A view of East Grand Traverse Bay from the marathon course
Yesterday, I ran my fourth marathon, the Bayshore Marathon in Traverse City. I have run two Marine Corps Marathons in DC and the Capital City River Run in Lansing. The Bayshore is by far my favorite, and not just because I set a PR (more on that later).
From the volunteers to the spectators to the Moomers ice cream at the finish, everything was well run. But the highlight is the course itself. For almost the entire 26.2 miles, the course follows the roads along the eastern shore of the Old Mission Peninsula. The route gives runners sweeping views of the blue waters of East Grand Traverse Bay.
Cherry blossoms along the course
My description of the views cannot do them justice. My family and I drove along the course several hours after the race so I could show them what I saw, and so I could take a few photos.
If you have to run 26.2 miles, might as well enjoy the view.
The course is mostly flat, but there were a few small hills here and there (the only ones I really noticed were in the last 5 miles, when I was struggling to keep my legs moving). Many of the residents along the route sat in their front yards and cheered the runners on, and some even offered water (or beer. . . I passed on the beer). Olympic marathoner Desi Linden, one of the fastest women in the world, even stood on the sidelines encouraging people who run the marathon hours slower than her.
On my recent trip to South Haven, I had the opportunity to run along the Kal-Haven Trail on the morning I left town. The trail is a 34.5 mile former railroad that connects Kalamazoo and South Haven. I started at the trailhead, which is about one mile northeast of downtown South Haven. I parked in the trailhead's lot, stretched, and began running.
A view of the Black River from the Kal-Haven Trail
I ran an out-and-back of approximately 15 miles, so I only saw about 7.5 miles of the trail. The first stretch of the trail is paved before it eventually turns into crushed limestone. The starting mile marker is probably about 0.2 miles into the trail. The trail has a mile marker every mile. I questioned the accuracy of a couple of mile markers because twice I had a very quick (for me) split immediately followed by a slow split, and I don't think my pace was varying that much.
On Saturday, my family and I attended the Michigan-Michigan State swimming and diving meet at Canham Natatorium on the University of Michigan campus. My wife and I want to expose our daughters to sports that are hard to find on television and that might interest them. Both MSU and U of M have more than 20 varsity sports (and a few high-level club sports). Most of these student-athletes are not household names, and many are not on a full scholarship.
Other than football, basketball, and hockey, both schools charge a minimal fee, or no fee at all, for spectators to attend their sporting events. Some student-athletes might have Olympic or professional aspirations, but the remainder push themselves beyond their limits to improve their teams and to discover how much faster they than go, how much higher they can reach, and how much stronger they can be.
I stopped the car outside the old gate on Michigan Avenue and began explaining to my mother-in-law the history of Tiger Stadium. I pointed out the people cleaning up the field and told her what I knew about the Navin Field Grounds Crew, the purely volunteer group of baseball lovers who maintain the sacred field that Detroit's city government has neglected since Tiger Stadium closed in 1999.
We were just driving through after a great lunch at Green Dot Stables and did not not plan to get out of the car. My wife and I had walked on the field before, and my youngest daughter was content to be secured in her car seat (and it's never a good idea to upset the status quo of our two-year-old). But then one of the grounds crew members walked up to the car and invited us to walk around what is left of the old ballpark. At first we declined, but my six-year-old daughter piped up from the backseat that she wanted to walk on the field.
Any time my daughter is interested in something I love, I jump at the opportunity to share my interests with her. So my mother-in-law, my older daughter, and I hopped out of the car and wandered onto the field. I explained to them the history of the ballpark and made sure my daughter knew how her grandpa took me to games and her great grandpa took him to games at this stadium.
A member of the Navin Field Grounds Crew at work
The names Hank Greenberg, Ty Cobb, Al Kaline, and Charlie Gehringer mean nothing to my daughter, but Grandpa is legendary to her. That's the beauty of this old field. Baseball fanatics love it for the legends that played there, but Detroit Tigers fan cherish it for the memories their families made and the traditions they have passed on since the Tigers first played baseball on the corner of Michigan and Trumbull in 1896.
Before we left the field, we watched the last remaining member of the Navin Field Grounds Crew sweeping home plate. We stopped and talked with him about the old ballpark and the future of the stadium site, and we thanked him for the work he and his group did to preserve the field for future generations.
