Becoming an Outdoors Woman Winter Weekend
November 25, 2008 
Women seeking to improve their outdoor skills are encouraged to participate in the Michigan Department of Natural Resources’ Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (BOW) program’s Winter Weekend Feb. 27-March 1 in the Upper Peninsula. The annual winter program will be held at the Bay Cliff Health Camp in Big Bay, 30 miles north of Marquette in the Upper Peninsula.
Participants can select instruction from a list of over a dozen outdoor-related activities including cross-country skiing, dog sledding, snowmobiling, winter shelter building, ice fishing, outdoor cooking and reading the winter woods. Some indoor activities also will be offered, such as archery, fly tying and journaling. Professional instructors will offer basic and advanced instruction tailored to the participant’s individual abilities.
The $175 registration fee includes all food and lodging for the weekend, as well as most equipment and supplies. Participants will be housed in comfortable, dorm-style facilities. The fee also includes many extra evening activities including the camp’s group sauna, bonfire/marshmallow roast and other programs.
BOW workshops are for women 18 years of age and older who wish to learn outdoor skills in a relaxed atmosphere. Those interested in participating are urged to register soon as classes fill quickly. Registration materials and course descriptions are available on the DNR Web site at www.michigan.gov/dnr. Click on Education and Outreach to access the BOW page.
Any questions can be directed to Sharon Pitz or Penny Bacon at the DNR Marquette Operations Service Center at 906-228-6561, or e-mail, pitzs@michigan.gov or baconp@michigan.gov.
Ferris Board of Trustees Approves International Agreements, Grants, Renovations
November 25, 2008 
BIG RAPIDS – The Ferris State University Board of Trustees approved three international agreements during the board’s regular meeting Friday, Nov. 7.
Educational cooperation agreements with Otemon Gakuin University in Japan and Hubei Polytechnic University in China were approved along with an agreement for cooperation and exchange with the Kuwait Cultural Office.
The five-year agreements between Otemon Gakuin and Hubei Polytechnic will provide opportunities for Japanese and Chinese students to study at Ferris, and for Ferris students to study in Japan or China. The three-year agreement between Ferris and the Kuwait Cultural Office will provide opportunities for Ferris to host Kuwait-sponsored students.
“The purpose of these agreements is to enhance the educational experiences and cultural understanding of students from both institutions,” Ferris’ Acting Vice President for Student Affairs Dan Burcham said.
Currently, the university has partnerships for semester-long study with 15 foreign higher education institutions in such countries as France, Germany and the United Kingdom, among others, he said, adding more than 120 Ferris students studied away during the 2007-08 academic year. During that same time, international students from more than 35 countries attended Ferris.
Terms of the five-year agreements are Jan. 1, 2009, through Dec. 31, 2013, between Ferris and Otemon Gakuin, and Dec. 1, 2008, through Dec. 1, 2013, between Ferris and Hubei Polytechnic. Ferris’ three-year agreement with the Kuwait Cultural Office is Jan. 1, 2009, through Dec. 31, 2011.
The board also voted to approve two educational grants, including the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Grant, and the Michigan Center for Career and Technical Education Grant.
There is $223,418 in funding included in the Perkins grant, with Ferris matching $215,000, that will be used for academic support services and equipment purchases for the university’s two-year occupational programs, College of Technology Dean Tom Oldfield said.
The Perkins funding is a recurring grant based on the number of Pell Grant recipients studying in Ferris’ two-year occupational programs, with the university submitting an application for the funding yearly, he said. Such programs benefiting from the grant in the past include Radiography, Automotive Technology and Industrial Chemistry Technology.
“Ferris is committed to providing students with a real-world education that provides a seamless transition from the classroom to the workforce,” Ferris President David Eisler said. “Funding programs such as the Perkins grant help strengthen learning opportunities in the classroom for Ferris students.”
Funding for the MCCTE grant includes $359,850.
Trustees also approved Phase V of the Classroom Renovation Project, with a total projected cost not to exceed $970,000. To date, 63 classrooms and laboratories have been updated as part of the project.
