Saturday, July 28, 2012

Muskegon Heights' park-improvement project on hold as bids too high

Muskegon Heights' park-improvement project on hold as bids too high | MLive.com
Work on the second phase of a planned $5 million redevelopment of the Mona Lake shoreline park along Seaway Drive was initially scheduled to begin in the spring.
The work has been delayed while the project has been bid three times.

Big wind-blade hauling rig tests the streets through downtown Muskegon for the real thing in August

Big wind-blade hauling rig tests the streets through downtown Muskegon for the real thing in August | MLive.com
Muskegon police Capt. Mark Lewis was organizing the patrol cars that were blocking traffic as the Trans-United rig made its way from the Mart Dock to Apple Avenue.
On Thursday morning, the rig used Shoreline Drive to First Street and then to Apple Avenue.

Norton Shores police union president: Public safety trumps benefits questions

Norton Shores police union president: Public safety trumps benefits questions | MLive.com
The letter, which Norton Shores City Council signed Tuesday evening, said the new hires would not be covered under the same contract existing officers had, and their pensions and retirement health benefits would be determined by negotiation or arbitration.
The existing contract expired in June, Davis said, and the union and city administrators have been in negotiations since February.
Under standard procedure, new hires would be covered under the old contract, he said.
Meyers told city council it would not be “financially prudent” to hire new officers with the same legacy costs current officers have.
Davis said the union agreed to sign the letter because they thought having fewer officers would compromise public safety, but he thinks the public safety millage Norton Shores voters passed made the letter unnecessary.

Melching Inc. prepares for permanent operations on the former paper mill property on Muskegon Lake

Melching Inc. prepares for permanent operations on the former paper mill property on Muskegon Lake | MLive.com
“We’d like to have the metal processing site next to the deep-water port for transportation of materials on barges,” Callow said of Melching’s immediate plans.
A request for a site plan approval for a scrap metal processing operation on the west end of the former paper mill site earlier this month caused a public uproar.
The Muskegon Planning Commission tabled the request, asking for more time and information.

Fireworks regulations don't get off the ground in Norton Shores

Fireworks regulations don't get off the ground in Norton Shores | MLive.com
Norton Shores Mayor Gary Nelund said the city has received complaints about fireworks bothering people’s pets and leaving litter, but the concerns could decline over time.
“One of the things we’ve been interested to watch is will the newness of it wear off,” he said.
“Spending $30, $40 a weekend on fireworks, at some point we’ve got to have a law of diminishing returns.”

Muskegon city commissioner running as write-in candidate for Huizenga's Congressional seat

Muskegon city commissioner running as write-in candidate for Huizenga's Congressional seat | MLive.com
In announcing his candidacy, German said he would advocate for businesses that create jobs in West Michigan, invest in education and fight to make health care more affordable.

Inspections find more than 170 safety violations at Muskegon Heights schools

Inspections find more than 170 safety violations at Muskegon Heights schools | MLive.com

Melching Inc. likely to bring down Sappi power plant, smokestacks with a blast

Melching Inc. likely to bring down Sappi power plant, smokestacks with a blast (video) | MLive.com

Should middle school students be taught condom use? Fruitport school board not so sure

Should middle school students be taught condom use? Fruitport school board not so sure | MLive.com: Should seventh-graders be taught how to use a condom?
What about eighth-graders?
Those are questions that the Fruitport school board struggled with while reviewing proposed middle school sex education curriculum.
The board decided that the lesson involving 18 steps for the application of a condom should be removed from proposed seventh-grade reproductive health curriculum.

Get a shot, protect a child: Muskegon County health officials push pertussis vaccine for adults too

Get a shot, protect a child: Muskegon County health officials push pertussis vaccine for adults too | MLive.com
People with insurance should visit their primary care doctor for the vaccine, Krehn said.
Those without can get the shot at Public Health Muskegon County, 209 E. Apple, for $48.

