural Resources asks hunters and other Michigan residents to continue to report sightings of dead deer to help with the department’s efforts to monitor the outbreak of epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) in the state this year. Deer have died in substantial numbers in at least 29 counties this summer and fall due [...]

LANSING – More than $100 million in incentive payments have been paid to qualified Michigan Medicaid health care providers for using or setting up electronic health record (EHR) systems in the past 16 months. The Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) is facilitating the payments, which are 100 percent federally funded. The Medicaid EHR Incentive [...]

The Department of Natural Resources today announced that new, free hunting and fishing licenses will be available for disabled veterans beginning in March. House Bill 5292, signed into law by Gov. Rick Snyder last week, will allow a disabled veteran to obtain any resident hunting or fishing license for which a lottery is not required, [...]

LANSING, Mich. ‒ Encouraging greater connections between communities and their recreational assets can help promote the long-term viability of Michigan’s state parks, according to a blue ribbon panel’s recommendations presented Friday (October 19) to Gov. Rick Snyder. The finding is one of seven core recommendations offered by the Blue Ribbon Panel on State Parks and [...]