People: Maija Bejarano, Brandon and Daphne Barry, Deb Beets, Adam and Kelly Carlson, Andrea Case, Amorette Clausen, Sharon Farwig, Pablo Fierro, Joann Flejszar, Vicki Gale, Brandon Gemzer, Paul Gillan, Barney Goodrich, Randall Green, Heather Havermans, Karen Herlein, Amber Hoagland, Pat Huston, Rachel Kalajainen, Jason Kennedy, Diane Kent,  Corey V Leonard, Lee LaPointe, Jeff Lohman, Sheryl and Dave Luttrull, Shelly Mattson, Anne McLaughlin, Ralph and Diane Morse,  Kim Nelski, Walker Parmelee, Dan and Luanne Patton, Heidi Reister, Marilyn Ruck, Pat, Ed, and Anne Schroeder, Jack and Julie Schugars, Rory Tubbs, Congresswoman Mary Valentine, Karyn Verge, Erin Walling, Jim and Julie Wilde, Bob and Connie Wood, Laura Zagar.

And Places: BigSigns.com, Community Schools Credit Union, The Fat Cat, Muskegon Jaycees, McDonalds (Apple Avenue), Oakridge Alumni Association, Oakridge Education Association, Pablo’s Tacos, The Ultimate Salon, Wilde Signs, Wolfies Pizza.

If  you’d like to be involved in the 2010 Scholarship, please send donations to Oakridge High School or inquire here on the blog.

Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!

• Check “Michgan Promise NEWS Category” on the right side of the blog  daily for News Updates on the Michigan Promise and the Michigan budget.
• Check “Michigan Promise & YOU Pages” on the left hand side of the blog to find a running calendar of events – for what you can do to have your voice heard!

In the News for Wednesday Oct 28 –via Daily Informers

Michigan Messenger - Budget battles test power of Granholm, education lobby

This entire budget battle will come down to whether or not Governor Granholm can pull two Senate Republicans to her side in funding programs in the budget with new taxes.  The Republican Senate has a three seat majority.  Senate Majority leader Bishop has refused to move off his “no new taxes” pledge.  The deadline is Saturday.  If the Governor cannot convince any Republican Senators to break ranks and join her the Promise scholarship will be history.  Many other programs will face the budget axe as well.  Looks like you got three days left to get Lansing to keep their “Promise”   Hit the phones……

• Check “Michgan Promise NEWS Category” on the right side of the blog  daily for News Updates on the Michigan Promise and the Michigan budget.
• Check “Michigan Promise & YOU Pages” on the left hand side of the blog to find a running calendar of events – for what you can do to have your voice heard!

In the News for Saturday Oct 24 –via Daily Informers

Detroit Free Press - Michigan Schools reel after Funding Blow

The Governor has told the rest of the Democratic Party to go take a seat on the sidelines.  She’s going mano to mano with Senator Bishop and the Republican Senate over this budget.  Education funding (Promise included) seems to be caught smack dab in the middle.  As you know, the governor’s office cannot raise revenue – it can by law strike portions or entire budget bills. Governor Granholm has used the veto to put pressure on Senate Republicans to go back to the drawing board to raise revenues.  As long as these procedures are still in flux – the Promise has a heartbeat (albiet a tiny one.)  On Monday she cut $300 per pupil from 39 wealthier school districts in the state.  This frees up $52 million in the budget.  One of these districts is Senator Bishop’s home district.  Many others are represented by Senate Republicans.  She is attempting to force Bishop to deal.  Since she has announced that the State will not shut down on Halloween night – we have one week to go.  Should be interesting…stay tuned.  Stay informed.  Get involved.  Call your congressman.

Today the Detroit Free Press reported that the Promise is dead.  They stated, “Nobody’s happy, but the state budget crisis is over — for now.  With Gov. Jennifer Granholm’s assurance Wednesday that she’ll sign the last of six budget bills on her desk, she said there will be no state government shutdown come Nov. 1.”  They listed Michigan’s 96,000 qualifying students (you all included) as the number one loser in the budget battle.

However, since nobody in Lansing is willing face the truth and tell me that this thing is over…we will assume that the Michigan Promise is still on life support.  Your assignment – The Death of the Promise…is premature.  We will wait until its heart actually stops beating before pulling the plug.

No Senior Current Issues assignment for Friday.

• Check “Michgan Promise NEWS Category” on the right side of the blog  daily for News Updates on the Michigan Promise and the Michigan budget.
• Check “Michigan Promise & YOU Pages” on the left hand side of the blog to find a running calendar of events – for what you can do to have your voice heard!

In the News for Thursday October 22 –via Daily Informers

Detroit Free Press - Granholm – No Shut Down

The Michigan Promise is officially dead.  Yesterday Governor Granholm  announced that she would not shut down the government on October 31, officially ending any chance the Promise has to survive.  The Governors office may veto budget bills or portions of a budget bill, but the Governor cannot raise revenue.  That is the job of the Michigan Congress.  And the Senate, under the leadership of Republican Michael Bishop has made it clear they refuse to raise any taxes.  Consequently, the governor will tinker with the spending bills, veto portions, sign portions and by October 31 Michigan will have a budget for 2010.  The biggest losers in the  2010 budget 1 – 96,000 students at Michigan universities who no longer have Promise scholarships. 2 – Public schools, which take a $165-per-pupil hit.  3 – 39 K-12 districts (26 in suburban Detroit) that have another $51.5 million cut by governor’s veto. 4 – Doctors, hospitals and nursing homes, whose Medicaid payments have been cut 4% (8% for the year).  5 – Cities and townships, whose state revenue sharing is cut 11%. A sad day for our state when it balances the budget on the backs of the young people of this state.

