The Detroit News is offering 50 ideas to fix Michigan, one a day starting on September 21, 2009.

(1) Shift State Police road patrols to counties, Detroit News, Septmeber 21, 2009.

(2) "Outlaw binding police, fire arbitration", Detroit News, September 22, 2009.

(3) "Reform Medicaid with incentives", Detroit News, September 23, 2009.

(4) "Raise Michigan's beer tax", Detroit News, September 24, 2009.

(5) "Change way public universities are funded", Detroit News, September 25, 2009.

(6) "Make state worker compensation average", Detroit News, September 26, 2009.

(7) "Make prison sentencing reforms", Detroit News, September 29, 2009.

(8) "Reform state worker laws", Detroit News, September 30, 2009.

(9) "Merge local governments to save money", Detroit News, October 1, 2009.

(10) "Re-route revenue sharing to localities", Detroit News, October 2, 2009.

(11) "Intensify school district consolidation", Detroit News, October 5, 2009.

(12) Let private firms run some prisons, Detroit News, October 6, 2009.

(13) "Eliminate redundant state programs", Detroit News, October 7, 2009.

(14) "Pool health benefits of public employees", Detroit News, October 8, 2009.

(15) "Eliminate personal property tax", Detroit News, October 9, 2009.

(16) "Measure state's business competitiveness", Detroit News, October 12, 2009.

(17) "Privatize nonteaching services in schools", Detroit News, October 13, 2009.

(18) "Change state revenue-sharing formula", Detroit News, October 14, 2009.

(19) "Switch new teachers to 401(k)s", Detroit News, October 15, 2009.

(20) "Cap or shift school health benefits", Detroit News, October 16, 2009.

(21) "Reward prisoners for good behavior", Detroit News, October 19, 2009.

(22) "Slash school district bureaucracy", Detroit News, October 20, 2009.

(23) "Coordinate economic development efforts", Detroit News, October 21, 2009.

(24) "Cut state government work force", Detroit News, October 22, 2009.

(25) "Keep paroled inmates out of prison", Detroit News, October 23, 2009.

(26) "Create 10-year budget outlook", Detroit News, October 26, 2009.

(27) "Eliminate agricultural extension programs", Detroit News, October 27, 2009.

(28) "Change Michigan-only rules", Detroit News, October 28, 2009.

(29) "Create minimum health benefit", Detroit News, October 29, 2009.

(30) "Update how localities get fuel revenues", Detroit News, October 30, 2009.

(31) "Ensure 180 days or more of school", Detroit News, November 4, 2009.

(32) "Stop mortgaging tobacco cash", Detroit News, November 5, 2009.

(33) "Reform lawmakers' salaries, perks, disclosure for more accountability", Detroit News, November 6, 2009.

(34) "No more senior year of high school", Detroit News, November 7, 2009.

(35) "Eliminate cash subsidies for filmmakers", Detroit News, November 10, 2009.

(36) "Shift to year-round school calendar", Detroit News, November 11, 2009.

(37) "Change state land cleanup program", Detroit News, November 12, 2009.

(38) "Switch to incentive pay for teachers", Detroit News, November 13, 2009.

(39) "Educate college underclassmen with a year of e-learning", Detroit News, November 16, 2009.

(40) "Steer students to underfilled professions", Detroit News, November 17, 2009.

(41) "Trim public worker health benefits", Detroit News, November 18, 2009.

(42) "Nursing degrees from community colleges", Detroit News, November 19, 2009.

(43) "End the educational paper chase", Detroit News, November 20, 2009.

(44) "50 Ideas: End K-12 teacher tenure", Detroit News, November 23, 2009.

Despite sworn testimony by a state police detective reported in the Free Press on Nov. 8, there is no evidence that Cox's office allowed Detroit police to confiscate computer records that State Police had wanted to review, or that those records were critical to the investigation into allegations about a wild party, an assaulted stripper, or connections to her death.

For the full editorial, see "No evidence of cover-up by Mike Cox; Documents contradict claims that he thwarted investigators", Detroit Free Press, November 22, 2009.

As the state closes prisons and paroles a record number of prisoners as part of an effort to cut costs and re-shape the system, the ability of people to successfully build new lives will be crucial.

The Michigan Prisoner Re-entry Initiative aims to help parolees transition back into their communities by helping them find jobs, housing as well as substance abuse treatment.

Local Area Support
• A support group for parolees, called Beyond the Bars, meets at 10 a.m. Saturdays in the conference room at the Campus Village apartments, 1151 Michigan Ave. in East Lansing. For more information, call (517) 242-2120.

• A Lansing organization - Advocacy, Reentry, Resources and Outreach (ARRO) - helps ex-offenders. On Dec. 11, the group is hosting an event so people can learn how to advocate for prisoners awaiting release. For more information, call (517) 999-2895.

Average caseload for Tri-County Area

County parole office average monthly caseload:

2007 2008 2009

Ingham 397 377 467

Clinton 32 45 47

Eaton 106 118 112

Source: Michigan Department of Corrections

For the full article, see Kevin Grasha, "State, Lansing officers take proactive role on parolees; They're being helped transition back into society", Lansing State Journal, November 22, 2009.

Plugging the shortfalls

Local school boards likely will make tough decisions at December meetings, adjusting budgets for the new semester in January. Items on the table include:

• Fund equity: Many districts dipped into their savings accounts to balance budgets and now are considering spending down even more.

• Transportation: East Lansing is considering two plans: Cutting bus transportation for middle and high school students and eliminating transportation altogether. Grand Ledge is considering cutting transportation for high school students.

• Building closings: To help balance future budgets, Okemos will close two buildings in June. Closings also are under consideration in Grand Ledge and East Lansing. Waverly has convened a facilities committee to evaluate all district buildings.

• Extras: Everything from athletics to art and music are possibilities for cuts.

For the full article, see Kathleen Lavey, "K-12 funding : Schools facing budget realities; Granholm's charge to lawmakers to replace cuts goes unheeded", Lansing State Journal, November 20, 2009.

One frustrated client hurled a piece of concrete through the window of a welfare agency. Another threw her car keys at a welfare worker before being escorted away. At one point, a woman on public assistance even took a swing at a worker.

As Michigan struggles with the highest-in-the-nation jobless rate, state workers who deal with unemployment, welfare and other aid programs say they have never been so overwhelmed - or so worried about their safety. Some clients have begun taking their anger out on the very people who are offering help. And caseworkers are seeking extra protection.

For the full article, see David Eggert, "State caseworkers worry about threats from clients; Growing case loads, frustrated clients may be recipe for trouble", Lansing State Journal, November 18, 2009.