2013 Mackinac Policy Conference

Michigan governor prods GOP lawmakers to expand Medicaid

Gov. Rick Snyder is redoubling his efforts to get lawmakers this month to approve expanding the Medicaid health insurance program for the poor before the Legislature recesses for the summer.

Gov seeks water-tight ballast rules

Gov. Rick Snyder plans to push this weekend for strengthening ballast water disposal requirements for ocean-going freighters that travel the Great Lakes during a summit of regional leaders on Mackinac Island.

Milestone in sight for Dingell

Gov. Rick Snyder honored U.S. Rep. John Dingell Friday morning at the Mackinac Policy Conference for his near record-breaking years of service.

Rep. Rogers warns of threats, pushes cyber protection measures

U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers offered a warning Friday to participants at the Mackinac Policy Conference: Don’t pop free thumb drives into your computer.

Illinois governor supports separating Great Lakes and Mississippi River basins

Mackinac Island - Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn on Saturday voiced support for a multi-billion dollar proposal to separate the Great Lakes and Mississippi River basins as a method for keeping Asian carp and other invasive species out of the Great Lakes.

LaHood urges govs to press Congress to pass 5-year transportation bill

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood on Saturday urged Great Lakes governors to step up pressure on Congress to pass a five-year transportation funding bill with new revenues.

Mayor hopefuls debate Detroit's future

Four Detroit mayoral candidates focused on maintaining and improving city services as well as proposals to sell city assets to satisfy debts during a spirited debate Thursday night during the Mackinac Policy Conference.

Michigan Treasurer Andy Dillon says Detroit’s fate will be clear in a month

State Treasurer Andy Dillon said Detroit may avoid a Chapter 9 bankruptcy but added the coming weeks will likely reveal how the financially troubled city will repair itself.

No easy answers in threat to DIA assets

The public spat between Gov. Rick Snyder and the Detroit Institute of Arts to determine whether its city-owned collection should be off-limits in a Chapter 9 bankruptcy risks providing useful fodder to creditors expected to demand cash to satisfy the city's obligations.

Jobs convince state’s college students to stay in Michigan after graduation

More young people are staying in Michigan after graduating from college, with job opportunities driving the brain gain, according to a preliminary survey released Thursday at the Mackinac Policy Conference.

Donors boost EAA $59.7M

Mackinac Island — Gov. Rick Snyder and national school reformer Michelle Rhee urged policymakers and financial donors Thursday to help improve Michigan’s education system.

Bill would prohibit DIA art sale for creditors

Mackinac Island — The city of Detroit would be prohibited from selling publicly owned art from the Detroit Institute of Arts collection under legislation introduced this week.

Briefs: Snyder launches website to recruit community volunteers

Gov. Rick Snyder launched a website Thursday where Michiganians can find opportunities to become “ambassadors” for the state by volunteering for activities such as community projects and student mentoring.

Rogers warns Mackinac attendees of cyber security problems facing U.S.

U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers offered a warning Friday to participants at the Mackinac Policy Conference: Don't pop those free thumb drives into your computer.

Snyder recognizes Dingell’s upcoming service record

Gov. Rick Snyder honored Rep. John Dingell Friday morning at the Mackinac Policy Conference for his near record-breaking years of service.

Howes: Only performance can change auto's old narrative

Mackinac Island — John Murphy's seen a lot of business cycles roil the auto industry, but none looks quite like the one just beginning to generate fat profits, ...

Survey: 1 in 5 from MSU, WSU and U-M launched startups

New businesses have been started by nearly 1 in 5 alumni of the University of Michigan, Michigan State University and Wayne State University — which is double ...

Snyder: Talented workers Michigan's most important resource

Kathryn Danielson is a Michigan native who grew up in the Upper Peninsula community of Baraga. Kathryn wanted nothing more than to graduate from college and ...

GOP tiring of waiting for Rogers

Sum up the Republican approach to capturing Michigan's open U.S. Senate seat like this: Waiting for Rogers.

Jeb Bush, at Mackinac policy conference, backs education and immigration reform

Mackinac Island — As he mulls a bid for the presidency in three years, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush said Wednesday “economic immigration” reform could benefit ...

U.S. needs more immigrants to grow, ex-CEO of Kellogg says

Mackinac Island — Immigration reform is a key to keeping the economy growing and could ensure economic dominance for years to come, a former chief executive ...

Snyder asserts city assets, including DIA art, at risk if Detroit goes bankrupt

Mackinac Island — Gov. Rick Snyder drew political fire Wednesday after he acknowledged his emergency manager in Detroit may not be able to protect the ...

Editorial: Right policies could fuel manufacturing boom

From 2000 to 2010, Michigan lost 423,000 factory jobs, or 47 percent of its manufacturing workforce. The loss was heaviest in the automotive industry but ...

Michigan cannot give in to education reform fatigue

With the Mackinac Policy Conference upon us, I'm excited about the opportunity the conference will offer for dialogue around the major issues facing our great ...

Mackinac briefs: Macomb County receives $230K grant to promote defense in Michigan

Mackinac Island — The Michigan Economic Development Corp. has awarded Macomb County a $231,000 grant to create a statewide strategy for expanding Macomb’s ...

Dillon at Mackinac: ‘Next month will be telling’ for Detroit

State Treasurer Andy Dillon said Detroit may be able to avoid a Chapter 9 bankruptcy but added the coming weeks will likely reveal how the financially troubled ...

Michigan can't let economic momentum slow

Four years into Detroit's automotive revival and two-plus years into a fiscal re-engineering in Lansing, the hard work is beginning to pay handsome dividends ...

Bing feels he was benched too soon

Dave Bing affects no bravado when considering whether he could have won another term as Detroit’s mayor. It wasn’t fear of losing that caused Bing to forgo a ...

Ex-Florida Gov. Jeb Bush undecided on 2016 presidential bid

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush met with The Detroit News in the Presidential Suite of the Grand Hotel, which of course begged the question: Is he running for ...

Editorial: Creating impact through conversation

This year, the agenda for the Detroit Regional Chamber's Mackinac Policy Conference focuses heavily on education, and that's smart. Michigan's recovery will ...

It's time to modernize the U.S. education system

Among our national priorities, two in particular hold my personal passion: the need for a national energy policy, and reinventing our educational system.

Snyder: DIA art vulnerable to liquidation

Gov. Rick Snyder acknowledged today the masterpieces of the DIA could be vulnerable to liquidation in a Chapter 9 bankruptcy of the city.

Jeb Bush urges Michigan lawmakers to approve education reform

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush met privately today with Michigan Republican lawmakers to urge them to approve higher K-12 education standards.

Hitting the chalkboard on Mackinac Island

Next week, education and business will merge on Mackinac Island, as both educators and businessmen acknowledge the vital link between the two.

New programs driving change in Detroit despite financial crisis

The threat of Chapter 9 bankruptcy for Michigan's largest city isn't squelching ideas whose times are overdue.