Home plate at Tiger Stadium
As we walked away, I looked at the pitcher's mound and noticed a baseball resting on it, as if it was eagerly waiting for a couple of teams to show up for a pickup game. And pickup games and organized games still happen at the Corner throughout the summer, but the Tigers are long gone from the site.
The pitcher's mound at Tiger Stadium
My children will never see the Tigers play baseball at the Corner, but it's an important part of the city's history. I just hope that the planned development for the site preserves a grass field and as much of the original layout of the field as possible. I also hope that the field is open to the public so that someday my children can walk out on the field with my grandchildren and tell them about grandpa watching games there as a kid and their memories of walking on the field as children.
As we left the field, my daughter asked if we could take the baseball, but I told her that it belonged to the field. We left it behind, still waiting for a baseball game to return to the Corner.
NFL insiders cannot believe that Jim Harbaugh would want to take a "step down" to coach college football at the University of Michigan. Their myopic view ignores the passion of college football fans and the personal investment many of us have in our state universities.
My dad died in October, and sports are not the same without being able to share the elation of every victory and the pain of every defeat with him. My dad followed all of Detroit's professional sports teams, but he followed only one team with an almost religious devotion. Sundays were God's day, but fall Saturdays belonged to the University of Michigan football team.
My dad went to U of M in the late 50s when Michigan football was pretty much as mediocre as it has been the last few years. Everything changed in 1969 when a young coach named Bo Schembechler took over as Michigan football's head coach. Although most fans did not know how to pronounce "Schembechler" when he was first hired, his teams did what no one else did to Woody Hayes's Ohio State teams--took a punch and punched them right back in the mouth. My dad saw the fight in Bo's teams and was hooked. He bought season tickets in the early 1970s and kept them until he died.
For about 40 years, he had the same seats in section 8. From the first time my parents carried me into the stadium as an infant, I have been lucky to attend many classic games at Michigan Stadium over the last few decades. Except for the years I was a student at Michigan, I watched most of the games from those seats.
The author running the Great Lakes Relay. Photo courtesy of J. Stec
Day Three
There is an old saying: "If you don’t like the weather in
Michigan, just blink." It can change from pleasant to catastrophic in an
instant. The same could be said about the state of our roads. The combination
of a long winter and aging infrastructure came together on day three to
completely close a road.
We received this news as we arrived to drop our first runner
at the start. Officials informed us that the first runner would also have to do
the second leg, since no cars would be able to make it to the exchange point.
Suddenly, all (poorly laid) plans were thrown out, everything changed, and we
sent our runner off at 6:00 a.m., southwest of Grayling, and continued on to
the exchange to pick up the third runner.
The next bit of the morning was a blur of waiting, cramped
sleeping in the back of a Scion while friends snored, and more waiting. Our
third runner took a bit longer than she might have, because she stopped and
took off her shoes in order to cross a large stream. We picked her up, sent the
fourth runner on his way, and continued on to another charming resort town,
Fife Lake.
Michigan farmland near Cheboygan. Photo courtesy of J. Stec
Day Two
The second day of the Great Lakes
Relay began before 5 a.m., with three vehicles full of blurry-faced runners caravaning
south on I-75 to the start, in the rolling farmland below Cheboygan. My car
carried the runner for the second leg, and we arrived early to figure out our
game plan, and to wait for the runner who completed the first leg.
We were so early that we decided
to continue down the seasonal road to find a gas station, but after advancing
only a half mile or so, we realized that we were bottoming out too much to go
on. We turned around and headed back the way we came. We were stopped by two
bikes, sitting perfectly in the road. “Oh,” I thought. “Someone just parked
here to run off into the fields and pee.” I was wrong. Those were our bikes--that
flew off of the back of our car on that terrible road.
We remounted our bikes and
hurried on to the exchange to wait for the first runner, the one from our group
that we would consider the most highly strung. More and more runners were
arriving, and she was nowhere to be found. We contacted her by phone to realize
that she and many others were lost. Her 4.7 miles of rolling hills had turned
into almost six miles of panic.
We were about to take off to find
her when the car wouldn’t start. Our battery was dead. Another runner’s support
vehicle good-naturedly offered a jump, and their runner even waited to help
before taking off. It was heart stopping and then immediately heartwarming. The
Jeep was running, so we sent the second runner on her way, picked up our lost
lamb, and continued down the road to find gas.
