Who needs California or New York when you have Michigan? Sure the winters are better on the west coast and the nightlife is dialed in at ten over in New York, but for a film production, Michigan has it all: Water, four seasons, rural, urban, and, more importantly, filming coupons (so to speak).

Excerpt:

It may surprise some people that filmmakers would want to shoot a movie in Michigan, instead of California or New York, though producers say the state's four seasons, great lakes and big city setting, make it an ideal location.  But the biggest incentive: Cash.  In April of last year, the state of Michigan enacted a special tax rebate of 42%, the largest in the country.  Since then, the Michigan Film Office says business is booming.  That means jobs--hundreds of them--both as part of making the films, or in supportive ways, such as set design, catering, or security. 

"I think there is a big financial impact that we have on any location we're in.  Whenever you bring in a couple hundred people with disposable income to a city, it's going to have an impact.  Our people go to restaurants, they go to bars, they go to grocery store, they go to the mall on the weekends.  They spend money and aside from that, we also employ people." says Tripp Vinson, Red Dawn's producer.  Jobs are something the city of Detroit desperately needs right now, as the auto industry winds down.  While Vinson wouldn't say exactly how much money is being saved by the tax incentive, he did admit that its in the millions.  

Michigan Film Office Director Janet Lockwood says that's a major draw. "In 2007 when we did not have any incentives worth mentioning we took in perhaps, with creative mathematics, 2-million dollars for feature films.  In 2008, in the 9 months that the incentives were in place, 125-million dollars"

Read the entire article here.

A Baltimore Sun writer visits Detroit and finds more than this empty city plastered across headlines. He saw restaurant after restaurant piled upon each other and discovered there is no food desert here.

Excerpt:

I went into Detroit, however, expecting to see much worse.  I wasn't expecting to see crowded museums, or rush hour traffic in a city with such high unemployment, or restaurants of all types filled with diners. Nevertheless, that's what I saw. ...

It was probably the filled restaurants that surprised me the most. A lot has been written about how Detroit is a food desert, insofar as the city has no grocery stores.  I figured a city that couldn't support grocery stores probably couldn't support its restaurants. But I visited restaurants throughout the city, the suburbs and the countryside. Every place I went had decent crowds.

Read the entire article here.

Michigan farmers seem to be the belle of the ball these days as more and more are buying their foods - and not just local schmos but everybody.

Excerpt:

Food companies big and small are buying ingredients from Michigan farmers for their products, and state agencies are reporting increased calls from others that want to do so.

Experts say there are many reasons for the uptick: The state's location -- in the middle of the country and relative closeness to the large East Coast market -- makes transportation costs cheaper; Michigan-based processing companies' are loyal to local businesses; and increasing consumer demand for locally grown food.

An exact figure for how much of Michigan's $71.3 billion agribusiness industry comes from sales of Michigan farm products to food companies is unavailable. But Christine Lietzau of the Michigan Department of Agriculture said the industry's 12 percent revenue growth from 2006 to 2007 can be attributed, at least partly, to more companies buying food from local farmers.

Read the entire article here.

Though Michigan isn't the only state that has tax breaks for filmmakers, it does have some of the highest. There are people who feel that the breaks go too deep and they should be scaled back... but... this piece in the Wall Street Journal points out that tax incentives are taking on a bigger and bigger role when it comes to the production. We don't want to lose that, do we?

Excerpt:

In recent years, many countries, plus several states around the U.S., have ramped up tax incentives and subsidies, competing with each other to attract film-production dollars in hope of boosting the local economy.

Michigan offers credits for as much as 42% of a film's in-state budget, and Utah and North Carolina have both recently increased their incentives to stay competitive. France recently enacted a new law that creates a 20% rebate for foreign productions shot in the country that have ties with French culture.

The incentives have become critical for many independent producers, who have found it increasingly difficult to raise film financing through the usual channels, including loans and pre-sales to distributors abroad.

While Mr. Vollkammer is an independent producer whose prior movies include thrillers such as Grace, One Way and Walled In, major studios haven't shied from taking advantage of such incentives. Warner Bros. shot Clint Eastwood's Gran Torino in Detroit after Michigan enacted its tax credits.

Read the entire article here.

How green is wood? Well, pretty dang green, says the Canadian Council of Forest Ministers. They were part of a panel at Lawrence Tech University discussing the greenness of wood structures.

Excerpt:

It turns out wood is the greener choice, speakers said at "Wood: the More Sustainable Structural System," a presentation of Lawrence Tech, the Canadian Council of Forest Ministers, the Detroit Regional Chapter of the United States Green Building Council and WWJ Newsradio 950.

