Jobless Rate in Midland Surges

Midland County's jobless rate increased in June as students and more seasonal employees entered the workforce seeking jobs. Midland's seasonally unadjusted rate hit 7.4 percent, up from 6.8 percent in May, according to the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget. Midland's total workforce grew in June, with 25 more people employed and 275 more people unemployed. "Workforce and employment levels in most Michigan regions expanded in June as summer and seasonal hiring continued," said Rick Waclawek, director of the Bureau of the Labor Market Information and Strategic Initiatives. "With the influx of job seekers, unemployment rates increased moderately over the month. However, jobless rates remained well below 2011 levels throughout the state."

Read the full story at Midland Daily News!

Northwood Gallery partners with Taste of Downtown

The Northwood University Gallery, located at 102 East Main St., will be participating in the Taste of Downtown in Midland on Thursday, Aug. 9, from 5:30 to 11 p.m. The gallery will help host the event as guests enjoy the various food, drinks and entertainment downtown Midland has to offer. At the gallery, Northwood's NADA Hotel and Conference Center will be showcasing their chefs' offerings. Each ticket to the Taste of Downtown costs $32 and includes more than 15 samples of local cuisine, three complimentary beverages from downtown pubs and an evening reception on the patio of The H Hotel to conclude the evening with more food, drinks and dancing.

Read the full story at the Midland Daily News!

U.S. Rep. Dave Camp diagnosed with type of non-Hodgkins lymphoma, to undergo chemotherapy

U.S. Rep. Dave Camp, R-Midland, has been diagnosed with a “very early, highly treatable and curable” type of non-Hodgkins lymphoma, his office confirmed today. The 59-year-old Camp, the House Ways and Means Committee chairman, will undergo chemotherapy in the next few months, his office stated. Doctors discovered large B-cell lymphoma after a “recent routine yearly physical,” Camp said in a statement. “My treatment will take place every three weeks over the next few months,” the statement reads. “It will consist of a series of chemotherapy sessions. In between treatments I will continue my work as a United States Representative for Michigan’s Fourth District and as Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee. Thankfully my health is otherwise excellent and my doctors and I expect a full recovery and cure. My family and I appreciate the support, good wishes and understanding we have received.”

Read the full story at MLive!

Allegiant Air to end direct service from MBS International Airport to Orlando-Sanford

Less than a year after Allegiant Air began offering nonstop flights from MBS International Airport to Orlando-Sanford, the carrier announced it would end its service at the airport. The nonstop flights began Nov. 3, and will end Sept. 23, Allegiant said in a release. Customers with reservations beyond that date will be contacted by Allegiant for a full refund. “We are always disappointed to end service in a market,” said Eric Fletcher, Allegiant Travel Co. manager of airports. “We thank MBS International Airport for their partnership and apologize to any travelers who are inconvenienced by this decision.”


Read the full story at MLive!

For more on this story, read here:
Bradenton Herald
NBC 25

Voters will not have to declare party preference in Aug. 7 primary election

When voters head to the polls for the Aug. 7 primary election, they will be voting in an “open” primary. After arriving at their respective polling location, every voter will be given a ballot with a column listing both Democratic and Republican candidates. Voters then decide which party primary they wish to participate in by voting only in the column of their party choice. Voting for candidates in more than a single party’s column will void the entire partisan ballot. For example, if voters wanted to vote for one of the five Republican candidates for Midland County sheriff or the one of the two Republicans candidates for 98th District state representative, they would not be able to vote in any of the Democratic races.


Read the full story at the Midland Daily News!

Midland hit with power outage

Over 4,000 Midland County residents were without power this morning due to last night's severe thunderstorm and weather. Crews were still cleaning up branches and debris this morning in the aftermath as Consumers Energy customers slowly regained power back in certain areas.

Local residents who spoke with Consumers Energy were told to expect power restoration by 8:00 PM. Please stay tuned to Midland Online for any updates as more information becomes available.

Dow CEO Andrew Liveris: Economic crisis in EU is cause of poor earnings report

Top officials from Dow Chemical Co. addressed concerns about the company's sluggish second quarter earnings report this morning in a conference call with investors, placing much of the blame on deteriorating economic conditions in Europe. Dow Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Andrew N. Liveris said the economic decline in the eurozone led to low consumer confidence in Europe, which makes up about a third of the Midland-based chemical giant's business.

Read the full story at MLive!



