YUCKY WEATHER DIVINITY

2 2/3 cup sugar

2/3 cup light corn syrup

½ cup water

2 egg whites, stiffly beaten

1 tsp. vanilla

2/3 cup chopped nuts

Mix sugar, corn syrup and water in a saucepan over low heat.  Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Then cook without stirring to soft ball stage, that’s 260 degrees on the candy thermometer. Beat constantly and remove from heat. Pour in a fine stream into beaten egg whites. Fold in the vanilla and continue beating until mixture holds its shape and becomes slightly dull. Now carefully fold in the nuts. Drop quickly from tip of buttered spoon onto waxed paper. If you like, you can spread it in a pan and cut into squares.

The 4th time may prove to be the charm.

Three airlines have submitted proposals to fly in and out of the Alpena airport through the Essential Air Service program offered by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT).

The DOT provides airlines a subsidy to service small, rural airports through the EAS program.  It has accepted bids for the Alpena airport on four occasions with the most recent deadline ending Tuesday.

Air Choice One and Aerodynamics Airline (ADI) have submitted proposals to provide daily flights from Alpena to Chicago.  SkyWest has submitted a proposal offering a minimum of 12 weekly flights – five to Detroit and seven to Minneapolis. 

The SkyWest proposal might be the most attractive since it offers the largest airplanes, 50 seats, and continued access to Delta Airlines.  But SkyWest is also asking for the largest subsidy of nearly $3.1 million to offset expenses.  

Alpena Mayor Matt Waligora, who is excited about the proposals, said a local team working on the airport service agreement will meet with a hired consultant in the next few days to go through the proposals in detail. 

He has until May 31 to submit a recommendation to the DOT, which ultimately will decide which, if any, of the three airlines will be awarded the EAS contract. 

Alpena Public Schools is talking with the AMA-ESD and its member school districts to see if there is support for a regional enhancement millage.

The idea was discussed Wednesday morning, during the APS board of education’s finance committee meeting.

Superintendent Brent Holcomb again talked about the district’s budget woes, which are a direct result of declining enrollment, reductions in state aid and property tax revenue, and increases in employee retirement costs and other benefits.

Other school districts in the area and State are dealing with the same issues.

APS will present a balanced budget to the State of Michigan for 2012-13, but could be in the red before the end of next school year.  Holcomb said an enhancement millage could help keep the district afloat for a period of time and give the community an opportunity to “help correct the problem” he blames on lawmakers.

Holcomb emphasized that talks of a possible 3-mill request are only in the preliminary stages.  He said the money, if approved by voters, would not only help stabilize the budget but also allow the district to pay for things it can’t currently afford like buses, computers and building maintenance.  He said it would not be used to pay salaries.

The board of education might be asked as early as August to support an enhancement millage.  It could be in front of voters as soon as May of next year. 

The Alpena County finance committee Wednesday, agreed to spend an additional $49,500 on a secret project for the airport.

The county has already paid Explorer Solutions $140,000 for its model to attract some sort of business to the airport.

The company was hired in February 2011 to basically study the area, identify the regions strengths, weaknesses and needs, and bring back to the county three business concepts for the airport. 

Explorer Solutions has been using its contacts inside the aerospace industry to try and lure a project to the airport.  The company’s plan includes a list of investors, potential partners and possible spin-off businesses. 

The full board of commissioners will vote later this month whether to pay the company another $49,500 for the final phase of its three-step plan.  Phase three calls for implementation of the plan, required studies and more.

The firm has asked the county to keep the project confidential in an attempt to protect it from other prospective investors and communities.

The pilot of a small airplane that crashed in the shallow waters of a downstate lake over the weekend, is from Alpena.

Dr. Robert Currier and a woman from Alpena were in the plane when it went down Sunday night, in Pine Hills Lake in Horton, which is located about 40 miles south of Lansing.

Currier and the woman were able to escape the wreckage on their own.  They were taken to a nearby hospital, treated for minor injuries and released.

State Police say an unknown problem caused the engine to lose power shortly after takeoff and the crash was not due to pilot error.

Currier, who owns and operates an eye clinic in Alpena, is also a private pilot.

Amy Griffin lives nearby and saw the crash from her dock.  She says the plane hit the top of a two trees before crashing.

