State Roundup

GIBRALITAR
Redevelopment of former steel mill site gets $2.2M

GIBRALTAR, Mich. (AP) - Michigan officials say more than $2.2 million in loans and a grant have been awarded to help redevelop the site of a former Detroit-area steel mill.

The state Department of Environmental Quality says Tuesday the funding for the Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority is for the Ferrous CAL Co. redevelopment project. The work at the former McLouth Steel in Gibraltar includes removal of contaminated materials.

The Ferrous CAL will redevelop the former steel mill into a state-of-the-art facility for annealing, a process that involves heating metal or glass to increase its strength.

The company anticipates the new facility will create more than 100 new jobs. Funding includes a $1 million Clean Michigan Initiative Brownfield Redevelopment loan, a $1 million Revitalization Revolving loan and a $245,000 Clean Michigan Initiative grant.

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HAZEL PARK
August wedding for couple in gay marriage case

HAZEL PARK, Mich. (AP) - Two Detroit-area nurses whose lawsuit erased Michigan's ban on gay marriage will exchange vows in August.

Their attorney, Dana Nessel, says April DeBoer and Jayne Rowse will be married on Aug. 22 in Southfield. Federal Judge Bernard Friedman, who struck down the gay-marriage ban, will officiate, as The Associated Press reported in June.

DeBoer and Rowse sued the state after they couldn't jointly adopt each other's children. That case grew into a challenge to a Michigan constitutional amendment that recognized marriage only between a man and a woman.

In June, the U.S. Supreme Court said same-sex couples have a right to marry.

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DETROIT
Fund provides $275K to five area startups

DETROIT (AP) - A Macomb Community College and JPMorgan Chase program has given $275,000 to five Detroit-area startups as part of an effort to help stimulate economic development and job growth.

Two Ann Arbor businesses received $100,000 each from the Innovation Fund. MyFab5 streamlines social media marketing for restaurants. TurtleCell produces a smartphone case with retractable headphones.

AQUASIGHT of Rochester Hills, GAP Quality Systems of Southfield and KTISIS of Sterling Heights each received $25,000.

AQUASIGHT improves water pumping systems. GAP Quality Systems is an automated auto parts inspection system. KTISIS is a composite container system that enables fleet vehicles to use compressed natural gas or liquefied gas.

The effort is part of JPMorgan Chase's $100 million commitment to Detroit's economic recovery.

The companies are required to provide internships for Macomb Community College students.

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EMPIRE
Program aims to help protect birds along lakeshore

EMPIRE, Mich. (AP) - A program seeks to help protect endangered birds nesting along Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

MLive.com reports the "Bark Ranger" program is planned to have volunteers and their dogs serve as park ambassadors.

The aim is to keep pets from getting into areas used by the piping plover. Dozens of the birds nest at the lakeshore along Michigan's northwestern Lower Peninsula.

National Lakeshore Wildlife Biologist Sue Jennings says she's noticed more visitors and animals overstepping their bounds into the nesting areas.

When the birds are startled by a dog, which they see as a predator, they flee their nest.

There's an information session for potential volunteers from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on July 29 at the Philip A. Hart Visitor Center in Empire.

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DETROIT
Law enforcement raids in seek to curb heroin sales

DETROIT (AP) - Federal, state and local law enforcement agencies have raided several Detroit locations as part of an effort to curb heroin sales.

The FBI says in a statement the raids Tuesday aim to curb recent violence and the increased sale of heroin in the area, which has affected Detroit and neighboring Oakland County. The FBI says the drug "continues to be a significant problem in our communities, leading to numerous deaths and overdoses."

The raids took place along a stretch of the Woodward Avenue corridor.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Michigan State Police and the Oakland County sheriff's department are involved. Police in Detroit, Ferndale, and Royal Oak also are among the departments working on the raids.

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GRAYLING
Military training set for July in northern Michigan

GRAYLING, Mich. (AP) - Military personnel from the United States, Canada, Latvia, Poland and Australia are participating in training exercises in northern Michigan.

The Michigan Air National Guard says the fourth annual "Operation Northern Strike" involves military members from 20 states for air and ground training.

The exercise, which involves more than 3,000 military members, is based primarily at the Camp Grayling Joint Maneuver Training Center and the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center. Live fire training takes place at Camp Grayling through July 31.

Officials at Camp Grayling say in a statement they'll be blocking off some roads near training areas until July 26.

The training is taking place at the same time as Jade Helm 15, which includes military in Texas as well as several other states.

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LANSING
Report: Michigan dips again on child well-being

LANSING, Mich. (AP) - The annual Kids Count survey finds Michigan's child poverty rate worsening since the Great Recession while child health indicators are improving.

The report released Tuesday by the Annie E. Casey Foundation says Michigan ranks 33rd in child well-being nationally, down one slot since last year. Nearly one in four children lived in poverty in 2013, compared with almost one in five in 2008.

Children in high-poverty neighborhoods increased from 340,000 in 2006-2010 to almost 400,000 in 2009-2013.

Michigan's lowest ranking was in education, though the survey says recent increased spending on early childhood programs will help.

The anti-poverty Michigan League for Public Policy says Michigan is "losing ground while other states prosper."

Michigan improved in child death and low-birth weight baby rates, teen substance abuse and children with health insurance.

Published: Wed, Jul 22, 2015