Friday, December 30, 2011
Midland theater group opens new year with 'On the Verge'
Dow Chemical (NYSE:DOW) Upbeat On Legal Fight
Michigan based multinational corporation, Dow Chemical (NYSE:DOW), is reportedly optimistic about the lawsuit filed against Kuwait's Petrochemicals Industries, in which it is claiming 2.5 billion for violating a 2008 contract to buy a stake in the Dow Chemical (NYSE:DOW)s plastics business. Rebecca Bentley, a spokeswoman for Dow Chemical (NYSE:DOW), said, "Nothing has diminished our position that Petrochemicals Industries Co. was required to close, and that Petrochemicals Industries Co. owes substantial damages to Dow Chemical (NYSE:DOW). We remain very optimistic about the reward." Dow Chemical (NYSE:DOW) shares were at 28.31 at the end of the last days trading. Theres been a 18.6 movement in the stock price over the past 3 months.
Country Day shakes off slow start to top Midland
Tournament host Birmingham Detroit Country Day overcame a sluggish start to put away Midland, 68-50, on Thursday at the Motor City Roundball Classic. "We started the game with not a lot of energy," Country Day girls coach Frank Orlando said. "We played last night at 4 or 5 o'clock, then we played at 12 today; it was a short turnover." Midland, which made the nearly two-hour trip in the morning, came out firing to start the game. With Jennifer Jarema leading the break, the Chemics pushed the pace, forcing a tired Country Day team to run up and down the court. Things got worse for Country Day when star forward Aerial Powers picked up her second foul late in the first quarter. But trailing, 18-13, heading into the second quarter, the Yellowjackets managed to claw back for a 30-30 halftime score.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Damon's restaurant goes out of business
via Midland Daily News
The owner of Midland's Damon's Grill says financial woes caused him to close his restaurant this week. "Unfortunately, it's just a significantly sad day," Jason Miller said in a voice mail left on a Daily News reporter's cell phone Wednesday. For some time, "just the expense of operating the business has far outweighed the revenue we've garnered there. Unfortunately, we had to make an abrupt decision to shut it down." Some of the 39 employees will be offered jobs at the Saginaw Damon's Grill, said Midlander Miller. The Midland restaurant's landlord, Bill Putman of P&P Opportunity, said he learned of the closure when an employee called him to say he'd shown up for work and found the business closed. The employee wanted to know what was happening. Then Tuesday, P&P received a call from an attorney representing Miller's business, and Putman learned that financial concerns had forced the closing.
The owner of Midland's Damon's Grill says financial woes caused him to close his restaurant this week. "Unfortunately, it's just a significantly sad day," Jason Miller said in a voice mail left on a Daily News reporter's cell phone Wednesday. For some time, "just the expense of operating the business has far outweighed the revenue we've garnered there. Unfortunately, we had to make an abrupt decision to shut it down." Some of the 39 employees will be offered jobs at the Saginaw Damon's Grill, said Midlander Miller. The Midland restaurant's landlord, Bill Putman of P&P Opportunity, said he learned of the closure when an employee called him to say he'd shown up for work and found the business closed. The employee wanted to know what was happening. Then Tuesday, P&P received a call from an attorney representing Miller's business, and Putman learned that financial concerns had forced the closing.
Introducing ... 'Midnight on Main'
via Midland Daily News
Midland better get ready because ringing in 2012 will be a historical event with the upcoming inaugural 'Midnight at Main' celebration Saturday. "Our team of about a dozen community members have been working nonstop for the past year to make this happen," said Selina Tisdale, executive director of Midland's Downtown Development Authority. "Everyone has really put their elbows into this to make it a party the Great Lakes Bay area will not forget." The outdoor party, which will be held along Main Street between Rodd and Gordon streets, will include plenty of festivities from family events and ice-sculpture contests to fireworks and live music. And of course, the big ball drop featuring an 8-foot 1,200-pound ball covered in more than 2,300 lights. The ball itself was a custom design that cost about $36,000 to produce. The event's major sponsor and designer, ZENTX Media Group of Freeland donated well over half of that cost in time, talent, labor and materials and the rest was covered by other area sponsors and ticket sales.
Midland better get ready because ringing in 2012 will be a historical event with the upcoming inaugural 'Midnight at Main' celebration Saturday. "Our team of about a dozen community members have been working nonstop for the past year to make this happen," said Selina Tisdale, executive director of Midland's Downtown Development Authority. "Everyone has really put their elbows into this to make it a party the Great Lakes Bay area will not forget." The outdoor party, which will be held along Main Street between Rodd and Gordon streets, will include plenty of festivities from family events and ice-sculpture contests to fireworks and live music. And of course, the big ball drop featuring an 8-foot 1,200-pound ball covered in more than 2,300 lights. The ball itself was a custom design that cost about $36,000 to produce. The event's major sponsor and designer, ZENTX Media Group of Freeland donated well over half of that cost in time, talent, labor and materials and the rest was covered by other area sponsors and ticket sales.
Ice sculptors to create coolest place on Main
via Midland Daily News
They've been seen by international viewers of their Ice Brigade television show on the Food Network this year, and they'll be displaying and demonstrating at the Super Bowl next year. But first, the artists-with-chainsaws from Ice Sculptures Ltd. in Grand Rapids will be in Midland to create the coolest attractions for the New Year's Eve Midnight on Main event. The centerpiece of their creations will be a 16-foot working ice bar weighing 3,500 pounds which will be in the courtyard of the H Hotel at 111 W. Main Street in Midland. The bar will have an over-sized martini glass at each end. Each glass can hold more than 2 gallons of martini mix which filters down the center stem of the martini glass to be dispensed by the bartender from a tap at the bottom. The H Hotel's courtyard will be called the Mix 106.3 Ice Lounge for the evening, and attendees 21 years of age and older with a purchased wrist band will be able to enter, order mixed drinks, and enjoy DJ dance music.