"How many building materials are solar powered CO2 sucking machines with a beautiful appearance?" asked Peter Moonen, sustainability and special projects coordinator for British Columbia Wood Works, an initiative of the Canadian Wood Council. "Wood is a carbon sink, renewable, recyclable, reusable and organic."

And yet the typical image of the timber industry, he said, is "a guy with a chain saw going into the woods to kill trees."

Read the entire article here.

The acclaimed New York-based national restaurant-rating service Zagat did a little survey of the top restaurants in 45 cities across the nation. West Bloomfield's The Lark was at the top of the heap for Metro Detroit. Check out the others.

Excerpt:

Zagat, the New York-based national restaurant-rating service, released its 2010 America's Top Restaurants survey today for 45 U.S. cities, reporting the Lark in West Bloomfield as the No. 1 choice of metro Detroit diners for food quality.

The Zagat ratings are compiled from online votes cast by diners, who rate restaurants on food, decor, service and cost. Some 145,000 people cast votes for the 2010 survey, the company said.

Rounding out metro Detroit's top five spots were, in order, Bacco in Southfield, Zingerman's Deli in Ann Arbor, Tribute -- which closed last month -- in Farmington Hills and the Beverly Hills Grill in Beverly Hills.

Read the entire article here.

What makes a great place may be relative, differing from person to person, but if you talk to the American Planning Association they'll point you toward Ann Arbor's South Main Street.

Excerpt:

So, what makes a great place? Perhaps unsurprisingly, the APA thinks it's the ability to provide for the pedestrian and bring a community together. It's also about creating a sense of local identity. South Main Street in Ann Arbor, Mich. makes the list of Great Streets because of its diverse range of locally-owned businesses and restaurants housed in architecturally interesting, mixed-use buildings. It's an appealing environment that encourages walking rather than driving; you won't find many surface parking lots here. It's all about creating a space for the surrounding community to socialize, and not in a forced way. Ann Arbor residents now enjoy sidewalk seating at cafes, dozens of market days and street fairs per year, and easy access to public transportation.

Read the entire article here.

The race to green-tech supremacy is a competitive one but Michigan is making a push -- though it's a late start. Yet, despite the foot-dragging, it has a lot of weapons that other states don't -- a large, skilled workforce looking for jobs.

Excerpt:

But Detroit's transition to greener automaking is by no means assured. U.S. battery firms are late to the race. Even if their technology wins, there's no guarantee that Detroit would beat out California or other states vying for supremacy.

Michigan does retain one advantage: a skilled workforce that knows a thing or two about mass-producing cars and car parts. "Those folks are some of the best workers the world has ever seen, and they deserve to have jobs," says Keith Cooley, CEO of NextEnergy, a Detroit-based nonprofit research facility and business incubator for alternative-energy companies.

A six-minute drive from Ford Motor's original plant sits NextEnergy's 45,000-square-foot headquarters and research labs. The nonprofit is a key player in Michigan's efforts to reinvent the auto industry and, by extension, itself.

NextEnergy is working with nearby Wayne State University as well as Macomb Community College to train workers for advanced electric-drive work via a $5 million Department of Energy grant awarded in August. The organization has also helped state officials vet alternative-energy companies that want to do business in Michigan, such as A123 Systems Inc., which won $249 million in stimulus money to make battery packs for hybrid and electric vehicles at two Michigan locations. In September, the Watertown, Mass., company went public and saw its stock soar 50 percent on its first trading day.

Read the entire article here.

There's room to grow, that's for sure, but ranking No. 14 is still commendable considering the clean-tech industry is a growing sector.

Excerpt:

The Detroit-Ann Arbor region ranks No. 14 nationally in clean-tech job activity in a new "Clean Tech Job Trends 2009" report from Clean Edge Inc.

The ranking is both encouraging, given Michigan's massive job losses in other sectors, and a reminder that we're still far from the top of the heap in the hypercompetitive green jobs race. The ranking seems likely to rise in subsequent years given the amount of high-profile recent activity, including the planned redevelopment of the abandoned Ford Wixom plant for renewable energy manufacturing and a $100 million clean-energy research facility that GE is opening near Belleville.

Read the entire article here.

A new hope (just like Luke Skywalker) is emerging in Michigan's film industry by creating opportunity and jobs for those in an array of fields.

Excerpt:

According to career experts in Michigan, there are budding opportunities in the area, thanks to an increasing number of film projects there.

