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People will be offered incentives of up to $25,000 to purchase housing, or $2,500 to rent. Karmanos says “Live Downtown” has a lofty goal:

“It’s very important if you want to revitalize the city, that we have, even as much as 100,000 people living between downtown and the new center area, and you’ll be amazed at what can happen with that kind of momentum,” said Karmanos.

Catch “Michigan Matters” at 11 o’clock Sunday mornings on WWJ-TV, CBS in Detroit.

On a related note…
Save the date October 27th for WWJ Newsradio 950 GLITR’s Last Thursdays Unwired Coffee Series. Our next presentation, “Resurrecting Detroit,” lets you learn from the leaders who are rebuilding Detroit today, brick by brick.

Panelists Include Peter Karmanos, Jr., chairman, Compuware Corp.; Deirdre Greene Groves, Executive Director, The Collaborative Group; and Kim Yost, CEO, Art Van Furniture.  Click here to pre-register or for more information about this FREE event!

Oakland County International Airport is about to get a little greener and that’s fabulous news to L. Brooks Patterson.

The Waterford-based airport – the first in the nation to be certified by the federal government in 1929 – will open it’s new $5.7 million terminal with an invite-only  ribbon cutting Tuesday that will showcase a living wall made of orchids, moss  and ferns, three wind turbines, and geothermal technology that makes the 15,000 square foot terminal more efficient.

“We want people to be wowed when they walk in the door of this terminal,” said Patterson, county executive, who worked with J. David VanderVeen, his deputy and also director of the airport, in putting the project together.

Patterson appears with VanderVeen and others on “Michigan Matters” to give viewers a preview of the new terminal and talk about the economic impact of airports.

“When someone lands, and then walks through here, it’s going to make an impression. We want them to be wowed,” said Patterson. “We have every Fortune 500 company passing through here.  We want people to know we mean business.”

The terminal features a glitzy glass front, a vintage bi-plane on loan from the Kalamazoo Air Zoo hanging from the ceiling, that living wall of greenery, and hopes of being the first airport in the state to win LEED certification.

And it also is welcoming to families who love planes as it features a fenced in sitting area with picnic tables where people can watch planes take off and land.

“I expect this will  become a destination for schools to visit,” he said.

The airport will also hold an open house for the public on Sunday, Aug, 28 where thousands are expected.

Plane Sense Bill Cattley, a West Point graduate who flew in Desert Storm,  now works as a division director of Cirrus Aircraft, a plane maker in  Duluth, Minn.  He’s convinced the new Oakland terminal will help his efforts to sell more planes in Michigan and other states.

“Like everyone,  our  sales fell after the 2008 meltdown,” said Cattley who also appeared on the show.
He is based in Metro Detroit and sells planes in several states.

Cattley says private plane sales are starting to pick up. And he sees a growing market in Michigan as firms look to expand across the state and also Midwest.

“For busy executives who travel within the state or in several states, having your own plane can be so much more efficient and actually save the company money,” he said.

And to prove flying isn’t difficult, Cattley took Paul Pytlowany , WWJ-TV CBS’s chief videographer, and myself up in the latest Cirrus SR22T while we visited the airport and showed us the ease of maneuvering the plane.

Paul Pytlowany and Bill Cattley.

Pytlowany captured the flight on camera which is  featured on the show.

Once we were airborne and at a reasonable altitude, Cattley even let me steer the plane for a few moments which proved exhilarating to someone who admits to being a nervous flier.

(I sensed Pytlowany, who sat in the back of the high tech four seater plane, may have been somewhat nervous knowing I was behind the levers … although the plane is one of the safest, as it comes equipped with a parchute that helps it glide safely to the ground should any problems occur.)

Airport Impact
Back on the safe ground again,  VanderVeen, who is also a pilot, continued the tour and explained when he and Patterson were  thinking about the new terminal almost two years ago and what it should feature, they knew they wanted it to be more efficient.

VanderVeen said the three wind turbines and underground heater/cooler  will improve efficiency  which he hopes will help it gain gold Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification.

The airport , second largest in Michigan, is responsible for  $175 million in economic impact, said VanderVeen.

There is little doubt  airports are a catalyst for economic development elsewhere too.

Metro Airport in Romulus has been growing with its aerotropolis concept that bundles it with Willow Run and surrounding communities to grow more economic growth.

In the Motor City, a new company is raising its hand in hopes of being chosen to transform  the Coleman A. Young International Airport (formerly Detroit City Airport).

It’s been 15 years since the facility had commercial flights.

Rowhendra LLC has put forth a bid before city council to change that by adding a carrier and visions of greater economic development around in an areas desperate for it.

On the other side of the state, the Regional Air Alliance of West Michigan was formed by leaders trying to bring in more airline carriers and keep airline ticket prices in check.

The alliance is led by Dick DeVos, former GOP gubernatorial candidate and president of Windquest Group,  and others from Grand Rapids, Lansing, Kalamazoo and Traverse City.

They have had success in increasing passenger traffic through the Gerald R. Ford International Airport and reducing average fares  through addition of service from Air Tran Airways (soon to be Southwest) and Frontier Airways.

“Air service is a critical component to the economic vitality of a community or a region in today’s global economy,” said DeVos, also a pilot.

You can watch Emmy winning Michigan Matters 11 a.m. Sunday on WWJ-TV CBS Detroit

Carol Cain is Senior Producer  and Host of “Michigan Matters.” You can read her columns on business and politics in Sunday’s Detroit Free Press. You can reach her at clcain@cbs.com or 248-355-7126

Race For Stabenow’s Senate Seat Could Be Fierce

As the names of Republicans raising their hands in hopes of taking on Sen. Debbie Stabenow in the 2012 race grows, expect a fierce contest when the last man is left standing as the sitting Senator is a relentless campaigner.

Watch Michigan Matters Online >>

That assessment from Mike Cox, former attorney general and 2010 GOP gubernatorial candidate, who made the comments during taping of  “Michigan Matters” in his first TV appearance since that election.

Cox appeared with Bobby Schostak, chair of the Michigan Republican Party, and Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson, talking about that race and others.