They've been seen by international viewers of their Ice Brigade television show on the Food Network this year, and they'll be displaying and demonstrating at the Super Bowl next year. But first, the artists-with-chainsaws from Ice Sculptures Ltd. in Grand Rapids will be in Midland to create the coolest attractions for the New Year's Eve Midnight on Main event. The centerpiece of their creations will be a 16-foot working ice bar weighing 3,500 pounds which will be in the courtyard of the H Hotel at 111 W. Main Street in Midland. The bar will have an over-sized martini glass at each end. Each glass can hold more than 2 gallons of martini mix which filters down the center stem of the martini glass to be dispensed by the bartender from a tap at the bottom. The H Hotel's courtyard will be called the Mix 106.3 Ice Lounge for the evening, and attendees 21 years of age and older with a purchased wrist band will be able to enter, order mixed drinks, and enjoy DJ dance music.
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
View EPA timeline for Tittabawassee, Saginaw rivers dioxin cleanup
The Environmental Protection Agency’s timeline for the Tittabawassee and Saginaw rivers cleanup is available online. The cleanup has started in the Tittabawassee River near Dow Chemical Co.’s Midland plant, known as Section 1. The rivers are divided into 3- to 4-mile segments for management. Cleanup for the Segment 2 will likely start in 2014 and Segment 3 should start in 2015. EPA officials will plan for both sites in the year prior. The cleanup is long term; The Saginaw River and Bay do not yet have dates for cleanup. Segment 8 is the first in the Saginaw River. The rivers are contaminated with different chemicals in different areas, but chief among them are arsenic near the Dow Chemical plant and dioxins and furans in the Tittabawassee River.
Dow Corning employees' Hairy for Charity event raises $1,000
More than 40 Dow Corning employees recently used facial hair to raise $1,000 for a local cause. The second annual 'Hairy for Charity' event saw employee participants wearing added beards and mustaches to support the East Side Soup Kitchen in Saginaw County. Spurred by a light-hearted hallway conversation that turned into 2010's Hairy event, employees in the Great Lakes Bay Region decided to keep the momentum going this year. "This has been a fun way for us to work together and support our community while having fun," said Kyle Schrauben, Dow Corning business process analyst and founder of the charity event. "We look forward to continuing the tradition with donations staying local to those in need."
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Damon's Grill in Midland closes
Damon's Grill in Midland has closed. The owner of the eatery, located at 6801 Eastman Ave., confirmed the closing with TV5 on Tuesday afternoon. More details are expected to be released by as early as Wednesday morning. No other information was made available.
Comfort and value key to drawing down-home diners to Midland's Table
Chef Peter Maiers will woo New Year's Eve diners at the H Hotel's Table restaurant with a menu suited to the night, a celebration of the season, he says, opening with potato ravioli with caviar cream and continuing with traditional Beef Wellington with foie gras and red wine jus and poached turbo with cauliflower puree and fresh oyster beurre blanc before ending on a sweet note with Buche de Noel with hazelnut cream. "Hazelnut or vanilla?" he asks, still tweaking the holiday fare. Make reservations soon for the four-course feast -- $80 a person – to learn how it turns out in the end.
Dow Corning honored for commitment to employees' fitness
It’s noon at the world headquarters of Dow Corning Corp. in Bay County, and a group of men and women is gearing up for an outdoor run. In the company cafeteria, the longest line is for offerings at the salad bar. Dow Corning promotes an employee culture of physical activity and healthy eating in the workplace. It’s a focus that earned the corporation honors from the American Heart Association. The association recently named Dow Corning a Platinum Level Fit Friendly Company. “We are honored and excited to be recognized by the American Heart Association as a Fit Friendly Company,” said Mike Conway, vice president and chief human resources officer. “This recognition confirms our commitment to employee health and the difference it makes in our company performance.”
Friday, December 23, 2011
Los Angeles Dodgers bring back John Shoemaker as Great Lakes Loons manager
John Shoemaker will return for his second season as the manager of the Great Lakes Loons, the Los Angeles Dodgers announced Wednesday. Shoemaker is in his 36th season in the Dodgers organization and second with the Loons. He will be joined by two new coaches. Hector Berrios will take over as the new pitching coach, while former major leaguer Razor Shines will work as the new Loons hitting coach. Shines played parts of four seasons with the Montreal Expos, from 1983-85 and 1987. He has coached since 1993 and served as a base caoch with the New York Mets in 2009 and 2010.
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Ex-Dow Scientist Who Stole Secrets Gets 7 Years, 3 Months Prison
An ex-Dow AgroSciences LLC researcher who stole trade secrets from his former employer to benefit a Chinese university was sentenced to seven years and three months in prison, prosecutors said. Kexue Huang, 46, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William T. Lawrence in Indianapolis, according to an e- mailed statement from U.S. Attorney Joseph Hogsett’s office. “The United States Attorney’s Office takes seriously its obligation to protect Hoosier businesses from economic espionage,” Hogsett said in the statement. Hoosier is a nickname for people from Indiana. Huang, a Chinese national, pleaded guilty in October to economic espionage. He also admitted to stealing trade secrets from the Minneapolis-based grain distributor Cargill Inc., the U.S. Justice Department said in October. Financial losses from his conduct exceed $7 million, the U.S. said.