"Michigan has been gaining a lot of film projects based on tax breaks that have been offered" explained Janet Beckstrom, owner of Word Crafter, a résumé service in Flint, Mich. And with that have come job opportunities, she added.

For job seekers interested in pursuing that path, Career Coach Deborah Schuster, who owns The Lettersmith in Troy, Mich., recommends identifying transferable skills for starters. For example, construction workers could have many skills related to set building.

Schuster says applicants interested in switching industries should streamline their résumé to keep it relevant to their goal. "Leave out things that are irrelevant and focus on things that are," she said.

Read the entire article here.

The Detroit Free Press conducted a survey looking for the top work places in Southeast Michigan. Do you work for one of these top dogs? Check out the paper's findings below.

Excerpt:

Cooking employees a surprise Belgian waffle breakfast. Honoring a sales success story every month. Holding a "funky shoe day" for all workers.

These are just a few of the things top-ranked employers in this year's Detroit Free Press Top Workplaces survey are doing to boost employee morale during one of the most severe economic downturns the state has seen.

Though some of these top workplaces in southeast Michigan have had to cut costs and lay off workers because of the recession, they all recognize the importance of keeping employees' spirits up. Most are using creative, low-cost ways to keep workers motivated, even if they can't reward them with big wage increases or bonuses.

Read the entire article here.

Michigan's big three, no, the other big three -- the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, and Wayne State University -- have increased enrollment for the fall semester.

Excerpt:

The University of Michigan, Michigan State University and Wayne State University are reporting higher fall enrollments.

The growth at Michigan's top three research institutions comes despite or possibly in response to the state's serious economic problems.

The University of Michigan announced Tuesday that fall enrollment at its main campus in Ann Arbor rose 1.6 percent, from 41,028 in 2008 to 41,674 this year. The school says it raised undergraduate financial aid 11.7 percent in the face of the economic downturn.

Read the entire article here.

Everyone loves a good lookin' motorcycle. And that's what the Detroit Bros. Custom Cycles specialize in. And though the economy hasn't been too kind to them, the Discover Channel has. The company, based in Ferndale, will be the star of an upcoming show called Motor City Motors.

Excerpt:

Business hasn't been too good lately for the Detroit Bros. Custom Cycles shop. Founders Dave and James Kaye hope the magic of TV may soon help.

The brothers are starring in an upcoming Discovery Channel series called Motor City Motors that they hope not only will turn around their struggling business, but also provide a boost to their economically challenged hometown.

"I think the show will bring some attention to Detroit and all of the possibilities here — all the available jobs, all the intelligent people that are here and are out of work or are struggling with their job or aren't getting paid enough," James Kaye said. "I'm hoping we can really make a difference."

Read the entire article here.

Medical innovation isn't something new to Michigan. But it has played second fiddle to the automotive industry. (In fact, most things have played second fiddle to autos.) So, more like a wounded pigeon and not a baby bird, our state should nurture medical innovation, says the Freep. It could be just another way out of this economic mess.

Excerpt:

Michigan boasts leading biotechnology companies, top medical research universities and a community of venture capitalists and government officials who embrace and support the growth of the life sciences.

Medical innovation is creating good jobs here. According to one recent study, the biopharmaceutical industry in Michigan employed more than 106,000 people in 2006, paying $2.2 billion in wages, resulting in $71.4 million in state taxes. Another report released this spring by the University Research Corridor found that more than 79,062 Michigan residents now work in the state's life sciences industry, with the average worker's salary climbing from $64,602 in 1999 to $83,494 in 2006.

Read the entire article here.

You may have heard of the budget issues in Lansing. If you haven't, there's a good chance you live in a tree in the woods. But, despite the headaches of trying to nail down the numbers so the government doesn't shut down completely, it is getting a few things right. Though some say state government hasn't gone far enough in attracting the green industry, it has landed two pretty big and "green" fish recently.

Excerpt:

"On Tuesday, we announced that two companies will build solar panel manufacturing facilities in Michigan," Granholm said. "The first is Clairvoyant Energy, which will invest $857 million to convert part of Ford’s former Wixom Assembly plant in Oakland County to a solar panel plant. The second company is Suniva which will invest $250 million in a new solar manufacturing facility in Saginaw County. Together, Clairvoyant and Suniva are investing more than $1.1 billion in Michigan and hiring 1,250 workers."

...

