Top 6 winter activities to try locally

Although winter brings along some treacherous temperatures, there are many activities designed for getting you outside during the year when you’d rather remain indoors.

1. With a lake as large as Thompson here in Howell, ice fishing is on the top of the list for activities to try this winter. As opposed to last winter when it never dropped below 40 degrees, Thompson is now frozen over and a perfect place to drill a hole and drop a line. Ice fishing allows you the opportunity to spend some relaxing quality time outdoors with friends and family without doing anything too strenuous. It’s also great for stepping away from stress for a little while and enjoying some alone time. You’re going to want to bundle up and pack along some patience. Though you do spend a lot of time waiting around, nothing is more rewarding than making your catch.
2. Regardless of already being an outdoor enthusiast or not, cross country skiing is bound to make you one. Nothing brings you up close and personal with nature like submerging yourself into a few snow covered trails. One of the best destinations for cross country skiing locally is Kensington Metropark. With only a small daily admission price of five dollars, you’ll have access to their seven different trails ranging from half a mile to two miles, as well as man-made trails along the golf course.
3. You can also find ice rinks in just about every town in Michigan, but skating outdoors can be far more enjoyable. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not uncomfortably cold. With the reflection of the sun and the body heat you’re producing, ice skating outdoors can almost be more comfortable than skating indoors. Ice skating also brings along opportunities to enjoy time with the family and teach younger siblings how to become comfortable out on the ice. You’re going to want to bring removable layers because it heats up quickly on the ice.
4. But to top off all of these outdoor activities, you have the most classic of all: sledding. No matter how young or old you are, everyone enjoys breaking the sleds out of the garage and finding a lengthy hill to ride down. You can keep it as simple as your backyard or find parks and sled hills around your home. Kensington Metropark also offers a variety of sledding hills marked from beginner to expert. While Kensington does charge a small fee to have access to the hills for the day, there are many places that offer sledding areas for free. Renting or buying a cheap sled and finding a hill is a cost effective winter activity that will have the entire family busy all day long. It also serves a great purpose for proving to family and friends that you can beat any of them down the hill.

 

1. For those who are truly not fans of our Michigan weather, there are still a few activities you can enjoy while being indoors and staying warm. The most standard activity is going to an indoor pool for a few hours. Locally, we have the Hartland pool which is located within their high school and charges $3.75 a person to have access to their open swim. They have a hot tub, a slide, a lap pool, and a lazy river. It’s perfect for accommodating all of the family’s needs.
2. If swimming isn’t quite the thrill you’re looking for on a winter day, another activity available is indoor rock climbing. Many gyms have indoor rock climbing walls that you can pay to use. Although it isn’t quite the thrill of real life rock climbing, it’s a fantastic way to tone your muscles and strengthen your body without picking up any weights. Gyms that have indoor rock climbing usually offer beginner and intermediate classes that will teach you the basics of climbing.

 

Michigan is a great place for winter activities and offers a wide variety of outdoor activities that will keep family and friends entertained all day long. Trying something new is a great way to come across new hobbies and winter time favorites. Just make sure you bundle up and keep the hot chocolate packets in stock after a long day of enjoying Michigan’s weather.

Wide diversity of colleges provide choices for seniors

With high school ending in less than two quarters for seniors, colleges have been discussed throughout the school. Many colleges in the state of Michigan are favorites to the young teens of Howell High School. All of the schools are different in their own way and attract different students for their own reasons.

One of the top schools that have been on a lot of students minds is Michigan State University. One student in particular has had her eyes set on the school since she was little.

“My mom went there, and I just have always wanted to go there,” says senior Haley Rhoads.

For admission, universities consider a student’s high school academic performance, ACT/SAT scores, and extra-curricular and leadership experiences.

The adjustment from a small conservative town like Howell to a larger city as Lansing can be a difficult one. There are around 2,700 students attending Howell High School and there is an average of around 500 students in lectures at Michigan State.

The feelings towards leaving home are mixed for Rhoads. “I’m excited to be leaving and getting out but I’m also nervous for the lectures and to be living with a new roommate,” says Rhoads.

Other schools that have been the talk around the school are Western Michigan University, Eastern Michigan University, Grand Valley State, and the University of Michigan, as well as local community colleges.

“I’m going to Lansing Community College for my first two years to save money and then my plan is to transfer to Michigan State University,” says senior Alyssa Kurzyniec who plans on studying pre- med.

