Michigan Central and State Mobility Office Launch Inaugural MI Mobility Fellows Program
Applications are now open for the Michigan Mobility Fellow Program (MMF), a first-of-its-kind initiative to support mobility innovation and talent attraction and retention in the state by offering real-world experience, a $60,000 annual salary, and professional development opportunities.
The program is made possible through the state of Michigan, Michigan Central, the Community Economic Development Association of Michigan, and a partnership with Wayne State University in Detroit as part of their shared goal of re-establishing the state as a global leader in mobility and technology innovation.
“OFME is thrilled to launch a new fellowship program to attract and retain the best and brightest future leaders looking to gain meaningful experience in transportation planning and mobility innovation,” says Justine Johnson, chief mobility officer for the Office of Future Mobility and Electrification. “Alongside our partners Michigan Central, CEDAM, and DRF, this program is a commitment to growing our mobility ecosystem by investing in our future workforce and prioritizing the evolution of the mobility industry.”
The 15-month program, which starts this October and runs through December 2025, seeks to attract talent from across the country and will offer participants two unique tracks for career advancement: Mobility x Society Innovators and Transportation and Mobility Planning.
Host sites for the program are spread across the state and represent various projects and opportunities in the sector. Both tracks of fellows will address mobility barriers in ways that can improve people’s daily lives with solutions that can positively impact the future of our economy, as well as attract new ideas and talent to the startups and other innovative businesses that call Michigan home.
Applications close at 11:59 p.m. on July 22. More information about and instructions on how to apply can be found here.
The Jonna Group of Colliers Detroit Completes Sale of Retail Space in Pontiac
The Jonna Group of Colliers International Detroit in Birmingham has completed the sale of a 92,509-square-foot retail space at 600 N. Telegraph Road in Pontiac.
Simon and Raymond Jonna, executive vice president and senior vice president, respectively, represented the seller, a property management company from New York.
The new owner, CNS Healthcare, currently is leasing the retail space to Value World Inc., a family-owned thrift store and Harbor Freight Tools USA Inc., a hardware store. Harbor Freight Tools USA Inc. has more than 1,500 locations and Value World Inc. has 13 locations in the United States with 10 of those being in Michigan.
USA BMX Stars and Stripes Nationals Rides into Waterford Township July 5-7
Hundreds of professional and amateur BMX riders from around the world will descend on Waterford Township this weekend, July 5-7, for the USA BMX Stars and Stripes Nationals.
With the track celebrating its 50-year anniversary, the three-day competition will take place at Waterford Oaks BMX at 1702 Scott Lake Road. Races begin at 1:30 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. Saturday, and 8 a.m. Sunday with competitors racing well into the evening. Parking is $10 per day.
“As Waterford Oaks BMX celebrates its 50th anniversary, we are proud to bring this prestigious event to Metro Detroit and highlight a venue with so much history,” says Dave Beachnau, executive director of the Detroit Sports Commission. “BMX fans and competitors from across the globe come to our region to visit the second oldest BMX track in the world, and what better way to see it than during one of BMX’s biggest events, The USA BMX Stars and Stripes Nationals.”
Spectators who can’t get enough of the heart-pumping action of the event can give their own wheels a spin at an open house event hosted at the Waterford Oaks BMX on Saturday, July 13, where first-timers can borrow a loaner BMX bike and helmet for $20 (or bring their own) and take a spin on the track to get a taste of what BMX riding is all about. The event is open to anyone who isn’t already a member of USA BMX.
Voting Now Open for the 2024 Motor Top 20 Awards
Motor Information Systems, a Hearst company and provider of automotive data solutions, announced that voting for the 2024 Motor Top 20 Awards is now open.
The longest-running automotive awards program annually honors the best new industry innovations, chosen by the industry professionals who directly benefit from these products and solutions.
The Motor Top 20 Awards attracts entries from across the industry, including tools and equipment, shop supplies, products, training materials, virtual classes, conferences and events, process improvements, and other relevant solutions advancing automotive.
This spring, Motor invited organizations from across the automotive industry — service and repair providers, parts suppliers, fleets and transportation, technology providers, and OEMs — to enter their best new innovations.
Voting is open through July 31 and can be done here. Voters may do so for multiple entries each day, but not more than once per day for any single entry.
