Piers Gorge Pictures and Videos

Piers Gorge is located near Norway Michigan and offers a very beautiful view of what life was like before the modern advent of society. The Upper Peninsula of Michigan is a tourist destination with loads of different ecotourist activities.

Governor Whitmer Briefing (May 7th, 2020) Vaccine and Manufacturing

Highlights: Today's briefing focused around the opening of manufacturing which include the Big 3. The Stay Home, Stay Safe program is being extended to May 28th, 2020. Pfizer started clinical trials for BNT162 which vaccine that prevents COVID infections. Initial vaccine will be produced in Michigan. Food assistance benefits for colleges as well as help for small business.

Executive Order 2020-77

You may want to see the updated Michigan’s Stay Home, Stay Safe that will go on until May 28th. There will be some opening of manufacturing. There are a few differences. On May 11th, 2020 Manufacturing will start opening up. This is about 19% of our economy and that includes a few other sectors of our society. We are then around 25% of our initial economy. Executive Order 2020-77

Press Release May 7th, 2020

Press Release is Taken from HERE

LANSING, Mich. -- Today, after announcing that Michigan’s manufacturing workers will return to work on Monday, May 11, Governor Gretchen Whitmer detailed the six phases of her MI Safe Start Plan to re-engage Michigan’s economy. The governor has worked with leaders in health care, business, labor, and education to develop the plan, and announced today that Michigan is in phase three. 

The phases of the pandemic include:

1) UNCONTROLLED GROWTH: The increasing number of new cases every day, overwhelming our health systems. 

2) PERSISTENT SPREAD: We continue to see high case levels with concern about health system capacity. 

3) FLATTENING: The epidemic is no longer increasing and the health-system's capacity is sufficient for current needs. 

4) IMPROVING: Cases, hospitalizations and deaths are clearly declining. 

5) CONTAINING: Continued case and death rate improvements, with outbreaks quickly contained. 

6) POST-PANDEMIC: Community spread not expected to return. 

“I am working closely with health care experts and epidemiologists to closely monitor Michigan’s progress in the fight against COVID-19,” said Governor Whitmer. “As we move forward with the MI Safe Start Plan, I am working closely with partners in business, labor, and education to determine the best way to move forward each day. All of us know the importance of getting people back to work and the economy moving again. We’ve already reopened lower-risk sectors like construction, manufacturing, and lawn care.  

“The worst thing we can do is open up in a way that causes a second wave of infections and death, puts health care workers at further risk, and wipes out all the progress we've made. That's why we will continue to monitor the spread of this virus, hospital capacity, testing rates, and more as we work toward reaching the ‘improving’ phase.” 

Click the link for the governor's full MI Safe Start Plan 

BREAKING: Gov. Whitmer exte... by Dave Bondy on Scribd

White House Press Briefing (May 6th, 2020) by Kayleigh McEnany

There is a lot of information within this video. There was some discussion on the phases and the use of a Governor led effort.
-U.S. has conducted double the amount of tests as other countries.
-Seeking to help allies.
-PPP offered 2.3 million small business loans processed with average of 76K.
-Overall the nation has done much better than other nations in flattening the curve.

Governor Whitmer Signs Executive Orders Related to Suspending License (No. 2020-73) and Virtual Notarization (No. 2020-74)

The virtual world is continuing to take hold and as we adapt there will be better methods of handling much of our business affairs. Videos is one way to ensure that we are witnessing signatures and conducting our business. Without this virtual activity basic everyday business would come to a screeching halt! 

Furthermore, we are not able to update our licenses which could cause other problems such as voting etc... It would be pretty unfair to get a ticket for a expired license if you did not have a way to update it. Therefore, suspending the requirement would make a lot of sense at the moment. 

• Continue to temporarily allow e-signatures on official documents and remote notarizations to avoid unnecessary in-person contact. No. 2020-74
• Continue to temporarily suspend licensing, decal and trip permit requirements used by the Department of Treasury to collect taxes owed by motor carriers. No. 2020-73

What we don't realize is that COVID is pushing our government to update its thinking and infrastructure in a way that it would not have done without the crisis. Long lines and slow bureaucracy may not be completely abandoned in the past but it just jumped forward over the abacus and perhaps beyond the Atari! Now we can maybe have slow government websites the spin "loading" for hours and phone trees that lead to nowhere to deal with! 👀 Ok...seriously....we are making great headway and everyone is doing a fantastic adapting to a novel issue! 👌

Lawsuit Filed by Michigan House and Senate Over Executive Authority

The Michigan House and Senate Legislature filed a lawsuit today (May 6th, 2020) against Governor Whitmer's "improper and invalid" executive orders. There has been a dispute brewing over when the initial emergency and when the power to issue Executive Orders effectively ends. In the beginning when COVID was first occurring there was broad initial agreement that it was necessary to give the Governor power to make quick decisions. As the first wave of risk factors decline and the crisis elongates there is growing debate as to when powers should migrate back to legislature. An agreed upon definition in the law seems to be a primary issue.