“Never underestimate her,” Cox said of the seasoned Democratic leader. “Years ago, I recall getting elected when she did. And she was out campaigning in every small town the next day.”

In case anyone needed proof, Stabenow, who has held the job

Michigan Matters Roundtable. (credit: Matt Christopherson / WWJ-TV)

since 2000, is sitting on a reported $4 million war chest for the race which promises to be among the most high-profile and expensive in the state.

Cox, who said he has not endorsed anyone on the GOP side,  said he thought the Senate was a better fit for former U.S. Rep Pete Hoekstra who is among those trying to unseat her.

“He’s the real deal,” Cox said of Hoekstra as both men ran unsuccessfully in last year’s race against Rick Snyder for governor.

When asked for an assessment of the new governor, Cox said: “Snyder is doing an excellent job.”

“He’s the next best alternative to the job I would have done. He’s doing the things we need to do.”

Besides Hoekstra, others lining up to take on Stabenow : Gary Glenn, Michigan leader of the conservative American Family Association, former Kent County Probate Judge Randy Hekman, Roscommon businessman Peter Konetchy.

Clark Durant, the conservative CEO of Cornerstone Schools in Detroit, has yet to  formally announce. But he picked up support from former Michigan Republican chairman Saul Anuzis, former U.S. Sen. Spence Abraham and former Michigan Republican chairwoman Betsy DeVos.

The perpetually tweeting Anuzis sent out a missive Thursday talking up the trio’s endorsement.

“Hoekstra has great prospects,” added Schostak who as party chair won’t pick a candidate. “He just came off a state race, finished second but has great name recognition. He can raise money and work the state.”

Of Durant, Schostak said he was  “formidable.”

Patterson, who started off supporting Oakland County Water Resource Commissioner John McCulloch (who then dropped his bid), is now lending his considerable support to Hoekstra.

“I like Hoekstra. He’s got the right stuff. I like Clark Durant too. But Hoekstra has name recognition and will be able to raise money,” Patterson said.

Schostak, an Oakland County businessman who took over as chair of the Michigan Republican  Party in January,  said of Snyder, “He is doing a great job. What Snyder shows is that leadership matters and makes a difference.”

When asked if there was any redeeming quality he could mention about President Barack Obama, who was in west Michigan on Thursday, Schostak said: “He’s a great politician and a great communicator.”

“The dangerous thing is what he says and what he does are two different things,” he said. “I think it is pretty clear he doesn’t have a plan (to get the economy going).”

Schostak was more upbeat about the 12 person debt crisis panel announced this week which includes two Michigan Republicans:  Reps. David Camp and Fred Upton.

That panel is seeking to figure out how to trim the federal deficit by $1.2 trillion through spending cuts, new revenue or a combination of the two.

When discussion turned to the top race in 2012, Patterson, an ardent support of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney in the last contest, said he decided to support him again.

“He’s the right guy for the job,” said Patterson.

Schostak agreed that Romney is the presumptive front-runner at this stage, but added others like Ron Paul or Michele Backmann would also give Obama a serious challenge .

Of Thaddeus McCotter’s chances in the presidential arena,  Schostak said, “Go Thad! He’s a great voice.”

Schostak said the Tea Party provided a reality check for the GOP and though the Tea Party supports a conservative social agenda, ultimately it will be the economy and jobs that will resonate with voters.

Cox, who has laid low since the governor’s campaign, is currently working at Dykema.

When pressed on whether he was done with politics, he said, “Never say never.”

“At the moment, I am more worried (that) I won’t get a word in edgewise with Brooks here,” he joked.

Of his role at the Detroit law firm, Patterson retorted: “I knew Mike was here when I saw a car with a “Slip and Fall? Give me a call!” license plate in the parking lot.”

Cox is involved with politics from the sidelines as he helps Schostak with “intra-party” Republican issues.

Patterson, who is also facing re-election in 2012, said he is ready to take on Gary Peters if the Congressman from the 9th District is left seeking another political job due to redistricting.
Rumors persist Peters is considering such a run.

“Hey, I ran against Peters and lived to tell about it,” Cox quipped to Patterson as he defeated Peters in his bid for Michigan Attorney General.

You can watch the recent “Michigan Matters” featuring Michigan Democratic Party Chairman Mark Brewer by clicking on here.

Carol Cain is Senior Producer and Host of WWJ-TV CBS Detroit’s “Michigan Matters” airing 11 a.m. Sundays. You can read her columns on business and politics in Sunday’s Detroit Free Press. She can be reached at 248-355-7126 or clcain@cbs.com.

Senior Producer and Host

WWJ-TV CBS Detroit “Michigan Matters”

It may not be cats doing funny tricks but America has shown it still has a love affair with a good story, which is how Rob Bliss explained the phenomenal success of his Lip Dub Video touting his hometown of Grand Rapids. The video has proved to be a viral hit on YouTube.

Since debuting in late May, the video has had nearly 4 million hits.

“It’s a big crazy fun style of video and reflects my way of doing things,” the 22-year-old musician said during taping of “Michigan Matters” which airs Sunday at 11 a.m. on WWJ-TV CBS Detroit.

Bliss, who could be described as the “PT Barnum” of events on the west side of Michigan, is known for things like staging a huge downtown pillow fight.  Bliss came up with the idea for the lip dub video to answer “Newsweek” magazine which slapped a scarlet “D’ as in dying on his city last fall.

Also making the dubious “D” list — Detroit and Flint.

“People love a good story,” which is how his video, which was created. Bliss gathered 5,000 residents including Mayor George Heartwell and businessman Pete Secchia, all lip synching to Don McLean’s “American Pie”. Bliss posted the video on YouTube.

There are marching bands, police cars, helicopters, canoe races and more.

Everyone donated their Sunday to make the video which took 3.5 hours. Bliss had planned it for months and had numerous people helping including area businesses which financially supported it.

“The biggest thing I feared was the weather. We had to cancel a week earlier. But the rain held off while we filmed,” said Bliss.

After the video came out numerous national stories appeared about it, “Newsweek” didn’t apologize or take back its dying city tag. But it did say they love the lip dub.

