Michigan gets its own would-be Bonnaroo

According to the Free Press, a huge new music festival is planned for July 3-6 in Rothbury, MI (Google map), a little town on the western coast of the state. The Rothbury Festival (official website) will include everyone from John Mayer to Snoop Dogg to Of Montreal with lots of other odd juxtapositions yet to be announced. They're hoping for a crowd of 50,000 people.

I promise I won't be among them. $100-475$? Yeah, right. I'll be at Tastefest/Cityfest in Detroit for free.

Update: There's one bad catch to this all:

"Many of Rothbury's acts have signed exclusive contracts that bar them from playing other Michigan dates."

So if you wanted to see an artist playing Rothbury but didn't want to pay $100, you might be out of luck.

Governor Dennis Archer?

The News says Dennis Archer may run for governor. Rumor has it that other Democratic candidates could include Lt. Gov. John Cherry, Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano, U.S. Rep. Bart Stupak, House Speaker Andy Dillon, and Detroit Medical Center CEO and former Wayne County Executive Mike Duggan.

Granholm's agenda

Here's the State of the State address in brief from the News. More small-scale proposals to nudge our economy toward the black: smaller high schools, minor prison reform, and funds for economic development.

I recognize that her hands are tied by a dysfunctional, partisan legislature and a comatose economy, but Granholm has done hardly anything to distinguish herself in the past six years. I hope she makes something of her remaining time in office because the state desperately needs real leadership.

Don't forget Ypsi

This week Metromode gives props to the increasing hipster cache of Ypsilanti, which is often overshadowed by neighboring Ann Arbor. Calling it "the Brooklyn to Ann Arbor's Manhattan" probably gives both cities too much credit, but I'd definitely like to visit Ypsi soon and see what the hype's about.

Out with the old, in with the new

GM is offering buyouts to 46,000 hourly workers nationwide in order to replace them with new workers who, thanks the latest UAW contract, can be paid significantly less than the workers they're replacing. The age of generous benefits has ended. Tom Walsh of the Free Press explains.

Will the Fed save the day?

The New York Times Magazine profiles Ben Bernanke, the chairman of the Federal Reserve, who is trying to contain inflation without letting the economy sink into recession. Today he advocated immediate government intervention to boost the national economy.

Meanwhile, the News reminds us that Michigan's unemployment continues to rise.