Rep. Dave Camp of Midland urges Democrats to extend payroll tax relief
U.S. Rep. Dave Camp, R-Midland, on Wednesday joined House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, and Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Virginia, to negotiate with Senate Democrats on extending payroll tax relief. Camp urged for Democrats to appoint negotiators and prevent a tax hike on nearly 160 million American families, according to a release from his office. "The American people aren't looking for a temporary solution, they are looking for a long term solution," Camp said. "I call on the president to ask Sen. Reid to appoint conferees so we can get to work and develop a one-year extension of both the payroll tax holiday and unemployment benefits as well as protection seniors."
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Dow Powerhouse Solar Shingles help Saginaw Township family save, be green
Five months after having Dow Powerhouse Solar Shingles installed on their Saginaw Township home, Ken and Melissa Hall are noticing a lot more than lower energy bills. With 10-month-old twins, Elise and Matt, Hall and his wife Melissa decided now was the time to start thinking about conservation, so what better way than to have Dow Powerhouse Solar Shingles replace their standard roof shingles and create power from built-in solar cells? So, Ken Hall entered Dow Chemical’s “Power to Our People” contest for a chance to win the company’s new Powerhouse Solar Shingles for his home. Now, nearly five months after having the shingles installed in August and using Dow Solar’s monitoring technology, the Halls are noticing a lot more than lower energy bills.
Midland's Quad/Graphics to add 25 jobs
via Midland Daily News
Quad/Graphics Inc. plans to invest nearly $1.77 million in its Midland facility and hire 25 new employees within two years. The company already employs about 310 people at its Midland location at 1700 James Savage Road. Jim Houvener, Midland plant director for Quad/Graphics, said the plant currently prints catalogs and small quantities of special interest publications while operating in three shifts, five days a week. More than 700 titles are printed in Midland, including Traverse magazine and Michigan Home and Lifestyle magazine. The new investment will be in incremental presses, finishing equipment, automation and building renovations. The new jobs will be mostly hourly workers who will help meet the needs of a new customer, Houvener said.
Quad/Graphics Inc. plans to invest nearly $1.77 million in its Midland facility and hire 25 new employees within two years. The company already employs about 310 people at its Midland location at 1700 James Savage Road. Jim Houvener, Midland plant director for Quad/Graphics, said the plant currently prints catalogs and small quantities of special interest publications while operating in three shifts, five days a week. More than 700 titles are printed in Midland, including Traverse magazine and Michigan Home and Lifestyle magazine. The new investment will be in incremental presses, finishing equipment, automation and building renovations. The new jobs will be mostly hourly workers who will help meet the needs of a new customer, Houvener said.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Mitt Romney Announces Michigan Rep Dave Camp as Member of National Advisory Committee
Mitt Romney today announced the support of Michigan Congressman Dave Camp. Camp will serve as a member of Mitt Romney’s National Advisory Committee. “I am so honored to earn Dave’s support,” said Mitt Romney. “For years, Dave has a been a respected conservative leader in the House and shares my vision of fighting out of control spending, making entitlements more sustainable, and working to restore our nation’s fiscal health. I look forward to working with Dave in the months ahead to spread this message both to our home state of Michigan and the entire country.”
Monday, December 19, 2011
There's still time to see the Tutankhamun exhibit
You still have a few days left to see the exhibit "Tutankhamun: Wonderful Things from the Pharoah's Tomb," which remains on display through Friday, Dec. 23, at the Midland Center for the Arts, 1801 W. St. Andrews Road. A special program, "Kidding with King Tut," takes place at 1 p.m. today in the MCFTA Garden Room. Participants will go on a journey through ancient Egypt with museum educators. A tour geared toward children is planned, along with a craft project. The event is recommended for children age 5 and older. Cost is $8 per child and $11 per adult, which includes museum admission. MCFTA hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $8 adults, $5 children ages 4-14 and free for children 3 and younger.
Michigan State backup QB Andrew Maxwell may make appearance in Outback Bowl
Michigan State backup quarterback Andrew Maxwell has earned some playing time in the Outback Bowl, though coach Mark Dantonio stopped short of confirming he will play an offensive series when the Spartans meet Georgia on Jan. 2 in Tampa, Fla. "We will find out," Dantonio said. "Depends on how he practices." Dantonio then said he feels Maxwell has earned an opportunity much like current starter Kirk Cousins earned in his redshirt freshman year (2008). Cousins played one series in the middle of the 2009 Capital One Bowl against the then Georgia team. He completed 4-of-5 passes for 36 yards in his stint in the game, a 24-12 loss. He backed up Brian Hoyer that season. "I think that it is warranted," Dantonio said of Maxwell playing during the main part of the game this season.
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Dearborn-area pharmacist to open Planet Fitness in place of old McDonald's Nursery
via Midland Daily News
A gym for "normal people" is slated to open early next year in the building on Joe Mann Boulevard that formerly housed McDonald's Nursery. "This is for the normal people, the average person," co-owner Numan Ali said of the planned Planet Fitness. "We don't have the muscle guys." Ali, a Dearborn-area pharmacist, and his two business partners also plan to open Planet Fitness franchises in Saginaw, Bay City, Flushing and Port Huron next year, Ali said in a phone interview last week. Growth in the Dover, N.H.-based Planet Fitness has "just exploded in the last few years ... because it's such a great value," company spokesman John Craig said.
