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Michigan has seen a significant reduction in veteran and overall homelessness, according to a report released today during the 2016 Summit on Ending Homelessness. The Ending Homelessness in Michigan 2015 Annual Report shows Michigan has experienced a 6 percent dip in homelessness and 15 percent decrease in veteran homelessness, based on the annual homeless count

The Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), Bureau of Community and Health Systems (BCHS), issued an order of summary suspension and notice of intent to revoke the child care group home license of Jackson County provider, Lisa Riggins, License #DG380315601, at 3800 Dormay, Jackson, MI 49203. This action resulted from a recent investigation of a complaint of the group child care home

The Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) on Sept. 8 authorized Upper Peninsula Power Company (UPPCo) to increase its electric rates by $4,647,975 annually, a figure 30.4 percent below what the utility requested. Also, because the final amount approved was lower than the $6,259,025 the utility self-implemented in March, some customers will see a rate decrease, effective Sept. 23. By state law, customers who paid more than the currently approved amount will also get a refund of the difference between what the utility self-implemented and the MPSC granted, plus interest, in the future

Consumers Energy today celebrated its second solar power plant -- an 8.5-acre array of solar panels at Western Michigan University that produces electricity for Michigan homes and businesses. “We are committed to a sustainable future for Michigan, which is why we built this power plant as part of our Solar Gardens program,” said Patti Poppe, Consumers Energy’s president and CEO. “We’re a different kind of company – leaving our environment better than we found it every day. New renewable energy sources are vital to Michigan’s future.”

The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, Office of the Great Lakes today released the third part of Michigan’s Water Strategy, a comprehensive, collaboratively-developed plan for the protection and wise use of Michigan’s water resources.

Congressman Dan Kildee issued the following statement regarding the Senate passage of S. 2848, the Water Resources Development Act, which includes $100 million in funding for water infrastructure in Flint

U.S. Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-12) today announced that Wayne Metropolitan Community Action Agency in Wyandotte and Southwest Counseling Solutions in Dearborn/Dearborn Heights will receive grants totaling $2,209,325 from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) as part of an ongoing initiative to prevent homelessness among Veterans and their families. The grants are awarded through the Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program.

The Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Bureau of Community and Health Systems (BCHS), issued an order of summary suspension and notice of intent to revoke the license of a Grand Traverse County group child care home provider, Roberta Benedict, #DG280275539, 1593 Pine Tree Road, Grawn, Michigan 49637. This action resulted from a recent complaint investigation of the group child care home

The Justice Department and the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices of the Eastern and Western Districts of Michigan today announced an agreement with the owners and operators of seven Michigan apartment complexes to resolve allegations that they discriminated against families with children in violation of the Fair Housing Act.

Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette today announced that Pasquale Longordo, 39, of Birmingham, and his company Modify Loan Experts, LLC, pleaded guilty to two felonies and 27 misdemeanors for stealing money from Michigan residents who were facing mortgage foreclosures or needed help managing their credit card debt

The Michigan Agency for Energy (MAE) today noted that the September 30 deadline to apply for Michigan’s Home Heating Credit (HHC) in 2016 (for tax year 2015) is quickly approaching. The credit assists low-income people and qualifying senior citizens with winter energy bills. Customers do not need to file a Michigan tax return to apply for the Home Heating Credit

U.S. Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-12) today announced that SkySpecs of Ann Arbor will receive a Small Business Voucher from the Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. SkySpecs deploys autonomous drones for inspections of wind turbines. Working with Sandia National Labs, the project will focus on the validation of blade damage data to assist with the development of machine learning algorithms for automated identification and classification.

U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters today announced a $69,480 investment to provide assistance to help end veteran homelessness in West Michigan. The assistance is part of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program. The funding will go to the Kent County Housing Commission, which will work with the Battle Creek VA Medical Center and the Wyoming VA Health Care Center to support homeless veterans

More than 350 properties, in four Lower Michigan counties, two Northern Michigan and two Upper Michigan counties, will be auctioned off during State of Michigan Tax-Foreclosed, Real Property Auctions on August 23rd and 24th. Registration for interested bidders will begin at 9:00 a.m., each day, with auctions scheduled to begin at 10:00 a.m.

The Michigan Department of Transportation's (MDOT) M-231 project in Ottawa County and the I-75 reconstruction project in Saginaw County have each earned a regional award in the 2016 America's Transportation Awards competition held by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). M-231 was selected as the winner in the Quality of Life/Community Development - Large category, and I-75 is the winner in the Under Budget - Medium category. Both projects are now in the running for two more prizes: the Grand Prize and the People's Choice Award