I am very grateful to share a three-part post from Jamie
Stec about the Great Lakes Relay. Jamie also writes an awesome blog about her
experiences fighting breast cancer. Here are two of
my favorite posts from her blog:
Trout Brook Pond. One of the Great Lakes Relay's locales. Photo by J. Stec
You’ve probably seen the stickers
on the back of cars, denoting mileage. Reading 3.1 for a 5k race, 26.2 for a
marathon, and 140.6 for an Iron Man triathlon. After this last weekend, I added
a new one to the back of my vehicle: 295.95. You see, this past weekend, my
ten-person team completed the 23rd annual Great Lakes Relay. The GLR
is a three-day relay race that began with a bunch of nutty runners racing from
the St. Clair County seat of Port Huron to the foot of the Mackinaw Bridge at
the tip of the Lower Peninsula. Over the years, the course has been altered
depending on interest and the allowances of the local governments, and this
year, for the first time ever, the race included a day in the Upper Peninsula.
Ten people, three days, trail running from Tahquamenon Falls to Sleeping Bear
Dunes? What was not to love? I was soon to find out that, from
the perspective of many of my teammates, there were many things not to love.
The course was difficult, the accommodations lacking, the organization iffy.
But I remained undeterred. Three days of trail running from Tahquamenon Falls
to Sleeping Bear Dunes was, just like the state of Michigan itself, full of
experiences to love.
The entrance to Comerica Park from inside the stadium
Last summer, my wife and I took my two daughters to Nationals Park in
D.C. to see the Detroit Tigers play the Washington Nationals. My youngest was still an
infant, but I spoiled my older daughter with junk food. She had a hot
dog, a ton of popcorn, and a giant pretzel...and she loved it. But it
wasn't Detroit.
I remember the excitement of sitting in the back of my parents' station wagon while we rumbled over the brick paved streets of Corktown near Tiger Stadium. I was mesmerized by the enormity of the old ballpark towering above Michigan and Trumbull, the vendors peddling souvenirs and peanuts on the street, and the bustle of the pregame crowd.
Four-year-old me at Tiger Stadium in 1978
The ballpark was even larger on the inside, with its upper deck wrapping around the entire stadium with old, blue steel posts holding it up. It smelled old, but that was the odor of tradition. It wasn't just the tradition of great ball players like Ty Cobb and Babe Ruth, but also the tradition of fathers and sons (and mothers and daughters) who made pilgrimages to this stadium to cheer for their team.
Tiger Stadium in 1978
Tiger Stadium may be long gone, but I had to take my girls to the Tigers' current home, Comerica Park. We went to a 7:00 p.m. game on July 4. We parked in the lot outside the old Michigan Theatre, and walked through Grand Circus Park to Comerica Park. The area around the stadium was bustling, like I remember Corktown doing decades ago.
I am a proud Michigander, even though I currently live out of state. Here are some of the little things I miss about the Great Lakes State: The smell of burning leaves in the fall.
July fireworks in Detroit or over one of Michigan’s many lakes.
The return of baseball in the spring
reminding us that, though it may still feel like winter most days,
summer is right around the corner. Driving on snowy roads with people who know how to drive on snowy roads.
I finally went to my first game at Camden Yards in Baltimore yesterday to see my Detroit Tigers play. Even though I have lived in the D.C. area for a while, I had never been to a Tigers game in Baltimore because the games always seemed to land on days when I had a conflict. Plus, it is a lot easier for me to take the Metro to a game at Nationals Park in D.C. than to drive an hour (or more) to Baltimore, especially for a night game.
I had this game circled on my calendar ever since the Tigers
exhibition game against the Washington Nationals was rained out in
March. After having two of my last three Tigers games rained out, I
decided to wait to buy tickets so I could keep an eye on the weather. A
few days before the game, possible rain was forecast, so I waited until
the day before the game to make a decision. After confirming that rain
was not likely, I went on StubHub and found a cheap seat in foul
territory in left field.