Read more on this story at:
Businessweek
The Washington Post
Wall Street Journal

West Nile virus found in Midland crow

The West Nile virus has turned up in a crow collected July 24 in northeast Midland. There have been no human West Nile virus cases reported from Michigan this year but activity in Michigan often peaks in August or September so residents need to maintain awareness throughout the summer, Tom R. Wilmot, of Midland County Mosquito Control, said. Ultra low volume fogging to control adult mosquitoes will be conducted in the area around the collection of this crow as soon as weather permits and will continue throughout the county as necessary, he added. Mosquito Control also will continue testing dead birds and adult mosquitoes from throughout the county. Surveillance results can be viewed at the Midland County Mosquito Control website.


Read the full story at Midland Daily News!

Dave Camp Introduces Bill to Stop Year End Tax Hike for Every American

The Democrat-controlled Senate is expected to take up a proposal tomorrow to extend the Bush income tax cuts for up to $250,000 — a limitation deeply unpopular among Republicans who want the cuts renewed across all income levels. Rep. Dave Camp, R-Midland, chairman of the House Ways & Means Committee, introduced a bill Tuesday that would extend current tax rates for a year. "This bill will stop the tax hike facing every American who pays income taxes at the end of the year," Camp said.

Read the full story at Detroit News!

Midland's free ROCK the Tridge brings family-friendly music, games

The first time Otherwise Broken played a forerunner of ROCK the Tridge, “I wasn’t even in the band,” said guitarist, lead singer and songwriter Larry Cleveringa. But when the Christian rock band from Holland returned last year to the family festival’s Battle of Bands — it comes Thursday, Aug. 2, to the park in downtown Midland — the musicians took third place among nearly a dozen contenders. That was enough, along with Cleveringa’s award for best vocal performance, to bring them back again with a sound he calls Black Sabbath and Judas Priest with a message.


Read the full story at MLive!

Deer Run completes major renovations

Deer Run has made big changes during the past six months. State Sen. John Moolenaar, R-Midland, recognized major renovations to the Midland adult foster care facility last week in the form of a legislative award. The Midland facility is licensed to treat those who have closed brain and spinal cord injuries. The award was timed to the completion of a six-month project, which brought the facility from 10 beds to 12 beds, but also honored its continuing dedication to the community. The biggest change was a larger therapy room, said Deer Run Administrator Colleen Grant.


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Woman drowns in Tittabawassee River in Midland

Midland police say they've identified a woman whose body was found in the Tittabawassee River. WSGW-AM reports that police say that 41-year-old Kelly Draper was reported missing Saturday. They say she was last seen near a boat launch in the area of Chippewassee Park. An autopsy Sunday showed that Draper drowned. The station says investigators are waiting for toxicology tests to determine if other factors were involved in the accident.


Read the full story at Cadillac News!

Midland high schools fare well on CAP Report Card

Every standard public high school in Michigan is evaluated and graded in the “Michigan Public High School Context and Performance Report Card” published by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy in Midland. The CAP Report Card examines public high school performance while taking into account family income, producing what the center calls an “apples-to-apples” comparison for parents and policymakers. “Education research consistently shows that socioeconomic factors have a significant impact on standardized test results,” said Michael Van Beek, the center’s director of education policy and a coauthor of the report card. “This is the first-of-its-kind attempt in Michigan to take this reality into account, and it helps us identify outstanding schools that by most measures would appear mediocre.”


Read the full story at the Midland Daily News!

Riverdays Blues Music tonight in Chippawassee Park

Tonight, from 5:30-9:30 PM you can enjoy blues music at Riverdays Festival in Chippawassee Park. There will be many activities for the family including a barbecue dinner, cornhole, beer/wine tasting, and a mud volleyball tournament, among others. For more information regarding activities and times you can check out the event flier or visit the event's Facebook page.

Midland area a step closer to becoming SmartZone

The Midland area is one step closer to attracting high-tech businesses and speeding the commercialization of ideas, patents and other opportunities after the state Legislature approved legislation to increase the number of SmartZones in Michigan, Rep. Jim Stamas announced today. House Bill 5246, which allows for three new state SmartZones, contains language that would allow Midland to compete for, and if selected by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, to create a SmartZone to be established based upon its proximity to the research resources of The Dow Chemical Co., Dow Corning Corp. and other high-tech firms in the region.


