Beginning at 4:30 p.m. (Central), DNR staff will present division reports on current DNR projects and business and answer questions from council members and the public. The council meeting will immediately follow from 5 to 7 p.m. (all times are Central).

Agenda items include:

Update on wolf management and the limited U.P. wolf hunt;
Update on proposed license fee increase package;
Council discussion on future agenda topics; and
Public comment (for public comment instructions, see www.michigan.gov/upcac).

The Eastern Upper Peninsula and Western Upper Peninsula CACs are designed to advise the DNR on regional programs and policies; identify areas in which the department can be more effective and responsive; and offer insight and guidance from members’ own experiences and constituencies.

The council members represent a wide variety of natural resource and recreation stakeholders and interest groups. Agenda items are set by the council members, and council recommendations are forwarded to the DNR for consideration.

CAC meetings are open to the public. Anyone interested in being considered as a future CAC member should fill out the nomination form found on the DNR website at www.michigan.gov/upcac. For more information, contact DNR Upper Peninsula Regional Coordinator Stacy Welling Haughey at 906-228-6561.

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Saginaw, MI – – In Michigan, there are more than 755,000 children facing food insecurity. As one of ConAgra Foods Foundation’s Community Impact Grant program’s newest recipients, the Center for Civil Justice is positioned to further its efforts in the fight against child hunger in the our community.

Through “3 meals – 12 months – All Children”, the Center for Civil Justice aims to increase participation in federal meal programs by promoting the importance of 3 meals a day for a year-round continuum of healthy eating for children. The Center for Civil Justice will give this strategy a Michigan “face” by developing a local video. It will highlight the federal child nutrition programs, how they can be combined to ensure year-round meals, and will showcase successful Michigan programs that run school breakfast, afterschool and summer meals. The video will also provide information on the Community Eligibility Option for eligible schools and school districts.

“Every day we see kids who are worried about where their next meal is coming from and we have a responsibility to ensure they have access to nourishment,” said Marybeth Laisure, Child Nutrition Program Coordinator, Center for Civil Justice. “Receiving the ConAgra Foods Foundation grant gives us the resources to reach these kids, to feed them, to help them focus on what’s important: being a kid.”

About the Community Impact Grant Program

The Center for Civil Justice is one of 12 nonprofit organizations in eight states across America selected to receive a 2013 Community Impact Grant from the ConAgra Foods Foundation. Grantees are selected from areas with the greatest number of children at risk of experiencing hunger,* and/or where ConAgra Foods employees reside.

Now in its fourth year, The ConAgra Foods Foundation has invested more than $2 million in Community Impact Grants programming – including enrollment in government-assistance programs, nutrition education, advocacy and direct access to food. The program aims to provide more than seven million meals to children across the country.

“Without access to healthy food – even temporarily – children can face life-long wellness consequences,” said Kori Reed, vice president, ConAgra Foods Foundation and Cause. “That’s why programs like “3 Meals-12 Months- All Children”: are so important. Being on the frontlines every day, the Center for Civil Justice is nourishing these children so they can unlock their highest potential, and we want to empower that success.”

The Community Impact Grants are part of the company’s 20-year commitment to investing in innovative programs that better connect kids with nutritious food and the information about food they need to lead healthy lives. For more information about the ConAgra Foods Foundation’s anti-child hunger initiatives, please visit www.conagrafoodsfoundation.com.

The Center for Civil Justice (CCJ) advocates for people in Michigan who need help meeting their basic needs, by using legal expertise to monitor and improve public policy and access to governmental programs and services. Anyone who would like to learn more about the project or what services CCJ provides in Genesee County can call (810) 244-8044. CCJ’s website is www.ccj-mi.org.

About ConAgra Foods Foundation
The ConAgra Foods Foundation, through its Nourish Today, Flourish Tomorrow platform, is dedicated to raising awareness of the nearly 17 million children in America who are at risk of hunger and live in food insecure homes where they may not have enough food to live active, healthful lives. It aggressively pursues sustainable solutions in the fight against child hunger. And the Foundation is committed to building a community of people who are passionate about ensuring that all kids have access to the food and facts they need to eat nutritiously while living balanced lifestyles and succeeding in school and life. ConAgra Foods Foundation invests in national and local partnerships with high-impact, not-for-profit organizations, such as Feeding America and Share Our Strength that take an innovative approach to addressing needs in the core areas of hunger and nutrition education. For more information, please visit www.ConagraFoods.com or www.facebook.com/ConAgraFoods The ConAgra Foods Foundation is primarily funded by ConAgra Foods.