Bliss also inspired a trend as Traverse City came out with its version of a lib dub this week. And a group of senior citizens in Grand Rapids created one as well a few weeks ago.

“It was super cute and very classy,” Bliss said about the seniors’ lip dub. He added that some of the people involved with his video also worked on it.

He also said he would not be doing any other Lip Dubs as he couldn’t possibly top the success he has had with this venture.

Bliss appeared on the show with regular roundtable of Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson and businesswoman Denise Ilitch.

Among the other issues discussed included this week’s release of former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick from jail.

Patterson said he was in the process of reading Kilpatrick’s autobiography “Surrendered! The Rise, Fall and Revelation of Kwame Kilpatrick” which he said was “very defensive.”

Bliss said folks on the west side of the state didn’t pay too much attention to it.

“I think we saw it as old Detroit. Another problem on top of other problems,” he said. “But now Detroit is moving in a positive direction with a new mayor.”

Patterson and Bliss did trade a few words on the topic of East vs. West when it came to who is better at getting things done regionally speaking.

Bliss said he agreed with Dick DeVos and Secchia – two Grand Rapids businessmen who have said there is far more cooperation on the west side.

Patterson took issue with that.

“There’s a certain smugness when everyone is homogenous. You all go to the same church and live in the same community,” Patterson said. “I’m tired of the ‘we do everything right and you are dysfunctional over there’ mentality I keep hearing.”

But Patterson did give Kent County some love.

“I admire Kent County. It is one of the best run counties in the state and country. We stack up really well to them. But don’t compare Kent to Wayne, Macomb and Oakland. It isn’t a fair comparison.”

On political issues, Patterson said he was lending his support to former U.S. Rep Pete Hoekstra who threw his hat into the ring to take on U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow.

When asked if he had flip flopped as he had given his support earlier to Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner John McCullough, another GOP who had said he would run against Stabenow, Patterson said “that’s bull.”

“John decided to take himself out of the running,” he said. “I support the home team. When (Oakland Sheriff Mike) Bouchard told me he was going to run for governor I knew he was starting out way behind but I supported him. John told me he was dropping out and I went with Hoekstra.”

Ilitch, a Democrat, said Stabenow was a “formidable candidate” and would be difficult to beat.

“She has over $4 million and will raise tons more,” she said. “She has the power of incumbency.”

Click on below to see the Rob Bliss Lip Dub.

Carol Cain is Senior Producer and Host of Emmy winning “Michigan Matters” which airs 11 a.m. Sunday on WWJ-TV CBS Detroit. . You can read her columns on politics and business in Sunday’s Detroit Free Press. You can reach her at 248-355-7126 or clcain@cbs.com.

Senior Producer and Host

WWJ-TV CBS Detroit’s “Michigan Matters”

It’s an epidemic impacting over 900,000 people in Michigan, yet few are aware they have it.

It’s kidney disease and it’s impacting Detroit and Michigan at an alarming rate.

Over 80,000 in Detroit have it. With another 123,000 in Wayne County and 900,000 across the state, according to the Michigan Department of Community Health and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

It is four times as prevalent among African-Americans.

But kidney disease is preventable if caught early.  Regular blood tests and checking for high blood pressure and testing for diabetes, are important ways to find the disease, according to Dr. Noreen Rossi, chair of the Scientific Advisory Board for the National Kidney Foundation of Michigan (NKFM) and professor of medicine, Wayne State University.

She made the made the comments during taping of “Michigan Matters” which airs Sunday at 11 am on WWJ-TV CBS Detroit.

Richard Carson, a member of the Detroit Executive Leadership Committee for the National Kidney Foundation of Michigan, also appeared and talked about his own experience.

The seemingly healthy work force development consultant found himself suddenly feeling ill just after his 35th birthday. Rushed to the hospital he discovered he had alarmingly high blood pressure and learned his kidneys were failing.

“I went from feeling ok to dialysis in one day,” he said.

Now 44, he has had two kidney transplants. The first was unsuccessful, and he nearly died from it. He went back on dialysis and got a second transplant just a year ago which proved successful.

“”The symptoms are subtle,” he said. “You need to get your blood levels checked.”

“Even doctors need to be more informed about kidney disease,” said Dr. Rossi.

“Kidney disease is a fact of life for many Detroiters but the NKFM is working hard to change that fact,” said Denise Beach, director of health initiatives at the NKFM’s Detroit branch. “Kidney disease is often preventable, so we’re working to get the word out to educate people on the importance of taking care of their health.”

The Detroit Chapter is holding Cool Blue Monday! on Aug. 8 at MGM Grand in Detroit to raise awareness and money at the annual event. It includes a strolling buffet dinner, entertainment and live and silent auctions. The event is from 5:30 p.m to 9 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom.

Cases of chronic kidney disease are rising 6% to 7% annually in Michigan. And the costs are as well.

Nationally, Medicare spent $24 billion — or 32% of its overall budget in 2007 — on kidney disease.

“This disease is preventable,” Carson said, adding “We need to educate people.”

Contact the National Kidney Foundation of Michigan’s Detroit branch for more about Cool Blue Monday! at 313-259-1574 or www.nkfm.org Carol Cain is emcee of the event.

Carol Cain is Senior Producer and Host of Emmy winning “Michigan Matters” airing 11 a.m. Sundays on WWJ-TV CBS Detroit. You can read her columns in Sunday’s Detroit Free Press. She can be reached at 248-355-7126 or clcain@cbs.com

Roy Roberts – new Emergency Financial Manager of Detroit Public Schools – took to the “Pancakes and Politics” stage before 400 movers and shakers with the swagger of John Wayne and talked about his game plan to turn DPS Around.

The 72-year-old retired General Motors executive was coaxed of a comfortable retirement by Governor Rick Snyder to take on one of the toughest assignments in public education.

The 50 years of “crap” that has proliferated and left Detroit Public Schools branded with a scarlet “W” as worst district in the nation has got to stop, Roberts said during the Michigan Chronicle event which airs as a special “Michigan Matters”  11 a.m. Sunday on WWJ-TV CBS Detroit.

