Celebrating 75 years of launching boating adventures

Celebrating 75 years of launching boating adventures

by | May 10, 2022 | Recreation

DNR banner
speedboat in the background with mother and daughter paddle boarding

DNR News
May 9, 2022
Contact: Maia Turek, 989-225-8573

Celebrating 75 years of launching boating adventures

Michigan State Waterways Commission logo with Celebrate 75 years of Michigan boating taglineBoating has been a human pursuit for at least 8,000 years, with waters tempting us toward adventure, providing food and helping to build cities and economies. Those motivations for taking to the water have persisted and are still true today.

In 2022, Michigan is celebrating the 75th anniversary of the waterways program, a modern concept meaning the access and infrastructure needed for boating: launches, marinas, gas docks, locks and dams, and the maintenance to keep these destinations accessible and operational.

The Michigan State Waterways Commission, a seven-member advisory commission appointed by the governor, was created in 1947 to advise on how Michigan would place, fund and manage harbors to provide safe, navigable boating on Michigan’s Great Lakes. The program has evolved significantly since its early charge and today is looking toward the future of boating to ensure our state continues to be a world-class freshwater boating destination.

“Michigan is blessed with a fantastic diversity of water-based recreation, and our waterways program is integral to making the most of those opportunities and boosting quality of life for communities all over the state,” said Ron Olson, chief of the DNR Parks and Recreation Division. “Nearly 90 percent of Michigan’s registered boats are under 25 feet long, and many of those boaters rely on safe, accessible points of entry to get on the water.”

Olson credited Michigan’s waterways program for the acquisition and development of nearly 1,300 public boating access sites. Through the harbor of refuge program, too, local and state harbors are available nearly every 30 miles surrounding the Great Lakes shoreline.

“The Michigan State Waterways Commission advises the DNR, the Parks and Recreation Division and the waterways program to ensure that boaters are part of the conversation and their voices are heard,” Olson said. “Thanks to the many volunteer commissioners who have served our enviable waterways program for the past 75 years and built a strong legacy for the future of Michigan boating.”

Origin, evolution of waterways management

Established by the Michigan Legislature in 1947, the commission was created to take advantage of federal monies made available from the 1945 Rivers and Harbors Act, which provided funding for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects on navigable waters of the nation. Congress then approved the plan for Michigan to create a safe harbor of refuge network on the state’s Great Lakes shoreline. This also funded:

  • Protective breakwater structures still in use.
  • Harbor basin and channel dredging to establish many of the harbors we know today.
  • Routine maintenance dredging responsibilities for which the state, in turn, would provide mooring and boat ramp facilities.

This plan formed the basis of the state’s harbor program.

By 1949, the state had launched additional efforts to expand the harbor of refuge network by collaborating with local units of government (counties, townships and cities) on the construction, maintenance and operation of these facilities. This started what is known today as the Grant-in-Aid Program, establishing federal, state and local partnerships in the development of Great Lakes harbor facilities. Today, there are 82 state-sponsored harbors.

In 1968, the functions of the commission were transferred to the Department of Natural Resources and added the responsibility of selecting and creating boating access sites (commonly referred to as boat launches) on Michigan’s abundant inland lakes, too.

With this expansion of the program, funding to meet the needs of Michigan’s boaters became a priority, which is how Michigan became the first state in the nation to establish a state marine fuel tax. This carved out a portion of the state tax on the sale of gasoline for a fund that helps to provide boaters better, broader access to Michigan’s waters. Michigan was the first state in the nation to establish such a fund, creating a model for recreational boating now used by many other states.

Today, Michigan is home to more than 800,000 registered recreational boaters , with the industry contributing $7.8 billion a year to Michigan’s economy. At 3,288 miles, Michigan’s Great Lakes shoreline is longer than that of the Atlantic coast and our state is home to some 11,000 inland lakes.

Celebrate waterways your way

Everyone is invited to help mark this Michigan maritime moment. Visit Michigan.gov/DNR/CelebrateBoating to learn ways you can celebrate, including:

  • Signing up for “Water Wednesday” texts.
  • Seeing aerial drone footage of some of Michigan’s harbors and marinas.
  • Sharing your photos.
  • Learning about the upcoming Waterways Adventure Lab and Paint the Waterways programs.
  • Learning about new sustainable boating efforts.
  • Downloading free coloring pages.
  • Finding 75th anniversary merchandise.

Help shape the future of waterways

Boaters and others interested in having their voices heard are encouraged to learn more about the Waterways Commission, including reviewing past meeting minutes and upcoming meeting schedules. These public meetings are an excellent forum to share ideas and ask questions related to boating access, infrastructure and sustainability.

