There was a lot made recently of the new law designed to better protect and regulate water withdrawal and usage in the state.

The bill was signed in a major bipartisan ceremony in Saugatuck, the hometown of Michigan Senate Republican Patti Birkholz.

But it was clear that the environmental lobby, which signed off on this deal, were swallowing a lot harder than the Republicans.

In their minds, the bill was just a baby step toward proper water policy in the state. But don’t expect them to quickly try to toughen the law. In fact, it may be a couple more years before they try. They would like the current state Senate, which is mostly term limited out and is “not accountable” to their constituency at this point according to the enviros, to be gone before they move on a bill.

In a couple of years, they say, there could be a serious move to toughen the law and crack down harder on water bottlers and others who package water and market it around the country.

***

Some of the new high school class requirements recently put into law have been the target of critics. Parents say their kids aren’t able to keep up, and some schools are baffled as to how they’ll teach students subjects like Algebra II with their existing time and resources.

We’ve heard a lot from adults on this, but not much from actual students until recently. So it took some guts from one Harley Timmons of Grayling to appear before a state House subcommittee, saying that he failed several classes, including Algebra, so he had to go to summer school this year.

***

The critics are fishing around for some alternatives for some students who don’t perform well in what they call the “one size fits all” curriculum.

But there are some who aren’t accepting what the critics are saying. State Board of Education member John Austin essentially said that education is education, and young people must learn the material because they’re going to be part of the economy in the future, and the tough requirements will “ensure that Michigan’s economy grows in the long run.”

***

Identity theft continues to be on the minds of some legislators, as bills began moving recently to try to protect residents from ID theft.

Maybe it’s no coincidence that at least two lawmakers that I’m aware of, maybe more, have recently become the victims of ID theft.

***

A man who served nine years behind bars for a rape he did not commit told a legislative committee recently that those wrongfully put behind bars should be compensated.

Ken Wyniemko of Macomb County told lawmakers that compensation is needed to help those wrongly imprisoned to get back on their feet and at least $50,000 for each year of imprisonment is something they deserve.

Wyniemko was wrongly imprisoned and released in 2003. He actually received a $3.7 million settlement from Clinton Township.

Not everyone likes this compensation idea. Some have said the State shouldn’t have to pay up because of mistakes made in local enforcement.

***

Michigan’s 15 state-supported universities locked arms at the state Capitol recently to announce the first grants in what is being called a statewide economic innovation initiative, which one researcher told me could effectively redefine higher education in the future.

Stephen Forrest, vice president of research at the University of Michigan, said their goal is to use their combined knowledge to help develop up to 200 new companies, especially targeting the “emerging knowledge economy.”

The start-up is funded with $2 million from the Mott Foundation. But they’ll have to raise a lot more money in the future to keep the program going.

The first awards included Michigan Tech University, which is working with a Marquette company to make wireless video equipment for the military, and Saginaw Valley State University, which is working on an effort involving biodegradable plastics.

Forrest admitted the state’s economic difficulties played a role in this effort, adding it “really speaks to the urgency of the problem; if there was any time the state of Michigan needed what we have to offer, this is it.”

***

One in five older adults who enter a casino eventually displays problem gambling behaviors according to researchers at Wayne State University.

Peter Lichtenberg, PhD, director of the Institute of Gerontology at WSU, said urban elders are especially vulnerable to problems because a higher percentage of them have low income, few social supports and poor mental and physical health.

Isn’t this the same group that’s seen as the major victim in the current healthcare crisis?

It seems we’re just looking the other way when it comes to the elderly. It doesn’t look good when a society pushes gambling on a vulnerable group, then short-sells them on healthcare.

Then again, the casinos seem to be among the few businesses doing well recently. The irony is those casino jobs are the result of gamblers. That’s just not very comforting.

***

Outdoors-people in the state continue to search for ways to increase funding to support outdoor recreation.

But they also have to worry about the increasing average age of those who hunt and fish, which has resulted in a declining number of outdoor sportspeople in the state.

Dennis Muchmore, executive director of the Michigan United Conservation Clubs, admitted it’s been a tough egg to crack, adding that the modern family sometimes doesn’t have the time to enjoy the outdoors and is distracted by a myriad of other activities their children are involved with.

So they’re turning to NASCAR.

Muchmore said the NASCAR fan base matches up well with those who also hunt and fish.

NASCAR’S Ryan Newman, an avid angler and hunter who has visited Michigan for years, has begun the Ryan Newman foundation, which with the Conservation Fund and the MUCC are part of a “partnership” developing a “family camp” to “reintroduce young people to the outdoors.”

Of course, this does not mean they’re giving up efforts to raise more revenue for supporting natural resources.

There have been plenty of suggestions, including one that would have virtually all Michiganians paying into the system, instead of having just license holders doing it.

Finding the right formula will be tough enough for them. Then selling the idea will be even tougher.

		Rob Baykian is director of news and operations at the 67-station Michigan Radio Network. He has been covering the Capitol since 1981.