http://letssavemichigan.com en Copyright 2010 2010-03-02T20:12:21+00:00 http://letssavemichigan.com/blog/entry/congrats-to-marquette/ http://letssavemichigan.com/blog/entry/congrats-to-marquette/ Congratulations to Marquette, which was just voted the fan favorite of the National Trust for Historic Preservation's Distinctive Destinations for 2010. 2010-03-02T19:12:21+00:00 http://letssavemichigan.com/blog/entry/leader-board-to-be-posted-soon/ http://letssavemichigan.com/blog/entry/leader-board-to-be-posted-soon/ We're working on getting a leader board for the poster contest up and running. Check back soon to see if your favorite poster is in the lead. 2010-02-25T20:34:15+00:00 http://letssavemichigan.com/blog/entry/2010-michigan-winter-beer-festival/ http://letssavemichigan.com/blog/entry/2010-michigan-winter-beer-festival/ Michigan is one of America's top destinations for craft beer and if you need proof just head to Grand Rapids this Saturday. Nearly 50 craft brewers—including 35 Michigan-owned and operated microbreweries and brewpubs—will gather in Grand Rapids to take part in the fifth-annual Michigan Winter Beer Festival. Beer enthusiast will be able to sample 300-plus beers outdoors at Fifth Third Ballpark in Comstock Park just north of the city. 2010-02-25T20:21:45+00:00 http://letssavemichigan.com/blog/entry/getting-back-to-basics-what-does-that-actually-mean/ http://letssavemichigan.com/blog/entry/getting-back-to-basics-what-does-that-actually-mean/ There is a growing sentiment in Michigan and across the nation that “government needs to get back to basics.” Which raises an interesting question: are we even currently doing the basics? Since when are decent roads and libraries and parks not basics? These government services have been staples of our society going back to a time when most people could tell you where they were when they heard Lincoln was shot. Yet we are allowing these key institutions of our society to decay right before our eyes.e} 2010-02-25T14:46:20+00:00 http://letssavemichigan.com/blog/entry/have-your-say-in-how-we-view-michigans-future/ http://letssavemichigan.com/blog/entry/have-your-say-in-how-we-view-michigans-future/ We asked artists and designers to come up with creative ways to depict the actions and assets that would create more livable and desirable communities and help turn out Michigan's fortunes. They responded with over 300 submissions. With the help of the Detroit Institute of Art we've come up with 60 finalists but we need your help to name the winner. 2010-02-23T18:47:41+00:00 http://letssavemichigan.com/blog/entry/in-michigan-is-there-life-after-the-big-3/ http://letssavemichigan.com/blog/entry/in-michigan-is-there-life-after-the-big-3/ Pete Engardio of the NY Times explores companies diversifying and replacing auto jobs with positions in defense, aerospace, and green technologies. 2010-02-17T11:42:09+00:00 http://letssavemichigan.com/blog/entry/completing-streets-across-michigan/ http://letssavemichigan.com/blog/entry/completing-streets-across-michigan/ A growing initiative to “Complete Streets” nationwide has Michigan thinking about the value of adopting pedestrian and bicycle-friendly policies and improving the infrastructure for non-motorized transportation. Lansing joined the fray of cities nationwide that have adopted Complete Streets non-motorized network ordinances, and this month they will be the first city in Michigan to present a draft of a Complete Streets network plan. Meanwhile legislators at the Capitol are giving the issue more consideration as they examine the role the state plays in creating desirable communities through transportation policiee} 2010-02-16T15:36:48+00:00 http://letssavemichigan.com/blog/entry/celebrate-fat-tuesday-like-nowhere-else-downtown-hamtramck/ http://letssavemichigan.com/blog/entry/celebrate-fat-tuesday-like-nowhere-else-downtown-hamtramck/ You don’t need to be in New Orleans to celebrate Fat Tuesday in style; in fact, you can celebrate