In other business, the board approved the following:
* A final 2009 general fund operating budget of $172 million, which includes $50 million in state funding – a 1 percent state funding increase over Fiscal Year 2008;
* Endorsement and immediate implementation of the university’s strategic plan. More information about the strategic plan is available at www.ferris.edu/president/strategic;
* Renaming the College of Technology the College of Engineering Technology to more accurately reflect current and projected programs within the college;
* The 2009 Motorcycle Safety Training Program Grant in the amount of $156,360. Training will include 53 21-hour courses to approximately 677 individuals from Oct. 1, 2008, through Sept. 30, 2009;
* Professional services contracts that include:
– Hiring Greystone Global, LLC/John Berry, Design West Michigan to strengthen connections between Kendall College of Art and Design and industry professionals, as well as respond to current trends and demands of design education through development of an undergraduate program;
– Retaining a Washington, D.C.-based organization or individual to represent the university’s interests at the federal level;
– Contracting with Plas Legal Services to provide up to 1,600 legal services hours annually;
– Submitting requests for proposals for a signage consultant to assist in conducting an inventory of all exterior campus signage and to facilitate a four-year phased implementation approach to replacing all exterior signs;
– Contracting with Hubbell, Roth and Clark, Inc. for civil engineering services for Fiscal Year 2009 parking lot, roads and sidewalk repair projects;
– Retaining Parsons to inspect, analyze data and update the electronic facility condition database for Ferris’ Physical Plant;
– Hiring the services of STV Architects to assist with renovations to the South Campus Green in coordination with the renovation of the Rock Café;
– Executing the professional services agreement with Michigan State University for clinical pharmacy services two days a week at Sparrow Clinic, where Ferris has clinical placements;
– Hiring Delphin International for curricular re-design services for the College of Pharmacy, which must meet new accreditation standards;
– Contracting with Peak Positions for additional Web marketing services;
* Charter school board appointments including Daniel George, Creative Technologies Academy in Cedar Springs, through June 30, 2011; Holly Lehman, Creative Technologies Academy, through June 30, 2012; and Authur Evans, Northridge Academy in Flint, through June 30, 2011.
Compassionate Feast
November 24, 2008 
For many, the holiday season brings back happy memories of family, friends and good food. The season is quickly approaching and the Old Town Commercial Association (OTCA) is now preparing for Compassionate Feast, a program dedicated to providing families in need with all of the ingredients necessary to make a complete Thanksgiving dinner and happy memories of their own at home. Compassionate Feast takes place Monday, November 24 at the North Presbyterian Church on the corner of Grand River Ave. and Washington Ave.
Each year, Compassionate Feast provides more than 100 local families under the federal poverty line with all the Thanksgiving fixings they need to make a traditional feast in their own home. The program, started by David Such, owner of Such Video, is now in its eighth year and has come to be more than just a meal. It also aims to give back pride and respect that may have been lost to families within our community.
In partnership with Head Start, Cristo Rey and EVE Inc., the OTCA strives to find families who need the Thanksgiving baskets the most. With the help of the West Saginaw Meijer, the OTCA will purchase food based on the size of each individual family.
The OTCA is currently in the process of raising money to buy groceries for the baskets. Because the space and manpower needed to complete the project are generously donated, every single penny raised goes toward buying food for the families. Compassionate Feast is a community event, and would not be possible without the charitable donations given every year from local businesses and community members.
If you are interested in donating to Compassionate Feast, there are many ways in which you can help. You can be a volunteer, give a monetary contribution, food donation, returnable bottle donation, or display a jar in your business for loose change donations.
If you would like more information about Compassionate Feast, or would like to make a contribution to the program, please contact the OTCA office at 517.485.4283.
Michigan sportsmen help the hungry
Since 1991, Michigan sportsmen and sportswomen have been helping to feed the hungry in their communities by donating some of the venison they harvested through the Michigan Sportsmen Against Hunger (MSAH) program.
As the project gears up for its 17th season this fall, deer hunters are reminded there are a number of ways they can contribute to the program.
Hunters may contribute their time or make monetary donations, as well as giving part – or all – of their deer harvest to this charitable cause.
