More than a paper dress: Go Red for Women event Friday

via Midland Daily News

Mica Jones lists off the supplies she’ll be bringing with her to the Midland Country Club. “The paper roll, tape, glue gun, pins, scissors,” she said, adding, “There will be a few things that have to be touched up.” Jones is talking about a paper dress — red, of course — she created for the Go Red for Women conference scheduled for Friday at the country club. She made the dress in October at her home, and will transport it to the event herself. A red dress is the icon for the national Go Red for Women movement, launched in 2004 by the American Heart Association to draw attention to women and heart disease. Jones was asked by local Go Red for Women committee chair Melissa Anderson to design a paper dress for the Midland event, at which her husband Dr. Robert Jones, will be part of a medical panel.

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Midland native Heinz to pursue Giffords' vacated seat

via Midland Daily News

Ever since Midland native and H.H. Dow High School graduate Matt Heinz made the decision to join the special election to replace Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, his life has been a "whirlwind." He made the final decision to run Tuesday. "It's been kind of a whirlwind since that time," he said Friday over the phone.
Heinz, an Arizona state representative serving the Tucson area, said he has been discussing the issue with his family for the past two weeks. "Everything is continuing to evolve very rapidly," he said.

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Russian women's tennis pro in Dow Corning Classic speaks at Midland Chamber breakfast

As she gears up for competition in the Dow Corning Tennis Classic, Russian tennis professional Vesna Dolonts took time Friday morning to appear at the Wake Up Midland Chamber of Commerce breakfast. Dolonts has ranked as high as 86th in the world in women's tennis and has competed in all four grand slam events. She's making her first appearance at the Dow Corning Tennis Classic at the Midland Community Tennis Center. "From this moment, I will come every year," Dolonts told an audience of about 300 attending the morning chamber event at Valley Plaza Resort's Great Hall.

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Midland County sheriff doing his part to keep children safe on the internet

Midland County Sheriff Jerry Nielsen wants children to be safe on the internet. He's offering parental internet monitoring software to any parent who wants to make sure their kids are safe when using the internet. "It's really an eye-opener when you look at some of the things that have happened out there. And how easy it is to really get into a mess that you really can't get out of," Nielsen said. The program is called Computer Cop. It works by placing a disk inside the computer. Then the software scans the computer's hard drive for any inappropriate images or language that a child might've seen on the internet. Parents can use this information to talk to kids about what they're doing on the Web. "I have heard that it's helped the parents get into discussions with their children as to some of the things that's going on in their computer. And it's really helped them, and they feel it makes it much safer," Nielsen said.

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EPA misses self-appointed deadline to release official study on dioxin

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency missed its self-appointed deadline to release the official and complete study on dioxins. The EPA had promised to release the study by the end of January. It has been working on the study of dioxins since 1985. Members of the Lone Tree Council, a nonprofit environmental organization based in Bay City, said they were disappointed but hopeful that a study would be released soon. Thousands of individuals and organizations all across the United States have urged the release of the study.

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Andrew Wylie heads to Eastern Michigan, with Midland High teammates Dave Walter, Joe Vieu to Michigan Tech

Steve Elmer will have to wait, although he did get a phone call from Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly. Elmer is only a junior, so he was only a spectator Wednesday when three of his Midland High teammates signed letters of intent to play college football next season. Andrew Wylie was the centerpiece of the trio, signing with Eastern Michigan University. Fellow offensive lineman Joe Vieu and receiver David Walter signed to play for Division II Michigan Tech.

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Magic Johnson's group remains alive in bidding for Los Angeles Dodgers, Great Lakes Loons

Magic Johnson made his name in basketball, but the former Michigan State and Los Angeles Lakers star is making a bid to add Major League baseball to his resume. Johnson, who is a part owner of the Dayton Dragons minor league team, is part of an ownership group that is in the running to purchase the Los Angeles Dodgers. Johnson's group, which includes former baseball executive Stan Kasten, was one of approximately 10 bidders to advance to the second round of bidding. "We made the first cut, and we're in the second round," Johnson said Monday while visiting Saginaw to announce a partnership between his company, Sodexo Magic, and the Saginaw School District.

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