Three Circuit judge candidates lead the pack in fund raising

Three Circuit judge candidates lead the pack in fund raising | MLive.com

Why doesn't Muskegon eat its vegetables? Community discussion aims to find out

Why doesn't Muskegon eat its vegetables? Community discussion aims to find out | MLive.com
Two public meetings in Muskegon Heights and Muskegon on July 31 are going to try to answer that question by asking residents what stops them from eating a balanced diet if they want to do so.

Air Force's Mega-Bunker-Buster Bomb Is Finally Ready

Air Force's Mega-Bunker-Buster Bomb Is Finally Ready | Danger Room | Wired.com
That would be the Massive Ordnance Penetrator — all 30,000 destructive pounds of it.
It’s an absolutely ginormous bomb designed to convince rogue regimes that there is no redoubt for the manufacture of chemical, biological or nuclear weapons buried deep enough to escape the U.S. Air Force.

The Tolerance Enforcers

The Tolerance Enforcers - Mark Steyn - National Review Online
Until the president’s recent “evolution,” the Obama administration held the same position on gay marriage as Chick-fil-A.

8 Ways Blacks Perpetuate Racism and the Only Way to Thwart It

PJ Lifestyle » 8 Ways Blacks Perpetuate Racism and the Only Way to Thwart It:
The tolerance of racist ideas openly expressed by blacks and the larger civil rights establishment is informed by sloppy thinking regarding both race and the role of government in society.
True reconciliation requires confronting these ideas with reason.
Here are eight ways in which blacks are perpetuating racism, and the one true way to effectively thwart it.

British Embassy Confirms Krauthammer Right, White House Wrong: Churchill Bust Returned in 2009

The British Embassy has confirmed that Washington Post columnist Charles Krauthammer was correct when he wrote that a bust of Winston Churchill was removed from the White House when Barack Obama took office.
An Obama administration spokesperson slammed Krauthammer on Friday in a fact-checking post on the White House’s blog which claimed the columnist was advancing a “ridiculous” rumor that the Obama administration had ever returned the bust.
However, the British Embassy has confirmed that it did receive the original bust in 2009 and it currently resides in the U.K. Ambassador’s residence.

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Muskegon City Commission picks new generation of leadership with Lea Markowski selection

Muskegon City Commission picks new generation of leadership with Lea Markowski selection | MLive.com
“I had the encouragement of some people in the community who wanted me to step forward,” Markowski said.
She has been involved with local environmental issues working with the Muskegon Sustainability Coalition and as secretary to the Muskegon Lake Watershed Partnership.
Markowski said she has a lot to learn about city government and being a commissioner but she will particularly concentrate on bringing sustainable development to the community.
“I want to focus on the best use for our lands,” she said

Election officials warn 6 ballot measures in jeopardy if Supreme Court accepts type-size argument in emergency manager case

Election officials warn 6 ballot measures in jeopardy if Supreme Court accepts type-size argument in emergency manager case | MLive.com
Six other statewide ballot measures could be disqualified if the state Supreme Court accepts a legal argument to be pushed Wednesday by opponents of allowing a referendum on Michigan's toughened emergency financial manager law, top election officials warn.

Norton Shores rejects Muskegon Heights' 'final' water offer, expects talks to continue

Norton Shores rejects Muskegon Heights' 'final' water offer, expects talks to continue | MLive.com
Norton Shores and Fruitport Township currently buy water from Muskegon Heights. Fruitport Township gave notice that it intended to leave the Muskegon Heights system in April 2011.

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Olympic Female Beach Volleyballers to Cover Up to Appease Muslims - Long-Sleeved Shirts

Olympic Female Beach Volleyballers to Cover Up to Appease Muslims – Long-Sleeved Shirts
Now, the IOC has announced that women will probably have to cover up and wear long sleeves over their bikinis, using the excuse that it’s “cold” in London.
Don’t believe it.
This move is, yet again, to appease Muslims.