Memberships are $10 per month. "For value, we think there's nothing close to us," Craig said. "We have 3 million members around the country." Planet Fitness, founded in Newington, N.H., in 1992, now has 500 locations in 44 states. Ali said crews will be gutting the inside of the 15,000-square-foot building at 701 Joe Mann Blvd. He said doors will open for a "pre-sale" in early January. "We'll open up the doors and set up an area where we can show a video" so that potential members can see what a typical Planet Fitness looks like, he said. City of Midland property records show that E&A Real Estate Holding LLC of Dearborn purchased the property for $1.25 million in September from McDonald's Nursery.
Friday, December 16, 2011
Plan for $49 million Midland Stadium District granted $3.5 million tax credit
Dow Chemical, United Steelworkers reach no-strike, no-lockout agreement
Dow Chemical Co. labor relations officials and United Steelworkers Local 12075 have agreed to a no-strike, no-lockout pact while contract negotiations continue. The current collective bargaining agreement between Dow and United Steelworkers Local 12075 is set to expire on Feb. 11, and both sides have agreed to 45 days of advanced notice in writing before locking out workers or striking. Dow said the main purpose of the agreement is to reduce anxiety and apprehension among employees, businesses and customers during contract negotiations.
Suspect in Thompson death bound over
via Midland Daily News
The case against the parolee charged in connection with the death of 83-year-old Dr. Seth Thompson of Midland has been bound over to the Eaton County Circuit Court. Charges of open murder, receiving and concealing a stolen firearm and first-degree home invasion against Patrick Alan Vercruysse, 44, were bound over after an Eaton County District Court judge found there is probable cause to believe a crime was committed and that Vercruysse committed it. An additional charge of unlawfully driving away an automobile has been dismissed by prosecutors. Vercruysse appeared for the second part of the preliminary hearing on Wednesday, during which a medical examiner testified that Thompson, a retired oral surgeon, died of strangulation and asphyxiation, said Thompson's son, David Thompson. The first part of the preliminary hearing was conducted in November, with testimony from law enforcement officials.
The case against the parolee charged in connection with the death of 83-year-old Dr. Seth Thompson of Midland has been bound over to the Eaton County Circuit Court. Charges of open murder, receiving and concealing a stolen firearm and first-degree home invasion against Patrick Alan Vercruysse, 44, were bound over after an Eaton County District Court judge found there is probable cause to believe a crime was committed and that Vercruysse committed it. An additional charge of unlawfully driving away an automobile has been dismissed by prosecutors. Vercruysse appeared for the second part of the preliminary hearing on Wednesday, during which a medical examiner testified that Thompson, a retired oral surgeon, died of strangulation and asphyxiation, said Thompson's son, David Thompson. The first part of the preliminary hearing was conducted in November, with testimony from law enforcement officials.
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Loons' opening day tickets on sale
via Midland Daily News
Tickets for the Great Lakes Loons' 2012 opening day game against the Lake County Captains at Dow Diamond on Monday, April 9 are now available for purchase at Dow Diamond or online at Loons.com. The game, which begins at 6:05 p.m., will be preceded by an opening day parade in downtown Midland alongside various festivities on the lawn outside Dow Diamond. Tickets are $9 for a box seat and $6 for a lawn seat. A variety of ticket packages is also available, including the Red Wings Legends Series: a six-game package which features three Red Wings player appearances and three guaranteed bobbleheads.
Tickets for the Great Lakes Loons' 2012 opening day game against the Lake County Captains at Dow Diamond on Monday, April 9 are now available for purchase at Dow Diamond or online at Loons.com. The game, which begins at 6:05 p.m., will be preceded by an opening day parade in downtown Midland alongside various festivities on the lawn outside Dow Diamond. Tickets are $9 for a box seat and $6 for a lawn seat. A variety of ticket packages is also available, including the Red Wings Legends Series: a six-game package which features three Red Wings player appearances and three guaranteed bobbleheads.
Rep. Camp's Unemployment Bill Would Leave Michigan Dead Last in Aid to Unemployed
Michigan's Representative Dave Camp (R-Midland), who chairs the House Ways and Means Committee, introduced legislation on Friday that would impose severe cuts in the number of weeks of federal unemployment insurance available to out-of-work Americans in Michigan and around the nation, according to an analysis released today by theNational Employment Law Project. Camp's plan hits the unemployed in his home state especially hard. When combined with state cuts enacted by Michigan's governor and legislature last spring, Camp's proposal would leave Michigan, which faces an unemployment rate of 10.6 percent--fourth-highest in the nation--tied with low-unemployment states in offering the fewest weeks of unemployment insurance in the nation, at 46 weeks by the end of January 2012. "This proposal is reckless and irresponsible," said Christine Owens, executive director of the National Employment Law Project. "It dismantles the one program Americans can turn to when they are laid off through no fault of their own. We are still very much in the thick of a jobs crisis. To jobseekers and states hit hard by long-term unemployment, this proposal offers a cold and cynical shrug. Anyone serious about helping workers and businesses get going again needs to know that this is neither a serious nor acceptable way forward."
