SW Michigan

PORTAGE, MI - Portage may be the first community in Southwest Michigan to regulate collection or donation boxes. After a good deal of discussion the Portage City Council on Tuesday voted 5-1 to approve a collection box ordinance amendment that will regulate the 25 or so for-profit and non-profit collection boxes around town that take donations of everything from clothing to books.

LANSING - Wayne State University President Allan Gilmour came out swinging this morning in Lansing, asking Republican lawmakers whether an eight-year labor contract for faculty or continued cuts in state funding were worse for students. Gilmour contended it is the latter, a point he tried to stress to members of the state House higher education subcommittee.

PORTAGE, MI -- Best- and worst-case 2013-14 budget scenarios for Portage Public Schools do not include funding for base-salary increases, according to a presentation at Monday's Portage school board meeting. Raising base salaries for 2013-14 "will require negotiations but would seems obtainable based on circumstances," says a memo written by Karla Colestock, the district's finance director, who made Monday's presentation.

(courtesy photo/used under Creative Commons license) By Rick Haglund/Bridge Magazine correspondent Separate data compiled by state labor market analysts on 22 occupational groups found the average wage in Michigan was lower than the national average wage in 16 of those groups in 2010.