The Pepsi Company and several local retailers pitched in Wednesday, to clean up the island at Duck Park in Alpena.

About 20 Pepsi volunteers spent five hours on the island, cleaning up brush, cutting up downed trees and laying new bark mulch on the trails.  They also did some touch-up painting of the monument plaque on the large stone at the base of one of the stairways on the island.

The Sherwin Williams store and Pro Build donated supplies for the projects.

Interim City Manager Greg Sundin said the Wildlife Sanctuary Board and city staff are working with another individual who is willing to donate all labor and equipment to rebuild the stairways and railings on the Island, where required.  Sundin hopes a local retailer might donate or provide a discounted price on the lumber needed for the project.

Any cost beyond donations will be picked up by the sanctuary board.

Alpena Public Schools is hosting a kickoff event for its Parent Math Academy.

The event is being held Tuesday, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the high school, and is open to parents of all APS students.

“This offering is a response to frequent parent requests for assistance in helping their children with math homework,” said Lee Fitzpatrick Parent Involvement Coordinator for APS.  “It will occur on an ongoing basis to help meet that need.”

The goals of the kickoff event are to give parents information on the support mechanisms available to them, provide each family with a grade level appropriate math summer learning packet, and to inform parents about how the program will work in the upcoming year.

Parents can drop in anytime between 5:30 and 6:30 p.m. to pick up a grade level packet for each of their children, find out more about the program and have their questions answered.

Parent Math Academy is one component of district’s ongoing drive to increase student achievement in math through greater engagement with families.

Northern Michigan residents have an opportunity to appear before the Natural Resources Commission, which is meeting in Onaway Friday.

The commission is planning to spend the entire day in Onaway, including a quick trip to view Black River sturgeon and tour the fish hatchery on the Upper Black River on Twin School Road.

The NRC meeting is being held at the Walter and May Reuther UAW Family Education Center, beginning at 9:30 a.m.

In addition to a report from Department of Natural Resources Director Rodney Stokes, attendees will receive updates on trout, salmon, whitefish and lake herring regulations, deer hunting regulations, and cormorant-management efforts.

Citizens who wish to make a public appearance before the NRC should contact Debbie Whipple at 517-373-2352.

PRESS RELEASE FROM OFFICE OF STATE REP. PETER PETTALIA:

Northeast Michigan residents in the Lansing area to attend college can gain valuable work experience, earn school credit and serve people of the 106th House District through an office internship with Rep. Peter Pettalia.

“I encourage students interested in gaining valuable hands-on experience in the legislative environment to contact me,” said Pettalia, of Presque Isle. “Whether a student’s goal is a career in public service or politics, or is looking to build skills useful in other fields, the office internship is an excellent path to future success.  Students attending Michigan State, Lansing Community College, Cooley Law School, or any school within daily driving distance of the Capitol are perfect candidates and should talk to their advisors about earning class credit.”

In addition to assisting the office with legislative research and organizational tasks, interns have the opportunity to facilitate communication between Pettalia and local constituents.

Strong verbal and written communication skills are desired, along with the ability to work efficiently and independently.  Basic computer skills are required, including a working knowledge of the Microsoft Office suite of programs.

Knowledge of the Legislature and legislative process is beneficial, but not required.

Internship positions are available throughout the year, and hours are negotiable to fit class and other work schedules.

For more information, contact Pettalia by calling his toll-free Lansing office number at 1-877-REP-4106 (1-877-737-4106); by email, peterpettalia@house.mi.gov<mailto:peterpettalia@house.mi.gov>; or through his website at RepPeterPettalia.com.

The state says Michigan’s jobless rate has hit its lowest level since summer 2008 amid employment gains and stable workforce levels.
    
Statistics released Wednesday show the state had a seasonally adjusted jobless rate of 8.3 percent in April.

That’s down from 8.5 percent in March and represents the lowest jobless rate for the state since July 2008.  The state’s unemployment rate in April was slightly above the national rate of 8.1 percent.
    
Michigan’s workforce rose for the fourth consecutive month and the total employment level has advanced by 91,000 or 2.2 percent since April of last year.
    
Professional and business services led April’s job additions, followed by financial activities, education and health services.  Minor declines have been reported in construction and manufacturing.