Will a Grayling amusement park take the state for a ride?

Back in July of 2006 I wrote about a possible amusement park being built in Grayling. I found an interesting article written by Diane S. Katz and James M. Hohman for the Mackinaw Center for Public Policy that debates the merits of our state subsidizing such things as amusement parks. Axiom Entertainment, the force behind the proposed amusement park, is seeking $25 million in infrastructure improvements from the state. For your viewing pleasure, take a look at their breakdown of Michigan's crummy track record with subsidizing entertainment venues:

• Some $35 million in local, state and federal funds was invested in Auto World, a seven-acre theme park in downtown Flint. The park, which opened in 1984, was supposed to draw 900,000 visitors annually and revive the beleaguered city. It closed after only two years.
• Construction of Cereal City USA, in downtown Battle Creek, was made possible by a loan of $900,000 from the state that was secured by the city. The attraction, which opened in 1998, was billed as "a land of wonderful, interactive experiences and entertainment for the entire family, as they explore the birth, development and global impact of the cereal industry." Officials estimated that the park would draw 400,000 visitors annually, but it was shuttered in January 2007 after years of dismal attendance.
• The Kalamazoo Aviation History Museum secured a $3 million state grant to launch construction of an aviation theme park. The attraction was touted as "a centerpiece for economic development and tourism in southwestern Michigan," and local officials hoped that the state would finance half of the $80 million construction cost. A 25 percent hike in the local hotel tax also was considered. Ultimately, the grant money was returned to the state after the project was scaled back for lack of support.
• The city of Pontiac invested $55.7 million to build the Silverdome in 1975. The Detroit Lions relocated to Detroit’s Ford Field in 2002. Although the team paid the city $26 million for breaking its contract, Pontiac continues to incur a hefty deficit in maintaining the 127-acre site.

Our state doesn't have the funds to be throwing money around subsidizing entertainment venues that in reality produce very few actual jobs. If state lawmakers are truly looking for areas in the state budget to make cuts - this should be one of them.

Read the very interesting article in it's entirety at Mackinac.org.

Enjoy a homemade music video featuring Grand Rapids

Some ambitious Michigander took the Red Hot Chili Peppers song, "Especially in Michigan," and footage shot around Grand Rapids and created this really neat music video. The video is right around four minutes long and is basically a virtual tour of Grand Rapids with music. Pretty neat!

If the video player does not work you can view the video here.

Have a Great Weekend!

Second annual Kalamazoo Fretboard Festival is this weekend

The Kalamazoo Valley Museum plays host to the Kalamazoo Fretboard Festival this weekend (March 24). The event celebrates the stringed-instrument history and legacy of Kalamazoo. Guitars have been produced in Kalamazoo for over a century, but Kalamazoo was also home to banjo, basses, ukuleles, mandolins, and other stringed-instrument production. The event runs from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. and admission is free. Various workshops and lectures on topics such as A History of Gibson Guitar, Fingerpickin' Beginner to Intermediate, The History of the Banjo, and much more will take place throughout the museum.

Performances by Great Lakes Grass (traditional bluegrass), Third Coast Ensemble, Royal Garden Trio, and the Fabulous Heftones will take place during the event in the Kalamazoo Valley Museum gallery.

For more information and directions to the museum visit their website - kvm.kvcc.edu.

Via the Kalamazoo Gazette

Furniture made from cow manure is no bull

Picture yourself walking across the floor and sitting on a chair at your kitchen table. Now imagine that the floor, chair, and table are all made from cow manure! Sound gross?

Researchers at Michigan State University are currently working to use the fiber from processed and sterilized cow manure in place of sawdust in fiberboard. Early results of some tests show that the "manure fiberboard" "seems to match or beat the quality of wood-based products."

This would certainly be a plus for farmers. Instead of having to pay an average of $200 per cow annually, farmers could bring in revenue by selling the manure to fiberboard manufacturers. It will be interesting to see if this flies or not.

Read the article at cbs11tv.com.

USPS rate increase to be effective May 14, 2007

Stamps will cost $.41 instead of $.39 and a "forever" stamp has been introduced. The "forever" stamp can be purchased at the new $.41 rate and will be valid against future increases. Unfortunately (for businesses that heavily rely on shipping - like us) they also raised their rates across the board for everything including Priority Mail. We will be evaluating our shipping rates over the next couple of months and most likely we will have to raise at least some of our shipping rates. We generally lose money on shipping as it is and with this Postal Service rate increase we will be forced into raising our rates in May.

For Example: Our most popular gift baskets weigh approximately 8-10 pounds and generally fit into the $9.95 charge for shipping. Currently to ship one of those gift baskets to Texas it would cost $12.60 so we lose $2.65. On May 14 when the Priority Mail rates increase it will then cost $15.60 to ship that same basket and if we do not raise our rates at least marginally - we will lose $5.65.

Now, this in no way means that we will charge $15 for shipping instead of the current $9.95 for gift baskets in the $50 to $74.99 range. We will run some calculations based upon current shipping destinations and the basket types that are shipped most often and come up with new shipping rates.

Again, we will not raise our rates until the new Postal rates take effect on May 14, 2007. Until then our current shipping rates will still apply.

Michigan gas prices below those of this time last year

Last year at this time Michigan gas prices were averaging $2.57 per gallon. As of this today, the average price is $2.46. However, here in southwest Michigan I haven't seen anything below $2.59 yet today. Prices were in the $2.43 range over the weekend and then jumped $.13 this morning. Why? You got me - the price for a barrel of oil went down so it can't be that.

MichiganGasPrices.com is reporting the lowest price for gas in Michigan at $2.21 in Lapeer at the Meijer gas station on Demille road. The hot spot for the highest gas prices is at the Sunoco station in Remus on the corner of M-20 and M-66.

Gas price data courtesy of AAA's Fuel Gauge Report.