Dow Chemical joint venture with Ube to produce lithium-ion battery materials approved
The Dow Chemical Co. on Wednesday announced the approval of its joint venture with Japanese Ube Industries for the manufacturing of formulated electrolytes for lithium-ion battery cell manufacturers. The two companies, first announced in July, will form Advanced Electrolyte Technologies, which will produce up to 5,000 tons of electrolytes per year at a Dow facility in Midland. Dow said production for the new facility is expected late next year, the same year Dow Kokam’s 400,000-square-foot Midland Battery Park is scheduled to open. In 2012, the new company will build a 60,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Midland to make battery chemicals and components. The company is expected to create more than a dozen jobs.
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Occupy the Tri holds its first meeting today in Midland, attracting many supporters
Dozens of supporters gathered today for the first Occupy the Tri assembly held at Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Midland, 6220 Jefferson Ave. Occupy the Tri is an entity of Bay, Saginaw and Midland counties in accord with the national Occupy Wall Street movement. The movement began in mid-September and has spread to more than 100 U.S. cities and 1,500 cities worldwide, according to www.occupywallst.org. The general assembly is being used throughout the country at other Occupy sites to share opinions and information about issues and for establishing agendas and policy positions.The movement was created to address issues at both the national and local level. The three county-based Occupy organizations held separate rallies and meetings over the last few months. The proposal to merge the three groups was made earlier this month.
$49 million Midland Stadium District project backed by state tax credits
The creation of a Stadium District in Midland is one step closer to becoming a reality. Plans for a massive, modern-looking complex featuring new restaurants, retail shops and office space across from Dow Diamond got a vote of confidence Tuesday as the Michigan Economic Growth Authority awarded the project a $3.5 million tax credit. A large Michigan Business Tax brownfield credit valued at up to $3.5 million will support the redevelopment of the former McKay Press property, 215 State in downtown Midland. The vacant building adjacent to the Dow Diamond will be demolished and replaced by a new four story mixed-use commercial, office and retail building, scheduled to be constructed by fall 2013. The project is expected to generate $49 million in new investment and create up to 150 full-time jobs, a release from the Michigan Economic Development Corp. said.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
School evacuated for second time in as many days
Northeast Middle School in Midland was evacuated for the second time in as many days. School officials informed authorities of a strong smell of gas in the building Monday afternoon -- and again Tuesday morning. Parents were alerted to the situation and the fire department was called. The building is located at 1306 Sugnet. Monday's evacuation lasted about 10 minutes.
Tittabawassee River cleanup near Dow Chemical's Midland plant to start in 2012
Cleanup work on a three-mile stretch of the Tittabawassee River along the Dow Chemical Co. plant in Midland is scheduled to being in the spring. It is one of the first steps in a several-year initiative of the Environmental Protection Agency and Dow Chemical Co. to clean the river of contaminants, which include dioxins and furans. Diane Russell, remedial project manager at the EPA’s Saginaw Field Office, said the Segment 1 project will take two construction seasons to complete. While dioxins are not a focus in the section, the cleanup will target several different contaminants, including arsenic, that in the stretch of river. Russell provided an overview of the 2012 plan at Monday's Saginaw-Tittabawassee Rivers Contamination Community Advisory Group meeting at Saginaw Valley State University.
More than 200 Midland singers raise their voices in a Holiday Extravaganza
The Midland Center for the Arts is going to erupt in song Saturday, Dec. 17, with six vocal ensembles joining together in “Holiday Extravaganza: Home for the Holidays.” And it begins at 7 p. m. with a drum roll, featuring the Resonators Percussion Ensemble from Fulkerson Music Studio. “We’re going to have two world premieres, Grace Marra’s arrangement of ‘The Promised One’ and my arrangement of ‘O Holy Night,’ which is really cool,” said James Hohmeyer, who with Marra and Linda Hohner-Foster is directing the production. Everyone, from the classical Chorale and the Camerata Singers to the High School Women’s Choir and Men of Music to the pop-oriented Good Company and Dirty Dozen, will join in a few numbers, he added, including the Hallelujah Chorus.
Monday, December 12, 2011
Midland center becoming long-distance incubator
After the first of the year, a startup in Ludington or Traverse City will be able to tap into services from a business incubator two hours away in Midland -- part of a program that one observer of incubators says is the first of its kind in Michigan. The Mid Michigan Innovation Center in Midland houses 14 early-stage companies in a 112,000-square-foot building on the edge of the city. Since opening six years ago, MMIC -- like many business incubators -- has focused primarily on helping entrepreneurs around Midland. In the past few years, MMIC also has offered services to a few "virtual" tenants -- that is, entrepreneurs who access MMIC's programs and mentoring services from afar, said Ken Kousky, CEO of the business incubator. But MMIC's reach is about to extend far beyond Midland.
Phoenix Solar Builds Solar Plant for Dow Corning
Phoenix Solar and Dow Corning Corporation today jointly announced the completion of a solar installation at Dow Corning's world headquarters and for both companies to collaborate on efforts to commercialize a total solution using Dow Corning's structural adhesives. The adhesives, which replace the metal clamps, clips and bolts typically used to secure photovoltaic (PV) modules to mounting rails, have the potential to accelerate the adoption of solar energy by using automation to lower material and labor costs and reduce installation time in the building of solar plants. Under terms of the agreement, Phoenix Solar has designed, installed and delivered a proof-of-concept installation and a 23-kilowatt demonstration grid-tied plant on the grounds of Dow Corning's corporate headquarters. The two companies will continue to pursue future opportunities for solar projects, both within the North American market and internationally.
