Stateside with Cynthia Canty

A state Representative says newly released documents are raising some serious flags about the state’s Education Achievement Authority. On today’s show: we talk with Representative Ellen Cogen Lipton about what she found out about the EAA through a FOIA request.

We check in withe Detroit News columnist Daniel Howes about recent Ford earnings reports. And Mayor Dave Bing has announced he'll run for reelection.

We also talk about the changes to arts education in Lansing public schools.

Later in the show, we speak with Art Prize founder Rick DeVos about another venture of his: Start Garden.
 
And finally, Ann Arbor is on the verge of a championship - a bowling championship. We hear more about tonight's game from WWII vet Mel Shannon.

Whenever there's a conversation about looking for ways to generate ideas, business buzz and jobs, that conversation includes Grand Rapids.

Yesterday on Stateside, we noted that Grand Rapids was number four on a Forbes Magazine list of Best Cities in America to find a job.

In April 2012, Grand Rapids was in the news when ArtPrize founder Rick DeVos launched an "idea incubator" called Start Garden. The $15 million seed accelerator fund based in Grand Rapids was created to help launch more than 100 new business ideas each year.

We have seen droughts in sports in this state, that is for sure.

The last time the Lions won the NFL championship, for example, was 1957. Well, there’s been a similar drought in the world of bowling leagues, but that might be about to end.

Mel Shannon’s been bowling with the Knights of Columbus Men’s League in Ann Arbor for about as long as anyone can remember.

Last time Mel won the championship was 46 years ago - 1967.

But, Mel is on the verge of winning the championship again tonight.

Mel is a Word II veteran who is 87 years young and he stopped by the studio along with John Kennard - who is also part of the K of C men's bowling league.

Listen to the full interview above.

Last week, the Lansing School District and its teachers ratified a new contract that totally overhauls the way art and music will be taught in its schools.

Art, music and phys ed teachers will be replaced in Lansing elementary schools. Instead, contract consultants will teach those subjects alongside the regular classroom teachers.

This story got us wondering about the future of arts education in Michigan.

How can school districts who are coping with cuts in funding and eroding tax bases and population manage to still provide arts education?

How much does arts education really matter in these days of heavy emphasis on the STEM classes....science, technology, engineering and math?

Joining me now is Kathy White. She's the President and CEO of the Michigan Assessment Consortium and she is the Project Director of the Michigan Arts Education Instruction and Assessment Program.

Listen to the full interview above.

Ford released it's first quarter report with record pre-tax profits of $2.4 billion in North America.

"Ford has a product portfolio that's clicking on all cylinders, pun intended," said Daniel Howes.

Howes is the Detroit News business columnist and spoke with Michigan Radio's Cynthia Canty about Ford's future.

This week marks an important event in the history of Michigan and the history of Native American tribes here in the Midwest.

250 years ago this week, Chief Pontiac of the Ottawa called a council of tribes. The purpose of the council was to figure out how to drive out the English settlers and army from the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley regions.

Hundreds of Native Americans came to Chief Pontiac's council on the banks of the Ecorse River in what is now Council Point Park in Lincoln Park.

Many are familiar with the name Chief Pontiac because of the city in Oakland County that bears his name and the now-discontinued GM car line.

We wanted to learn more about the significance of Chief Pontiac and this Council that he led on April 27th, 1763.

Ben Hinmon, is the Cultural Instructor of the Seventh Generation Program of the Saginaw Chippewa Tribe in Mount Pleasant. Hinmon is the Great-Great-Great-Great Grandson of Chief Pontiac.

Today he takes us back to what was happening during this council meeting in 1763 and he talks about the legacy of Chief Pontiac.

This weekend there will be a traditional Pow-Wow at Council Point Park in Lincoln Park.  The Lincoln Park Historical Society and Museum, American Indian Movement of Michigan, and others are holding the free events, which also include a car show of classic Pontiacs at 5 p.m. Thursday, and a concert by singer-songwriter Bill Miller at 6 p.m. Friday.

You can listen to the full audio above.

On today's show: We've been alloped by wet weather. We get an update from West Michigan on the cleanup of the flooded Grand River.

And, we find out just what's behind a new ranking that says Grand Rapids is one of the tops places in the nation to find a job.

Later in the hour, on this 250th anniversary of his historic council of tribes, we learn just who Chief Pontiac was. We talk with his great, great, great, great grandson.