“This is a grassroots effort, a program undertaken by our sportsmen and sportswomen who want to make a positive contribution to their communities,” said Ray Rustem, who represents the Department of Natural Resources in the MSAH program.
The DNR became more directly involved with MSAH during the 2005 season after the Legislature enacted a law allowing the agency to collect money to help pay for processing venison to be donated to the hungry.
Previously, the effort was supported entirely by volunteer and sportsmen’s groups including the Michigan United Conservation Clubs, Safari Club International, Michigan Bow Hunters Association, Ted Nugent United Sportsmen of America and the United Methodist Men’s Club.
“Wild game is good, nutritious food and the liberal hunting regulations in Michigan make it possible for many hunters to shoot more deer than they can use themselves,” said MSAH president Dean Hall.
“Sharing the bounty of the hunt is as old as humankind and last year’s deer season provided hunters with more than 26 million pounds of venison. Just a fraction of that harvest could provide thousands of meals to the needy.
“Half of those who receive food are the very young or the very old – the most vulnerable citizens of our state,” Hall continued. “And nearly half of the families needing help are the working poor; families who cannot afford groceries despite having someone in the household who works.
”Hunger strikes people in rural, suburban and urban communities. It’s not just a big-city problem; 40 percent of Michigan’s hungry live in rural or suburban areas.”
The need for food assistance has never been more pressing.
According to the Michigan League for Human Services, one in eight families in Michigan receives assistance through the USDA food stamp program. (You might remember that Gov. Jennifer Granholm recently challenged state citizens to limit their spending on food for one week to the same amount as a basic food stamp grant).
Community-based food banks also say they are feeling the pinch from growing need.
“On a local level, our food banks are seeing up to a 40 percent increase in the need for food because of the economy,” said Jane Marshall of the Food Bank Council of Michigan. “We need all the help we can get this year.”
Last year, almost 23,000 pounds of venison was provided to local charities by hunters who were participating in the MSAH program.
Venison donations must be made through participating licensed processors.
Hunters may drop off the entire deer at a processor; the MSAH will pay the processor at a rate of 80 cents a pound for the venison that makes its way into community food banks.
“What we pay the processors doesn’t really cover their cost – it’s a charitable contribution on their part, too,” Hall said.
“We’ve worked through the Michigan Food Bank to identify reputable charities.”
Hunters do not have to donate their entire deer. This year, MSAH has initiated the “Give a Pound Program.” Hunters, who are having their deer butchered by a participating licensed processor, can tell the processor how much meat they wish to donate to the program.
The processor will make sure the meat is picked up by a MSAH volunteer and distributed to a local food bank or soup kitchen.
Sportsmen and sportswomen also can make a direct donation to the program when they purchase their licenses, either online or at a license agent. But hunters who already have purchased their licenses can still contribute by getting online and going to the state’s e-license sales system or by contacting MSAH directly.
The MSAH program continues to grow as more sportsmen and sportswomen – and community food banks – find out about it.
“For many years, hunters in Michigan have done an outstanding job in donating venison to help families in need in all parts of the state,” said DNR Director Rebecca Humphries. “We are grateful for the support of hunters who donate venison, whether it’s as little as a few pounds or the whole deer.”
To learn more about program, obtain a list of licensed processors or to donate time or money to the program, visit the MSAH Web site at www.sportsmenagainsthunger.org.
Michigan earns high marks as a bicycle-friendly state
Posted By Janet Foran, Michigan Department of Transportation Office of Communications
Posted 23 hours ago
November 20, 2008 – - Michigan ranks 12th in the nation for bicycle friendliness, according to a recent survey administered by the League of American Bicyclists. Bicycle friendliness is closely connected with perceptions of a high quality of life. According to the League, encouraging bicycling is an effective way to address the challenges of climate change, traffic congestion, rising obesity rates and soaring fuel prices, as well as improve traffic safety and economic development.
