Rick Snyder8

DeclineMichiganMichigan Turnaround

Michigan’s Decline, In Three Reports

I love my home state, but sometimes it just exhausts me. Case in point: The woeful condition of our cities. And roads. And schools. But I repeat myself. So this past week was a particularly painful exercise in holding up a mirror to Michigan’s collective failures and depressing, decade-plus slide in prosperity. Let’s review: Monday The week kicked off with the Michigan Municipal League releasing a shocking report that found the Mitten with the dubious distinction of being the only state i...

Labor DayMackinac Bridge WalkRick Snyder

58th Annual Mackinac Bridge Walk Expects 40,000 Participants

Planning on sleeping in on Labor Day? Consider heading to the Mackinac Bridge over the weekend and waking up early to participate in the annual Labor Day Mackinac Bridge Walk. Governor Rick Snyder will lead the expected 40,000 walkers across the five-mile bridge at 7 a.m. Walkers will be allowed to start across the bridge up until 11 a.m., so if you want to participate in the walk, plan to be at the bridge in the morning. Worried about the return trip to St. Ignace? Don’t be. Buses will be a...

Governor Rick Snyderlegal pedal pubsMichigan

Bring Your Beer With You: Pedal Pubs Become Legal In Michigan

Ever seen one of these pedal pub contraptions and thought, “yes, that’ll be fun?” Soon, you’ll be able to hop on and enjoy your hops thanks to a Michigan law signed by Governor Rick Snyder on Wednesday. In Michigan, passengers will be allowed to drink alcohol on pedal-powered vehicles. Local governments still have the discretion to prohibit drinking on them, but the framework is in place for a whole new kind of fun. Pedal pub operators can not be under the influence of alcohol and also need to...

film incentivesMichigan Film IncentivesMichigan Film Office

It's Curtains For Film Incentives In Michigan

With a stroke of a pen, Governor Rick Snyder has put the last nail in the coffin on film incentives in Michigan. Signing House Bill 4122, now Public Act 117 of 2015 today, all current deals will be honored but no new incentives will be offered by the state of Michigan to bring the film industry or film production into the state. The program has been around since 2008 and has brought some big name productions to Michigan. There’s about three years left on some of the projects already in the pip...

Harvey Hollins IIIMike DugganRick Snyder

University Of Detroit Jesuit High School Is Building A New $16 Million STEM Center

The University of Detroit Jesuit High School and Academy, the largest and oldest of the three Catholic high schools in Detroit, has broken ground on its state-of-the-art Science and Engineering Center. The center is expected to be completed in August 2016, and it will be the only high school facility of its kind in Detroit. The STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) center is the largest monetary investment in science and technology at any Michigan high school in recent years...

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Mike Rowe To Teach Michigan Students About Skilled Trades In New Video Series

Mike Rowe is known for getting dirty. The host of “Somebody’s Gotta Do It” (and formerly of “Dirty Jobs”) is getting behind the camera to engage middle and high school students and show them opportunities in the skilled trades in Michigan. If you wonder “why the skilled trades, and why Mike Rowe?” here’s a little background for you. The blunt-speaking TV host is also the founder of the mikeroweWorks foundation, which encourages skilled trades across the nation. Michigan currently has a gap of...

PresidentRick SnyderRick Snyder Presidential campaign

POLL: Should Michigan Governor Rick Snyder Run For President?

There are definitely conflicting reports on this one. There have been some small rumblings around the state and the country that Michigan’s “One Tough Nerd” Governor Rick Snyder might make a run for “One Tough President,” but the respected political site Politco.com says no. “He is concerned about solving the problems in Michigan and the time commitment needed for out-of-state travel,” one source said. A Snyder spokesman declined to comment. But some signs point to yes. The Governor is...

Car buyingCarsDealerships

The Real Reason Tesla Didn’t Win In Michigan

This week Governor Rick Snyder signed into law House Bill 5606. It is legislation that has been commonly framed as a law to keep electric automaker Tesla and their direct-to-consumer model of selling cars out of the state. Some are wondering exactly why or how this law happened. Not only did it happen, House Bill 5606 sailed through the legislature (if you add both houses together) almost unanimously by a vote of 144 to 1. There was a last-minute legislative addition to tweak language, but I t...