Getting to Camden Yards
The game was scheduled to begin at 12:35 p.m. on Wednesday morning. I left my house in Northern Virginia at 9:20 a.m. I avoided most of D.C.'s rush hour and made it to the stadium’s parking lot in an hour. I parked in Lot F, which is south of Camden Yards near M&T Bank Stadium where the Ravens play. The lot is under an overpass, which probably would help to keep a car cool on a sunny day, and it only costs $8. I read about other lots that were closer to Camden Yards or near Baltimore’s restaurant scene in the Inner Harbor, but most charged significantly more. I had been to Baltimore before, so I went with the cheapest parking option.
Johnny Unitas Statue outside M&T Bank Stadium
Lot F is not too far from Camden Yards, but people who have trouble walking might want to find parking closer to the ballpark. Other than walking past the Ravens' stadium, the walk from the lot to Camden Yards was not scenic…pretty much just concrete.
A dog, a child, a family, a community Some stories remind us of humanity's capacity for kindness while also
reminding us of the unique bond between humans and dogs. The Battle Creek Enquirer recently featured one such story.
Five-year-old David Facey was born with cerebral palsy and severely
addicted to drugs, and doctors did not believe he would live past his first birthday.
Despite his health issues, Arlen and Betty Facey fostered David and
later adopted him. They then invested thousands of dollars to get
Venture, a service dog, for David. Venture and David
quickly bonded. David learned to accomplish physical goals with Venture's help, and Venture alerts when David's oxygen becomes low.
Unfortunately, Venture suffered a leg injury that would have made him
unable to serve David. However, several charities worked to raise money
for Venture's surgery. Thanks to the help of strangers, Venture is now helping David succeed again. Rebuilding lives from crumbling buildings Jewelry company Rebel Nell uses graffiti from crumbling Detroit buildings to make jewelry. As reported by PolicyMic, Rebel Nell's co-founders have partnered with the Coalition on Temporary Shelter (COTS) to hire women staying at shelters. Rebel Nell's ultimate goal is to help the women transition into permanent housing.
University of Michigan doctors and engineers used 3-D printing to create a splint for 18-month-old Garrett Peterson's bronchi, the airway that conducts air into the lungs. As reported by MLive, Garrett has a rare disorder that caused his bronchi to collapse into the size of small slits. U-M doctors performed a surgery to implant the splints, and Garrett's bronchi have remained open. This procedure will allow Garrett's parents to eventually take him to their home to Utah after he has spent his entire life in hospitals.
Here's a video of Garrett's struggles and the doctors who saved him:
It's hard to find a beer "Best of" list that does not include at least one beer from Bell's or Founders. Even if Mother Nature is not ready for Spring, each of these two brewers is celebrating Spring with the release of a popular beer. Bell's is releasing it's popular wheat ale (and one of my longtime favorites) Oberon on March 24.
Founders released its KBS, or Kentucky Breakfast Stout, today as part of KBS Week in the Grand Rapids area. Ratebeer.com recently named KBS the Best Beer in America. For a list of bars serving KBS in the Grand Rapids area, read this report by MLive.
Three Michigan schools go dancing
The NCAA men's basketball tournament starts this week, and Michigan has placed three teams in the "Big Dance." Although that might not seem like a big number, two talent-rich basketball states, Illinois and Indiana, surprisingly did not place even one team in the tournament this year.
Big Ten champion Michigan and Big Ten Tournament champ Michigan State hope to advance deep into the tournament while MAC champ Western Michigan look to make some noise by upsetting higher ranked teams.
Holland to Star in a New Movie Hollywood movie makers again will be coming to Michigan to film a new movie starring Bryan Cranston and Naomi Watts. "Holland, Michigan" is scheduled to be filmed in Holland and is currently in pre-production. The Grand Rapids Business Journaldescribes the film as a Hitchcock-like thriller set during the tulip festival. Eight Women Who Are Transforming Detroit Huffington Post Detroit features eight women who epitomize the energy of Detroit's resurgence. The article highlights an artist-musician, a blight buster, a music teacher, and more women who give back to the city in different ways. Kids Honor Their Classmate by Donating Jeans Quiniece Henry, a 13-year-old at Forrest Hills Middle School, recently passed away from Burkitt lymphoma. Her classmates, teachers, and friends remembered her as a young girl who wanted to help others, so they decided to honor her by helping the homeless. MLive reports that a Girl Scout troop and the school's student council organized a jeans drive to collect jeans for Grand Rapids-area homeless. The drive collected 151 pairs of jeans, despite bad weather shortening the week of the drive.