the “Polish Mardi Gras” all over Michigan, but no place tops downtown Hamtramck. In celebration of Paczki Day, thousands will converge on Hamtramck—Michigan’s most diverse city—to kick of a week of Polish food and music and both family-friendly and less than family-friendly entertaincode} 2010-02-12T18:05:51+00:00 http://letssavemichigan.com/blog/entry/vote-marquette-support-a-fellow-michigan-city-that-is-doing-great-things/ http://letssavemichigan.com/blog/entry/vote-marquette-support-a-fellow-michigan-city-that-is-doing-great-things/ Marquette has been named by the National Trust for Historic Preservation as one of the 12 most Distinctive Destinations in America in 2010. Join us and Vote Marquette and show the rest of the nation that Michigan has some great cities full of character and charm and where historic preservation and uniqueness are appreciated. 2010-02-09T14:17:49+00:00 http://letssavemichigan.com/blog/entry/blue-print-america-beyond-the-motor-city/ http://letssavemichigan.com/blog/entry/blue-print-america-beyond-the-motor-city/ This is a reminder Blueprint America: Beyond the Motor City debuts nationally this February 8 at 10pm on PBS. Watch the trailer here. 2010-02-05T15:05:42+00:00 http://letssavemichigan.com/blog/entry/michigans-high-speed-punch-to-the-gut-and-what-you-can-do-about-it/ http://letssavemichigan.com/blog/entry/michigans-high-speed-punch-to-the-gut-and-what-you-can-do-about-it/ Last week the Obama administration finally announced the recepients of the stimulus package's high-speed rail projects and despite considerable rhetoric and promises, Michigan was largely ignored. While it was certainly a disappointment it is not the end of a greater push to bring Michigan into a new regional transportation network. 2010-02-03T17:37:54+00:00 http://letssavemichigan.com/blog/entry/winter-communities-show-cold-weather-can-be-cool/ http://letssavemichigan.com/blog/entry/winter-communities-show-cold-weather-can-be-cool/ Plunging temperatures, gray skies and long nights don't mean we need to hurry indoors until springtime. Many cities around the world now offer inspiring examples of how creative placemaking allows people to enjoy public spaces and lively community streets throughout the winter. From Copenhagen to Quebec City to New York, people are flocking to outdoor markets and festivals. 2010-01-26T19:07:31+00:00 http://letssavemichigan.com/blog/entry/its-vital-to-our-future-.-.-.-even-though-you-may-not-use-it/ http://letssavemichigan.com/blog/entry/its-vital-to-our-future-.-.-.-even-though-you-may-not-use-it/ Japanese-esque bullet trains aren't exactly right around the corner but in the past month some interesting and encouraging developments transpired in the ongoing saga that is mass transit in Michigan. Why should you care? Well, transit by no means is a panacea to all of what ails Michigan, but it is an essential tool to creating the strong urban cores that Michigan lacks. 2010-01-22T13:37:03+00:00 http://letssavemichigan.com/blog/entry/reminding-ourselves-why-our-commerical-centers-matter/ http://letssavemichigan.com/blog/entry/reminding-ourselves-why-our-commerical-centers-matter/ As long as Michigan fails to offer vibrant downtowns or other traditional commercial districts with distinct experiences we'll struggle to appeal to a significant segment of the mobile work force and more importantly we’ll continue to shortchange ourselves both economically and in terms of quality of lif} 2010-01-15T17:47:08+00:00 http://letssavemichigan.com/blog/entry/tell-us-your-story-you-may-be-featured-on-wjr/ http://letssavemichigan.com/blog/entry/tell-us-your-story-you-may-be-featured-on-wjr/ Starting in a few weeks there is going to be a monthly radio show on WJR 760 Am radio dedicated to rethinking the role of Michigan's cities and their importance to our economic future. Let's Save Michigan has been asked to help them fill a regular segment on the show by highlighting individuals and organizations working to recreate Michigan's cities. Help us by telling us your story! 