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Midland County Jail revenue goal: $2 million

Midland County officials are breathing a sigh of relief as they’ve seen revenues for the county jail explode. After many months of concern over the need for funding from housing inmates from other jails, revenues continue to climb. The county realized $1,479,200 in 2011 and the 2012 budget initially included a revenue projection of $971,000, but that figure has been revised to $1.2 million. Midland County Sheriff Jerry Nielsen has much higher goals in mind. “The goal is $2 million and I think we can reach that,” he said.


Read the full story here at Midland Daily News!

Loons fall in extras to Wisconsin 5-4

The Great Lakes Loons dropped the first game of their series in Wisconsin to the Timber Rattlers, 5-4 in 10 innings. Ben McMahan hit a solo home run off Matt Shelton (1-4, 2.40 ERA) with two outs in the bottom of the tenth to send the Rattlers to victory. Raydel Sanchez (3-4, 4.03 ERA) started for the Loons, throwing six innings while giving up four earned runs. With the loss, the Loons fell to 11-14 during the second half of the season, 4.5 games behind first-place Lansing.


Read the full story at WNEM!

Dow Chemical offers remediation to 9 Midland homeowners, working with others on buyouts

Dow Chemical Co.'s work to clean dioxin-contaminated homes is moving ahead of schedule. After initially planning to test 100 properties in the city of Midland for the toxic chemical byproduct, Dow crews are moving on to test about 50 more. It's part of the Midland-based chemical manufacturer's plan to adjust the cleanup as crews move along, letting data drive where crews test. "We're making real time adjustments. We'll see that throughout the project lifetime." said Carrie Houtman, Dow spokeswoman. "I think it's a positive sign that shows Dow's commitment to move forward. We're committed to going where the data will take us."


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McAlister’s Deli to open stores in region

McAlister’s Deli has signed a multi-unit store development agreement calling for new restaurants in central Michigan. “Over the past two years we have made great strides in strengthening the McAlister’s Deli brand. Our guests have responded very positively to our menu enhancements and we are experiencing strong same store sales growth and interest in additional development from both new and existing franchisees,” said McAlister’s Deli President and CEO Frank Paci. A new franchisee, Bobby Coy and Up North Franchising Group, Inc., will develop restaurants to serve Saginaw, Bay City, Midland and Mount Pleasant.


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Michigan congressional incumbents raise millions; Camp leads with $3.5 million

Federal data shows Michigan's congressional incumbents are dominating their challengers in raising campaign cash, a nonpartisan group said Monday. An analysis by the Michigan Campaign Finance Network, a nonprofit organization that conducts research on money in state politics, shows members of Congress from the state have brought in $18.7 million of the $22.7 million raised by candidates running in the Aug. 7 primary. The network is relying on second-quarter campaign finance reports -- through June 30 -- filed with the Federal Election Commission. The top fundraisers among Michigan incumbents this election cycle are Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp of Midland, who has raised $3.5 million, and Commerce and Energy Chairman Fred Upton of St. Joseph, whose campaign has brought in $3.1 million.


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Michigan Beer and Wine Tasting to be held at Riverdays

On Friday July 20, The Midland Rotary Club will host a Michigan Beer and Wine Tasting event in conjunction with Riverdays. Tickets will be on sale at the door at a cost of $10 which will entitle the entrant to five tastes. Additional tastes can be purchased at 2 for $5 or 5 for $10. All proceeds will benefit the local and international service projects of the Midland Rotary Club. For a full list of beers and wines, click here.

Olympic involvement raises protests against Dow

The Dow Chemical Co. joined as an Olympic partner to raise awareness of the company and its contributions to sustainable solutions around the world. But not all of the attention Dow has gained has been positive -- some say Dow tarnishes the image of the games because one of its subsidiaries, Union Carbide, is linked to the deadly 1984 gas leak in Bhopal, India. Dow maintains that liabilities related to the gas leak at a Union Carbide India plant were settled before it purchased Union Carbide 16 years after the disaster. Union Carbide paid a settlement after the disaster and turned the site over to the Indian government for cleanup. Union Carbide sold its assets in India to another company, now operating as Eveready, and Dow later purchased Union Carbide.


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9 Midland houses eligible for dioxin cleanup; Dow Chemical to test 50 more homes

Nine Midland properties have dioxin contamination levels higher than 250 parts per trillion after one round of Dow Chemical Co.'s testing. Dow crews sampled 97 properties this summer of the 106 homeowners they offered it to. The Midland-based chemical company and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality in February announced its plan to sample dioxin levels at about 1,300 homes. Dow will offer remediation to homeowners whose property has soil levels higher than 250 parts per trillion.


