Pinckney Recreation Area Offers a ‘Paddle to Hell’ April 1

Contact: Jon LaBossiere 734-426-4913
Agency: Natural Resources

March 24, 2009

Pinckney Recreation Area is announcing its spring “GO-Get Oudoors” recreational stimulus package with a “Paddle to Hell” on Wednesday, April 1, beginning at 10 a.m. at the Bruin Lake boat launch.

Under the best conditions, this is an easy four-mile paddle through Hell, Michigan. However, this early in the season the water is cold and the weather is unpredictable. This is an all-weather event and will be cancelled only if there is still ice on the lakes.

The cost of the paddle trip is free, but donations are being accepted for picnic table and grill replacements. Participants will need to register at (734) 426-4913. This event is limited to 20 boats, so participants are urged to register soon.

The Bruin Lake boat launch is located at 21237 Kaiser Rd. near Gregory, which is near Hell, Michigan. For more information about the park, this event, accessibility, or persons needing accommodations to attend this event, contact the park supervisor at (734) 426-4913 (or TTY/TDD 711 Michigan Relay Center for the hearing impaired), or visit the Web site at www.michigan.gov/pinckney.

All motor vehicles entering a state park or recreation area must display a Motor Vehicle Permit, available for purchase at the park entrance. Cost is $24 for a resident annual and $6 for a resident daily. A nonresident annual is $29 and a nonresident daily is $8.

Join the DNR in celebrating the 90th anniversary of Michigan State Parks this year. Activities are planned throughout the year. For more information, visit www.michigan.gov/dnr.

The DNR is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural resources for current and future generations.

Great Lakes, Great Times, Great Outdoors

DNR is holding town hall meetings

TRAVERSE CITY — The Michigan Department of Natural Resources will host a series of town hall meetings to discuss the state’s and agency’s conservation priorities.

DNR Director Rebecca Humphries will lead the sessions, while the public can ask questions and make comments.

Humphries is expected to speak about natural resource management, land management, recruitment of outdoor enthusiasts, priorities for the future and what citizens value most about outdoor activities in Michigan, among other topics.

One of the meetings will be on April 14 from 6 to 8 p.m. in the meeting room at the Grand Traverse County Civic Center, 1213 W. Civic Center Dr. in Traverse City.

Other meetings will be held in Grand Rapids, Midland, Marquette and Novi.

Those with disabilities who need special accommodations should call (517) 373-6919 at least five days in advance.

Ferris State University Hosts Second Michigan Energy Conference

BIG RAPIDS – Ferris State University continues to be at the forefront of teaching and meeting the needs of its students and community by hosting the second Michigan Energy Conference April 16 and 17. This year’s conference will focus on energy efficiency and reducing carbon footprint.

The outcome of the conference is for participants to leave with an understanding of the carbon footprint; along with the opportunities and challenges with Michigan’s renewable portfolio and realizing sustainability through renewable resources. This includes the transmission and distribution of energy, alternative energy, energy efficiencies and solutions.

Bringing industry, government and educational leaders together to discuss our energy challenges puts Ferris in line with the State’s recent commitment to have Michigan a leader in renewable energy, said Ron McKean, associate dean of Ferris’ College of Engineering Technology. “The Energy Conference provides a forum to discuss important energy issues and foster ideas that will result in opportunities for Michigan,” McKean added.

Conference events are open to the public as well as students, teachers and faculty; and begin Thursday, April 16, with workshops during the day that include energy auditing for business owners, becoming a home energy rater, HVAC commissioning and understanding alternative fuels for transportation. The evening wraps up at Ferris’ G. Mennen Williams Auditorium with presentations by Paul Proudfoot from the Michigan Public Service Commission on Michigan’s new energy laws and initiatives, Jeff Goody from Vestas Blades of America sharing wind energy solutions and Bill Harper from Chevron Energy Solutions on responding to our energy challenges. Student poster contest awards will also be presented.

The conference starts in earnest on Friday with keynote speakers Michelle Buckler from Fishbeck, Thompson, Carr & Huber introducing carbon footprint and Stephen Hamstra from GMB Architects discussing reducing carbon footprint. The rest of the day will focus on break-out sessions covering topics on creating and delivering renewable energy, alternative energy — site solutions, and energy efficiency solutions in business and industry. There will also be special guest speaker, Stanley Pruss, director of the Michigan Department of Energy, Labor & Economic Growth, during lunch on Friday.