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“Scott Walker is yet another leader who demonstrates why the Marketplace Fairness Act is tax reform that all conservatives should get behind. Like the Republican legislators in Ohio who recently approved language that will reduce that state’s income tax if the Marketplace Fairness Act is adopted, Governor Walker has indicated he will lower the tax burden on all Wisconsin citizens when Congress approves this needed reform. The Marketplace Fairness Act gets government out of the business of picking winners and losers by putting brick-and-mortar outlets on the same tax footing as online retail stores. The changes in sales tax collection will allow governors like Scott Walker to reduce the overall tax burden on the residents of their states. We applaud Governor Walker’s leadership and urge the House to follow the Senate’s lead and approve the Marketplace Fairness Act in a timely fashion.”

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The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly food stamps, the Food Assistance Program ‘FAP’ in Michigan), is the Agriculture Department’s biggest program, amounting to more than 70 percent of the budget. More than 47 million people in the country and 1.7 million people in Michigan get SNAP benefits.

On May 10, Rep. Frank Lucas (R-OK), Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee and the Committee’s ranking member, Rep. Collin Peterson (D-MN) released a proposal to cut SNAP by almost $21 billion over the next decade. This cut would eliminate all food assistance to nearly two million low-income people – most of which include senior citizens, people with disabilities, or working parents supporting children. The proposal reduces total Farm Bill spending by about $39.7 billion over ten years – more than half of the cuts coming from SNAP. These SNAP cuts are more than $4 billion larger than those proposed last year. The proposed SNAP cuts would also be on top of across-the-board cuts (averaging $25 per month for a family of four) already scheduled for every SNAP recipient in the nation beginning November of this year.

Anti-hunger advocates marvel that these proposed cuts ignore the widespread support for SNAP demonstrated by a new nationwide poll by the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC). “Seven in 10 voters support SNAP,” explains Terri Stangl, Director of the Center for Civil Justice, an advocacy organization that works on hunger issues. “Most people surveyed say cutting food assistance is not the way to go about reducing government spending.”

Stangl hopes that those who care about hunger and worry about SNAP will speak out against the cuts with their members of Congress. The Center is supporting Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand’s (D-NY) amendment to restore $4.1 billion SNAP cuts in the Senate Bill and Representative Jim McGovern’s amendment to restore the $20 billion in SNAP cuts expected to be in the House mark up. “Food is one of our most basic needs. We should not be balancing our national budget by taking food away from those who are struggling and who are already scheduled to lose benefits this fall.”

The Center for Civil Justice (CCJ) advocates for people in Michigan who need help meeting their basic needs. CCJ offers a statewide helpline to assist people in determining whether they qualify for food assistance and the amount in which they qualify and to help people overcome barriers in receiving help for which they are eligible. The Center for Civil Justice’s helpline is (800) 481-4989.

CCJ also offers an on-line calculator where households can get estimates of the monthly food assistance (Bridge Card) benefits for which may be eligible. See www.foodstamphelp.org. Go to our website www.ccj-mi.org, or find us on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. If you’d be interested in receiving our newsletter send your email to: kcharchan@ccj-mi.org.

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Vanden Heuvel was invited to visit CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, in Geneva, Switzerland, as a result of his selection as a Glass Explorer, a select group of people who were chosen by Google to test its new product, Google Glass. Google Glass is a wearable computer with a head-mounted display.

With Glass users can take phone calls, send texts, take photos and video, show maps, and – as Vanden Heuvel demonstrated – take a class of students inside a particle accelerator underground in Switzerland as they sat in a classroom in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

“As a physics teacher, visiting the world’s largest particle accelerator was a dream come true. As an online physics teacher, I knew that Glass could help me turn this into a once-in-a-lifetime learning opportunity for my students,” Vanden Heuvel said.

Vanden Heuvel’s trip to CERN, April 25 to May 4, included a day visiting the Large Hadron Collider, the world’s largest and highest-energy particle accelerator. The device allows physicists to test their theories of particle and high-energy physics. It lies in a tunnel that’s over 500 feet deep, in a 17-mile loop, which Vanden Heuvel navigated partly by bicycle.

“Access to the tunnel is very restricted and even fewer people get to actually bike in the tunnel. In fact, less people have biked in the LHC tunnel than have climbed Mount Everest!” Vanden Heuvel said. “Needless to say, I’m the first person who has ever taught a science class from inside the LHC tunnel. Seeing just a small portion of the whole loop, I was overwhelmed by the size of it all. The fact that I was able to share this experience with students, even answering their questions in real-time, is simply mind-blowing.”

South Christian High School students saw what Vanden Heuvel saw and listened as he told them what he was experiencing, all through Google Glass, a device that very few people have even seen, let alone used as a teaching tool. About 10,000 people around the world – beta testers and winners of the “If I Had a Glass” contest – will have the devices until they are made commercially available sometime later this year.

“We are fortunate to have Andrew on our team to reinvent K-12 education. He has a remarkable curiosity to learn about new tools like the Google Glass which can be used to improve teaching and learning,” said Jamey Fitzpatrick, President and CEO of Michigan Virtual University®, the parent organization of Michigan Virtual School. “He is a true pioneer in the 21st century as he explores new ways to engage students to ensure their academic success. I view Andrew as an ‘education rock star’ and our online students will benefit from his creative passion to make science interesting and fun at the same time.”

