Immigration Discussion
Governor Rick Snyder will speak at a conference today on immigration at Wayne State University. Topics at the “Immigration and Michigan’s Economic Future,” conference will include how immigration can help Michigan’s economy and boost the state’s population. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg will be on a panel titled, “Can Immigrants Save Detroit?” via teleconference. Earlier this year, Mayor Bloomberg said he thought immigrants could help reverse Detroit’s population loss.
Kildee’s Open Seat
Michigan Congressman Dale Kildee announced on Friday that he is retiring from the U.S. House of Representatives at the end of his current term and political watchers are already beginning to ask: who will replace him? From the Detroit Free Press:
"Our assumption is that Jim will get in. He never wanted to leave in the first place," said Bay County Executive Thomas Hickner, referring to Jim Barcia, the former Democratic congressman and state senator from Bay City who left his U.S. House seat in 2002 after redistricting forced him and Kildee, a Flint Democrat, into the same district. Barcia said he never would consider running if Kildee was staying in office, "but now, I'll certainly consider it." Kildee's 5th District seat stretches from Bay County through Genesee County and into the Thumb. The newly redrawn district loses most of the Thumb territory and gains Arenac and Iosco counties. It's expected to remain solidly Democratic. Kildee's closest race came in 2010, when he won with 54% of the vote… Other names that surfaced as possible successors were state Sen. John Gleason, D-Flushing; Kildee's nephew Dan Kildee, the former treasurer for Genesee County, and current county Treasurer Deb Cherry.
It’s Hot… (As If You Hadn’t Noticed)
Summer in Michigan has certainly arrived. Temperatures pushing the mid-90’s were reported as far north as the western Upper Peninsula, the Associated Press reports. “The National Weather Service says Sunday's heat is a preview of what's ahead this week. The temperatures climbed to 95 degrees at Iron Mountain in western upper Michigan. Alpena in northern lower Michigan was the state's hot spot Sunday at 97 degrees, while Ypsilanti's high hit 96,” the AP reports. Temperatures throughout the southern Lower Peninsula are expected to be in the 90’s throughout the week.
