LANSING - The chances of getting a proposal on the November ballot to voters to raise $1.2 billion for roads appear bleak, but there are some signs of subtle progress on an issue that has seen little attention with all the focus on Medicaid expansion. To meet the deadline for the November ballot, the Michigan
LANSING - Michigan's unemployment rate and overall economy have improved, but the state's labor participation percentage is the lowest among the Great Lake states and the 40th lowest in the United States. The figures come from the July report on key labor market and economic metrics published by the Department of Treasury. The report shows
LANSING - One of Governor Rick Snyder's biggest frustrations since taking office in 2011 was the confusing array of regions different state departments and agencies had to manage their services. Depending on the department, or even individual division within a department, service regions varied. But Snyder announced Thursday a consolidated regional map that gives all
LANSING - Governor Rick Snyder is beginning to regain some of the support he lost after signing right-to-work legislation last year, but he is still within striking distance for expected Democratic challenger Mark Schauer, a poll released Wednesday by Lambert, Edwards and Associates and Denno Research shows. Snyder had a 44 percent favorable rating in
LANSING - A proposal unveiled late Wednesday to help control Asian carp from getting in the Great Lakes is not strong enough because it does not call for isolating the lakes from the Mississippi River, officials said. Attorney General Bill Schuette issued some of the strongest statements against the proposal outlined, saying it would not
LANSING - The Michigan Department of Transportation is reaching out to businesses interested in creating a public-private partnership for two rest areas, highway lighting, bridge work and timber management. In a release sent on Thursday it says the department is accepting letters of interest until mid-August from interested businesses, and Jeff Cranson, spokesperson for the
LANSING - Press conferences were held in Lansing and Detroit on Wednesday by activist groups in an effort to draw support for HB 4554 , which would raise the minimum wage in Michigan to $10 an hour by 2016. In Lansing, Danielle Atkinson, director of Mothering Justice, said that there is a need for the
LANSING - The project tied to a new arena for the Detroit Red Wings in Detroit was approved by the Michigan Strategic Fund Board on Wednesday, with some words of encouragement from Governor Rick Snyder. The project, known as the Catalyst Development Project, includes arena where the Red Wings will play as well as a
LANSING - Sen. Roger Kahn on Wednesday presented a Senate Medicaid workgroup proposal that keeps critical components of the House bill to expand and reform Medicaid while ensuring the reforms remain even if federal waivers are not granted or the Affordable Care Act is repealed. "Besides the ability to opt-out, it was important that we
LANSING ? Michigan House Speaker Jase Bolger said Thursday that an August 27 vote on Medicaid expansion would provide just enough time for the federal government to approve waivers requested in the legislation. Bolger (R-Marshall), in an interview with Gongwer News Service, said it's not up to him to say if the Senate should vote