More on Michigan boating, celebration details and information on the commission can be found at Michigan.gov/Boating.

Note to editors: High-res boating photos and logos are available in the anniversary toolkit, found at the bottom of the Michigan.gov/DNR/CelebrateBoating webpage.
We recently launched a new website, and we’d love to hear what you think via this brief survey. Thanks for helping us improve our site for all users!
MHSAA Approves New Rule Changes

MHSAA Approves New Rule Changes

by | May 9, 2022 | Feature Writers, High School Sports

Friday, May 6, 2022

MHSAA Approves New Rule Changes.

Written Friday May 6th at 8:00 PM
By Sammy Taormina

The MHSAA made more changes during their spring meetings in Gaylord on Friday afternoon.

The most noticeable changes will be in football with the intro of instant replay. The coaches will have one challenge very similar to the NFL. They can challenge incomplete passes, laterals, and targeting calls along with other things. If they lose the challenge they will lose a timeout. Also players can wear shoulder pads when they are at camps.

Basketball will switch seasons with the boys going first for two years in 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 school years because of Michigan State possibly hosting Women’s NCAA Tournament games.

Baseball and softball will have two separate sight selection committees to determine where the district and regional rounds will be played.

In hockey, they will use the MPR system to seed the entire regional.

In golf, the number of strokes goes down from 12 to 10 and they will be allowed two coaches to be present during postseason competition.

In soccer, the two top seeds can host games if they are not played at the prearranged host site.

In Middle School track and field, they could conduct regionals starting next year.

The fifth quarter rule was addressed as well. The MHSAA Representative Council approved a Soccer committee recommendation allowed athletes to play no more than three halves on a day not followed by a school day. They also approved that violators of the fifth quarter rule must forfeit the game and that the head coach would have to sit out a game. Also the fifth quarter rule would be applied to Middle School Basketball as well.

It will be very interesting to see what happens but several of these changes are huge. We shall see what happens.

Stay tuned to OAA Now for the latest on this developing story.

Here is the press release from the MHSAA Representative Council.

https://secondhalf.mhsaa.com/topics/mhsaa-news/rep-council-approves-new-hockey-classification-procedure-wrestling-weights-spring

Veterans Benefits Counselors at Oakland County Michigan Works

Veterans Benefits Counselors at Oakland County Michigan Works

by | May 9, 2022 | Regional News

Veterans Can Access Veterans Benefits Counselors at Oakland County Michigan Works! Offices

  • An Oakland County Veterans’ Services representative will be available onsite at the Oakland County Michigan Works! centers in Novi, Southfield, and Oak Park one day a week.
  • Veterans and eligible family members can access both veterans benefits and career assistance.

Pontiac, Michigan – Oakland County Veterans’ Services and Oakland County Michigan Works! are providing veterans with convenient access to a broad range of services. Oakland County Michigan Works! (OCMW) centers in Novi, Southfield (Tuesday), and Oak Park (Thursday) will host veterans benefits counselors one day a week.

Veterans who visit the OCMW offices in Pontiac, Troy, and Waterford will receive a referral to a liaison in the Veterans’ Services offices in Pontiac or Troy.

“Our goal is to bring veterans services into the community, closer to where they live,” said Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter. “By placing our veterans benefits counselors in Oakland County Michigan Works! offices, residents who served their country will not only be able to get help accessing their benefits, but assistance for their careers as well.”

OCMW Novi will host veterans’ benefit counselors on Tuesdays, OCMW Southfield also on Tuesdays, and OCMW Oak Park on Thursdays.

Veterans’ benefits counselors help clients navigate the process of completing and submitting applications for federal, state, and county veterans benefits. Benefits available to eligible veterans include:

  • Military service-connected disability compensation
  • Non-service connected disability pension
  • Veteran Administration healthcare
  • Transportation services
  • Employment and education resources
  • Financial support, including home loans, life insurance and other relief and compensation
  • Burial benefits

“Our team is available to assist Oakland County veterans of all ages,” Veterans’ Services Division Manager Garth Wootten said.  “We welcome these men and women to call or visit one of our offices or the Oakland County Michigan Works! centers, where we partner with veterans through the claims process and advocate on their behalf to ensure they receive the benefits they’ve earned.”