"This week's announcements about three clean-energy companies choosing Michigan for their facilities keeps the momentum going for transforming our state into a center for green manufacturing," Granholm said. "These companies are going to make solar panels and other clean- energy products right here in Michigan. It's good news and news that should make all of us feel like we're walking on sunshine."

Read the entire article here.

The more the merrier, some say. Immigrants bring an entrepreneurial spirit and diverse economy -- two things that can strengthen Michigan's future.

Excerpt:

Noting that many Arab-Americans are small-business owners, Locke said: "We need to unleash the power of entrepreneurs."

To that end, Locke unveiled the department's first-in-the-nation "CommerceConnect" office, a one-stop shop in Plymouth for businesses to access all the federal government has to offer, from research and development tools to grants and to licensing assistance.

"Too few businesses actually know of the existence of some of our programs, because you needed a GPS system to navigate the federal bureaucracy," Locke said.

Read the entire article here.

Venture capital may be the key to growing out Michigan's emerging sectors. And though the state is lagging behind when it comes to VC when compared to other areas of the country, experts say there are still reasons to keep our chin up.

Excerpt:

Though Michigan lacks the venture capital available in some other parts of the country, the roughly 25 venture funds targeting Michigan businesses will become increasingly important amid efforts to diversify the state’s economy, a panel of venture capital experts said Wednesday morning.

...

Chris Rizik, CEO and fund manager of the Renaissance Venture Capital Fund, told business leaders in attendance the venture funds are key to growth in emerging sectors such as health care and alternative energy.

Companies with venture-backed origins have annual revenue growth 50 percent higher than the average company, Rizik said, and the average position at a venture-backed company pays $70,000.

"These are new jobs, in new industries, that allow areas to diversify," he said. "If you look at other parts of the country that have experienced growth over the last 20 to 30 years, venture capital has played a big role."

Read the entire article here.

Every state in this country and every modernized country around the world is looking to be the green leader. It's a race to that line and the first place medal isn't gold, it's green. (Get it?!)

Excerpt:

So, no, these are not the auto factories of tomorrow. Nor do they want to hire the autoworkers of yesterday. The nature of the work in such a rapidly changing field demands continuous learning and adaptation, not repetition.

The alt-energy companies, for now, tend to be smaller-scale entrepreneurial undertakings, looking for the best runways from which to take off. They'll go where they are welcome, financially accommodated and able to leverage what's around them. In Michigan, that would be, in part, the auto industry, which is shifting big-time into higher-mileage and electric-powered vehicles, but also the water supply, the intellectual resources of nearby universities and the manufacturing know-how that's in this state's DNA.

The question is whether all of that will be enough to compete in a world that's rapidly going wild for clean, renewable sources of power.

"Michigan is executing an aggressive strategy to diversify our economy, and that plan is achieving results," said Greg Main, president and chief executive officer of the Michigan Economic Development Corp., the state's chief employment recruiter. "Our recent successes in the advanced battery and solar sectors stand to generate thousands of jobs in just the next two years and tens of thousands down the road. While these projects will take time to become fully operational, no state is better positioned to grow and prosper from these new industries than Michigan."

Read the entire article here.

There are a lot of questions right now about our state. Questions about its budget, its industries, its growth, pretty much everything. But one of the biggest questions is: What's next? Though we've been slow to start, the state believes green jobs will be just that.

Excerpt:

In her effort to attract employers, the governor has taken up the latest arms in the economic arsenal -- tax credits, loans, Super Bowl tickets and a willingness to travel as far as Japan for a weekend to try to persuade an auto parts company to bring more jobs to Michigan. She has won solar and wind energy, electric car batteries, and movie production jobs. About 10,800 of the new positions came from overseas companies, according to her office, the fruits of visits to seven countries.

"We have great bones as a state," she says. "We know how to build stuff. We will build on that strength and diversify this economy. We will lead the nation in creating jobs in renewable energy. We're not going to be viewed as Luddites."

Read the entire article here.

Can Michigan be the Silicon Valley of the green industry? If the tax incentives have anything to do with it, then yes.

Excerpt:

If you cast your mind back a few decades and substitute "high tech" or "life sciences" for "sustainable business," you'll recall that, not so long ago, major economic transformations were created in Silicon Valley and on the East Coast, particularly in the Boston area. Like the two coasts, Michigan's seismic shift will happen not just because one industry fails. Rather, it will be a combination of government tax incentives, an existing knowledge base, and a groundswell of entrepreneurial and VC activity around green business, much of which is generated through the University of Michigan -- just as Stanford, MIT and other leading universities have helped foster innovation in their own backyards.

Read the entire article here.