There are three entities at work here that include 1. Executive Branch, 2. Legislative Branch, and 3. Judicial Branch. Because the Executive Branch and the Legislative Branch have a dispute and compromise was not settled on the Judicial Branch will get involved. While most court cases take a long time to settle it is hoped by the legislature that because of the rapid nature of events that this one will be decided on in quick pace. This occurs against the backdrop of a May 5th, 2020 affirmation by Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel that Governor Whitmer is "Acting within the scope of the law" (Nessel, May 4th, 2020).

Party Comments: 

House Speaker Lee Chatfield states in a Detroit Free Press article that "common sense" changes to restrictions are needed and she isn't willing to work with legislature, "Because of that, we filed a lawsuit today in the Court of Claims, challenging the governor's unconstitutional actions. (Mauger, May 6th, 2020, para 4)."

In response, Tiffany Brown, Governor Whitmer's spokesperson offers, "Her No. 1 priority is saving lives. She’s making decisions based on science and data, not political or legal pressure (Mauger, May 6th, para 6). Arguments being that these decisions are made in the best interest of everyone in a way that saves people's lives and that such actions are a necessary part of getting over the crisis.

The Actual Court Case Filing:

You can see the May 6th 2020 actual filing CASE: 20-000079-MZ. You have to search out the Governor's name to see the filing. There are a couple of other things in there.

When reviewing the case filing in the Michigan Court of Claims you can see they are seeking a " IMMEDIATE DECLARATORY JUDGMENT".  An Immediate Declaratory Judgment is a binding judgement that rules on the relationship between two parties. It is like an authority opinion. They are not often issued right away because judges typically want to see the case develop (1). However, when there are pressing issues with limited time it is possible to issue a Cease and Desist order. That would be an indication that one of the parties is doing something wrong and should stop their behavior or otherwise further legal action will be taken. (Note: I'm not an attorney so look for yourself and make your own opinion.).

Video by Senate Majority Mike Shirkey


Mauger, C. (May 6th, 2020). Michigan House, Senate sue Gov. Whitmer, call emergency powers 'invalid'. The Detroit News, para 4 & 6. https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2020/05/06/gop-lawmakers-unveil-lawsuit-challenging-whitmers-powers/5174270002/

Nessel, D (May 4th, 2020). Executive Orders 2020-69 & 2020-70. Attorney General State of Michigan. Retrieved https://www.michigan.gov/documents/ag/Ltr_re_EO_69_70.final_689490_7.pdf

President Trump Provides Funds to Help Native American Communities During COVID Crisis

Native Americans should hold a special place in American Consciousness. As one of the first inhabitants of this land they have a long legacy and history. They were not always appreciated for their unique contributions to our national identity. Together like a large family network we can build a prosperous future where all of America's inhabitants can reach new milestones. It takes a lot of people to achieve our goals and all of us to create a stronger nation.

I spent a big portion of my youth and even now as an adult with Native Americans. The Upper Peninsula of Michigan has a large population of Native Americans and somewhere around 1/3 to 1/2 of my friends were and are current tribal members. My grandmother was also part Native American (I guess that makes me just a touch) and our old farm neighborhood was a few miles from a reservation. They have taught me to respect the land and the creatures that call it home. Plus I learned the "Marriage Dance" and how to make Indian Fry Bread while working at a few Pow Wows with a Native American friend.

It saddens me to see any American suffering under COVID. A New America can really do something special and encourage all people's to work together to rebuild our nation into something other nations can only dream about. The financial support should help them but it our mindset that will help them even more. I always thought reservations could hedge their unique federal provisions to encourage new growth and development in their communities.

The following is taken from the White House Press Release HERE

President Donald J. Trump is Protecting the Native American Community as We Combat the Coronavirus

COMBATING CORONAVIRUS IN NATIVE AMERICAN COMMUNITIES: President Donald J. Trump is supporting Native American communities impacted by the coronavirus.