2010-01-12T15:14:57+00:00 http://letssavemichigan.com/blog/entry/resolving-to-make-michigans-2010-better-than-2009/ http://letssavemichigan.com/blog/entry/resolving-to-make-michigans-2010-better-than-2009/ A couple painful truths; things could have gone better for Michigan in 2009 and we're a week in to 2010 and you've probably already abandoned your New Year's resolution. To those two points here are some real personal actions we can all take in 2010 to make things better for our communities and the state we all love so much. 2010-01-07T13:45:20+00:00 http://letssavemichigan.com/blog/entry/making-michigan-the-dakota-inn-rathskeller/ http://letssavemichigan.com/blog/entry/making-michigan-the-dakota-inn-rathskeller/ For our on-going Making Michigan series, a friend of ours submitted one of her favorite places, Detroit's Dakota Inn. The Dakota Inn Rathskeller is a German beer hall family owned since 1933. Opened by Karl Kurz, a worker at Ford's Highland Park factory, it has been for generations a venue for merriment and German sing-alongs and an anchor institution in a neighborhood that has seen better days. 2010-01-05T15:42:17+00:00 http://letssavemichigan.com/blog/entry/tis-the-season-to-explore-your-city/ http://letssavemichigan.com/blog/entry/tis-the-season-to-explore-your-city/ A call to action this last weekend before Christmas: Avoid the insanity of the malls and visit your local downtown or main street. It'll help your community and may just reaffirm your faith in humanity. 2009-12-18T13:34:50+00:00 http://letssavemichigan.com/blog/entry/making-michigan-ann-arbors-826michigan-and-the-robot-supply-repair/ http://letssavemichigan.com/blog/entry/making-michigan-ann-arbors-826michigan-and-the-robot-supply-repair/ Ann Arbor non-profit 826michigan is ready for the season with a zany holiday window display and plans for a big New Years bash. The organization provides elementary through high school students with after school tutoring sessions, writing workshops and additional educational programming, and their fundraising events have a reputation for being unique and inventive. 2009-12-10T18:05:29+00:00 http://letssavemichigan.com/blog/entry/not-to-sound-like-a-snob-but-where-you-work-matters/ http://letssavemichigan.com/blog/entry/not-to-sound-like-a-snob-but-where-you-work-matters/ The general public needs to start questioning Lansing's economic development efforts. As in why do we subsidize the construction of fake main streets while real ones languish? 2009-12-08T19:19:35+00:00 http://letssavemichigan.com/blog/entry/making-michigan-carriage-town-antique-center-and-hoffmans-deco-deli/ http://letssavemichigan.com/blog/entry/making-michigan-carriage-town-antique-center-and-hoffmans-deco-deli/ For this week's installment of MAKING MICHIGAN we look at an antique store and deli that have brought new life to a Sears tire shop that had sat abandoned for decades in downtown Flint. 2009-12-01T15:40:28+00:00 http://letssavemichigan.com/blog/entry/multiplicity-of-the-arts-and-the-health-of-a-city/ http://letssavemichigan.com/blog/entry/multiplicity-of-the-arts-and-the-health-of-a-city/ Arts and cultural institutions of all shapes and sizes add to the rich fabric of a city and ultimately their viability. Increasingly young people are moving to cities that offer them the highest quality of life, even more so than where the job openings are located. Here is a quick look at the unique cultural and artistic opportunities an average weekend produced. 2009-11-23T13:50:57+00:00 http://letssavemichigan.com/blog/entry/making-michigan-the-peoples-food-co-op/ http://letssavemichigan.com/blog/entry/making-michigan-the-peoples-food-co-op/ In advance of Thanksgiving in our weekly segment, MAKING MICHIGAN, we highlight Ann Arbor's People's Food Co-op. More than just a quaint, local grocery store, the People's Co-op is an anchor business in Ann Arbor's Kerrytown and a source for healthty living and community pride. 