• Check “Michgan Promise NEWS Category” on the right side of the blog  daily for News Updates on the Michigan Promise and the Michigan budget.
• Check “Michigan Promise & YOU Pages” on the left hand side of the blog to find a running calendar of events – for what you can do to have your voice heard!
• Finally – send your emails – make your phone calls – collect your signatures – the new budget deadline is November 1

In the News for Wednesday October 21 –via Daily Informers

Detroit News – As They Bicker…Strife Grows

Senator Bishop keeps on sending bills and Granholm keeps on giving them the axe. Lobbyists were right at her side telling her that schools face crisis if funds are cut; it’s a valid point but the governor needs to make sure the voice we hear is hers and not theirs.  Representative Hugh Crawford basically stated his grief about having to take away his grandaughter’s Promise scholarship. I’m sure times are tough for him too.  Celeste Wackerle

• Check “Michgan Promise NEWS Category” on the right side of the blog  daily for News Updates on the Michigan Promise and the Michigan budget.
• Check “Michigan Promise & YOU Pages” on the left hand side of the blog to find a running calendar of events – for what you can do to have your voice heard!
• Finally – send your emails – make your phone calls – collect your signatures – the new budget deadline is November 1

In the News for Monday October 19 –via Daily Informers

Lansing State Journal – Cuts to Medicaid to Balance Budget

Ok seriously this artilce erks my nerves. I don’t understand how our government thinks they are diligently working to make Michigan better when they are looking to cut $1 million dollars to medicaid. Our elders have worked so hard their whole life, and after their family obviously abandons them so is their state. There is no other way for me to put this but it p**** me off. The programs they are trying to cut to balance the state budget is only kicking those who already down and in the slums. Leaving our elders to try a fend for themselves when we know they have no other option, shows the rest of the world how lame of a country we are. How we can’t pull together and take care of those who took care of us.  – Kate-Lynn & Tasha

• Check “Michgan Promise NEWS Category” on the right side of the blog  daily for News Updates on the Michigan Promise and the Michigan budget.
• Check “Michigan Promise & YOU Pages” on the left hand side of the blog to find a running calendar of events – for what you can do to have your voice heard!
• Finally – send your emails – make your phone calls – collect your signatures – the new budget deadline is November 1

In the News for Thursday, October 15 –via Daily Informers

Detroit Free Press  – Bishop to Release Six Budget Bills  to Governor

GOP Majority leader Mike Bishop announced today that the Senate will release six budget bills to Governor Granholm next week.  The Governor will then act on each of these bills, either signing into law or vetoing each one separately.  Take a look at the last paragraph in the article – the GOP Senate has agreed to raise $100 million in revenue by “TAXING LOW INCOME FAMILIES.”

• Check “Michgan Promise NEWS Category” on the right side of the blog  daily for News Updates on the Michigan Promise and the Michigan budget.
• Check “Michigan Promise & YOU Pages” on the left hand side of the blog to find a running calendar of events – for what you can do to have your voice heard!
• Finally – send your emails – make your phone calls – collect your signatures – the new budget deadline is November 1

In the News for Wednesday, October 14 –via Daily Informers

Detroit Free Press  – Granholm and Bishop to Meet

Governor Granholm and Republican Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop plan to meet today to discuss the budget bill. It’s interesting how Bishop says that the Governor has the possibility of shattering what trust remains, and yet voting to cut the bill would do just that.  They most certainly will be discussing the Michigan Promise. by Celeste Wackerle

Michigan Messenger – Granholm Signs Three Budget Bills

Jennifer Granholm, our term limited governor, voted on three budget bills yesterday. They were for the departments of corrections, education, and transportation. The educational department did not pertain to the controversy of K-12 education nor the Promise, but surprisingly the local libraries. This bill cut funding for the libraries by 40%. I really just don’t understand why we need to fund a private fricken bridge to Canada. I don’t see how that is an important issue that needs to be handled right away. Its one thing for the governor to say she “she supports restoring programs to 2009 fiscal year”, however she needs todo  more than support – she needs to  push congress to move this budget planning forward. by Kate-lynn Sower

• Check “Michgan Promise NEWS Category” on the right side of the blog  daily for News Updates on the Michigan Promise and the Michigan budget.
• Check “Michigan Promise & YOU Pages” on the left hand side of the blog to find a running calendar of events – for what you can do to have your voice heard!
• Finally – send your emails – make your phone calls – collect your signatures – the new budget deadline is November 1

In the News for Sunday Oct 11  –via Daily Informers

• Michigan Messenger  – Granholm will sign k-12 Compromise Bill
• Michigan Messenger – Tax Increases a Joke says Dillon’s office
  

Jennifer Granholm is making herself heard. The above articles run together hand-in-hand. On the very feeble bright side, the Democrats and Republicans sort of had an understanding for once. Unfortunately, it involved more budget cuts.  The State government is determined not to increase our taxes. Cuts, cuts, and more cuts are the only solutions that they have deemed reasonable. by Celeste Wackerle

Michigan Messenger – GOP claims Dillon, Prusi Partying not working

So those who are supposed to represent our public interest, Andy Dillon and Mike Prusi,  are currently more concerned for their future in Michigan politics. When I say this I do not mean they are working  at devising a bill to save funding for the Michigan Promise Scholarship, but out attending fundraisers to support re-election. I seriously think they need to sit down and look at the future voters, my generation does not care about who has the better fliers or ads on t.v., more so who will work to help get us to college and change our economy.  I suppose since their minds are set,  they figure why should they attend meetings to balance the budget.  After all, when the extended time of November 1st is up Jennifer Granholm will have no choice but to sign the bill anyways, not matter what is cut or eliminated. by Kate-Lynn Sower