• President Trump is working to make sure Native American communities have the support they need to combat the coronavirus.
• The President signed the CARES Act into law, providing $8 billion to address coronavirus preparedness, response, and recovery for American Indians and Alaska Natives.
  • The initial allocation of this funding, totaling nearly $5 billion, will be one of the largest programmatic investments in Indian Country in our Nation’s history.
• The Administration has also allocated over $1 billion through the Indian Health Service (IHS), to support tribes, tribal organizations, and Urban Indian Organizations in their coronavirus response efforts.
• In early March, the Trump Administration established a multi-agency coordinating group tasked with ensuring effective Federal coordination on tribal issues.
• The President has also acted to expand telehealth capacity and availability across IHS regions, allowing patients to get the care they need, while staying at home.

DELIVERING VITAL SUPPLIES: The Trump Administration has rapidly delivered critical medical supplies to Native Americans communities in need.

• Unprecedented supplies of critically needed medical equipment have been delivered by the Trump Administration to Native American communities.
• The Federal Government delivered 250 Abbott testing systems to IHS and they have been distributed to IHS and tribal healthcare facilities throughout Indian Country.
  • These systems allow for rapid testing at the time and place of patient care and expands testing capacity, especially important for harder to reach and vulnerable populations.
• The Administration sent 100 ventilators to Arizona to support Indian Country.
• The Trump Administration has worked closely to provide relief—including the delivery of 50 ventilators—to the Navajo Nation, which has seen significant impacts from the coronavirus.
  • The Federal Government has also deployed two Disaster Medical Assistance Teams and constructed three 50-bed Federal Medical Stations for the Navajo Nation.

SUPPORTING TRIBAL COMMUNITIES: President Trump remains committed to supporting the wellbeing of our American Indians and Alaska Natives.

• President Trump signed the first-ever presidential proclamation officially recognizing the grave issue of missing and murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives.
  • The President issued the first ever Executive Order establishing a task force on missing and murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives whose work is underway.
• To examine systemic problems at IHS, the President launched his Presidential Task Force on Protecting Native American Children served by the IHS.
• President Trump has also worked to enhance coordination between the Federal Government and tribal leaders on promoting economic growth and improving standards of living.
• President Trump re-activated the White House Council on Native American Affairs to promote economic development and rural prosperity in Indian Country.

Rebuilding Escanaba's/Gladstone's Downtown by Marketing Commercial Real Estate to Entrepreneurs

Dilapidated and empty downtown store fronts are an eyesore that detracts from the rest of the community. When store fronts are fully utilized and have thriving businesses bustling with activity the community gains tangible value in terms of property tax, sales tax, employment and long-term investment. The problem many communities like Escanaba and Gladstone face is that they are not sure how to draw new business investment and families into the area. Strategies can be murky and predicting markets elusive at best. Thus, the development of a plan that utilizes local strengths such as real estate, tourism, infrastructure (ports, rail, etc..), natural resources and manufacturing trends is a must for a community that wants to do more than slowly sink into the bog of poor industrial era small cities. In this article the primary objective is to look at potential downtown real estates as an opportunity for the development of tourism, condos, and micro manufacturing in a way that leads to greater potential growth.

There are a number of factors that interrelate such as investment grants, spill over value of full buildings, ordinances, zoning, etc... Only a few will be covered in this section.

Buy and Live-In Strategy:

Escanaba and Gladstone have old fashion building infrastructure that typically hosts retail on the first level and condos(apartments)/offices on the top. Many small towns are able to turn these nostalgic buildings into assets that attract businesses, investments and talent to the area. Allowing living quarters in the same local as a business with mixed usage can create a business-living arrangement that encourages entrepreneurs to move into the area and live and develop their businesses in the downtown area.

Key Point: Attractive nostalgic downtowns can attract tourists and investment with their "small town" historical feel. 

Condos and business mixed usage is more efficient allocation of time and resources for would be small business owners. Business-living arrangements can encourage robust business districts as enthusiastic small business owners improve their neighborhoods and create pockets of entrepreneurial activity that enhance local business attraction. Entrepreneurs create a community of like minded people that have the time and resources to improve their surroundings for both their personal pleasure and the overall attractiveness to customers.

Key Point: Encouraging entrepreneurs to live and develop in the same area leads to cluster growth and expanding businesses.

The buy and live-in strategy requires a concerted effort to be successful in actively draws new business and business owners to the area. To be effective realtors would need to expand their selling opportunities to larger metro areas and focus on attracting people who want to invest locally. That is typically not something they have done in the past as their target market was closer to home. Few would think that someone from Chicago, Denver or New York would want to come in start a business in their small town.

