My Town: DNR awards more than $4 million in grants for projects battling invasive species

Submitted by Cheri Mikowski, WZZM Receptionist & Community Blogger

Tuesday, March 3rd, 2015, 3:00pm

My Town: DNR awards more than $4 million in grants for projects battling invasive species

---NEWS RELEASE—

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has announced the award of 20 grant projects totaling more than $4 million, under the Michigan Invasive Species Grant Program.

The grant program is central to Michigan’s new invasive species initiative, which brings a multi-department, comprehensive approach to the ongoing problem of harmful, non-native invaders such as the Asian carp. The initiative enlists the expertise of the state departments of Natural Resources, Environmental Quality and Agriculture and Rural Development.

Projects funded in this round of grants include plans to:

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Submitted by Cheri Mikowski, WZZM Receptionist & Community Blogger

Monday, March 2nd, 2015, 7:00am

My Town: Career Tech Center chefs bring home gold

---NEWS RELEASE---

On Feb. 20, 2015, the Baker College of Muskegon Culinary Institute of Michigan hosted 63 hospitality students from seven career tech centers in Northwestern Michigan for the 2015 SkillsUSA Regional Competition. These students competed in four areas: Culinary Arts, Commercial Baking, Food & Beverage Service, and Team Banquet. Muskegon Area Career Tech Center (MACTC) students earned gold medals in all three events.

Team Banquet members Chef McCayla Dixon (Oakridge), Sous Chef Kaley Billman (Oakridge), Prep Cook Leah Stokes (Montague), Pastry Chef Samantha Wilson (Whitehall), and Server Kathy Allen (Whitehall) prepared and served a four-course “Taste of the Caribbean” menu. This gold medal winner included coconut lentil soup, watercress pineapple salad, Jamaican jerk pork tenderloin with black bean stew and rice, and finished with Cuban coffee custard.

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Submitted by Cheri Mikowski, WZZM Receptionist & Community Blogger

Sunday, March 1st, 2015, 7:00am

My Town: MDCH awards $292,000 in Building Healthy Communities planning grants

---NEWS RELEASE--

As part of continued efforts to promote community-based systems of care, the Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) Building Healthy Communities (BHC) program recently awarded seven local health department more than $292,000 in grants to create three-year strategic plans to reduce obesity and other chronic diseases at the local level.

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Submitted by Cheri Mikowski, WZZM Receptionist & Community Blogger

Sunday, March 1st, 2015, 7:00am

My Town: Michigan fruit growers encouraged to complete USDA Fruit Acreage Inventory

---NEWS RELEASE---

Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) Director Jamie Clover Adams encouraged the state's fruit growers to complete the 2014 Fruit Acreage Inventory being conducted by the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).

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Submitted by WZZM13, News Staff

Saturday, February 28th, 2015, 3:23pm

MONTAGUE, Mich. (WZZM) - Residents in Montague are being advised to run their water by city leaders. The city's Public Works crews have already responded to 23 calls for frozen services.

When running water to keep pipes from freezing experts suggest running it at a small pencil lead size stream.

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Submitted by WZZM13, News Staff

Thursday, February 26th, 2015, 2:12pm

OTTO TWP., Mich. (WZZM) - An elderly Rothbury man is dead after a garage fire.

Oceana County deputies were called to the home of Jack Fielstra, 71, because friends and family who talk with him daily hadn't heard from him. Deputies arrived to find the home's unattached garage heavily damaged by fire. In the garage, they found Fielstra's body. Deputies believe that Fielstra was in and around the garage to blow snow.

Deputies believe the fire happened on Wednesday. Fielstra was discovered Thursday. No fire response was ever called.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

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My Town: Real estate professionals to give back to public servants

Submitted by Tyler Lecceadone on Wednesday, February 25th, 4:56 pm

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – A group of real estate professionals have come together to create a service that is giving back to those who serve the public in the Grand Rapids area.

"U Deserve" has brought together several professionals who are dedicated to lowering costs associated with buying, selling or refinancing a home for active military members, veterans, firefighters, police officers, EMS providers, health care professionals and educators.

“Growing up with a father who served in the National Guard and as a police officer, I was able to see first-hand how much public service individuals give back to their communities,” said Kevin Wildman, founder of U Deserve. “U Deserve is a way of saying ‘thank you’ to those individuals.”

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