Subject: What the Governor's talking about this week

What the Governor’s Talking about This Week

Friday, Aug. 28, 2009

 

Governor Says New State Resource Offers a Helping Hand

On Wednesday the governor unveiled Helping Hand, a streamlined state Web site that will help the unemployed and others enduring economic hardship to easily find programs and services that may assist them.

 

By going to www.michigan.gov/helpinghand, people will see five color tabs labeled jobs and training, unemployment benefits, health care, family support and housing.  By clicking on those five tabs, people will find links to programs and services for their particular areas of need.

 

The state is partnering with Michigan Association of United Ways and Michigan Community Action Agency Association to help the many thousands of people facing economic hardship.  Helping Hand provides links to 2-1-1, the United Way system that connects people with local information and resources.  Community action agencies also are pitching in by introducing people visiting agency offices to Helping Hand.  Staff at community action agencies and United Way’s 2-1-1 also can help people fill out forms for the assistance they’re seeking.

 

Talking points:

 

Granholm Administration Working to Bring High-Speed Rail to Michigan

The governor on Monday rode an Amtrak train from Dearborn to Jackson to spotlight the state’s application for up to $800 million in Recovery Act funds to help bring high-speed rail service to a corridor stretching from Pontiac to Detroit and Chicago.

 

The $800 million would be used for track and train control improvements, corridor acquisition and construction or renovation of train stations.  Long-term work on the high-speed corridor could create up to 10,000 jobs in Michigan.

 

Talking points:

 

Galesburg Visit Highlights Eaton Corporation’s Role in Building Hybrid-Electric Vehicles

On Thursday the governor visited Eaton Corporation in Galesburg to highlight the company’s key role in a $45.4 million advanced-battery award by the U.S. Department of Energy to the South Coast Air Quality Management District.  Michigan led the nation earlier this month with the announcement of 12 awards totaling more than $1.35 billion in federal grants for advanced-battery and electric-vehicle manufacturing and development.

 

The South Coast Air Quality Management District is working to develop a plug-in hybrid-electric vehicle (PHEV) system for medium-duty utility and delivery trucks and shuttle buses, including 387 PHEV Ford F-550 utility bucket trucks to be placed in 50 utility and municipal fleets around the country.  Eaton Corporation will produce the hybrid power systems for the trucks.

 

Talking points:

 

 

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