Senior guidance counselor Ms. Jennifer Starkey shared that the reason why some students decide to choose a community college instead of a university is because of money and the “readiness” of students leaving.

“The amount of money a student can save going to community college is important, as well as how prepared the student is to leaving home and being on their own. Some kids just need the extra year to adjust being away from home,” says Ms. Starkey.

In the graduating class of 2010, the percentage of Howell High School students that went on to a four-year college was 45%, as for students who went to a community college or secondary training school was 30%.

Howell High School offers two college visits a year that gives students an explained school- related absence to see the campus and school. There is also a college night in the fall held at the high school that involves colleges coming in to bring information about the process of planning on going to college and the preparations needed to accomplish.

“College is different for every student. I support all decisions that may best benefit the further education for the kids at Howell High School, whatever the school may be,” says Ms. Starkey.

BCS Rankings and System 2012: Bowl Madness

The College Football regular season has come to a close, which begins the start of bowl season. The top teams in college football bite their fingernails as they wait and anticipate the predictions for the postseason. With hopes of being selected to play for a large BCS bowl, some teams will be pleased to receive some great news and others will be left in disappointment.
The Final top 25 polls were incredibly close and with many opportunities up for grabs. Many prestigious programs held their breath and prayed. The SEC Champion LSU Tigers lead an undefeated 13-0 season and a 1.0000 BCS average which guaranteed them a spot in the January 9 National Championship game. The site is set, the Super Dome. But what team will challenge the overpowering Tigers?

According to the BCS (Bowl Championship Series) Rankings, the title shot would ultimately lie in the hands of either the Alabama Crimson Tide, who had lost to LSU in an overtime thriller in early November, or the Highly Powered Oklahoma State Cowboys, led by the dominate offensive duo of quarterback, Brandon Weeden, and the returning All American Receiver Justin Blackmon. With a final BCS Ranking of .9419 and .9333 the Crimson Tide captured their second National Championship birth in the past three years.

With the rematch set in stone, Oklahoma state fans reacted outrageously with resentment of the Final Choice. Winners of the Big 12 Conference and with a final 12-1 record, Cowboy Football was left in devastation as they felt robbed of the chance to perform on the largest stage of the game.
That’s the BCS for you though. Unofficial and ultimately unfair.

The current BCS system for NCAA football is considered by many professionals and diehards of the sport unjust and inefficient.

Opinions vary, but for senior writer of the Bleacher Report, David Wunderlich states, “Under the BCS, the best teams in college football can play a maximum of one post season game. A post season tournament may not solve many championship disputes, but it would provide more games with great matchups.”

Although the BCS system may not be favored in the eyes of the nation, it must be accepted and tolerated as it presumes to remain for years to come.

The Bowl Championship Series that was adopted in 1998 includes five must watch games that consist of the league’s top ten teams throughout the regular season. The 2012 Bowl Schedule includes the 98th Grand Daddy Rose bowl presented by VISIO which features two star tailbacks. Oregon Ducks Returning Heisman candidate Lamichael James who led the nation in yards per game and Wisconsin Badgers RB Monte Ball who leads the Country in touchdowns as he inches closer to Barry Sanders single season TD record. The All State Sugar Bowl hosts two offensive juggernauts. The Michigan Wolverines, led by two 1,000 yard rushers, Denard Robinson and Fitzgerald Toussaint and playmaking wide receiver Junior Hemmingway. Their opponent, the Virginia Tech Hokies, will run behind their ACC player of the year and top NFL prospect and number three running back prospect David Wilson. The Tostitos Fiesta Bowl includes the Stanford Cardinals and Oklahoma State Cowboys. Both teams are led by future NFL quarterback prospect Brandon Weeden and projected number one overall draft pick, two year Heisman runner-up and player of the year, Maxwell winner Andrew Luck. The Orange Bowl matches up the ACC champion Clemson Tigers(10-3) and Big East Powerhouse West Virginia Mountaineers(9-3).

As for the National Championship game the SEC (South Eastern Conference) has dominated with seven National Championship wins. After January 9, 2012 we will have our eighth winner as the LSU Tigers and Alabama Crimson Tide both in the SEC go toe to toe for the ultimate prize.

Band with Michigan roots growing in popularity

“Made in America.” If you’ve channel-surfed at any point this holiday season, you’ve probably heard the phrase uttered at least once or twice – usually in reference to the staggering amount of American cash that is sent to overseas factories and sweat shops for gifts that could just as easily be bought here in the USA.