Friday, December 9, 2011
Olive Garden coming to Midland
via Midland Daily News
An Olive Garden Italian Restaurant will be a key component of a revamped Fairview Plaza across from the Midland Mall that the owner says will be full of tenants by next year. Billy Putman, whose Caro-based property development company bought the plaza in November 2010, said Olive Garden will be one of four to six new businesses to occupy the plaza by next year. He said he could not divulge who the other tenants will be, but said they will be a mix of national, regional and local businesses. Olive Garden will be located near Damon’s restaurant. Putman’s company, P&P Opportunities, owns the building that formerly housed Mattress Connection, a house behind it and the L-shaped parcel that includes Damon’s. Besides Damon’s, P&P owns the spaces occupied by several current businesses: Sirrine Appraisal, the Armed Forces Recruiting Center, Custom Creations salon and Spa, Steve’s TV, Career Uniforms, We Buy Gold and Saffron. The northern part of the plaza will be demolished because P&P wants a brand-new building, Putman said. The demolition will not include spaces now occupied by businesses.
An Olive Garden Italian Restaurant will be a key component of a revamped Fairview Plaza across from the Midland Mall that the owner says will be full of tenants by next year. Billy Putman, whose Caro-based property development company bought the plaza in November 2010, said Olive Garden will be one of four to six new businesses to occupy the plaza by next year. He said he could not divulge who the other tenants will be, but said they will be a mix of national, regional and local businesses. Olive Garden will be located near Damon’s restaurant. Putman’s company, P&P Opportunities, owns the building that formerly housed Mattress Connection, a house behind it and the L-shaped parcel that includes Damon’s. Besides Damon’s, P&P owns the spaces occupied by several current businesses: Sirrine Appraisal, the Armed Forces Recruiting Center, Custom Creations salon and Spa, Steve’s TV, Career Uniforms, We Buy Gold and Saffron. The northern part of the plaza will be demolished because P&P wants a brand-new building, Putman said. The demolition will not include spaces now occupied by businesses.
Last day: City of Midland Police Chief retiring
via Midland Daily News
An abundance of opportunity and an interest in connecting with the community he served have been the hallmarks of his career, and after 24 years in law enforcement, Midland Police Chief Gerald Ladwig is retiring. Ladwig spent 23 of those years with the Midland Police, beginning as a road patrol officer in 1988 after spending one year with the Jackson Police Department. In his first local role, Ladwig participated in neighborhood policing. "The neighborhood policing was just phenomenal," he said. "Really, it changed the way I looked at law enforcement as a career." It meant he was out of a patrol car, walking or biking, and talking with residents, connecting with different segments of the community, from the Waldo senior diners -- who threw a baby shower when his oldest daughter was born -- to those who live at Science City and around Longview Elementary.
An abundance of opportunity and an interest in connecting with the community he served have been the hallmarks of his career, and after 24 years in law enforcement, Midland Police Chief Gerald Ladwig is retiring. Ladwig spent 23 of those years with the Midland Police, beginning as a road patrol officer in 1988 after spending one year with the Jackson Police Department. In his first local role, Ladwig participated in neighborhood policing. "The neighborhood policing was just phenomenal," he said. "Really, it changed the way I looked at law enforcement as a career." It meant he was out of a patrol car, walking or biking, and talking with residents, connecting with different segments of the community, from the Waldo senior diners -- who threw a baby shower when his oldest daughter was born -- to those who live at Science City and around Longview Elementary.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Dave Camp named defense budget conferee to work out differences between House and Senate budgets
U.S. Rep. Dave Camp was named a defense authorization conferee to iron out differences between the House and Senate versions of the defense budget. "This important legislation will provide the critical resources for our military services as well as our national security programs that help keep our national defense strong," Camp, R-Midland, said in a statement. Camp is also chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. The congressman and fellow Michiganders U.S. Carl Levin, D-Detroit, and U.S. Rep. Sander Levin, D-Royal Oak, will act as conferees to work out differences between the Senate and House versions of the defense appropriation bill. The U.S. constitution requires both sides to be identical before it's sent to the president for a final endorsement.
Dioxin community advisory group meets Monday in combined November, December meeting
The Saginaw-Tittabawassee Rivers Contamination Community Advisory Group will hold its next meeting on Monday. The meeting 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. in Saginaw Valley State University's Curtiss Hall, 7400 Bay. Advisory group members agreed to combine the November and December meetings because of the holiday season. The advisory group consists of community leaders and citizens in Saginaw, Bay and Midland counties. They offer feedback to the Environmental Protection Agency about the dioxin cleanup in the Tittabawassee and Saginaw Rivers. Dow Chemical Co. and the EPA agreed earlier this month on a cleanup plan for a three-mile segment by Dow's Midland plant.
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Panera Bread to open in Midland, Mt. Pleasant
Next year, Midland and Mt. Pleasant will become home to the first Panera Bread restaurants in the Great Lakes Bay Region, according to a report from the Midland Daily News. Brent Skaggs, the owner of two Fazoli's restaurants in Midland and Mt. Pleasant, and the owner of Harvey's restaurants in Bay and Saginaw County, told the News he is not renewing his franchise options with Fazoli's but opting to bring in Panera Bread franchises instead. The report said the restaurants are slated to open in June. Currently, the nearest Panera Bread location to the Great Lakes Bay Region is in Grand Blanc. There are also Panera locations in Fenton, Okemos and Lansing. Panera Bread serves sandwiches, soups, salads and a variety of baked goods including bagels and pastries.