Jennifer Llewellyn, director of Oakland County Michigan Works!, said veterans who visit the service centers also have access to a number of employment services, including:

  • Matching a veteran’s military experience and accomplishments with civilian occupations
  • Helping them secure military-related credentials, certifications and licenses
  • Preparing a veteran for conducting a successful job search
  • Connecting veterans with disabled/injured veteran resources
  • Finding resources available to veterans and their families to aid in the transition to civilian life

“For veterans, civilian life often includes building a post-military career, no matter one’s age, education or background,” Llewellyn said. “Our staff at the six Oakland County Michigan Works! service centers are available to provide them, their spouses, and family caregivers with comprehensive career planning, training programs, job search resources and more on a priority basis.”

Oakland County Michigan Works! operates service centers in Novi, Oak Park, Pontiac, Southfield, Troy and Waterford. Combined, they assist more than 105,000 job seekers annually. Services include career coaching, interviewing and job search workshops, placement assistance, training courses and job trend information.

The service centers also assist more than 3,000 employers seeking assistance with talent recruitment, apprenticeship programs, job fairs, candidate pre-screening, hiring and training support, layoff support and labor market data.

Service center staff remain available by appointment to work one-on-one with job seekers to build their resumes, prepare for job interviews and help address other needs. To schedule a meeting, call 248-858-5520 and select the office nearest to you. The service centers are hosting several virtual workshops for job seekers. A schedule can be found at www.OaklandCountyMIWorks.com.

Whitmer Proclaims Economic Development Week

Whitmer Proclaims Economic Development Week

by | May 9, 2022 | Regional News

Governor Whitmer Header

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 9, 2022
Contact: [email protected]

 

Governor Whitmer Proclaims Economic Development Week in Michigan 

 

LANSING, Mich. – Today, Governor Whitmer proclaimed May 9-13 as Economic Development Week celebrating the efforts of all Michiganders in attracting and retaining high-quality jobs, developing vibrant communities, and improving the quality of life.

 

“Happy Economic Development Week! Right now, Michigan’s economy is on the move. In partnership with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, we have added 174,000 jobs year over year, including 21,600 auto jobs since I took office, which has helped bring our unemployment rate down to a low of 4.4%, and we continue to deliver on the kitchen-table issues that matter most to working families,” said Governor Whitmer. “Economic development is an area where Republicans and Democrats in Michigan have worked side by side to get things done. Our future is bright, and I will continue to work with anyone to get things done. Let’s keep Michigan moving.”

 

Governor Whitmer’s initiatives embody the spirit of Economic Development Week as she has taken bold actions to strengthen Michigan’s economy including the signing of the bipartisan Strategic Outreach and Attraction Reserve (SOAR) package, which supports business by fully funding a competitive economic development toolkit to help make Michigan a national leader in business attraction. Earlier this year, General Motors announced a historic $7 billion investment in the state of Michigan, followed up by another transformational announcement by LG Energy Solution which plans to invest $1.7 billion in West Michigan. The governor also launched over $400 million to support small businesses through Growing MI Business grants. Through COVID, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) implemented 23 economic relief programs for businesses under the governor’s leadership, supporting more than 25,000 companies and retaining more than 200,000 jobs, and provided $100 million through the Small Business Restart Program to help restaurants and other place-based businesses cover costs by providing grants up to $20,000 for mortgage, rent, taxes, payroll and other operating expenses.

 

Governor Whitmer’s decisive leadership has led the best economic recovery in the nation. Last year, Michigan added 220,000 jobs and Governor Whitmer took Michigan from a $3 billion deficit to a $7 billion budget surplus. She leveraged these additional funds for historic once in a generation investment into Michigan’s economy, infrastructure, and cutting costs for Michigan consumers and families.

 

  • GM announced a $2.2 billion investment to build Factory Zero, creating 2,000 jobs and a $7 billion investment in Lansing and Orion Township creating 4,000 jobs
  • Stellantis announced the first new plant in Detroit in 30 years, creating 6,000 jobs.
  • Ford announced production of the first-ever full electric F-150, creating 450 jobs.
  • KLA Semiconductor announced a $150 million investment in Ann Arbor, creating 600 jobs in the semiconductor chip industry.
  • Semiconductor wafer manufacturer SK Siltron established a new facility in Monitor Township to support electric vehicle growth, creating up to 150 jobs, investing $302 million.
  • The Building Michigan Together Plan includes a $50 million investment in potash.
  • Outlined an economic vision with a $2.1 billion plan, MI New Economy, to grow Michigan’s middle class, support small businesses, and invest in communities.
  • Established and fully funded programs to provide hundreds of thousands of Michiganders tuition-free higher education or skills training that leads to a high-skill, good-paying job.

 

View the proclamation by clicking the link here.

 

History of Economic Development Week. 

