Dept. of Environmental Quality Announces $340M in Grants

(LANSING, Mich.) -- On Tuesday, Michigan's Department of Environmental Quality announced more than $340,000 in Coastal Zone Management grants, intended to improve Great Lake waterfronts in ten Michigan communities.

The grants, which were awarded to nonprofit organizations and universities, will go towards projects that increase public access to coastal areas while preserving the waterfront’s history, culture, and environment.

The Clinton River Watershed Council, Western Michigan University, and the Land Information Access Association are among the organizations that received some of the $342,141 worth of grant money.

Funding for the program is provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration through a state and federal partnership established under the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972.

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Lansing Police Investigating Two Early Morning Shootings

(LANSING, Mich.) -- Lansing police are investigating a homicide and a separate non-fatal shooting that both occurred early Sunday morning.

Officers were called to a business on South Pennsylvania Avenue at 2 a.m. after receiving a report of a shooting. They found a 21-year-old male at the scene suffering from a gunshot wound. The victim, whose name has not been released pending full family notification, was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

A little over a half-hour later, officers received information about another shooting victim. A 41-year-old Lansing man said he had been shot in the parking lot of a business on South Cedar Street. His wounds did not appear to be life threatening.

Detectives are working on both cases, though they do not believe the two incidents are connected.

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Feds Approve Disaster Assistance for West Michigan

(LANSING, Mich.) -- The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has given the green light to disaster assistance for parts of West Michigan that were affected by severe flooding in April.

Through the SBA disaster assistance program, eligible residents and business owners affected by the flooding will have the option of obtaining low-interest loans to assist them with recovery efforts.

The approved disaster declaration covers Allegan, Barry, Ionia, Kent, Montcalm, Muskegon, Newaygo and Ottawa counties.

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Asians, Hispanics Fastest Growing Groups in Michigan

(LANSING, Mich.) -- Michigan's Asian and Hispanic populations are the fastest-growing racial and ethnic groups in the state, according to U.S. census data released Thursday.

The Lansing State Journal reports that the state’s Asian population grew by 3.2 percent from 2011 to 2012, and the Hispanic population grew by 2.2 percent.

Hispanics make up 16.9 percent of the general U.S. population and just 4.6 percent of Michigan’s population. Asians comprise 2.6 percent of Michigan’s population, just over half of the national average of 5 percent.

The new census data also shows that Wayne County is the only majority-minority county in Michigan, as 50.2 percent of residents are non-white.

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Mich. AG Warns Gas Stations Against Price Gouging

(LANSING, Mich.) -- Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette is warning gas station owners against attempting to take advantage of the recent spike in gas prices around the state by price gouging or price fixing.

"Michigan consumers are struggling with rising costs just as summer vacations are getting underway, making it hard on family budgets," Schuette said in a statement Tuesday.  "We will not tolerate unscrupulous behavior that violates Michigan law when it comes to gouging and price fixing.  Gas retailers are warned: we are watching and will not hesitate to take action if you hurt consumers and break Michigan law."

Retailers cannot charge a price that is "grossly in excess of the price at which similar property or services are sold" under the Michigan Consumer Protection Act, nor can gas stations band together to fix prices.

Schuette’s warning is serious. He secured convictions for gasoline price-fixing by five Michigan station owners a little over a year ago.

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