But material items are not the only homegrown goods found in abundance locally. There is a vibrant music scene in Michigan, thriving in places like Lansing, Traverse City, Detroit, and, yes, even Howell. It’s an underground world of hard-working, committed bands with a passion for music that seems to explode from every chord, riff, and cymbal crash. One of these bands is A Hero Falls.

“We’re all over Livingston, but we kinda say Howell,” says Daniel Collins, the drummer, as 88.9 The Impact’s recording studio fills with laughter. They’re a friendly, if not unconventional bunch: flame-haired lead singer, April Glynn, sits around a semicircular table with Collins, bassist Jake Deaven, and guitarists Bud Glynn and Ryan Concienne, as they recount their band’s past, present, and future, occasionally pausing for an impromptu MTV Uncut-esque acoustic jam session. There’s a sense of quiet accomplishment in the air, and for good reason. A Hero Falls is moving on up. Since their formation in 2009, they have performed at several Michigan venues through Fusion Shows, released an EP, been interviewed both in the press and on the airwaves, and gained a devoted following.

The EP is called “Stable Ground” and was released earlier this year, in April. It contains five songs, runs for around 18 power chord-packed minutes, and was promoted at the Howell Opera House on December 10.

“It took us awhile to get to the sound that we have now,” says Bud Glynn. 

“That’s why we named our EP ‘Stable Ground’,” adds Concienne. “It’s where we’re at now.”

While A Hero Falls has reached a comfortable point in their musical career, it definitely doesn’t mean that this is their peak. The band has begun work on their first full-length album, slated to be recorded sometime in spring. They have high ambitions, too. When asked about their ‘dream venues’, April and Collins whimsically reflect on The Palace of Auburn Hills and Wembley Stadium, with Collins joking that “we’re talking, like, a year in the future.”

And though the group’s career is still relatively young, they have been playing together in various incarnations for several years prior as cover outfits and metal bands. This past experience is reflected in the slick production, skill, and energy which exude from their catchy alt-rock/pop punk melodies.

It’s impossible to predict the future. But when one sees and hears A Hero Falls, one can tell that this is a band that will remember their roots, no matter how high they soar.

A Hero Falls will be performing at the Crofoot on January 20th.

The Great Lakes States’ sports thrive in rivalry

ri·val·ry/ˈrīvəlrē/
Noun: Competition for the same objective or for superiority in the same field

You hear the word and can automatically think of a personal example. Is it between you and a friend or your team and another team in the conference? Whether it is academic and athletic, rivalries flow through all of us.

The state of Michigan thrives with strong rivalries. Actually, the Michigan Wolverine and Ohio State Buckeye rivalry was voted the top rivalry on ESPN’s top ten rivalries of the century. On a smaller scale, Howell has plenty of its own rivalries.

“Nothing compares to playing a cross-town rival. I don’t care if it is a home game, or away. They both have their incentives,” junior football player and wrestler Dalton Smallwood says. “It carries off the field, too. Every time I go into Brighton or Hartland it makes me look forward to our next encounter on the field, or wrestling mat.”

Howell’s largest long-time rival sits just ten miles, or 16 minutes away from them. The Highlander and the Bulldog have been clashing for decades. Howell and Brighton faceoff in inner-division play and frequently compete in playoff games every year.

This rivalry grew exponentially. So much, to the point where the two schools have a trophy they compete for each year in an annual division football game. This “Little Brown Jug,” has been the highlight of the season for the two teams.

Last year’s record setting Highlander football team beat Brighton for the sixth straight time, twice in one season, and went on to go farther than any other Howell football team in previous years. This year’s Highlander team
went to Brighton’s homecoming and unfortunately lost the game. The Little Brown Jug returned to Brighton after a long seven years.

As we go on to the collegiate level, Michigan hosts some of the largest rivalries in the nation. The Michigan Wolverines have picked fights with more than just the Buckeyes of Ohio State University. Wolverine nation has a second heated rival in the Michigan State Spartans. Although the Spartans have defeated the Wolverines the past four years, they have a long way to go, trailing the overall win-loss record 31-67.

Now for the biggest rivalry in North American sports, between the Michigan Wolverines and Ohio State Buckeyes. From their first encounter in 1897 to present day, this rivalry runs deep in the hearts of the fans across the Midwest.

Although rivalries seem to be the highlight to many teams’ seasons, there are people who don’t believe they are important.

