Snyder
Establishes Literacy Commission
Governor Rick Snyder on Wednesday
created a PreK-12 Literacy Commission to oversee work on literacy issue across the
state. The commission will largely be responsible for reviewing and researching
national programs and making policy recommendations to the state to address the
needs of local schools. The commission will reside in and be staffed by the
Department of Education.
Tribe
Partial Settlement
The state and the
Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians, otherwise known as the
Gun Lake Tribe, reached a partial settlement regarding the tribe’s claim the
new online lottery games violate compact provisions on gaming expansion in the
state. In the settlement, the $21.74 million the tribe has in escrow will be
divided with half going to the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and 15
percent to GLIMI, a non-gaming economic development entity established by the
tribe. The remaining 35 percent will go back to the tribe and into the D.K.
Sprague Education Endowment Fund.
Switch
Designated Renaissance Zone
Kent County on Tuesday received a MSF
Designated Renaissance Zone approval for 15 years for Switch, Ltd. Data Center,
a tech company in based in Nevada. Switch is renovating the former Steelcase
Inc. pyramid to build an eastern data center campus to be called SUPERNAP Grand
Rapids. It will be the largest data center in the eastern U.S. and is expected
to provide $151.2 million in total private investment and create 103 jobs in
the area.
Flint
Water Refunds
Former customers of City of Flint
water can now request a refund, according to an announcement Tuesday. This
marks the second phase of the $30 million credit relief program with more than
$1.28 million in credits to be applied to 5,439 inactive accounts. To apply for
a refund, former customers must fill out and submit a form found either on
Flint’s website at City Hall or the Flint Public Library. Upon completion,
customers will receive a Claim for Refund form that must be signed and
returned.
Unemployment
Rise in Most Markets
Unemployment rates in June increased
in 14 of the state’s 17 regional labor markets according to the Department of
Technology, Management and Budget. Northeast and Northwest Lower Michigan saw
drops in unemployment as summer tourism began, and the Lansing-East Lansing
market also saw a drop in June. Despite the increase, all 17 markets are below
the unemployment rates from June 2015.