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USA junior softball team training in Midland

Manager Tim Lyon and his USA Softball Junior Men’s Fast Pitch National Team are excited about playing softball in Michigan, and that includes right here in Midland. “Michigan is a good area for softball,” Lyon said. “It still has a lot of leagues that play in the small towns. In Boston, Los Angeles and Chicago, there are so many other things to do. There’s not that community feel. Michigan, it’s got a great softball tradition. There are some really good people and boosters around.” Lyon and his squad will be looking to finalize its roster for the 2012 International Softball Federation Junior Men’s World Championship (19-under), which is held Nov. 1-10 in Parana, Argentina.


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Republican National Committee slams 2009 fed support of Dow Kokam

The Republican National Committee is slamming the Obama Administration's decision to provide stimulus dollars to the Dow Kokam Advanced Battery Park project in Midland because foreign workers were involved. The RNC includes union worker complaints that Dow Kokam employed Korean nationals to complete construction on the 400,000-square-foot facility on a list of federally-funded projects that outsourced jobs or used foreign workers. 


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Midland receives fluoridation grant

The city of Midland is one of 11 to receive a fluoridation equipment grant from the Michigan Department of Community Health. This is the third year these fluoridation equipment grants have been awarded. This year, they were made possible by a $100,000 donation from the Delta Dental Foundation. The allocation to Midland was $12,700. "Water fluoridation has demonstrated its effectiveness in preventing tooth decay, and more importantly, studies have shown that oral health is key to overall health," said Christine Farrell, manager of the Oral Health Unit at MDCH.


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Midland boy who clung with three others to capsized boat in Saginaw Bay for 12 hours recounts their survival story

Despite being cold, hungry and not knowing when or if he would be rescued, 12-year-old Dakota Mack said the 12 hours he spent holding on to a capsized boat overnight hasn't deterred him from wanting to go fishing again. Mack was on an 18-foot fishing boat with his father, Ryan Miller of Macomb Township, his 11-year-old friend Jackson Fisher of Linden in Genesee County and his friend's father, Brian Nelson of Macomb Township. "We were fishing for walleye, and the water was glass. It was completely smooth. We caught some really big walleye, like 9-pounders," said Mack, who lives in Midland.


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Protests against Dow Chemical's Olympic sponsorship continue

Even though the London 2012 Olympic games are only two weeks away, some continue to protest against Dow Chemical's sponsorship of the games. Amnesty International reported today the London Assembly approved a motion stating the "association with Dow has caused damage to the reputation of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games." The motion reads:

“This Assembly believes that the decision of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to select Dow as a Worldwide Partner has caused damage to the reputation of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. This Assembly feels the IOC and national organising committees should consider the environmental, social, ethical and human rights records of companies when awarding high-profile partnership and sponsorship deals.

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Midland's downtown district expanded to include Northside Overlay, Stadium districts

Downtown Midland has been expanded significantly after the Midland City Council unanimously approved an ordinance expanding the area within the Downtown Development Authority's jurisdiction Monday night at the council's bi-monthly meeting. The five-member council approved an ordinance that adds the area to the north of the current downtown district known as the Northside Overlay District as well as the area to the southeast known as the Stadium District, which includes Dow Diamond, 825 E. Main. It also approved an ordinance amending the Tax Increment Finance Authority, or TIFA, district.


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Sentencing again rescheduled for Sanford woman convicted of shooting man in Burger King parking lot

The sentencing for a Sanford woman convicted of fatally gunning down her ex-lover in a Burger King parking lot has been adjourned again, as a judge has yet to decide if she should get another trial. Midland County Circuit Judge Jonathan E. Lauderbach was to sentence Rachel M. Moore on Thursday for killing Brian L. Reichow. The sentencing has been rescheduled to the afternoon of Aug. 9, according to staff in the judge’s office. A previous sentencing date of May 31 was also adjourned.


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Dow Chemical CEO Andrew Liveris tops list of Michigan's highest-compensated executives outside Detroit

Outside of Metro Detroit, Dow Chemical Co. Chief Executive Officer Andrew Liveris makes more than any other chief executive in Michigan. According to Crain's list of publicly held companies outside of Metro Detroit, Liveris came in on top, earning more than $40.65 million in 2010 and 2011 in total compensation. Though Liveris's salary was $1.74 million in 2011 and $1.69 million in 2010, the rest of his compensation came in the form of stock awards, non-equity incentive and retirement,  option awards, and other income. The Midland-based Dow Chemical had a net income of $2.78 billion in 2011, and $2.32 billion in 2010.