“Michigan’s high ranking was achieved through the many partnerships we have in our state between state and local government, nonprofit and private agencies, and the thousands of dedicated citizens and bicyclists across the state,” said Joshua DeBruyn, bicycle and pedestrian coordinator for the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT). “Many Michigan communities have incorporated bike lanes on local roads and constructed hundreds of miles of bike trails with assistance from numerous state departments and nonprofit resources. This creates an infrastructure that encourages bicycling.”
Michigan’s overall ranking was based on six survey categories: Education and Encouragement – 7th, Infrastructure – 8th (tied), Evaluation and Planning – 14th (tied), Enforcement – 15th (tied), Policies and Programs – 19th (tied), and Legislation – 35th (tied).
The survey was completed by MDOT with information provided by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Community Health, State Police, Management and Budget, Secretary of State, and the League of Michigan Bicyclists.
For more details on the survey, go to the League’s Web site at www.bikeleague.org/programs/bicyclefriendlyamerica/.
To explore all of Michigan’s trails, go to www.michigantrails.org and visit the “Michigan Trail Map & Directory” or the Trails Finder.
To learn more about biking in Michigan and to order or view regional bike maps, go to the MDOT biking Web site at www.michigan.gov/mdot-biking.
Conservation group urges separation of Great Lakes, Mississippi basin waters
Dan Egan, Millwaukee Journal Sentinel
Even as pressure is mounting on the federal government to turn on its new electric Asian carp barrier on the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, a conservation group is pushing for more dramatic action.
A report released today by the Alliance for the Great Lakes asks the federal government to explore replumbing the river systems just below Lake Michigan to once again separate the waters of the Great Lakes from the Mississippi River basin.
The two systems were not connected until Chicagoans linked them by canal more than a century ago.
That project reversed the flow of the Chicago River to flush the city’s sewage away from Lake Michigan, the city’s source of drinking water, and into the Mississippi River basin. A secondary benefit was that it created a shipping lane between the two grand drainages.
Now, armed with data from a $110,000 study funded by the Great Lakes Fishery Commission and Great Lakes Fishery Trust, the Alliance for the Great Lakes says it’s time to look at severing that link.
It could be a massive undertaking, and it would mean disrupting barge traffic and likely require significant sewage treatment upgrades in Chicago, because at least some of the city’s treated waste would begin to flow back into Lake Michigan.
“The Great Lakes and the Mississippi River are at risk because of a connection that’s nothing natural,” says Joel Brammeier, vice president of the Alliance for the Great Lakes, and lead author of the report that took more than two years to complete. “Fifteen miles of water and an experimental electric barrier are all that’s standing between the Great Lakes and Asian carp. We’ve got to get serious about a real solution.”
An existing “experimental” electric barrier has been placed in the canal to keep the Asian carp from advancing into Lake Michigan.
It is designed to keep the water – and boats – flowing on the canal while stopping the northward migration of the fish.
A new, stronger two-barrier system is considered the best chance at the moment for stopping the carp’s advance, but the Army Corps of Engineers and U.S. Coast Guard have been struggling with safety issues relating to boating on the canal since the first of the two new barriers was completed in 2006.
It has yet to allow the new barrier to be turned on permanently, but even if the corps does eventually decide to allow it to operate at full strength, it isn’t a permanent solution.
Short-term efforts risky
“State and federal governments have invested wisely for the short term by developing barriers that are effective against current invaders,” states the report. “But even if the barriers operate as designed, they will not last forever, nor will they ever achieve guaranteed 100 percent effectiveness. With the passage of time, through human error, an accident, or a natural disaster – the effectiveness of the barriers will be compromised.”
Scientists say the only way to keep Asian carp or any other unwanted critters or bugs from spilling on their own between the two systems is to physically sever that link.
The costs of unhitching the two basins could be huge, but Brammeier points out that there are likely even bigger costs to exposing the Great Lakes fishery to invasive species such as the Asian carp. The carp can grow to 100 pounds and have already squeezed aside native fish in the stretches of river they have infested in the Mississippi basin. The fish could also wreak havoc on other forms of tourism and recreation, such as jet skiing, because of their dangerous habit of porpoising out of the water toward boaters.
“We’re talking about a 5 billion dollar sport fishing industry, and it remains to be seen how many tons of cargo will be affected,” Brammeier said.