“Superman isn’t coming,” Roberts said.  “We have to make sure we are spending our money properly. We can’t be indiscriminate.  We have some hard decisions to make and there will be some pain but must do it to  get to the other side.”

He made an impassioned plea to leaders in the room to help DPS, saying he could not accomplish the job alone. And he said getting parents involved would be critical.

Roberts is the latest to step into the leadership role at DPS which has been  plagued by growing student drop out rates, more unable to read  and a growing financial deficit.

Roberts, who became an engineer and expert at turning around struggling auto plants,  said he heard from many  after taking on the job.

“A lot of my friends thought I was crazy,” he said. “Twenty-percent questioned my mental state by taking the job. And I realized the other 80 percent had given up on DPS.”

“I haven’t given up on the 72,000 kids. We are going to get this right as we don’t have any other option.”

The DPS assignment “is the most important thing I have ever done and am most excited about.”

“DPS is broken,” Roberts said. “There is no other cute way to say it. If we don’t like our station in life then we need to change it that is what I am here to help do.”

Despite the fact the district’s deficit rose under predecessor Robert Bobb’s watch, Roberts refused to criticize.

“Rick Wagoner (former CEO of GM) didn’t create the problems at GM and Robert Bobb didn’t create them at DPS,” Roberts said.

Roberts mentioned the district’s $1.2-billion budget for the school year that projects cutting $200 million from the deficit and reducing wages by 10%.

“Right now our kids aren’t prepared. As we sit here having pancakes and sausages there are kids around the world getting a better education who are going to eat our kids’ breakfast, lunch and dinner if we don’t change.”

He then answered the question on everyone’s mind.

“My ‘little brother’ Sam Logan (Michigan Chronicle publisher who has made DPS a centerpiece of his newspaper’s coverage) said I’m the right man for the job at the right time… You’re damn right I am!”

Carol Cain is Senior Producer and Host of “Michigan Matters.” You can read her columns on business and politics in Sunday’s Detroit Free Press. She can be reached at clcain@cbs.com or 248-355-7126.  Watch “Michigan Matters” 11 a.m. Sunday on WWJ-TV CBS Detroit.

Get More >> Michigan Matters

If you’re blessed in life, you’re able to make a difference as you reach out and help folks along the way.

But a handful of folks — like George “Sparky” Anderson, the late manager of the Detroit Tiger whose number is being retired Sunday at Comerica Park — are in a league of their own.

Sparky touched thousands upon thousands with his kindness as the larger than life leader known for keeping it simple just had that special way.

My story is but one of the thousands of stories being re-told this weekend.

I first met Sparky when I was a high school intern working at United Way.

He was manager of the Detroit Tigers, brought in by United Way to inspire CEOs and cajole donors in the downtown Detroit hotel to donate at the fund-raising event.

I was charged with trying to secure an interview for its newsletter.

As I entered the room, there was an endless sea of well-known writers – Pete Waldmier, Bob Talbert and Joe Falls — standing around Sparky and peppering him with questions about the team.

I politely waited so I could get in a question or two on the community for my story.

It was a disaster for a young intern hoping to make her mark as it was winding down and obvious there was no way I was going to ask my question. The entourage with Sparky in the middle began making its way to the door.

I was literally pushed aside with my blank reporter’s notebook when an arm reached out and pulled me into the fray.

“Don’t let ‘em intimidate you,” Sparky said, laughing. “What do ya want to know?”

I was so stunned, I don’t recall what I asked, but got enough to write my article.

Our paths crossed a few times after thanks to Dan Ewald, the former public relations man for the Tigers who was like a son to Sparky .  Ewald was with Sparky when he succumbed to dementia last year.

With Ewald’s assistance, I secured one of the last interviews with Sparky for WWJ-TV CBS Detroit’s “Michigan Matters.” He was living in Thousand Oaks, Calif., but came back to his beloved Motor City and his CATCH charity golfing event each summer.

Watch the exclusive Michigan Matters interview from 2008.

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I smiled during that interview which took place in 2008 as I took note that Sparky didn’t look much different from the first time we talked – an advantage of being prematurely white.

Unlike many who enjoyed success in this area and left for sunnier pastures,. Sparky kept his ties to Detroit and CATCH, the organization he began in 1987 to raise money for sick and at-risk kids.

CATCH has rung up over  $4 million for Henry Ford Hospital and Children’s Hospital of Michigan.

As I sat with Sparky that hot summer day, we talked about the Motor City. He was manager for 17 years — longer than anyone in Tiger history.

I asked what he was most proud of about his time in the Motor City.

“CATCH. It’s the single best thing I ever did in Detroit,” Sparky  said. “Detroiters give more charity dollars than any other city you can name. Not just my charity, but all charities.”

Dan Ewald was a Public Relations employee for the Tigers. He worked with Sparky for many years. (credit: Nick Posavetz)

“Sparky loved Detroit,” said Dan Ewald. ” He loved how the people here are fighters. He particularly loved the kids. What he did for the underprivileged kids of the city with the creation of CATCH is truly amazing. What other sports celebrity ever came to this city and left the city far richer than it was before his arrival? Sparky loved baseball, but loved his fellow man even more.”

It was his unflinching love of Detroit, helping and skills as a baseball leader many will mention as folks talk about him as his receives this honor.

But I’ll never forget how the plain talking manager went out of his way to help a shy 17-year-old and made her feel as special as the CEOs and celebrities in the room.

Bless you Sparky!

Carol Cain is Senior Producer and Host of WWJ-TV CBS Detroit’s “Michigan Matters. Read her columns on business and politics in Sunday’s Detroit Free Press. She can be reached via email or by calling 248-355-7126.

Leave a comment and share your Sparky story.

Join “The Big Four” for a discussion  on what is being done to bring jobs, economic growth and prosperity to Southeast Michigan.

Click here to Listen Live!

“The Big Four” panel includes:

• Dave Bing – Mayor, City of Detroit
• Robert Ficano – Wayne County Executive
• Mark Hackel – Macomb County Executive
• L. Brooks Patterson – Oakland County Executive

Carol Cain, Emmy award-winning talk show host and senior producer of ”Michigan Matters,” on WWJ-TV, will be the moderator for the session.