I have been battling a nasty cold/cough the last several days, so here is an abbreviated "Best of the Net." As always, these are just a few of the many good stories coming out of the Great Lakes State.
BitCamp is a program in Grand Rapids that hopes to inspire young girls to pursue careers in science, technology, and computer science. Rapid Growth features the program's efforts to give hands-on technology experiences to girls here.
Traverse City Is For Lovers Michigan has its share of romantic spots for Valentine's Day, and Travel + Leisure has named Traverse City as the 10th most romantic town in the United States, noting its romantic outdoors attractions. Travel + Leisure ranked cities based on the number of "romantic" spots, like romantic hotels, brunch spots, and picnic-friendly parks. Run Kalamazoo USA Today has named the Kalamazoo Marathon as one of 14 spring races all runners should try. The publication commends the marathon for its unique course through "the area's parks, trails, neighborhoods and downtown mall." A Tree Farm In Detroit Detroit has vacant land and blight, but instead of seeing failure, some entrepreneurs see opportunity. Hantz Farms LLC plans to open the nation's largest tree farm on 15 acres on Detroit's east side between Mack and Jefferson avenues near Pennsylvania Street. Crain's Detroit Businessdescribes the company's struggle to start the farm and its ultimate plans for approximately 150 acres on the east side. Making Films In Lansing Major motion pictures have been shooting in Detroit over the last several years, but other areas of Michigan have growing filmmaking scenes as well. Capital Gains highlights the movie industry and the the growth of independent filmmakers in the Lansing area. The article also features the Capital City Film Festival and Fortnight Film Contest's contributions to Lansing's filmmaking scene. Making A Difference In Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids Urban Innovative Exchange features local artist Hugo Claudin's efforts to help his community and to increase graduation rates for local high schools. Claudin works as a Natural Helper for the Believe 2 Become program that tries to "help children succeed through summer enrichment, after-school
experiences for students, and workshops and mentoring for parents." Claudin also hopes to help his community by using his gallery to highlight and encourage local artists.
Spring Is In The Air The boys of summer are back in action, as the Detroit Tigers have reported for Spring Training. The Tigers are hoping to make another run to the World Series and are staying warm in Lakeland, Fla., until Detroit thaws. Opening Day is on March 31, when the Tigers host the Royals.
The Lions won their last championship here. Photo by MrMiscellanious
At Briggs Stadium in Detroit on December 29, 1957, the Detroit Lions won their third NFL championship in six years, and their fourth all-time, with a total dismantling of the Cleveland Browns. After watching their team win 59 to 14, Lions fans surely must have thought that their team would reach the top of the NFL again and again.
Briggs Stadium later became Tiger Stadium and has since been torn down, and the Lions moved to Pontiac and then back to Detroit, but they never reached the pinnacle of their sport again. They have never really come close, with only 10 playoff appearances and one playoff victory since 1957.
The NFL has expanded multiple times since 1957, and the Super Bowl was created in 1967. Nineteen franchises have won Super Bowl championships while the Lions are only one of four NFL teams, and the only current team that was in existence in 1967, to never have played in the Super Bowl.
Despite this futility, Lions fans keep coming back for more but with different levels of dedication.
The blind optimists (and there is a surprisingly large number of these people) believe every year that "this year is going to be the year" until the Lions are mathematically eliminated from the playoffs. The Lions could be 0-5 with a defense that is surrendering 30 points per game and a quarterback that has thrown twice as many interceptions as touchdowns, and yet they will still think that the Lions are incredibly close to putting it all together and winning out to earn a spot in the playoffs.
The realists are not as crazy as the optimists. During the offseason, they think there is maybe a chance if we draft this guy or make that trade or fire this coach or hire that general manager. When the season starts, they might have some hope if the team looks to have the right players, but the realists are usually brought back down to earth by the midpoint of the season. Unlike the optimists, an 0-5 start does not kill them because they were kind of expecting it in the first place based on years of shattered expectations. Plus, they can survive because hockey and basketball seasons usually are starting to heat up right about the time the Lions appear to be doomed.
The pessimists, and I include myself in this group, have no hope for a Super Bowl in their lifetimes but still support the Lions because of their stubborn pride for Detroit sports. These fans will scream "Same old Lions!" after the first interception or fumble of the season, even if the Lions are up 28-0 in the fourth quarter. They also relish the ability to always tell other NFL fans, "You think you've got it bad. I'm a Lions fan!" with the hopes that the other fan will buy them a drink out of pity. These fans want to believe, but will not let themselves be duped after so many disappointments. Someday though, they may find a coach and team that will let them believe.