Asian carp aren’t the only species threatening to jump between the drainage basins. The fish-killing VHS virus, for example, has been found in Illinois’ Lake Michigan waters, and if it works its way down the Mississippi River, it could ravage the southern fish farming industry.
Zebra mussels made their way into the middle of the continent via the Sanitary and Ship Canal, as did the round goby, an invasive fish that feasts on native species’ eggs.
Separation has backing
The idea of a separation might be radical, but it isn’t new. In 2003 Chicago Mayor Richard Daley convened a summit of regional scientists who recommended the same thing.
The study released this morning is a first look at barge and recreational traffic patterns on the waterways below Lake Michigan and where a logical place would be to install a dam or some other separating structure or structures.
The Sanitary and Ship Canal eventually fans into five waterways that connect to Lake Michigan. The new study suggests that there are strategic areas to install barriers that would allow some sewage to continue to flow down the canal toward the Mississippi and still allow for much of the barge traffic in the Chicago area.
“What we’re learning is that you don’t have to shut the canal down to commerce,” said Marc Gaden, spokesman for the fishery commission.
Still, the separation would result in some significant cargo disruptions and also mean an end for recreational boats and barges freely sailing from Lake Michigan into the Mississippi and Gulf of Mexico.
“The technology is out there to get these boats over a land barrier, there is (equipment) out there to lift massive boats over land in about the time it takes to go through a lock,” Brammeier said, noting that boats in the area already have to transit locks.
Brammeier noted that his study is just a first look at the issue, and that many more detailed analyses need to be undertaken.
Plan would help local governments become more green
By JEREMY GONSIOR
The Holland Sentinel
Posted Nov 18, 2008 @ 08:38 PM
Allegan County, MI — Flying into Tulip City Airport, visitors from across the world have noticed a new feature in Holland: the gardens on the roof of Haworth’s corporate headquarters.
The green feature, designed to absorb rainwater and improve energy efficiency, was installed in March, said Julie Smith, public relations manager for Haworth.
Since then, many visitors have requested a chance to view it during tours of the complex.
“People are very interested in seeing all the different applications of it,” Smith said.
Developers of a green infrastructure tool kit being unveiled in January said they hope their resource will help more people in West Michigan follow examples like Haworth’s gardens.
The West Michigan Strategic Alliance said governments and businesses often desire green projects, but deal with “information overload” when it comes to researching them.
This is especially true with smaller governments and businesses that may not have the resources to hire consultants to advise them, the group said.
That’s why the alliance is introducing its tool kit, which is a collection of items that could include notebooks, discs, online seminars and an online portal.
“We live in a complex society and at the same time we need to get smarter about how we maintain our environment,” said Greg Northrup, president of the alliance. “We need to make it easier for people to get help with best practices.”
The kit will be funded in part by a $150,000 grant from the People and Land Coalition of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.
It will have an index for topics including watershed management, protecting dunes, farmland preservation and low-impact development, said Ken Freestone, project manager for green infrastructure at the alliance.
GREEN PROJECTS
• Rain gardens at Saugatuck Center for the Arts
• Rain gardens at Paw Paw Bridge Park in Zeeland
• Rooftop gardens at Haworth headquarters in Holland
• Farmland turned to wetlands at Upper Macatawa Natural Area in Zeeland Township
Michigan Fisheries Visitor Center Announces Winter Program Schedule
Contact: Maureen Jacobs 231-348-0998
Agency: Natural Resources
Nov. 13, 2008
The Michigan Fisheries Visitor Center has announced its weekend program schedule for this coming winter, beginning Dec. 6. The center is located at 3377 US-31 in Oden, approximately five miles east of Petoskey. All programs are free.
- Saturday, Dec. 6: Snowshoe-building Workshop; 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Weave your own pair of authentic “Drift Busters” or Michigan-style snowshoes. $160 for the lessons and the pair. Space is limited; preregistration is required. Call Maureen Jacobs at (231) 348-0998 for details.