2009-11-19T14:09:47+00:00 http://letssavemichigan.com/blog/entry/Guerilla-Blight-Busters-in-the-Midst-of-the-Blank-Canvas-that-is-Detroit/ http://letssavemichigan.com/blog/entry/Guerilla-Blight-Busters-in-the-Midst-of-the-Blank-Canvas-that-is-Detroit/ While some optimists trumpet Michigan's urban cities as a "blank canvases" or as laboratories to create and make a name for oneself others are drawn to them for the sense of community that has been forged out of the decline of city services and institutional support in the wake of the recent recession. 2009-11-17T19:52:24+00:00 http://letssavemichigan.com/blog/entry/making-michigan-the-redford-theatre/ http://letssavemichigan.com/blog/entry/making-michigan-the-redford-theatre/ In our new segment called Making Michigan, each week we are going to highlight the businesses, public places and orginizations that make our cities unique, more livable and in their own small way make Michigan a better place. We'll start off with one of my favorite places to spend a Friday or Saturday night, the Redford Theatre of Detroit. 2009-11-13T12:34:16+00:00 http://letssavemichigan.com/blog/entry/how-i-started-my-business-for-under-a-grand/ http://letssavemichigan.com/blog/entry/how-i-started-my-business-for-under-a-grand/ East Lansing was recently named by Entrepreneur Magazine as one of the “Best College Towns to Start a Business.” EL resident Julielyn Gibbons tells us how she was able to take that leap to quit her job and start up a new company, i3 Strategies, with the help of the city's Technology Innovation Centee} 2009-11-06T13:16:16+00:00 http://letssavemichigan.com/blog/entry/shrinking-in-the-name-of-renewal-an-interview-with-dan-kildee/ http://letssavemichigan.com/blog/entry/shrinking-in-the-name-of-renewal-an-interview-with-dan-kildee/ Influential voice in land use debates Genesee County Treasurer Daniel Kildee talks with Let's Save Michigan about the "shrinking of Flint" and what the Genesee County Land Bank is doing to improve conditions in Flint, Michigan. Kildee founded the Genesee County Land Bank to address poor land use, population decline and abandonment in and around Flint, Michigan. The Land Bank obtains and manages residential and commercial properties with the intention of improving conditions. Kildee, an outspoken figure in land use debates, shares his thoughts on Flint and reshaping the city's design. 2009-10-30T12:35:45+00:00 http://letssavemichigan.com/blog/entry/big-box-stores-and-the-inevitable-guilt-that-consumes-me/ http://letssavemichigan.com/blog/entry/big-box-stores-and-the-inevitable-guilt-that-consumes-me/ National chains are ingrained in our lives, and in certain cases offer things that local stores cannot. But we need to examine how we spend our money and see in what ways we could spend our money as wisely as possible to create more desirable cities. A 2008 study of Grand Rapids and surrounding Kent County, found that if residents were to redirect just 10 percent of their total spending from chains to locally owned businesses, the result would be $140 million in new economic activity for the region, including 1,600 new jobs and $53 million in additional payroll. 2009-10-23T12:53:59+00:00 http://letssavemichigan.com/blog/entry/notes-on-walkability-from-a-walker/ http://letssavemichigan.com/blog/entry/notes-on-walkability-from-a-walker/ An Ann Arbor resident weighs in on the importance of walkability and how proposed transit plans would add to the desirability of the region. 2009-10-19T12:16:25+00:00 http://letssavemichigan.com/blog/entry/artprize-art-cities-and-how-ive-been-wrong-about-grand-rapids-all-this-time/ http://letssavemichigan.com/blog/entry/artprize-art-cities-and-how-ive-been-wrong-about-grand-rapids-all-this-time/ A Detroiter that has been utterly ambivalent to Grand Rapids takes in ArtPrize and develops a long overdue appreciation for the Furniture City and the power of art to bring a city to life. 2009-10-09T18:59:58+00:00