Despite the hopelessness of the Lions, and my own pessimism, I still support them because they are my hometown team. Living in the D.C. area now, I wear my Detroit colors with pride and enjoy running into other Detroiters who are visiting or now live in D.C. during football season. It feels like I am home again to be able to agonize with a stranger over the most recent missed kick, bumbled call, or inconceivable safety that cost the Lions a win.
One of many plays that would be unbelievable to anyone who is not a
Lions fan. He just keeps running as if he doesn't even know he is out of
bounds. They lost this game by two points by the way.
Recently, a neighbor of mine who is from Massachusetts told me that he decided to change allegiances to the the Washington Capitals and Nationals from the Bruins and Red Sox because his young son liked going to Caps and Nats games. I was appalled because I could never imagine giving up on Detroit's teams because I live somewhere else. Once a Lions fan, always a Lions fan...no matter how soul-crushingly painful it may be.
Being a Detroit fan, for better or for worse, is part of my identity. My grandfather was a fan of Detroit sports teams, and so is my dad. My 5-year-old daughter already knows that the Old English D means Detroit Tigers. I want my kids to know that there is something special about cheering for Detroit, even if it means laughing outwardly, while crying on the inside, as the Lions fumble away another season.
Detroit Tigers Old English D in sidewalk chalk.
Being a Lions fan is difficult because only the most loyal fan could support something as incredibly flawed as the Detroit Lions. It is that undying loyalty that makes it worth it though. It's easy to be a fan of a winner, but you must really love your hometown to root for a perpetual loser.
Even as a huge pessimist, I know that someday they will surprise us and win the Super Bowl. It will be glorious, and if does not happen in my lifetime, hopefully it will happen when my kids are alive. They may not be huge sports fans like me, but they will know that I would have been happy because I never gave up on my team for convenience or to back a winner.
Huffington Post Detroit tells the story of Jayvon Felton's one day as chief of the Detroit Police Department. Jayvon is a 9-year-old cancer patient who dreams of being a police officer one day because of his desire to fight crime and help people. He was able to be the highest-ranking officer thanks to the efforts of the Children's Hospital of Michigan and the Detroit Police Department. Click here for the story.
Michigan Universities Foster Success
MLive reports that the Center for the Study of Social Policy (CSSP) named two Michigan universities to its list 15 programs "making a critical difference" for foster care youth.
Western Michigan University's Center for Fostering Success and Michigan
State University's FAME program made the top 15 from a list of 130
nominees nationally.
Science Center Surviving I remember childhood field trips to the Detroit Science Center, now known as the Michigan Science Center, and am happy it is still alive after briefly closing in 2011. Thanks to donations, the center has survived, and now the DTE Energy Foundation has announced a $1 million donation to the science center to be distributed over a period of five years according to this report by Michigan Radio. Hopefully donations like this will keep the center open for years to come.
Michigan Olympians
If you watched the Olympics during the first day of skating competitions, you probably heard the announcers mention Michigan several times. Several skaters train in Michigan, including skaters representing countries other than the United States. Many speedskaters, snowboarders, and, of course, hockey players also claim Michigan as their home or have Michigan ties. Additionally, with strong college hockey programs throughout the state and the Detroit Red Wings, Michigan has several ice hockey players in the Olympics with Michigan ties.
Detroit Teen Makes A Difference
TeenNick named DeQuan O'Neall, a high school senior from Detroit, as its February HALO Effect honoree. The HALO Effect recognizes young people who make a difference through helping and leading others. DeQuan is an advisory board member of the Neighborhood
Service Organization's Youth Initiatives Project, a representative of
the "Hugs Not Bullets" campaign, the only youth member on the Advisory Board for the Chief of Police of the Detroit Police Department, and a founding member of
the "Grads Not Inmates" campaign. TeenNick's interview with this impressive young man can be found here.
Michigan celebrated its 177th birthday yesterday. Michigan became a state on January 26, 1837. After 177 years, the Great Lakes State is as beautiful as ever.