The Michigan Energy Conference participation and support includes: The Association of Energy Engineers; ASHRAE; Cascade Engineering; Consumers Energy; DTE Energy, Greater Grand Rapids The Right Place, Inc./Innovation Works; Green Mechanical Council; NextEnergy; Viessmann; West Michigan Environmental Action Council; and West Michigan Strategic Alliance, among others.

Ferris has built upon some of these partnerships and is working closely with them on other efforts, including the recent award of a grant designed to build community partnerships promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy use. Ferris’ Director of Corporate and Professional Development Tom Crandell said, “This is a countywide effort that ties into sustainability efforts at Ferris to become known as the energy efficiency center of Michigan. By hosting this conference we are providing a forum for the public to understand solutions for renewable energy and offer workshops targeted at industry professionals.

The first Michigan Energy Conference held in 2008 had more than 200 business and community leaders, faculty and students; and was highlighted with a speech from Grand Rapids businessman Dick DeVos. “We are planning for even larger attendance this year,” said Debra Fisher, Michigan Energy Conference committee member.

For more information, admission pricing, or to register for the second annual Michigan Energy Conference, visit www.ferris.edu/mec. If you are interested in sponsoring please visit the Web site and request information before March 31, 2009.

Ferris State University Selects Architecture Firm for New Optometry Facility

BIG RAPIDS – Ferris State University has selected Neumann/Smith Architecture of Southfield, Mich., to design and build the new facility for the Michigan College of Optometry/Center for Collaborative Health Education, for which construction is slated to begin in May 2009.

After years of lobbying efforts by Ferris and the Michigan Optometric Association, the state of Michigan has committed the funds for the new facility, which has a total projected cost of $26.9 million, with the state of Michigan providing 75 percent of that cost, or $20,175,000. Ferris is responsible for raising the remaining 25 percent, or $6,725,000. To date, more than $1,356,000 has been pledged to or raised by the university for the new facility, including a $1 million gift from the Dow Foundation.

“The new facility will be a tremendous asset in meeting MCO’s goal of educating students to become successful optometrists,” said David Eisler, president of Ferris. “Not only will a modern facility attract the best and brightest students and faculty from across the U.S., but it will provide patients with a more comfortable health-care environment,” added Eisler.

Specifically, the new facility will feature a ground-floor eye and vision care clinic offering clinical training for optometry interns and optometric/medical eye care to area residents; optical and contact lens dispensary where student interns receive practical hands-on training in the fitting of optical devices; a laser surgery room for staff ophthalmologists allowing student interns to gain experience on campus in the handling of pre- and post-operative care of patients undergoing eye surgery; classrooms, laboratories and faculty/administrative offices; distance-learning facilities; teaching auditorium; research laboratories; and an Optometric Center for Lifelong Learning and Competency for the continuing education of MCO/FSU graduates.

“The MCO family has dreamed of a new building for more than 15 years,” said Dr. Nancy Peterson-Klein, interim dean of the Michigan College of Optometry at Ferris. “We are extremely grateful to all those who have helped us secure funding for our building, and we look forward to our continued success in realizing our vision of gradating outstanding healthcare providers of tomorrow.”

Neumann/Smith plans to build the estimated 91,000-square-foot modern health-care facility on the proposed site at the corner of State Street and Ferris Drive, next to the College of Allied Health Sciences, creating an educational synergy within the health sciences complex of Optometry, Pharmacy and Allied Health Sciences at Ferris.

The architecture firm is no stranger to the Ferris campus. The firm most recently designed the Interdisciplinary Resource Center connector, and they also designed the Ferris Library for Information, Technology and Education, and the Timme Center for Student Services.

Neumann/Smith’s design and management capabilities are complemented by the construction management firm Clark Construction Co. of Lansing and Petoskey; the medical expertise of Medical Design International (MDI); mechanical and electrical engineers from DiClemente Siegel Design, Inc.; technology specialists from The Sextant Group; site/civil engineers and landscape architects from Hubbell, Roth and Clark; and structural engineers from Desai/Nasr Consulting Engineers. Collectively the team offers extraordinary expertise and experience to complete the new Michigan College of Optometry facility at Ferris State University.