Click here to Listen Live!

“Before the election we both talked about jobs, jobs and jobs,” said Bernero, the Democratic challenger who lost to the Republican during taping of Michigan Matters. “Now all I hear from him is cuts.. cuts for cities, for schools. I don’t see investment, I don’t hear any talk of how this is going to create jobs.” “Where is the jobs plan?” Bernero said.

The kinetic mayor who has kept a low profile since losing the November contest, says he sees the governor regularly in Lansing.

“My job is to run the city of Lansing and find areas I can cooperate with this new administration. We need to try and make our cities vibrant.”

Bernero refused to grade the governor. “My wife is an educator and I leave the grading to her,” he said. But Bernero, who would not speculate on his own political prospects (he is up for re-election in 2013)  had a mouthful on Snyder’s plans for education and cities. “A city is only as good as its schools. When I see cuts to education and cuts to revenue sharing for cities he is cutting the rug out from under us.” Bernero agreed with Snyder there needed to be more consolidation in education but took issue with his proposed reduction in spending. “There is a surplus in school aid. Yet, he is proposing a per pupil cut. And for what? It’s like they are kicking us and then blaming us because we are lame?”

Mike Duggan, CEO of Detroit Medical Center and a card carrying Democrat, also appeared on the show and gave Snyder high marks.

“I started as a skeptic,” said Duggan. “I don’t agree with all he is suggesting but I deeply agree with his courage and direction. He has done a good job.”

Bernero mentioned the tax free zone idea for Detroit suggested last year  by former Speaker Newt Gingrich.

“If I was governor, I would be having more of those kinds of conversations,” Bernero  said. “I’d talk about adding things ‘Make it in Michigan’ where we’d have tax free zones. I’d be promoting Michigan. We should be playing up our manufacturing skills.

Denise Ilitch, University of Michigan regent, also appeared and questioned some of Snyder’s plans for education.

“What concerns me is his cuts,” said Ilitch. “We continue to perform poorly and have low graduation rates. Yet, we are cutting higher learning.”

Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson also appeared on the panel and disagreed.

“We are pretty well funded. But that funding hasn’t translated into passing grades. I think the governor is on the right track,” Patterson said.

Taking the storm over education to another stage, Ilitch said she received hundreds of emails from people complaining  Snyder will be the commencement speaker at UM’s  graduation ceremonies taking place Saturday (tomorrow).

“I’ve never had that many emails on anything,” she said, adding one threatened to boycott her family’s Little Caesars stores as a result.

Ilitch, meanwhile, will present an  honorary degree to Ford Motor Co. Executive Chairman Bill Ford during the UM festivities. Among others getting  honorary degrees: director Spike Lee and businessman Stephen Ross.
 
Carol Cain is senior producer and host of the Emmy winning Michigan Matters. You can read her columns on business and politics in Sunday’s Detroit Free Press. You can watch Michigan Matters 11 a.m. Saturday on WWJ-TV CBS Detroit and it will be rebroadcast 11 am Sunday. She can be reached via email or 248-355-7126

Get More >> Michigan Matters

Join a panelist of experts as they discuss the latest efforts to revitalize and repopulate the city of Detroit.

Click here to Listen Live! 

Panelists include:

– Sandy Barauh – President and CEO, Detroit Regional Chamber 
– David Egner - President and CEO, Hudson-Webber Foundation
– Michael Finney - President and CEO, Michigan Economic Development Corporation
– Daniel Gilbert - Chairman and Founder, Quicken Loans, Inc. 
– George Jackson - President & CEO, Detroit Economic Growth Corporation

Carol Cain, Emmy award-winning talk show host of “Michigan Matters,” on WWJ-TV, will be the moderator for the session. 

Click here to Listen Live!

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“We can’t continue to do things as we’ve been doing,” said the man who ran and won the top political job with talk of reinventing Michigan.

“We have to change how we do things and a lot of tough things will have to be done,” he said.

The “Pancakes” forum was held March 3 at the Detroit Athletic Club and aired March 12 as a special Michigan Matters on WWJ-TV CBS Detroit you can watch it online.

Video > ‘Michigan Matters’ – Gov. Snyder At Pancakes & Politics
Photos > ‘Michigan Matters’ Behind The Scenes

Snyder, former CEO and CPA turned politician, told the crowd he campaigned on getting the state back on track and ratcheting down the  $2 billion deficit remains central to that.

Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano was among audience members who asked Snyder about his plans to get rid of renaissance zones and other tax breaks, knowing the downside would be deterring some businesses from possibly growing or moving here.

“If anything, business like consistency and when we change things it certainly doesn’t help,” said Ficano.

Snyder explained it has to do with “appropriations for the bucket of money instead of the tax breaks.”

“We’re working on the budget now and during the next four years, the state has already committed to writing over $2 billion for tax credits,” Snyder explained.

“Think about that. We aren’t starting at zero. We’re down $500 million in each of those years,” said Snyder. “I don’t think people understand that.”

Other questions were raised about his suggested cuts to education (K-12) and public universities.

Snyder countered there is more that educators can do to help lower their costs by bundling services which will help offset some reductions in revenue from the state.

Snyder is hoping to have his budget wrapped up by the end of May as state legislators must first sign off on it.

“I’m open to tweaking things but we need to get this done,” Snyder added.

The next “Pancakes and Politics” will be held April 21 at the DAC and focus on the future of Detroit.

Panelists include: Quicken Loans’ CEO Dan Gilbert, Detroit Regional Chamber President and CEO Sandy Baruah, New Economy Initiative Executive Director David Egner, DEGC CEO George Jackson and MEDC CEO Mike Finney.

The four-part “Pancakes and Politics” series – now in its sixth year –  was created by the Michigan Chronicle and its parent company, Real Times Media. WWJ-TV CBS Detroit has been a media sponsor since the start and all “Pancakes” have aired as Michigan Matters.