Rep. Dave Camp of Midland chairs hearing on tax reform
Rep. Dave Camp, R-Midland, on Tuesday chaired a House Committee on Ways and Means hearing to examine tax treatment of financial products. "Today's financial product marketplace represents a wide array of products, each of which has its own unique set of tax rules, including debt, equity, mixtures of the two, and financial derivatives such as options, futures and forward contracts, and swaps," Camp said. Tuesday's hearing examined the relationship between the tax code and financial products, a release from Camp's office said. The topic, which was the subject of a Joint Committee on Taxation report, examined what Camp's office called a "potentially inconsistent tax treatment of economically similar financial products."
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Dow Chemical donates $17 million to University of Minnesota
The Dow Chemical Co. has donated $17 million to U of M, though not the one you might think. The University of Minnesota this week received a $17 million grant from the Midland-based chemical company as part of its plan to invest in programs with 11 leading U.S. universities. Dow Chemical has pledged a $25 million per-year-commitment for 10 years. The other universities slated to benefit from Dow's partnerships include the California Institute of Technology, the University of California at Santa Barbara, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Georgia Institute of Technology, the Pennsylvania State University, the University of Wisconsin; Northwestern University, the University of California at Berkeley, Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Michigan.
Capitol Quartet promises to put the pop in Midland Symphony Orchestra's holiday concert
Saxophones and symphonies don’t mix, or so goes popular thought. The soulful sax was once known as the devil’s instrument. To this day, said David Stambler, who plays tenor sax in the Capitol Quartet, it doesn’t have a permanent seat in the traditional symphony orchestra even though it was originally invented for classical music. But when the two cross paths, as the Midland Symphony Orchestra and the Capitol Quartet will Saturday, Dec. 10, at the Midland Center for the Arts, the result is electric. “Swingin’ Holiday Pops,” with guest conductor Joan Landry wielding the baton, opens with a pre-concert interlude with Central Michigan University’s Central Wails Saxophone Orchestra, led by professor John Nichol, and then jumps into an energetic blend of favorite Christmas songs and swingin’ classics.
Monday, December 5, 2011
New era begins at MidMichigan Medical Center
After four years of construction, the $115 million dollar expansion project at MidMichigan Medical Center-Midland is completed and ready for the community to see. A grand opening and public viewing of the new facility is scheduled today from noon to 4 p.m. Medical Center President and CEO Gregory Rogers said they are trying to get rid of the sterile clinical-like atmosphere, while at the same time providing expanded surgical, heart and vascular services to the patients in mid-Michigan. "Leading edge hospitals across the country are creating that atmosphere. You get that feeling that you are coming into a healing environment rather than a clinical treatment environment. The minute people walk in the front door they are in a healing and welcoming type of environment," he said.
The Santa House begins 250k fundraising drive
Midland’s answer to the North Pole is about to see some much-needed renovations. The Santa House, one of Midland’s most popular Christmastime attractions, is beginning a fundraising campaign to add something to their facility that will surely delight its thousands of attendees each season: restrooms. “You should have heard the cheers last night (Tuesday, Nov. 29 at the annual lighting ceremony) when we announced we were adding restrooms,” said Janet McGuire, president and CEO of the Midland Community Foundation said. The Santa House, aided by the community foundation, which is responsible for the Santa House’s maintenance and endowment, McGuire said, will raise $250,000.
New Midland Residence Inn to open Dec. 12
via Midland Daily News
Marriott International, Inc. is scheduled to open a 67-suite Residence Inn by Marriott in Midland on Monday, Dec. 12. Located at 850 Joe Mann Boulevard, the Residence Inn Midland will operate as a Marriott franchise, owned and managed by Lodgco Management, LLC of Mount Pleasant. “We are pleased to introduce Residence Inn hotels in the Midland area,” said Brian King, senior vice president, Select Service and Extended Stay Brand Management, Marriott International. “This new hotel was designed to be a home away from home and provides a residential atmosphere and spacious accommodations for guest comfort.”
Marriott International, Inc. is scheduled to open a 67-suite Residence Inn by Marriott in Midland on Monday, Dec. 12. Located at 850 Joe Mann Boulevard, the Residence Inn Midland will operate as a Marriott franchise, owned and managed by Lodgco Management, LLC of Mount Pleasant. “We are pleased to introduce Residence Inn hotels in the Midland area,” said Brian King, senior vice president, Select Service and Extended Stay Brand Management, Marriott International. “This new hotel was designed to be a home away from home and provides a residential atmosphere and spacious accommodations for guest comfort.”
Friday, December 2, 2011
Mick Thomas turns wood from Down Under
via Midland Daily News
Growing up in southeastern Australia's state of Victoria, Mick Thomas would go fishing with his father up in "the bush" on weekends. He remembers vividly how his father would name trees for him: Red Mallee, Red Gum, Brown Mallee, Coolibah, and White Top-all varieties of eucalyptus tree. Thomas admits that he didn't pay much attention to his father's fascination with trees back then. But today he is glad for that early education, because these Australian trees inspire the woodturning hobby which he practices in his Midland garage workshop. Thomas will be one of the participating artists at the Chippewa Nature Center's 11th annual Nature Art Show and Sale Dec. 2-4. A members-only event will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 2. The show is open to the public from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.Sunday, Dec. 4. Other artists will have paintings, woodcarvings, photography, sculptures, baskets, pottery, and more.