Economic Development Week was established by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) in 2016 to increase awareness of local programs that create jobs, advance career development opportunities, and improve the quality of life in communities everywhere. The IEDC is the largest professional economic development organization dedicated to serving economic developers.
MHSAA NOW: The weekly newsletter

MHSAA NOW: The weekly newsletter

by | May 9, 2022 | High School Sports

MHSAA NOW logo

MHSAA NOW: The weekly newsletter of the Michigan High School Athletic Association

THIS WEEK

Today’s edition includes the report from the MHSAA Representative Council Spring Meeting including notable changes approved for 2022-23. We also feature the McBain Northern Michigan Christian girls soccer and Marysville softball teams, and recall a legend in girls tennis as part of our “Title IX at 50” celebration. We take another look back into history at some of the 25 Michigan high schoolers who went on to become Major League Baseball first-round draft picks. Henry Ford Health System also fills us in on the benefits of a morning walk on overall fitness.

Do you know a high school sports fan who would enjoy this weekly newsletter? Share this link to register on MHSAA.com and be added to the MHSAA NOW mailing list.

AROUND THE STATE

Rep Council Approves New Hockey Classification Procedure, Wrestling Weights at Spring Meeting

The selection of a restructured classification procedure for ice hockey and the approval of new boys wrestling weight classes were among the most notable actions taken by the Representative Council of the Michigan High School Athletic Association during its annual Spring Meeting, May 1-2 in Gaylord.

Muskegon Oakridge Surging Again, but with Switch to Heavy-Hitting Style

Don’t expect much “small ball” from the Muskegon Oakridge softball team. While veteran Oakridge coach Joe Coletta has fielded speedy teams in the past that terrorized opponents with stolen bases and bunting, this year’s edition manufactures runs the old-fashioned way – by swinging for the fences.

Over MLB Draft’s History, Michigan High Schools Graduate 25 1st-Round Picks

Long before today’s travel ball captivated the scene, recreation sandlot baseball programs – often sponsored by local businesses and guided by volunteer coaches – sparked the dreams of countless kids, instilling a love of the game and a hope they might, one day, grace a bubble-gum card.

McBain NMC Continues Rise as Coach VanNoord’s Leadership Takes Root

COVID-19 prevented Jen VanNoord from receiving a proper soccer sendoff as her time guiding Cadillac’s girls program came to a close. Her McBain Northern Michigan Christian soccer players certainly have given her a proper welcome. And, Northern Michigan Soccer League opponents should be cautioned, if they haven’t been already.

Baker-to-Watters Sets Record Book Pace for Lansing Catholic Football

Lansing Catholic finished the 2021 football season as 11-player Division 6 champion at Ford Field, and the Cougars offense was paced the last two seasons by a standout quarterback and receiver who both made the MHSAA record book for single-season and career accomplishments. Joey Baker was added for 2,536 yards passing this past season, with 162 completions on 294 attempts and 28 touchdowns through the air. He made the career passing lists with 4,153 yards over 13 games.

Title IX at 50: Prychitko ‘Legend In Her Own Time,’ Legend for All Time

When Stephanie Prychitko was inducted into the Michigan High School Tennis Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1987, she was referred to as “a legend in her own time.” What she accomplished remains legendary, and in some ways unequaled in Lower Peninsula girls tennis.

Wake Up And Walk! 7 Benefits Of Taking A Morning Stroll

Still having difficulty fitting exercise into your day? Start by heading out for a morning walk. No matter your fitness level, walking offers tremendous benefits, including improving your mood, managing your weight, increasing your energy and reducing your risk for disease. All you need is a good pair of walking shoes and a place to stroll.

GAME TIME

Upcoming MHSAA Tournament Schedule

Boys Golf (UP) · June 1-4
Girls Golfs (UP) · Finals: June 1-4
Boys Tennis (UP) · Finals: June 1-4
Girls Tennis (LP) · Finals: June 2-4
Boys Track & Field · Finals: June 4
Girls Track & Field · Finals: June 4
Boys Golf (LP) · Finals: June 10-11
Boys Lacrosse · Finals: June 11
Girls Lacrosse · Finals: June 11
Girls Soccer · Finals: June 17-18
Baseball · Finals: June 18
Softball · Finals: June 18

MHSAA TV

For a complete list of all games and streaming options go to mhsaa.tv.

Click here for a schedule of available student broadcast video streams.

 

Michigan High School Athletic Association Newsletter

1661 Ramblewood Drive, East Lansing, MI 48823

Subscribe

If you would like to unsubscribe from this newsletter, click here.