Other sponsors include: Strategic Staffing Solutions, Comcast Business Class,

Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn LLP, PNC, ProCare Health Plan,

Bank of America, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, Compuware, Detroit Riverfront Conservancy, MGM Grand Detroit, St. John Providence Health System, UHY and Wayne State University, WWJ Newsradio 950 and Crains Detroit Business.

For “Pancakes” tickets call 313 -963-8100

Carol Cain is Senior Producer and host of WWJ-TV CBS Detroit’s Emmy winning Michigan Matters. You can read her columns on politics and business in Sunday’s Detroit Free Press and online. She can be reached at 248-355-7126.

What’s ahead in the battle over the state’s lucrative movie incentives as Gov. Rick Snyder continues his push to put a lid on them to confront Michigan’s fiscal woes?

Likely a compromise said John Truscott, president of Truscott Rossman LLC, longtime GOP strategist and communications expert who worked for Gov. John Engler.

The incentives, approved by state legislators three years ago, are the most lucrative in the nation.

But some – including Snyder and groups like Business Leaders For Michigan – - have questioned them saying they have  not paid dividends in creating jobs or economic payoff and should be pared back.

Truscott, who is president of the firm, appeared on Michigan Matters with business partner, Kelly Rossman-McKinney, who is CEO, as well as businesswoman Denise Ilitch and Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson.  The fast moving conversation focused on the incentives, the budget and more.

Ilitch has been beating the drum on behalf of the incentives, adding: “I’m on the ground and see the good they are doing which is why I feel so strongly. I see the jobs they have created.”

Patterson admitted the burden was on those who support the incentives to help quantify them to quiet detractors before a compromise can be reached

Rossman-McKinney said rancor over the issue has taken the lion’s share of headlines away from other important budget issues since Snyder announced his game plan a few weeks ago.

“You aren’t hearing as much about cuts to education, K-12, local government, pensions …” she said.

Truscott added people were shell shocked by Snyder’s proposals and predicted there will be more rancor with unions and others rising up in coming weeks.

Snyder has said he would like to have his budget wrapped up by the end of May which Truscott said was unrealistic.

“There’s no way possible,” he said. “He has set an aggressive course but there is no way it will be done until the end of June or July.”

On other issues,  Truscott said he and Rossman-McKinney, who worked for Gov. Jim Blanchard and run her Lansing firm for 23 years before they joined forces in January, will be focusing more on the Grand Rapids market which is “… untapped. There’s a lot of business there.”

Carol Cain is Senior Producer and Host of  Emmy-winning Michigan Matters. You can read her columns on business and politics in Sunday’s Detroit Free Press. She can be reached at 248-355-7126 or via e-mail.

Watch Michigan Matters Saturdays at 11:00 a.m.
Recent episodes are available to watch online at the Michigan Matters show page.

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Watch Michigan Matters Saturdays at 11:00 a.m. on WWJ-TV.

Have an idea for a show topic? Send us an e-mail

Get more >> on the Michigan Matters show page.

Watch the full 30 minute special online.

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CBS 62 CBS Detroit presents “Reinventing Michigan” as the latest installment of its “Eye On The Future” programming.  The Emmy- winning “Eye On The Future” team of Carol Cain and Paul Pytlowany travel the state to provide a front row seat as they talk to those making decisions and also those being impacted.

Among those appearing: Governor-Elect Rick Snyder, Teamster President James P. Hoffa,  Detroit Mayor Dave Bing, actor Jeff Daniels, businessmen Dick DeVos and A. Alfred Taubman, Senator Debbie Stabenow, Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano, Eastern Michigan University President Sue Martin, Detroit Public Schools Emergency Financial Manager Robert Bobb, Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson, and Macomb County Executive-Elect Mark Hackel. Click here to see behind the scenes photos of the guests.

“Reinventing is a mantra for everyone in the state,” said Trey Fabacher, Vice President and General Manager of CBS 62 (WWJ-TV) and CW50 (WKBD-TV). “With a new governor and other key leaders taking over and making historic decisions, the timing is perfect for our ‘Eye’ team of Carol Cain and Paul Pytlowany and the rest of the CBS 62 crew to give our viewers an exclusive front row seat to those changes and what they mean as no one else can.”

“Reinventing Michigan” is the fourth in the “Eye On The Future” series of CBS 62’s specials. Others include “Building Bridges: From The Great Lakes To The Great Wall,” “Powering Michigan’s Future,” and “Rx For Michigan.”

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Left to Right: Isabel Kaliman, Liz Gumbinner, Beth Feldman, Anna Fader, Carol Cain, Erin Hanson.

The New York City Chapter of the Public Relations Society September panel, “Mother Knows Best: Meet the Mommy Media” featured five bloggers providing insight on the best ways to get your story covered in their blogs as well as various ways to approach them and establish a relationship first before sending out a pitch.

The event was billed as:

“Mommy bloggers and mommy media continue to grow at an exponential rate. They have established themselves as an influential community within our media culture. With women accounting for over half the population and moms as the decision makers of household purchases, it’s crucial that PR professionals include these influencers as part of their media outreach or as consultants and brand ambassadors to ensure successful programs for their clients. Join several influential bloggers to get an inside look on how to reach and foster relationships with them on behalf of your clients.”

- Erin Hanson, moderator of the panel is a senior vice president in MS&L Group’s consumer marketing practice in New York, and currently oversees global external relations strategy for Procter & Gamble household brands Swiffer, Febreze and Mr. Clean. Through her work on P&G, 3M, Johnson & Johnson and Kraft, she has amassed a wealth of experience working with mom influencers, bloggers and social networks.

Panelists:

- Carol Cain is Founder and Publisher of NYCityMama.com a Travel and Food site which highlights family-friendly destinations for travelers both in and out of New York. Before venturing into the world of travel blogging, she worked in Public Relations, and it is this experience that has helped her leverage successful relationships with PR representatives and brands nationwide. You can follow Carol on Twitter @nycitymama.

- Anna Fader, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief, Mommy Poppins. After a decade working as an award-
winning advertising creative for BBDO NY, Anna became interested in social media and blogging as a way to connect directly with customers. In 2007 she started a social media consultancy and her own blog, MommyPoppins.com which gets over 200,000 unique visitors per month.

