Politics

  CRAWFORD COUNTY - The Michigan Public Service Commission commended Crawford County for becoming the latest Michigan community to be certified asconnected, meaning the county has developed a broadband and technology plan to expand broadband access, adoption and use. "Michigan now has 14 communities that have achieved the important 'connected' broadband distinction," said MPSC Chairman

LANSING - The Pickle Recipe, a film created by former Detroit advertising executives and produced by West Bloomfield natives, has demonstrated the right formula to qualify for an incentive from the Michigan Film Office. The film is eligible to receive a maximum incentive of $491,706 from the state based on an anticipated spend of $1,412,129.

LANSING - The decline of the state's film incentive program to $5.9 million in the upcoming 2015-16 fiscal year will not dissuade the Michigan Film Office from doing all it can to encourage the production of films and television programs in Michigan, Film Office Director Jenell Leonard said Wednesday. Leonard declined to characterize the decision

OKEMOS - The Great Lakes Renewable Energy Association is offering at least 10 scholarships on June 28 at the Michigan Renewable Energy Fair, including a top scholarship of $1,500. Educators are invited to nominate students who will be pursuing Science, Technology, Engineering and Math fields in college. Scholarships are awarded by a lottery type drawing.

OKEMOS - The Great Lakes Renewable Energy Association has teamed up with the Indiana Renewable Energy Association and the Ohio Green Energy Association to promote the Michigan Renewable Energy Fair June 26 and 27 at the Ingham County Fairgrounds. "This is a big deal and they too have hundreds of active members," said Allan O'Shea

LANSING - Sen. Mike Nofs hopes to introduce his energy proposal after the Legislature works its way through the budget this week, and among the provisions will be a clean energy goal linked directly to the to-be-determined national carbon emissions standards. "You have to be certified or licensed to operate under all of the national

LANSING - Gongwer News Service reported how each much each department and major budget area would get from the General Fund in the signed framework from the 2015-16 fiscal year General Fund. Agriculture and Rural Development: $43,073,600 Attorney General: $37,013,400 Budget Stabilization Fund: $95,000,000 Civil Rights: $12,949,700 Community Colleges: $131,110,800 Corrections: $1,903,948,400 Education: $74,898,700 Environmental

LANSING - The Michigan House Energy Policy Committee on Wednesday took testimony on a bill that would create a seven-member board to consider a project that would create transmission lines connecting the Upper and Lower Peninsulas in the state to solve the problem of the U.P. relying on out-of-state providers. The bill (HB 4575) would

LANSING - The signed framework for the 2015-16 fiscal year will leave an unusually large number of major items for Michigan House-Senate conference committees to resolve, but points toward reductions at the Department of Talent and Economic Development as well as the human services portion of the Department of Health and Human Services. It is

HOUGHTON - Most people see defects as flaws. A few Michigan Technological University researchers, however, see them as opportunities. Twin boundaries, which are small, symmetrical defects in materials, may present an opportunity to improve lithium-ion batteries. The twin boundary defects act as energy highways and could help get better performance out of the batteries. This