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Midland's Creative 360 celebrates art created by seniors with ArtFest55

Carol Speltz recently stopped by Creative 360 for an impromptu event and found herself stepping backing in wonder. “Everyone was drawing together in a circle and there was a bonfire and kids were holding sparklers, and I thought, ‘This is real nice,’” said the arts center’s volunteer executive director. It’s a far cry from last year, when the discovery of financial oversights looked as if the center would close its doors. And while Creative 360 still has a way to go before declaring financial stability, Speltz said, “we’re doing lots of wonderful things again, and with every event comes hope.”


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Myron Greene points to experience, leadership as top Sheriff qualifications

I recently spoke with Mr. Myron Greene, a candidate for the office of Midland County Sheriff, about his candidacy and the upcoming primary election (August 7th). Mr. Greene is currently serving his 20th year in law enforcement and his experience speaks for itself. His dedication to solving the county budget woes was neither matched, nor pursued, by any other candidate in the field and I believe this is what separates him from the pack.

“Both on and off duty, I have dedicated my life to protecting, serving, and supporting the people of Midland County,” says Mr. Greene. “This dedication is unmatched by any other candidate!” Myron has been heavily involved within the community, in addition to the public service he has provided for 19 years in law enforcement for Midland County. His charitable associations are many and it speaks heavily of the candidate’s character.

In my opinion, Mr. Greene is a viable candidate for this position of public service and his proof of experience and leadership supports that notion.

Consumers Energy says power has returned to 5,500 residents in Midland, Gladwin counties

Power has returned to nearly all residents in Midland and Gladwin counties following a substation transformer failure Wednesday. The transformer failure occurred around 8 p.m. Wednesday and left 5,500 residents in the two counties without power. “Because we needed to make repairs, we brought in a mobile substation,” spokeswoman Mary Kulis said. As of 2 p.m. Thursday, Kulis said the mobile substation was “up and energized.”


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Local CPAs offer perspective on white-collar crimes in light of couple charged with embezzling $1 million from Midland dentist

As a Bay County jail officer and his wife sit in jail on charges of embezzling about $1 million from a Midland dentist, some area accountants have offered insight as to how such white-collar crimes occur. “This type of fraud happens frequently,” said Stewart J. Reid, certified public accountant and partner with Weinlander Fitzhugh, 1600 Center Ave. Kenneth J. and Stephanie K. Cieslinski, were arraigned Tuesday in Midland County District Court on six felonies between them. A judge entered not guilty pleas on their behalfs.


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West Michigan Whitecaps avoid no-hitter, lose 1-0

The West Michigan Whitecaps were four outs away from being on the wrong side of history Monday night, breaking up what was nearly the first no-hitter in Great Lakes Loons’ franchise history before ultimately losing, 1-0, at Dow Diamond. West Michigan (6-5, 42-39) finished with just two hits – both singles – as Raydel Sanchez out-dueled Wilsen Palacios to deliver Great Lakes (5-6, 39-42) the narrow victory.
Palacios came into the game looking to become the Midwest League’s first 10-game winner, but Sanchez quickly stole the show.

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Midland's Vieau part of winning team at recent All-Star football game

via Midland Daily News

Last week, Midland's Joe Vieau got a taste of what to expect in college football, had a great time, and in the process helped his team set a few All-Star Game records. Vieau, who recently graduated from Midland High and will join the Michigan Tech football team in August, played center and was a co-captain on the West team in its 59-7 thrashing of the East in the annual Michigan High School Football Coaches Association All-Star Game at Alma College on Saturday. "It was unbelievable," Vieau enthused. "It was the most memorable week of my football career so far. It was an honor to be considered one of (the best senior players in the state), and it was a whole lot of fun."

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West Michigan Whitecaps slug three home runs in comeback win

The West Michigan Whitecaps picked a good time to take their first lead of the night on Sunday, spending the first nine innings clawing their way back from an early deficit before sneaking out a 10-inning, 8-5 win over the Great Lakes Loons at Dow Diamond. After falling behind 3-0 in the first inning, West Michigan (6-4, 42-38) slugged three home runs and overcame three errors on their way to a comeback win in the opener of the three-game series against Great Lakes (4-6, 38-42). The offense was led by the first and ninth hitters. Leadoff man Luis Castillo went 3-for-5 with a homer and four RBI, while Brandon Loy reached base in four of his five plate appearances and scored three runs at the bottom of the lineup.


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