- Beth Feldman is the founder of Role Mommy, a thriving online community dedicated to inspiring,
entertaining and empowering today’s busy moms to pursue their passion while raising a family. She is a former television network executive who pole vaulted off the corporate ladder to pursue her passion. Through Role Mommy, she also offers advice to parents on tweens and social media. You can follow Beth on Twitter @rolemommy.

- Liz Gumbinner is the co-publisher and editor-in-chief of the shopping and trend blog
CoolMomPicks.com, which has been called “the online arbiter of cool” by Parents Magazine and named one of Real Simple’s 3 favorite blogs for parents. She’s also the author of the popular personal blog Mom-101.com, and manages to balance it with a job as an ad agency creative director.
CoolMomPicks on Twitter, CoolMomPicks on Facebook.

- Isabel Kaliman is the founder and chief at Alpha Mom, an online destination and marketing research lab. The term “Alpha Mom” has been recognized by USA Today, The Today Show, and Good Morning America as the category generic for the ultimate influencer.  Forbes anointed Alpha Mom one of the Top 10 Mommy’Hood Gurus and Parents Magazine named Isabel one of the ten “Power Moms”. You can follow Isabel on Twitter @isabelkallman.

ERIN How did you get into mom blogging?

CAROL
Started her blog two years ago and wanted to share with others what she was doing with her three sons. She would visit various places such as restaurants, hotels and started as a diary but became an informative site for parents.

ANNA
Was creative director at BBDO for over two years and started Mommy Poppins as a New Years resolution. She saw how well her blog worked with advertising to connect to consumers and left BBDO and transitioned over to social media.

BETH
Was VP at CBS Television. Spearheaded first mommy blogger press conference for New Adventures of Old Christine. Convinced CBS to partner with blogs. She left CBS to start her own PR/Consulting company to work with brands that wanted to reach out to mom bloggers.

LIZ
Started blogging in 2006. She was pregnant and started Mom101 as a personal blog which enabled her to write about being a mom. She then started a shopping blog for parents which became Cool Mom Picks that currently operates as an online magazine.

ISABEL
Alpha Mom started as a television network/Video on Demand channel that morphed online. She gets excited when readers send in email stating that the information/topic read on her blog was helpful and actually helped improve the health of women during pregnancy.

ERIN     How do you respond to the title of “mommyblogger?”

LIZ
She does not like it and feels that it limits her audience. As a writer she welcomes a large audience. Prefers titles such as: Mom Blogger or Parenting Blogger. Mom blogs cover a wide range of topics so not all of these blogs are the same.

CAROL
She was introduced at a meeting as the “mommy blogger” and does not mind the title, but she considers herself to be a travel blogger and also reviews restaurants. The perception of the mommy blogger is that you are a mom at home with your kids. But Carol is almost never home, and anybody that knows her knows she is very busy.

ISABEL
Mommy Blogger defines the person not what you are writing about. Writers write about a lot of stuff such as family life, personal life, politics, etc.

ERIN   How do PR people approach you, and should PR people approach bloggers like a journalist?

CAROL
We do not have the traditional corporate job, but we work with corporations to provide expertise and bring that into our blog/business. The blog is not just a hobby. I would take time to read the blog and see if it is right for your target.

ANNA
She did a blogger outreach program to send out a product for review and found that she still had to sit down and read all of the blogs and write individual pitch letters. Get to know the blog and the blogger.

LIZ
I have advertising clients say, “We need to reach the mommy market” and that makes me bristle as it puts an impression in your head of the stay at home mom raising the kids and performing traditional roles such as cooking, cleaning, laundry, etc. She gets pitches that begin, “Dear Mommy Blogger, I have some great laundry detergent that would be awesome for your readers…”; this may work for other mom blogs, but not hers. With the bigger blogs you need to build a relationship. I look for things that are cool for my readers.

ERIN     What makes you review a product? What breaks through the clutter and give space to cover in your blog?

BETH
When it resonates with me, I will tell the story through my voice. Bloggers are now innundated with stuff and will not do anything which led a client to ask, “What should I do?” I suggested an advertorial if the blogger will not review it, as it is done in a magazine. You can compensate those bloggers and offer them to write their own experience and a banner as well. Social media is a different ball game than dealing with a journalist.

ISABEL
Get to know the blogger. I would love to review products but that is not my specialty so I would send it to Liz and give her the exclusive. If you send me a pitch saying, “Daily Candy and others have reviewed it,” I do not care. Why be second if it has been done already?

ERIN What can we do to insure that the relationships are authentic?

ANNA
Knowing that you are going to get paid to write a review at least pay the blogger as a professional marketing person and not as a mommy blogger by providing me with a $25 gift card. She has to put in a disclaimer saying that she did not receive anything for doing a review. Think about who you are trying to reach and approach them appropriately.

LIZ
Product review networks that can do the work for you are good for mass market brands so you (as a PR person/agency) can say, “I got you fifty reviews.” Blogging is not a numbers game. But the influence surpasses traffic. Readers of my blog are producers on The View, Today Show, editors of Real Simple, Glamour and they get content from my blog.

ERIN    Are you finding that public relations folks are contacting you and requesting that “this is exactly what I need to say…”

LIZ
My blog is for me. If there is a provision that states you must say…then we will disclose things, but we need to put it in our own words: “thank you for this sponsor…”

ERIN    Has Twitter impacted your blog and changed the way you work?

LIZ
Twitter has compromised the blog world and now there is less of an obligation to comment on the blog. Twitter and Facebook are extensions of your blog. There is ten times more engagement on the CoolMomPicks Facebook fan pages. We will tweet a post and get fifty hits, but when we put up a post on the CoolMomPicks Facebook page we get five hundred. They have 55,000 Twitter followers and 11000 Facebook fans. We are still figuring it all out; is twitter microblogging, a way to workshop ideas, a newsfeed, or a promotional tool?

ISABEL
Develop a relationship and have conversations with people on Twitter.

At this point of the discussion questions were taken from the audience.

If I am a company/product/service and I have provided you the blogger with an opportunity to try my product, stay at my hotel, dine at my restaurant, etc. but you have a negative experience, do you still write about it?