District putting finishing touches on Summer School program

The Northville School District is in the process of finalizing the details for the 2009 Summer School program. This is to provide information regarding dates for the Northville Public Schools Summer Connections program, along with an overview of the anticipated course offerings. Course offerings will be finalized over the next several weeks. A follow up ListServ communication will be sent to families as soon as the Summer Connections brochures are finalized and posted on the District website.
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NPS continues to offer a Summer Connections program which includes enrichment opportunities along with credit recovery options for students, as well as to give high school and incoming high school students the opportunity to fulfill some of the Michigan Merit Curriculum requirements over the summer. This summer program opportunity provides students with greater flexibility in their schedules in order to explore elective courses and/or to take additional higher level courses.

The majority of classes will be held from June 22-July 23 for high school and middle school students, and from June 22-July 22 for elementary school students. All classes will be held at Northville High School, unless otherwise noted.

HIGH SCHOOL CONNECTIONS

A variety of credit classes will be offered to high school students including English Nine and English Ten, Algebra I, Biology, Earth Science Essentials, U.S. History, Civics, International Issues, Economics, Physical Education, and Seminar. New to the schedule this year will be an Algebra I Concepts & Skills class, Geometry, and Health.

Summer Connections will also offer Michigan Virtual School Student Direct courses for high school students in Algebra I, Geometry, English 9 and English 10, Civics, U.S. History, Biology and Chemistry. The online courses are an additional credit recovery option for students who have previously taken the course as part of their regular academic schedule and need to recover credit. These classes are student-directed, self-paced and entirely online with some support from a mentor teacher.

Michigan State University’s Land Policy Institute Media Advisory

MEDIA ADVISORY
February 25, 2009

CONTACT:
Dr. Soji Adelaja
517.432.8800

John Kinch
517.432.8800 Ext. 111

What
A new report to be released by Michigan State University’s Land Policy Institute, entitled “Chasing the Past or Investing in Our Future: Placemaking for Prosperity in the New Economy.”

Among the findings: Michigan’s metropolitan areas must do a better job of attracting and keeping young workers, retirees and well-educated immigrants for its job market to improve.

When
9:30 a.m., Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Where
House Committee on “The New Economy and Quality of Life,” chaired by Representative Ed Clemente.
Room 521, Anderson House Office Building

Who
Presenters include:
Dr. Soji Adelaja, John A. Hannah Distinguished Professor in Land Policy, Director of the Land Policy Institute and Co-Director of People and Land
Bill Rustem, CEO and President of Public Sector Consultants and Co-Director of People and the Land

For more information, contact: John Kinch at kinch@landpolicy.msu.edu or 517.432.8800 x 111 or 517.993.7718.

Ferris State approves sharing of MSU’s Grand Rapids med school building

By Justin Harris
The State News
Published: February 20, 2009

MSU will share its College of Human Medicine campus in Grand Rapids with Ferris State University’s School of Pharmacy after the Ferris Board of Trustees unanimously approved the 10-year lease today.

MSU’s Board of Trustees approved the lease last week, which will allow Ferris’ School of Pharmacy to occupy the seventh floor of the Secchia Center.

“Both sides, us here at Ferris State and also at Michigan State worked very closely and very hard to put this partnership together, and we really think this is going to do great things for our pharmacy school,” Ferris spokeswoman Leah Nixon said.

“We’re quite pleased with the opportunity and looking forward to the partnership with Michigan State University.”

As part of the lease, MSU will fund and complete construction of the seventh floor according to Ferris’ specifications.

During the first five years of lease, Ferris will pay MSU back for construction costs as well as paying a base rent. Construction is expected to cost about $4.6 million.

The Secchia Center is set to open in summer of 2010.

Ferris will pay a base rent of $18 per square foot with a 3 percent annual increase, as well as its share of maintenance, insurance and utilities. For the first year of the lease, Ferris will pay about $420,000 in base rent, which doesn’t include operation costs or build-out payback.

Published on Friday, February 20, 2009

Michigan to debut gift cards for hunting licenses

Associated Press
6:45 PM CST, February 19, 2009

LANSING, Mich. – Online gift cards soon will be available in Michigan to buy licenses for hunting, fishing and other outdoor activities.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources announced the new program Thursday.

New hunting and fishing licenses go on sale March 1. License prices remain the same as in 2008.

Gift cards can be bought through the Department of Natural Resources Web site. They can be redeemed for hunting and fishing licenses or snowmobile and off-road vehicle trail stickers.

The e-cards are available in $15, $30 and $50 increments.

They can only be used to buy licenses online. They cannot be redeemed at retailers or DNR offices.