“Not a believer,” Highlander athletic director, Mr. Dan Hutchinson, says with an eyebrow raised. Hutchinson has competed as high as the Olympic level for wrestling.

“My motto was always ‘fear none, respect all,’ so no match, or no game, was more important than any another, at least for me.” Hutchinson says.

Sometimes rivalries prove to be negative thing. If a team puts all of their eggs in one basket and they lose, it can potentially ruin an entire season. Making each opponent an equal priority is the right thing to do and can never lead a team astray from their goals.

Whether you are for or against rivalries, the state of Michigan is thriving with them. And the next time you are flipping through channels and see a Michigan vs. Ohio State game, realize you’re witnessing the largest rivalry in the states.

Magical Night at the Big House

As the sun went down in Ann Arbor, the lights of Michigan stadium radiated through the warm night air for the first time in history.

While it was the first night game at the Big House, a new NCAA record was set with an astounding 114,804 people in attendance.

With thousands of fans piling their way into the stadium several hours before kickoff, one could easily tell anticipation was at its highest.

Inside, a swirling sea of maize and blue dominated the thin number of Fighting Irish fans.

Before the game started, 1991 Heisman trophy winner, Desmond Howard, was honored by the University of Michigan for his induction into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Once the Wolverines and Fighting Irish took the field, the roar of the crowd escalated and the stage was set for two powerhouse rivals to collide.

The game began ugly for Michigan after they allowed Notre Dame to score two touchdowns in their first two possessions, making the score 14-0 at the end of the 1st quarter. The Wolverines didn’t take long to strike back when quarterback Denard Robinson connected with wide receiver Junior Hemingway for a 43 yard touchdown pass with 10: 18 left in the second quarter.

For the rest of the quarter, Michigan’s offense sputtered and its defense contained poorly. The Irish were able to kick a field goal with a few seconds left before halftime to make the contest a 17-7 Notre Dame lead.

After more poor play by the Wolverines in the third quarter, it looked as their hopes of winning were going to be crushed when the Fighting Irish scored another touchdown making it 24-7 going into the final quarter.

However, Michigan refused to throw in the towels. They cut Notre Dame’s lead to only three points after scoring two quick touchdowns. With 6:08 left in the game, Wolverine’s Ryan Van Bergen recovered an Irish fumble to give them a huge momentum boost.

The Wolverines then drove down the field and capitalized with 21 yard touchdown pass from Robinson to Smith with 1:04 remaining to give them the lead, 28-24.

Once Notre Dame got the ball back, they decided to make one last surge. Quarterback Tommy Rees found a gap in the Michigan defense and threw a 29 yard strike to running back Theo Riddick to take a convincing lead 31-28 with 30 seconds left in the 4th quarter.

With seemingly all hope lost, the Wolverines managed to have one last life in them. Robinson fired a bullet to a wide open Jeremy Gallon, who was flashing down the side of the field, for 64 yards to get them down to Notre Dame’s 16 yard line.

Michigan decided to go for the win instead of kicking a field goal with eight seconds remaining. Robinson took the snap, looked right, and threw a jump ball to wide receiver Roy Roundtree who reeled it in to give the Wolverines the win, 35-31.

With fans embracing each other and shouting at the top of their lungs, there was no better way of capping off an amazing ball-game.

After the rollercoaster ending to the ball game, thousands of fans stuck around for a few more hours to celebrate the Wolverine’s victory.

Even though Notre Dame suffered another tough loss, it was a thrilling night for the college football world.

Whether this was the first of many night games to come or the last at Michigan Stadium, it will definitely be remembered as one of the most exciting games in U of M history.

MEAP testing undergoes scoring changes; Funding stationary through tough times

The State Board of Education has recently announced they are raising the bar for passing the state’s standardized tests — the Michigan Educational Assessment Program (MEAP) given to elementary and middle school students and the Michigan Merit Exam taken by 11th graders. The actual new cut scores have not yet been released, but the State Board has stated that they will be raised higher than previous years.

“Our goal is a performance-driven education system where Michigan’s students advance at grade-level or faster, and graduate from high school with the skills needed for post-secondary learning without needing remedial work,” said state board President John Auston. “Our recommendations lay the foundation for this results-driven system in Michigan.”

The MEAP test is used to judge the performance of students using the standards set by the state department of education. Students take the test at intervals during third through ninth grade, and the results are used to judge a school’s educational standing.  A school’s educational standing can impact how much funding they receive from the state.