CAROL
If I have a problem at the hotel/restaurant, I have to honest with my readers since that is my reputation. Some have requested not to write about it. If I experience a problem during my stay/meal, I will address it with the manager of the facility/restaurant/hotel as it is out of the PR person’s hands.

LIZ
I was on a cruise ship press event and people attending the event were saying how mediocre the facilities were but when you read it on the blogs it got raving reviews because those bloggers got it for free and felt they had an obligation to be kind to their host. PR Firms are now doing the work of marketing, promotions, but you have to put yourself in bloggers shoes. What is the blogger getting out of this, and what will they get excited about?

What if your clients are commenting on the negative posts on your blog?

CAROL
Do not get caught up in the back and forth. Some bloggers will do it for sensationalism. Make your point and let it go.

LIZ
Don’t make it sound like your legal department wrote a corporate response.

Do you like to be pitched via Twitter or Facebook?
LIZ
I do not like it. It is too public and puts us in a awkward position. Twitter is a monitoring device. Mentioned story of how she was at Hard Rock Hotel Chicago  and was surprised that the Hard Rock General Manager tweeted her a reply which you can read about here.

ISABEL
You want to build a relationship and not pitch.

You may also be interested in these posts:

How to Get Your Guest or Book on Rachel Ray, Piers Morgan Tonight, CBS This Morning Saturday

Skills that Get the Guest for Your Television and Radio Show

How to Get Your Sports Story or Guest on ESPN, Boomer and Carton, and USA Today

How to Get Your Story/Event/Guest on Bloomberg News

How to Get Your Story or Event on New York News Shows

Get Your Product, Book, Movie On Television and Radio Shows

Get Your Products and Stories Featured in Mainstream Magazines

Big thanks to @katjapresnal and @erikalehmann for throwing such a fun Tweetup in NYC.

We got to spend time with some old friends and meet new…  like @complicatedmama, @classymom, @dawnsandomeno, @stylemom, @nycitymama, @isabelkallman, @cecilyk, @polarnopyret, @anelson1…

Where’s the next one?

Mary Ann Zoellner and Katja Presnal

Alicia Ybarbo w/Elizabeth Mascali & Dawn Sandomeno of PartyBluPrints

Carol Cain (aka @NYCityMama) Shares Some Scoop

How Cute Is Nichelle Pace? (aka @StyleMom)

With Isabel Kallman (aka @alphamom)

Carol Cain, founder of NYCity Mama Blog (www.nycitymama.com)

Tune into Sisterhood, the Blog Radio on August 22 at 5:00 p.m. EST for a juicy conversation with NYCity Mama Carol Cain, a Latina and native New Yorker (www.nycitymama.com).  Host Ananda Leeke (www.anandaleeke.com) will talk to Carol about the reasons she established her NYCity Mama blog,  lessons she learned from blogging, and favorite moments at the BlogHer 2009 Conference.    Carol is an amazing woman who previously worked as a publishing and public relations professional.  She considers herself a nomadic spirit with a passion for cultures, languages, and customs.  Click here to listen to the show:  http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/42015.  If you miss the live show, don’t panic.  You can download a recording from the web site (http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/42015) and listen to it at your convenience.

Great News! Sisterhood, the Blog Radio’s Lessons Learned from Blogher 2009 series was mentioned in a  post written by Natalie McNeal, founder of the Frugalista Files blog that appears in the Miami Herald:  http://miamiherald.typepad.com/frugalista/2009/08/frugalista-talks-about-blogher.html.  Many thanks to Natalie!

Here’s some more great news!  Natalie will appear as a guest on Sisterhood, the Blog Radio tonight at 8:00 p.m. EST.  Sisterhood, the Blog Radio host Ananda Leeke (www.anandaleeke.com and http://authoranandaleeke.wordpress.com) will talk to Natalie about her reasons for blogging and lessons learned from Blogher 2009.  Click here to listen to the show:  www.talkshoe.com/tc/42015.    If you miss it,  don’t panic.  You can download and listen to a recording from the web site.

FYI – The first episode of the Lessons Learned from Blogher 2009 series aired on August 6.  It featured Prisoner’s Wife, a blogger who was sponsored by Mom Noir (www.momnoir.com) at Blogher 2009.  Prisoner’s Wife shared her reasons for attending Blogher, favorite Blogher moments, lessons learned, and definition of sisterhood. To learn more about Prisoner’s Wife, visit http://theprisonerswife.blogspot.com.  

1) August 12 at 8:00 p.m. EST – Denene Millner, the founder of MyBrownBaby blog (www.mybrownbaby.blogspot.com) and co-author of What Brothers Think, What Sistahs Know: The Real Deal on Love and Relationships, What Brothers Think, What Sistahs Know About Sex, and Money, Power, Respect: What Brothers Think, What Sistahs Know;

2) August 13  at 8:00 p.m. EST – Holly Buchanan, a women’s marketing consultant (www.thesoccermommyth.com) and co- author of The Soccer Mom Myth;

3) August 14 at 8:00 p.m. EST – Lucrecer Braxton, the founder of Art-Slam blog (www.art-slam.com);

4) August 15 at 8:00 p.m. EST – Deb Rox, the founder of Deb on the Rocks blog (www.debontherocks.com)  and author of 5 Ways to {Blank} Your Blog;

5) August 17 at 8:00 p.m. EST – Kamy Wicoff, the founder of SheWrites.com (www.shewrites.com) and author of I Do but I Don’t: Walking Down the Aisle without Losing Your Mind and I Do but I Don’t: Why the Way We Marry Matters; and

6) August 24 at 8:00 p.m. EST – Bronx Bohemian, the founder of Bronx Bohemian blog (http://bronxbohemian.wordpress.com).

Additional shows will be added to the schedule.  They will feature NYCity Mama Carol Cain (www.nycitymama.com), Heather L. Barmore of No Pasa Nada blog ()http://nopasanada.org, Veronica Arreola of Viva La Feminista (www.vivalafeminista.com), and several other fabulous bloggers.  A revised schedule will be posted later this week.  ]]>