Growing up in southeastern Australia's state of Victoria, Mick Thomas would go fishing with his father up in "the bush" on weekends. He remembers vividly how his father would name trees for him: Red Mallee, Red Gum, Brown Mallee, Coolibah, and White Top-all varieties of eucalyptus tree. Thomas admits that he didn't pay much attention to his father's fascination with trees back then. But today he is glad for that early education, because these Australian trees inspire the woodturning hobby which he practices in his Midland garage workshop. Thomas will be one of the participating artists at the Chippewa Nature Center's 11th annual Nature Art Show and Sale Dec. 2-4. A members-only event will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 2. The show is open to the public from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.Sunday, Dec. 4. Other artists will have paintings, woodcarvings, photography, sculptures, baskets, pottery, and more.
Public invited to honor fallen heroes Sunday at Project Blue Light
via Midland Daily News
The Memorial Presbyterian Church steeple is sporting a blue light and the yearly roll call of heroes is ready, both in preparation of Sunday's Project Blue Light. Members of the public are invited to the ceremony, set for 6 p.m. at the church, 1310 Ashman St. It is to honor all police, deputies, firefighters and paramedics who have died in the line of duty or while employed, plus their survivors and those who still work to keep the public safe. This year, organizer Mary Fisher of Midland has been busy finding additional ways to honor loved ones lost while protecting citizens. One of her projects was working to make sure three Midland firefighters who died in the 1960s were recognized with their names engraved on the Michigan Fallen Heroes Memorial in Pontiac. The memorial is the only one in the state that honors both law enforcement and firefighters who have lost their lives in the line of duty.
The Memorial Presbyterian Church steeple is sporting a blue light and the yearly roll call of heroes is ready, both in preparation of Sunday's Project Blue Light. Members of the public are invited to the ceremony, set for 6 p.m. at the church, 1310 Ashman St. It is to honor all police, deputies, firefighters and paramedics who have died in the line of duty or while employed, plus their survivors and those who still work to keep the public safe. This year, organizer Mary Fisher of Midland has been busy finding additional ways to honor loved ones lost while protecting citizens. One of her projects was working to make sure three Midland firefighters who died in the 1960s were recognized with their names engraved on the Michigan Fallen Heroes Memorial in Pontiac. The memorial is the only one in the state that honors both law enforcement and firefighters who have lost their lives in the line of duty.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Upward bound: Dow Chemical Co. stock
The Dow Chemical Co. stock on Thursday was one of the biggest movers of the New York Stock Exchange as it swung upwards 6.2 percent, according to a report from Financial News Network. "Over the past year, Dow Chemical has traded in a range of $20.61 to $42.23 and is now at $27.35, 33 percent above that low," the report read. Dow, a diversified chemical company, specializes in high growth sectors such as electronics, water, energy, coatings and agriculture, and makes at least 5,000 products, the company said. In 2010, Dow had annual sales of $53.7 billion and employed about 50,000 people worldwide.
Jobless rate dips to 6.7 percent
via Midland Daily News
Midland County's jobless rate dropped to 6.7 percent in October, following a statewide trend of lower unemployment. A smaller labor force and higher number of people employed combined to reduce the rate from 7.5 percent in September and 8.1 percent in October 2010. The numbers were released ahead of Gov. Rick Snyder's Thursday stop at Delta College, where he is expected to speak about matching the skills of the state's workforce with employers' needs. Delta College has worked closely with local employers such as The Dow Chemical Co. and Dow Kokam to create short-term Fast Start career training programs to meet immediate hiring needs for chemical processing, battery production and solar manufacturing. Delta College said Snyder will speak at 10 a.m. to an audience invited by his staff.
Midland County's jobless rate dropped to 6.7 percent in October, following a statewide trend of lower unemployment. A smaller labor force and higher number of people employed combined to reduce the rate from 7.5 percent in September and 8.1 percent in October 2010. The numbers were released ahead of Gov. Rick Snyder's Thursday stop at Delta College, where he is expected to speak about matching the skills of the state's workforce with employers' needs. Delta College has worked closely with local employers such as The Dow Chemical Co. and Dow Kokam to create short-term Fast Start career training programs to meet immediate hiring needs for chemical processing, battery production and solar manufacturing. Delta College said Snyder will speak at 10 a.m. to an audience invited by his staff.
Obesity, health problems can begin in the womb
via Midland Daily News
"Has your doctor asked you how much you weighed at birth? Were you born prematurely?" Dr. Barbara Luke, Sc.D., M.P.H., RD, a professor at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine asked the audience Nov. 16 at MidMichigan Medical Center in Midland. Luke spoke as part of the Health Lecture Series. Her lecture, "Women, Obesity and the Therapeutic Effect of Diet," is the second in a series of four lectures. She said factors from past and present can effect a person's future. Luke discussed obesity as an epidemic and how chances of becoming over weight and developing health problems begins in the womb. Factors include: Your genetic heritage and environmental heritage in fetal development and early childhood; your current nutrition, exercise and lifestyle; age at menarche; reproductive history; and age at menopause.
"Has your doctor asked you how much you weighed at birth? Were you born prematurely?" Dr. Barbara Luke, Sc.D., M.P.H., RD, a professor at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine asked the audience Nov. 16 at MidMichigan Medical Center in Midland. Luke spoke as part of the Health Lecture Series. Her lecture, "Women, Obesity and the Therapeutic Effect of Diet," is the second in a series of four lectures. She said factors from past and present can effect a person's future. Luke discussed obesity as an epidemic and how chances of becoming over weight and developing health problems begins in the womb. Factors include: Your genetic heritage and environmental heritage in fetal development and early childhood; your current nutrition, exercise and lifestyle; age at menarche; reproductive history; and age at menopause.
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