Opportunities to Succeed in Detroit
Southeast Michigan Startup features a great summary of career preparation programs for children in the Detroit area. One of the programs featured is Go-Girl, which encourages 7th grade girls to build skills in science, technology, engineering and math. The feature also highlights programs that encourage interest in health professions and entrepreneurship.
Ice Climbing In The U.P.
It may be really cold in the Upper Peninsula during the winter, but the frigid temperatures do create opportunities for outdoor adventures. Pure Michigan explores the sport of ice climbing.
In the Pure Michigan story, ice climber Bill Thompson shares the thrill of climbing the Pictured
Rocks along Lake Superior. The Pictured Rocks are not the only location to ice climb in Michigan. The state has the highest concentration of ice
climbs in the nation. To learn more about ice climbing, daring
adventurers can visit the Michigan Ice Fest in Munising this weekend.
Detroit Lives
Detroit Lives, LLC is one of many Detroit success stories. Crain's Detroit Businesshighlights the company's growth from a T-shirt company to video production house with new headquarters in the David Stott Building in Downtown Detroit.
Happy New Year! A lot of good things happened in Michigan in 2013. Let's hope 2014 is even better for the Great Lakes State. The last week of 2013 and the first days of 2014 saw some good economic news and, of course, Michiganders doing good deeds during the holidays. Here are some of the best stories of the last two weeks.
Michigan Is Gaining Population
For years, Michigan has seen a population decline, but new reports show that migration from Michigan is halting and that the state has grown in population for the second straight year. United Van Lines released its 37th annual migration study showing that the number of inbound and outbound moves to Michigan were essentially equal. Crain's Detroit Business reports that this is the first time in 16 years that Michigan did not have more outbound migration than inbound migration.
Michigan also retained its spot as the ninth most populous state after increasing its population for the second straight year according to the Detroit Free Press. The Free Press cites U.S. Census Bureau data that shows the state had a slight gain of 13,103 residents or 0.1%.
One Metro Detroit boy decided to help people less fortunate when he was only six years old. The Detroit Free Press tells the story of Caleb White and how seeing a homeless person motivated him to spend each Christmas in Downtown Detroit to pass out presents to the city's homeless population. Caleb, who is eleven years old now, gave 150 care packages to homeless people this Christmas.
Walk Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor makes a lot of "best of" lists, and it now can include itself among the most walkable cities in the United States. Governing magazine ranks Ann Arbor as the fourth most walkable city, as measured by the U.S. Census Bureau. The bureau's statistics show that more than 15% of Ann Arborites walk to work. The list is dominated by towns with large universities, with Cambridge, Mass., Columbia, S.C., and Berkeley, Calif. ranked one through three.
Ideas For Next New Year's Eve
Why travel to New York's Times Square to huddle up with 200,000 people to watch performers badly lip sync songs when Michigan has plenty of New Year's Eve activities of its own? Two publications recently highlighted two of Michigan's ball drops.
If you live near Ludington and want to experience a New Year's ball drop, you are in luck. Yahoo Travel listed Ludington's Mitten Bar as one of eight places to celebrate New Year's Eve that are better than Times Square. Customers can stay in Mitten Bar while watching Ludington's ball drop outside.
Great Lakes, Great Books
The Library of Michigan has released its 2014 list of notable Michigan Books. The list includes 20 books about Michigan people, places and events. The list includes a biography of former Detroit Tiger Mark Fidrych, a history of Chief Pontiac's Rebellion and a collection of poems and stories about the Upper Peninsula.
The W.K. Kellogg Foundation has expanded its operations to Detroit, according to a report by the Grand Rapids Business Journal. The Battle Creek-based foundation already supports Detroit financially (with $25 million in grants to Detroit last year alone), but now it has opened an office in Downtown Detroit to better assist the city's children and families. The foundation focuses on creating healthier and better educated children as well as providing resources to raise families above the poverty line.
Michigan State Wins The Rose Bowl
Coach Mark Dantonio's Michigan State Spartans won the Rose Bowl with their signature dominating defense. In the 100th Rose Bowl game, Michigan State proved they deserve mention as one of the nation's elite college football teams with their 24-20 victory over Stanford . The Spartans finished their season 13-1 and were a few plays (and questionable calls from the refs) from finishing their season undefeated. It would have been interesting to see their elite defense line up across from Florida State's explosive offense.
Congratulations to the Spartans on an amazing season!
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