You can view Vanden Heuvel’s progress in teaching with Glass at http://agl-initiatives.org/teaching-with-glass/.

“As an online teacher, I frequently say, ‘it’s not about the technology, but what you can do with it.’ We have now reached an inflection point in the evolution of technology where each new advance means we see technology less and can do more with it,” Vanden Heuvel said. “What a tremendously exciting time to be in education!”

Vanden Heuvel has taught physics and mathematics for MVS since 2009. He also teaches courses in app development and geographic information systems for teachers through Michigan LearnPort®, a division of MVU® that provides online professional development solutions for members of the K-12 community.

Vanden Heuvel’s also a science education consultant for USA Today Education and a physics and astronomy professor at Calvin College. He’s a NASA Solar System Educator and was recognized as a Hubble Space Telescope Gold Star Educator. In 2010, he was named Michigan Online Teacher of the Year and then a finalist for National Online Teacher of the Year.

About MVU
MVU is a private, nonprofit Michigan corporation established by the State of Michigan in 1998 to serve as a champion for online learning. It is the parent organization of the Michigan Virtual School®, Michigan LearnPort®, and Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute™. Visit www.mivu.org for more information.

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May 14, 2013, Fairfax, VA—Attorney General Eric Holder says the Department of Justice has launched a criminal probe into whether tea party and other groups were improperly targeted by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Americans for Limited Government President Nathan Mehrens earlier today in a letter urged Senate leaders to demand Holder appoint a special counsel to investigate the matter, noting that Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus had in Sept. 2010 called for the IRS to investigate 501(c) non-profit political organizations.

“Just as the Senate majority cannot be trusted to investigate its own complicity in this affair, neither can the Obama Administration,” Mehrens wrote.

“The only role the scandal-plagued Justice Department should play in investigating the IRS abuse case is by Attorney General Holder appointing a special counsel to ensure that politics do not obscure the facts, and that investigators can follow those facts wherever they may lead,” ALG vice president of public policy and communications Rick Manning stated.

Under current law, only the Attorney General can appoint a special counsel.

To view online: http://getliberty.org/holder-should-appoint-independent-special-counsel-on-irs-scandal/

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“We’re proud of our military veterans and of everything they have sacrificed,” Snyder said. “This new law is one more way of honoring their service and making everyone aware of the many Michiganders who have defended our country in uniform.”

House Bill 4037, sponsored by state Rep. Nancy Jenkins, adds a veterans designation to Michigan driver’s licenses for veterans who request it and show proof of military service with an honorable discharge. A companion bill, Senate Bill 219 sponsored by state Sen. Darwin Booher, adds the designation to state issued ID cards when requested and proof of military service with honorable discharge is presented. The designation will be available on driver’s licenses and personal state IDs beginning May 2014.

“The veterans designation is great way for Michigan to honor those who have served and makes it easier for veterans to access discounts and offers from retailers, restaurants and hotels who offer special opportunities to veterans,” said Maj. Gen. Gregory Vadnais, director of the Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. “It’s another great step that improves the quality of life for Michigan’s veterans.”

While allowing veterans to qualify for discounts, the veteran’s designation on a driver’s license or ID is not legal proof of prior military service and will not replace the DD214 when a veteran applies for federal or state benefit programs requiring proof of military service and honorable discharge.

“This is a small way to say thank you to veterans who have done so much for us, for this country,” said Secretary of State Ruth Johnson. “They’ll have easy-to-carry, clear-cut proof of their service to help them more easily access the benefits they have earned and deserve. It’s my hope that every store clerk and every bank teller who sees the special designation takes a moment to thank that veteran.”

Michigan, home to some 680,000 veterans, is the 28th state to put a veterans designation on state-issued IDs and driver’s licenses.

HB 4037 and SB 219 are now Public Acts 27 and 28 of 2013. For more information on legislation, visit michiganlegislature.org.

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May 13, 2013, Fairfax, VA—Americans for Limited Government President Nathan Mehrens today issued the following statement urging Congress to investigate the Internal Revenue Service’s admission that it was targeting groups for audits on the basis of their tea party affiliation:

“The use of the nation’s tax agency to target groups for audit and review on the basis of political leanings is an egregious abuse of power. This is beyond Nixonian in its flagrant disregard for the rule of law as it was intended to stifle dissent, and now there must be accountability. We know the Democrat-controlled Senate will not be bothered to inquire what happened, but the House of Representatives can and should use its power to subpoena witnesses to get to the bottom of this scandal. Our laws either apply equally to all citizens and citizen groups regardless of political leanings, or we have become nothing more than a banana republic.”

 To view online: http://getliberty.org/alg-demands-congressional-investigation-into-irs-targeting-of-tea-party/

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