On the Net:

Gift cards will be available at http://www.michigan.gov/dnr

Students log on for help

Technology expands toolbox for achieving success in math

By JASON ALEXANDER
Times Herald
February 18, 2009

Learning algebra is no easy task.

And since Michigan high school students must pass two algebra classes to graduate, the St. Clair County Regional Educational Service Agency thought students might need some extra help.

The group is developing after school and summer programs that target eighth-graders who need math tutoring before entering high school.

The program — “Back on Track: Ready for Algebra!” — will be offered at several county schools online through the Michigan Virtual University.

“The more we can provide extra instruction, the more kids can be successful and the happier we are,” said Terry Parks, RESA director of math and science.

This year’s sophomores are the first to be required to pass the algebra classes.

RESA is training area teachers on use of the statewide program. The program begins later this month.

Parks said the hour-long course is offered three days a week.

“It fits right in with tutoring we are already providing for middle school students,” Parks said. “We are thinking we will have pretty good success with it.”

Students will first complete an online test to determine where they need help.

Then, with supervision from teachers, they can work with the program.

Students also can log on to the program from home or anywhere with Internet access.

Terry Harrington, assistant director of education technology at RESA, said area schools are using multiple online courses, including others with Michigan Virtual University.

Port Huron and Port Huron Northern High schools use a program called Education 2020, which also helps students who have struggled with subjects such as math. E2020 is available for geometry and aglebra students at the schools where teachers staff after-school labs. Like Back on Track, e2020 also can be accessed from home computers.

“A lot of students’ learning is technology-based, so some of them thrive in that type of environment” Harrington said.

Contact Jason Alexander at (810) 488-7741 or jalexande4@gannett.com.

PAL develops, seeks backers for ‘pillars of prosperity’ to help state

By Sherri Begin Welch

People and Land, a coalition working to spur Michigan’s prosperity, is attempting to forge regional support and action on a number of initiatives it believes will better position the state for the future.

The group has begun meeting with lawmakers, media, chambers of commerce and the broad range of PAL’s coalition members to promote six areas the group has identified as pivotal for the state’s future.

PAL, founded in 2000 and funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, is seeking both legislative and non-legislative actions, said co-director William Rustem, president and CEO of Public Sector Consultants in Lansing.

“A lot of Michigan’s (current) challenges are because we haven’t been ready for the future,” he said.

“The Michigan Economic Development Corp. has traditionally been chasing factories, now they’re focusing on talent.”

The other co-director of the effort is Soji Adelaja, John A. Hannah Distinguished Professor in Land Policy at Michigan State University’s Land Policy Institute.

PAL is also trying to get Michigan residents to focus on how the state’s natural and cultural assets figure into our economic development strategy, said Julie Bennett, program manager of PAL for Public Sector Consultants.

“We need to act regionally, to get more bang for our buck from federal dollars that are expected to come into Michigan, rather than acting as individual government units,” said Brad Garmon, land programs director at the Michigan Environmental Council and a member of PAL’s leadership council.

In the run-up to the 2010 elections, PAL hopes to push a number of issues it feels are important. It has developed what it calls “Six Pillars for Prosperity.”

They include:

• Rebuilding attractive cities and neighborhoods to attract and retain young talent.

• Supporting highly competitive schools and lifelong learning opportunities.

• Shifting attention to knowledge-based technologies for Michigan’s future.

• Strategically planning for a thriving agriculture industry to spur Michigan’s economy.

• Enhancing and promoting natural resources for recreation and job creation.

• Creating an inclusive and entrepreneurial culture.

“In the last election, nobody was talking about those things,” Bennett said. PAL wants the candidates to talk about issues it has identified as paramount.

Over the past nine years, PAL has made grants to groups working on land-use issues in Michigan, such as farmland preservation and forestry initiatives.

Last fall, it shifted those grants to groups working regionally on the pillars, awarding $1.3 million total to nine collaborations.

Among them was a grant of $75,000 to the Tourism and Economic Development Council of the Metro Detroit Convention & Visitors Bureau for “Developing the D,” a project to organize communities in the region as destination districts for residents, visitors and investors.

In addition, the Michigan Suburbs Alliance, which also received a PAL grant of $75,000 last fall, will use its funds to support its Millennial Mayor’s Congress project aimed at engaging city leaders with the millennial generation.

Sherri Begin Welch: (313) 446-1694, swelch@crain.com