The bar raise is set to begin in the 2011-2012 school year. Many schools are worried that the cut scores will affect their funding, that their scores will go down drastically and their money will follow. Howell High School is not necessarily worried, however.

“The changes are usually reasonable,” Assistant  Principal Jason Schrock said, “But we don’t know for sure what it will be. The target’s moving. The best thing we can do is to encourage our students to take rigorous courses and to try their best.”

Michigan residents fund the MEAP- tax dollars go to pay for the test. Within the past years, the funding has been cut down and cut down until not much is left. The funding is not set to change soon.

The MEAP is considered to be an important part of Michigan’s education, and the scoring changes are said to improve it.

“I believe HHS students have the potential to do extremely well,” Mr. Schrock said. “My concern is that they don’t see the value in trying their best all the time. But it’s important that we have high expectations for our students. Whether they’re going on to college straight after high school, taking a year off, going to trade school, or working, they have options. The last thing we want is for them to feel like they weren’t challenged or like they are unprepared. They have the choice of what they want to do and where they want to go. We push them to excel.”

 

Administration wary of proposed state budget cuts

Mr. Ron Wilson has faced several controversies and challenges in his first year as Howell Public School’s superintendent. All, however, may pale in comparison with his future economic woes if Governor Rick Snyder’s 2012 budget proposal stays intact.

“[Every district] has already been what’s called ‘cutting to the bone’,” Mr. Rick Terres, Assistant to the Superintendent for Business, said. “Well over 100 districts will be bankrupt if this holds.”

With 20 to 30 percent of Michigan’s school districts going bankrupt if Snyder’s proposal is kept, administrations will have to find ways to cut back even more.

“We’ll look for redundancies,” Superintendent Wilson said. “We’ll prioritize and find what least impacts student achievement. It’s still really unfortunate.”

Luckily for the future inhabitants of Parker Middle School, the drastic spending cutbacks won’t affect the use of the school. The 1.5 million dollars earmarked for Parker does not impact the district’s general fund.

Superintendent Wilson also hopes that marketing the Latson Elementary grounds will produce substantial funds for the district.

Mr. Terres explained the state funding issue in simpler terms for those who may be confused by business jargon.

“Basically, the state has two bags of money: the general fund, which has been getting smaller, and the larger K-12 school aid fund, which has remained stagnant,” he said. “And the Governor has a 1.3 billion dollar problem. So in an attempt to even everything out, he’s using the K-12 money to fund colleges and universities, along with decreasing the amount per pupil…it’s been called a ‘raid on school aid.’”

With a lot of critics and few supporters of this budget proposal, games and interactive activities have sprung up online, like www.thecenterformichigan.net, where people can pick which programs and departments to cut and see if their choices fix the deficit. Everyone has opinions about how they would fix Michigan’s deficit, and now they have a chance to see if their change is viable.

Mr. Terres would definitely do things differently, if he were “czar” of the state.

“If I was czar, I’d ease into this…I think he (Governor Snyder) has some good ideas, but you can’t rip the Band-Aid off. Put the plan in place, but give it time to work. We need three or four years to absorb the four million dollars…it’s too much, too fast,” he said.

Howell High School Principal Aaron Moran is committed, regardless of what happens, to continuing the school’s improvement.

“If things go as the Governor plans, it’s going to be a crazy summer,” Mr. Moran said. “But we will be here. We will function. We’ll do our best to make it work for the kids.”

 

New Michigan legislation puts restrictions on young drivers

For many years, placing restrictions on young drivers has been an issue that has been highly debated. Some believe the restrictions are too lenient on such inexperienced drivers and others believe that the restrictions could be narrowed further. On December 2, 2010, a bill was passed, with a 30 to 5 vote, prohibiting 16 year old drivers from having more than one passenger, under the age of 21 years old, in their vehicle at all times. The bill also changed the original night time restrictions placed on 16 year old drivers. Young drivers are now prohibited from driving between the hours of 10pm to 5am, instead of 12pm and 5am originally. Few exceptions to these new laws were put in place. Young drivers are allowed to driver with multiple passengers, under the age of 21 years old, to and from work and school.

Originally, the bill included the banned use of cell phone, for young drivers, while operating a vehicle, but this section was taken out of the passed form of the bill. This bill will take effect 90 days after its passing. Some believe that the restrictions are too lenient and more restrictions should be placed on young drivers to ensure better safety. I believe that this bill provides enough restrictions for the safety of all drivers. Due to young drivers’ inexperience, restrictions should be placed on them to ensure the safety of themselves, their passengers, and all other drivers and to reduce the yearly accident rate.