- Saturday Dec. 13: Get Jiggy With It; at noon. Youngsters will create their own colorful take-home lead-free jig! Meets at the visitor center. Warm refreshments served.
- Saturday, Dec. 20: Fly-tying for Nymphs; at noon. Kids’ fly-tying program.
- Saturday, Jan. 10: Winter Animal Tracking; at noon. Warm refreshments served.
- Saturday Jan. 24: Ice Fishing on Crooked Lake; meets at the center at 10 a.m. All ages are welcome and there is no fee. There will be a limited amount of ice fishing equipment available. Fishing licenses needed for participants, 17 and older, may be purchased at the center before the program. Warm refreshments served.
- Saturday, Feb. 14 (Free Fishing Weekend): Ice Fishing on Crooked Lake; meets at the center at 10 a.m. No fishing license needed for this weekend. There will be a limited amount of ice fishing equipment available. Warm refreshments served.
- Saturday, Feb. 28: Snowshoeing; at noon. Warm refreshments served.
For more information about these events or to learn about accessibility at the Michigan Fisheries Visitor Center, please call (231) 348-0998 (TTY/TDD 711 Michigan Relay Center for the hearing impaired). The center also is open during special programs throughout the fall and winter months. Hatchery tours are offered by reservation, and hunting and fishing licenses are sold at the center.
MICHIGAN RANKED SECOND FOR ONLINE LEARNING
Creation of Michigan Virtual School, along with the state requirement that every high school student take one online course, has put Michigan second in the nation for online learning, according to a ranking released Tuesday by the Center for Digital Education.
The first ever such ranking put Michigan behind Florida for online learning opportunities and students taking advantage of them. The top five also included Idaho, Arkansas, Louisiana and Maine.
State officials said the MVS was a primary reason for Michigan’s ranking. The program, run through Michigan Virtual University, provides a variety of courses to 45,000 students in 500 school districts in the state. The program launched in 2000 as Michigan Virtual High School and was accredited in 2005.
“In a world that demands knowledge workers, we are giving our students and our state a competitive advantage when it comes to preparing for the 21st century economy,” said Governor Jennifer Granholm <http://www.gongwer.com/index.cfm?link=bio.cfm&nameid=6701&locid=1 > . “This national ranking reinforces Michigan’s vision for innovation and our commitment to use leading-edge delivery methods to ensure our students are ready for higher education and today’s workplace.”
“Michigan has provided significant leadership for the rest of the nation in online learning and is routinely looked to as a pioneer,” said Marina Leight, director of the Center for Digital Education. “The creation of the Michigan Virtual School, Michigan LearnPort and the nation’s first high school graduation requirement for online learning are all significant milestones that demonstrate Michigan’s leadership position in this area.”
MDOT To Turn Telegraph Into Smart Highway Lab
This article can be viewed at:
http://www.wwj.com/MDOT-To-Turn-Telegraph-Into-Smart-Highway-Lab/3343701
The Michigan Department of Transportation Tuesday announced plans to deploy advanced technologies along the Telegraph Road corridor in Oakland County to accelerate the research and development of next-generation vehicle safety and mobility applications.
The plan includes activating between 20 and 30 wireless Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC) radios to broadcast basic traffic signal information.
Researchers and developers working in southeast Michigan will use the traffic signal information to develop connected vehicle technologies that will prevent crashes, improve mobility and fuel efficiency in Michigan and beyond. MDOT envisions future enhancements that would permit the development of more advanced applications along Telegraph Road in Oakland County.
MDOT also announced a partnership with the Michigan International Speedway in Jackson County to use and market the MIS racetrack to agencies that manufacture and develop connected vehicle technologies. The partnership will give automakers and after-market providers the ability to test and develop connected vehicle systems in an open environment.
“The connected vehicle concept gives us the unique opportunity to shape the future of transportation by improving safety and mobility on heavily traveled highways and permitting countless other applications that can help us all spend more time with our families and less time on the road,” MDOT director Kirk T. Steudle. said.
Steudle said the department is focused on developing “smart car, smart road” technology that will bring important research, development and future deployment efforts to the state, creating jobs for Michigan residents while improving the quality of their daily commutes.