Meijer in Grand Rapids Doubles Milk Discount for SNAP Participants
Grand Rapids-based retailer Meijer is doubling the milk discount it offers SNAP-eligible participants — upping it to 40 percent off any brand or size of 1 percent or fat free milk — in its ongoing effort to increase access to healthy foods and beverages.
Since the original discount was implemented in December, thanks to the retailer’s interest in USDA grant funding through Auburn University’s Hunger Solutions Institute, more than 65,000 SNAP-eligible households have benefited. Meijer expects that number to grow now that individuals using SNAP benefits can receive a greater discount.
“As a family-owned company, Meijer values its customers and their needs,” says Calli Schmid, vice president of grocery at Meijer. “That’s why we’re really happy to be collaborating with Auburn University to reduce the cost of milk for SNAP participants and help them get more value from their purchases. Milk is an excellent source of vitamins and minerals, and with this increased discount, we’re able to stretch our customers’ dollars even further.”
In addition to the expanded 40 percent off milk discounts for SNAP participants, Meijer also is continuing to offer free Home Delivery for SNAP customers and a 10 percent discount on SNAP purchases of qualifying produce thanks to a waiver it proactively secured from the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 2022. Earlier this month, Meijer announced it’s now accepting the use of SNAP benefits on the Meijer app, providing a more convenient option for customers to pay for groceries like fresh produce and milk.
Pepsi Pineapple is Back for a Limited Time Exclusively at Little Caesars
Detroit-based Little Caesars and Pepsi in New York announced the return of Pepsi Pineapple, available exclusively at Little Caesars for a limited time only.
Following last summer’s success, the limited-edition flavor returns to Little Caesars for a second year to give Pepsi, Crazy Puffs and pineapple lovers the opportunity to enjoy what the companies call “a winning, refreshing flavor combination.”
Starting Monday, and for a limited time only, Little Caesars customers can get a Pepsi Pineapple and an order of Little Caesars Crazy Puff for $4.99. (Offer good while supplies last at participating Little Caesars stores on app and online orders. Enter promo code PINEAPPLE at checkout to get Crazy Puffs and a 20-oz. Pepsi Pineapple for the bundle price.
“Little Caesars fans love coming in for exclusive flavors they can’t get anywhere else — we saw that last year within the first week of releasing Pepsi Pineapple in restaurants,” says Greg Hamilton, chief marketing officer at Little Caesars. “This summer, we’re offering customers the ultimate combo of flavor and value with our Crazy Puffs and Pepsi Pineapple deal to celebrate its triumphant return.”
Study Demonstrates Superiority of Delphinus’s Ultrasound Tomography System
Delphinus Medical Technologies in Novi, a medical imaging company that developed the SoftVue Breast Ultrasound Tomography (UST), announced the publication of a study comparing mammography in conjunction with SoftVue UST vs mammography alone in women with dense breasts.
The study concluded that in women with dense breasts, mammography plus SoftVue UST improved cancer detection by radiologists versus mammography alone. The article “Comparison of Mammography and Mammography with Supplemental Whole-Breast US Tomography for Cancer Detection in Patients with Dense Breasts” has been published in the peer-reviewed journal, Radiology.
“This study demonstrates the benefits of supplemental ultrasound tomography screening for women with dense breasts,” said Dr. Mary Yamashita, section chief of breast imaging and clinical professor of radiology and surgery at the University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine. “Our findings revealed an increase in cancer detection and a significant improvement in BIRADS 3 specificity when SoftVue UST was used alongside mammography. The enhanced specificity can empower radiologists to better differentiate benign masses (BIRADS 2), ultimately reducing the need for short-term follow-ups for our patients.”
Among 140 cases included in the multi-reader, multi-case study, mammogram plus SoftVue UST demonstrated superiority in cancer detection compared to mammography alone. Thirty-two Mammography Quality Standards Act-qualified radiologists from academic, private, and community-based practices in diverse areas participated in the study. For each case, readers independently evaluated the mammogram and assigned a Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) score. They then assessed the mammogram plus UST for the same case and assigned a separate BIRADS assessment.
To access the Radiology article, visit here.
Lawrence Tech Professors Wins 2nd NSF Grant for Student Travel, Professional Development
Ahad Ali, associate professor in the A. Leon Linton Department of Mechanical, Robotics, and Industrial Engineering at Lawrence Technological University in Southfield, has been awarded a $26,306 grant from the National Science Foundation to support travel and professional development for college students to attend a professional conference.