First on today's show, Michigan State Representative Jeff Irwin (D-Ann Arbor) formally announced legislation today that would decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana. Just what would House Bill 4623 mean for Michigan? Representative Jeff Irwin explains.

For those who are searching for jobs, Grand Rapids might be an ideal location to begin your search.

2012 was a phenomenal year for the city in terms of job growth with the creation of nearly 13,000 jobs.

Forbes Magazine has put Grand Rapids at number four on its list of the ten best cities to find a job.

Just to give you some context, Bethesda Maryland, Austin Texas, and Jacksonville Florida, are ranked one, two and three.

George Erickeck from W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research tells us what's behind this and what it means.

You can listen to the full interview above.

State Representative Jeff Irwin (D-Ann Arbor) formally announced legislation today that would decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana.

Under House Bill 4623, being caught possessing less than one ounce of marijuana would result in a civil infraction with a fine, but not jail time.

Currently, Michigan's law classifies marijuana possession as a misdemeanor with the possibility of a heavy fine and jail time.

When you are a parent, you’re making choices for your kids day-in and day-out.

Life can throws plenty of curve balls to a family, whether health, financial, or emotional. So how do families weather life’s challenges and make the right choices?

Michigan writer Robert Omilian tackles those key questions in his book, No Fear, No Doubt, No Regret: Investing In Life’s Challenges Like A Warrior.

The book was published by Ferne Press of Northville.

It recently won the 2013 Pinnacle Award for Parenting Books.

His insights were hard-won as he walked alongside his son Alan, who was diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy. The disease unfortunately, claimed his life in July of 2010.

You can listen to the full interview above.

Men who live on one side of Rawsonville Rd. have a life expectancy that's six years longer than men on the other side.

In fact, the life expectancy for males in Washtenaw County is the equivalent of Switzerland, while in Wayne County it's the equivalent of Syria. 

Ron French is a contributing writer for Bridge Magazine, and recently published a story about the health disparities between Wayne and Washtenaw counties, and spoke with us about what he found.

The Great Lakes are surely one of the state's greatest assets. On today's show: we ask some key questions.

What are the biggest threats to the Lakes, and how should we manage them?

And, we meet a man who wants to help local Michigan breweries - one can at a time.

We also speak with Caitlin Lynch of Bloomfield Hills. Last month she realized a dream by making her debut at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York in Francesca di Rimini.

But we start the show with a look at your health. If you to live a long and healthy life, where you live in Michigan matters.

This week, Bridge Magazine reports on a fact we all know - health and wellness is not evenly spread out in our state. No where is it more starkly illustrated than the neighboring counties of Washtenaw and Wayne. Living on the right side of that county line means a longer life with better health.

We spoke with contributing Bridge Magazine writer Ron French.

Michigan was recently ranked fifth on USA Today's list of craft brew states in the country.

Over the past three to four years Michigan has seen a large growth in microbrewies.

There has been recent  buzz within the microbrewery scene in Michigan with news that the state's first 'Mobile Canning' line is being launched.

Microbreweries around the state will be able to get cans of their brew onto store shelves without having to invest in costly canning equipment.

There’s not a parent around who hasn’t had a child write that classic school essay “What I want to be When I Grow Up.”

It might be wise to pay close attention to the goal that child sets for himself or herself.

When she was ten years old, Caitlin Lynch of Bloomfield Hills announced that her goal was to become a professional singer.

She came from a family of talented musicians, her first solo was in first grade at Holy Name School in Birmingham singing, “My Favorite Things” from the Sound of Music at the school talent show.

She sang her way through Marian High School in Bloomfield Hills then on to the University of Michigan.
 
Last month,  Caitlin Lynch made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York in Francesca di Rimini.
 
Soprano Caitlin Lynch joined us today and told us about her professional singing debut.

The future of the Great Lakes, their management, and their usage were among key topics in a forum held recently at MSU's Institute for Public Policy and Social Research.

The forum focused on the key question of how we should manage these huge bodies of fresh water in order to guarantee their availability for future generations.

This is happening while the Obama Administration is asking for $300 million for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.

Jennifer Read is Deputy Director of the University of Michigan Water Center and Jon Allen is Director of the Michigan Office of the Great Lakes.

Both were in attendance at the forum, and they give us an overview of  what was discussed.

You can listen to the full interview above.