Radio Made in Michigan

Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero formally presented his proposed 2014 budget to the city council on Monday, March 25.  The much anticipated proposal comes just days after an independent review team issued an ambitious set of recommendations to shore up Lansing’s long-term financial standing.  Current State’s Kevin Lavery attended last night’s council meeting and files this report.

It’s been 100 years since the International Joint Commission conducted a Great Lakes-wide bacteriological study.  Scientists are now looking to recreate the 1913 research; the 100 years study will assess how water quality in the Basin has changed over time.

Matt Ludtke continues the discussion on NCAA upsets, and also brings up the recent head coach firings from UCLA and Minnesota.  He also discusses the possibility of Tom Izzo coaching the USA Olympic team.  The Miami Heat are continuing their dominance, and MSU continues their tournament run.  Matt and Alex cover it all on the air, and have open lines all show.

Today on Current State: Lansing teachers’ union on new contract; the discovery of century-old  handwritten messages in the former Traverse City State Hospital; sports with Detroit Free Press' Joe Rexrode;  a look a  documentary on wise older women; the Motown Museum; and Lansing business news with MLive's Angela Wittrock.

Last Thursday, the Lansing School District and the city teachers’ union reached a new five-year contract agreement.  The deal cuts 87 full-time equivalent positions in art, music and physical education classes.  On Friday we spoke with school board president Guillermo Lopez.  He assured us that those particular curricula would continue in Lansing schools, but that the method of providing that instruction is going to be restructured.  After Mr. Lopez’s interview aired, Current State’s Kevin Lavery caught up with Patti Seidl, the president of the Lansing Schools Education Association, to hear the union’s perspective on the deal.  

Recently, workers at the site of the former Traverse City State Hospital made a series of curious discoveries.  After pulling down old plaster from the walls of a former women’s dormitory, they found dozens of handwritten messages beneath.  A few were over a century old.  Ian Jones, director of Marketing and Communications for Traverse City’s Munson Medical Center,  talks about these mysterious findings.

Detroit Free Press sportswriter Joe Rexrode joins us every Monday and Friday to discuss what's happening in the sports world -- from Michigan State to local prep athletics to the pro leagues. Today he discusses Spartan's performance in the NCAA tournament. 

Many people fear and fight aging. If your turn to almost any channel on TV, you’ll find older women attempting to cloak themselves in youth.  Age is a deficit.