The inexperience of young drivers is an important reason as to why restrictions should be placed on them. It can be easy for drivers, especially those that are young and new to the skill, to get distracted by their surroundings and passengers. Studies have shown that cars holding multiple passengers create a 3 to 5 times greater risk of causing an accident. The lower the number of passengers, the greater the safety is in the car. This shocking data proves that this bill was appropriately passed. In my opinion, it is well worth the short wait to insure the safety of others and yourself by reducing the amount of passengers in your vehicle.

On a yearly basis, many car accidents occur. About 12.9 percent of fatal car accidents involve drivers of ages between 15 and 20 years old and about 16 percent of police reported crashes involve drivers of ages between 15 to 20 years old. It is reported that 16 year old drivers are twice as likely to be involved in a fatal car crash, than older drivers. In the year 2004, 1,100 people (many children and teenagers) were killed, where the driver was 16 years of age. Each year, over 5,000 16 to 20 year old drivers die due to fatal car crashes and about 400,000 are seriously injured. These unacceptably and shockingly high numbers are reasons why I believe that this law was a worthy one to be passed. With a respectable amount of restrictions on young drivers, the more likely these numbers will decrease rapidly on a yearly basis. Allowing less passengers in a teenagers car, will allow less distractions, hence a lower probability of an accident occurring. I believe that in order to reduce the yearly teenage accident rate, restrictions must be placed on young drivers.

On the contrary, much debate has been put towards the issue of removing the cell phone restriction from the passed bill. Many agree that the use of a cell phone while driving can be a major distraction towards a driver, especially a young and inexperienced one. Studies show that about 52 percent of teens, between the ages of 16 and 17, confess to using a cell phone while driving. Such high of a percent can be a cause for deep concern. I agree that this fact is unsettling, but it is unknown how long the driver is on the phone, who actually called who, and how often a driver uses the phone while driving. All this criteria can be crucial to the effects of using a cell phone while driving. I believe that a phone may not be a distraction to a driver if it is not used often.

The most important reason for passing this bill is safety. It is the government’s number one priority to protect all drivers as best as they can. In the years between 1996 and 1999, Michigan’s drivers’ education program was a key factor in the 25 percent decline in accidents involving 16 year old drivers, according to the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety.  Michigan is one of many states with a two leveled drivers’ education course, insuring the best quality of education on driving possible. I believe that these classes can provide each young driver with the necessary information and experience to drive in the safest way possible. I am confident that by increasing the amount of educated drivers on the street, the percentage of safety on the roads will also be increased.

Michigan adopts film incentives boosting economy

The film industry has been using Michigan to their advantage while boosting Michigan’s economy and creating a more profitable environment for local businesses. It has created thousands of jobs in Michigan and has brought in millions of dollars. With movies such as High School and television shows such as The Wannabes being filmed in Howell, Michigan alone, the film incentives are a great thing for our state.

According to Jennifer Granholm, we are diversifying our state while creating jobs, keeping students here to study film, attracting facilities, and boosting our economy in a huge way. In 2010, 38 films were created in Michigan. From these projects alone, Michigan is expected to receive over 300 million dollars.

From the popularity of these productions, more film industries are looking at Michigan as a prime location. This helps our economy enormously.

During the filming of High School, we had local restaurants cater to the needs of the cast and crew, we had local hotels hosting the cast and crew, and we also had all of the income from them. The use of Parker, the money spent in gas, on locations, on equipment needed, all went to local businesses.

The Michigan film incentives have been in place for two and a half years and have created revenue and have kept people in state because of the new job opportunities. Instead of a student moving out of state to pursue a career in film, they can stay in state and have the same opportunity.

Right now, staying in state seems like the smartest idea. Filming in Michigan is new, therefore jobs need to be filled. To get your foot in the door for film, Michigan is the way to do it. Anyone in the business of restaurants, hotels, traveling, all have the opportunity to get a job and remain in the state of Michigan. Keeping our current population is important in boosting our economy. The film incentives not only keep people in Michigan but provide a reason for more to move into Michigan.

The Michigan film incentives are nothing but good. Raising our economy and providing jobs is very important considering out current state. Many film companies are now looking at Michigan as a location, and this has brought revenue, people, and diversity to our community.