Michigan to count lottery wins against welfare

After twice finding out lottery winners continued to use food stamps after collecting the jackpot, Michigan lawmakers on Thursday gave final approval to legislation aimed at making sure it doesn't happen again. Bills headed to Republican Gov. Rick Snyder for his signature would require lottery officials to notify the state's Department of Human Services about winners of $1,000 or more. The legislation also would put into law a requirement for asset tests to help determine eligibility for some public assistance programs in the state, and lottery winnings would factor into those tests. The asset tests provision drew the most opposition from lawmakers Thursday, although some asset tests already are used in Michigan through state department policy.

Read the full story here!

Midland man arrested on insurance fraud charges

Michigan State Police troopers from the Mount Pleasant post arrested a 43-year-old Midland man on a seven county felony warrant. Authorities said an investigation was launched after representatives from Auto-Owners Insurance of Michigan found an employee had been adding items to legitimate customer insurance claims and converting those items to his own use. The investigation revealed that the total amount fraudulently obtained exceeded $100,000. Troopers said search warrants were served on the subject's home where many items were seized. Approximately $19,500 worth of stolen property was recovered.

Read the full story here!

Dow Says U.S. Gas Shouldn’t Be Exported Indiscriminately

Dow Chemical Co. (DOW), the largest U.S. chemical maker, said domestic supplies of natural gas shouldn’t be exported “indiscriminately” because the industry is counting on continued low prices to justify factory investments. Gas exports and U.S. government incentives to encourage its use in vehicles may undermine chemical makers’ confidence that prices will remain low, Jim Fitterling, executive vice president for energy and feedstocks at Midland, Michigan-based Dow, said today in a speech at the IHS World Petrochemical Conference in Houston.

Read the full story here!

Midland's Maxwell in line to start at QB for MSU

Andrew Maxwell dropped back, rolled out to his right and tossed a short, crisp pass to Dion Sims. Spring practice has begun at Michigan State, and Maxwell has the crucial task of replacing Kirk Cousins at quarterback. Tuesday was Maxwell's first chance to take over as the leader of the offense, and it was an unusual feeling. “It was different. It was weird,” he said. “It's a challenge I've been waiting for.” Cousins led the Spartans to 11-win seasons as a junior and senior, and his departure leaves both a leadership void and a hole to fill in the team's passing game. Maxwell, who will be a junior in the fall, has attempted 51 passes in his college career and hasn't played much in non-blowouts.

Read the full story here!

To Give and To Get: Why a Congressman can’t order his aide to give his wife a Jewish divorce.

Rep. Dave Camp, the Republican chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, is Roman Catholic, and he represents a district, the Michigan 4th, with few Jews. But as anyone with access to Twitter, Facebook, or the rest of the Internet can learn, Rep. Camp has a big Jewish problem. And it’s one he may be powerless to solve. The congressman is under attack because of his aide, Aharon Friedman, an Orthodox Jewish graduate of Harvard Law School. Friedman has been legally divorced from another Orthodox Jew, Tamar Epstein, since 2010—but has refused to give his ex-wife a get. In Orthodox Judaism, this is the document that a man must give to his wife in order for a religious divorce to go into effect. So long as Friedman refuses to give a get, Epstein cannot remarry within the faith and is considered an agunah, or chained wife.

Read the full story here!

Midland Country Club to host 2012 Michigan PGA Match Play Championship

The Midland Country Club will host the 2012 PGA Match Play Championship, the PGA Michigan Section has announced. The 16-player event will take place Sept. 10-11. The winner will take home $4,000. Players qualify for the event through five qualifying tournaments. Visit michiganpgagolf.com to register. The Midland Country Club completed a three-year, $30 million upgrade last year.

Read the full story here!

Dow Chemical plans to invest in Saudi Arabia plant

Dow Chemical Co. plans to invest an undisclosed amount in a new manufacturing plant in Saudi Arabia that will make coating materials for use in that country and for export to markets worldwide. The biggest U.S. chemical maker said that the facility will be located at the Jubail Industrial City. "By investing in a new coatings facility in Saudi Arabia, we are moving closer to our regional customers, and realizing our regional business objectives in a key growth market for Dow," Jerome Peribere, executive vice president of Dow Chemical and president and CEO of the Dow Advanced Materials unit, said in a statement on Sunday.

Read the full story here!