Specifically, the grant will fund travel and conference registration for student attendees at the Industrial Engineering and Operations Management World Congress on Advanced Manufacturing Technologies, taking place on LTU’s campus Oct. 9-11. Community college, undergraduate, and graduate students from anywhere in the United States are eligible to apply for the funding. Preference will be given to students from underrepresented groups in engineering.
The students are encouraged to present a research paper or poster at the conference.
Ali says attending the conference will give students a unique opportunity to network with attendees from more than 30 countries, developing relationships for future research opportunities and partnerships. They’ll attend conference keynote addresses, technical sessions, and meet outstanding industry experts in the areas of advanced manufacturing, vehicle electrification, artificial intelligence in manufacturing, smart mobility, and industrial automation.
For more information or to apply for funding, students should contact Ali at sali@ltu.edu.
The grant comes on the heels of a similar grant Ali earned in January that allowed students to at-tend another IEOM conference that took place in Washington, D.C. in early June.
Forgotten Harvest Will Provide 10K Free Meals to Children on July 10
Forgotten Harvest in Oak Park is providing 10,000 free lunches to the Michigan Youth Appreciation Foundation’s 40th annual Metro Detroit Youth Day taking place on Belle Isle on July 10 from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
This is the first year Forgotten Harvest is providing meals to Metro Detroit Youth Day. The partnership formed through conversations between Metro Detroit Youth Day founder and coordinator Ed Deeb, Forgotten Harvest Client Services Manager and Metro Detroit Youth Day Board Member Krista Poole and Forgotten Harvest CEO Adrian Lewis about issues with food vending in previous years and how Forgotten Harvest may help alleviate them.
The 10,000 meals Forgotten Harvest will provide are part of the Forgotten Harvest Summer Lunch Program, which distributes 100,000 meals to children throughout Metro Detroit during summer vacation when school-provided meals are no longer available.
“We’re so excited to be able to provide free meals for Metro Detroit Youth Day this year,” says Poole. “It’s important to Forgotten Harvest to be able to meet kids where they are and to put our resources in front of them, so they know we’re here for them. Partnering with Metro Detroit Youth Day, an event already stocked with resources for our kids, feels natural.” Forgotten Harvest will have a welcome tent on-site to distribute information about food assistance services, and volunteer and donor opportunities.
Since its launch, Metro Detroit Youth Day has reached more than 2.5 million children with the help of hundreds of organizations, corporations and schools all available to provide supportive resources to the youth. More than 2,500 college scholarships have been awarded.
In addition to Forgotten Harvest-provided free lunches for children aged 8 to 15, guests can expect fun, educational activities, surprise appearances from star athletes, media celebrities and motivational speakers, live entertainment, games and prizes. All youth must register on the Michigan Youth Appreciation Foundation’s registration page prior to the event.
Baker College Royal Oak Hosts Summer Camps to Empower High School Students
Baker College in Royal Oak announces its 2024 Summer Camps, designed to provide high school students with hands-on experiences across various academic tracks.
These two-day camps, hosted at the Royal Oak Campus, July 22-23, will engage students in interactive activities and small group sessions that foster learning and exploration. The 86,000-square-foot, seven-story facility features state-of-the-art facilities designed with cutting-edge features, advanced laboratories, and innovative classrooms on campus, located at 420 S. Lafayette, Royal Oak, MI.
The camp fee is $100 per student. For students interested in the camp but concerned about affordability, full scholarships are available to those with financial need and are offered until spots are filled. Contact camps@baker.edu to describe your need and to select the desired program. A waiver code will be provided during this registration process. For those enrolled in the Nursing track, a CPR Certification provided by 2ndChance CPR, LLC is included.
The camps will offer 11 hours of programming over two days. Tracks include Nursing, Technology, Business, Math, Science, and Writing, each located in designated rooms across the campus to provide specialized environments for each subject.
Lunch, snacks, and beverages will be provided throughout the camp to ensure students and staff are well-nourished. Parking will be available and covered in the camp fee, ensuring convenient drop-off and pick-up for all attendees.
For more information and to register, visit baker.edu/camp or contact camps@baker.edu.