Key Point: Escanaba and Gladstone must offer something unique to investors that allows them to "get out of the city" and start new businesses. 

Zoning:

Most of the downtown allows for E-Commercial use (Chapter 10) with retail front and office space upstairs. In addition, it appears that some micro-manufacturing (i.e. creameries, dyeing, etc...) are currently allowed. Non-conforming living space that is grandfathered (around 50%) allow for residential apartments/condos above buildings. However, the City of Escanaba (and Gladstone) are very flexible and may accept special land use permits when needed if proper justification is offered (Section 205). Furthermore, the City of Escanaba is looking at different options as it pertains to commercial activity, housing and mixed use properties.

As new businesses arrive and purchase buildings there will need to be some flexibility on zoning. That doesn't mean "anything goes" but it does mean that being open to new ideas that include tourism districts such as businesses, micromanufacturing and seasonal/full-time condos can have great potential. As long as it conforms to aesthetic and structural appeal of the area exceptions should be allowed when they are warranted.

You may be interested in the commercial aspects of Escanaba Downtown. If you have questions contacting the Planning and Zoning Department is helpful. Furthermore additional information can be found in Downtown Development Plan  and Escanaba Zoning.

Key Point: Zoning should match the needs of future market changes and be flexible in its approach.

Mixed Use Attraction (Live-Work-Play): 

Starting and owning a business is tough work. People often think of the term "marriage" when it comes to starting a business. The live-work-play mentality fits better with mixed used downtowns. Younger entrepreneurs are often attracted to , "compact, diverse, mixed-use, and walkable places that improve economic, environmental, fiscal, public health, and social outcomes," that complement their generation's needs (Hipler, 2007).

Much of what they want and need should be in the same locality so it logical for such individuals to purchase the buildings, live upstairs and work on their businesses (not to mention seasonal condos). That allows them to work day and night to get things going without the necessity of commuting and travel. We are putting them in places where they can truly focus on the outcomes of their business. That can have benefits for the town as beautification, property value, and jobs (They also create a busier downtown that buy products such as coffee and lunch in these localities).

Key Point: Live-work-play functions well in mixed used commercial areas and attracts younger investor demographics.

Downtown Real Estate Prices/Vendors:

A simple counting of empty store fronts on Ludington (Main) Street found approximately 20 empty buildings. There is likely around 30 ish in the adjacent downtown blocks. Most of these properties under 100K (80K) and need a little work that may amount to around 20 K. Thus the investment for a descent storefront with upstairs accommodations/condos hovers around 100K. That doesn't include any grants or other incentives that could be made available.

• Century 21: They have a number of buildings in the downtown (and other vaccinates). Escanaba Commercial List and List.
• State Wide: They have a number of buildings (and other locations) Escanaba List and Gladstone List.
• Key Realty: They have a number of buildings (and other locations) Escanaba List and Gladstone List.
• Premier Real Estate: They have a number of buildings (and other locations) Escanaba List and Gladstone List.https://premierrealestate.org/commercial/
• Great Lakes Commercial Real Estate: Appears to have larger properties. Most under $1 million. They also provide some overview information of the county and its employers, internet, etc... HERE.

Key Point: For approximately 200K people can purchase a business, living arrangement and have start-up capital. 

Key Point: Small business low interest loans can enhance initial investment money to encourage more entrepreneurs to start businesses. 

Target Marketing of Commercial Real Estate:

We won't be able to bring back our downtowns to full health unless we draw talent and resources from outside the area. That doesn't mean that there is no talent to be groomed in the area but that outside talent and resources further enhance local talent in a somewhat isolated community. According to a study in Journal of Urbanism: International Research on Placemaking and Urban Sustainability, promotion and marketing of commercial assets of the city to realize business potential is a key strategy in small town revitalization ( Malizia & Song, 2016).

Where such business properties should be marketed will take some time to research but I can say it would likely be in places where innovation is already in existence such as cities with large universities (MSU, UoM, Wayne State, University of Illinois, etc...). Furthermore we can include larger regional cities (i.e. Ann Arbor, Milwaukee, Chicago, etc...), with places that have an abundance of younger entrepreneurs that enjoy an active outdoor lifestyle.

Focusing on people who have $200K to invest and also have some interest in an outdoor lifestyle and tourism micro-manufacturing is a good place to start. See Neuroscience and Marketing in Delta County. SME and larger manufacturing are more suited to outside downtown where land and larger facilities are available. Thus, where and how to market these properties requires a little thought.

It is not enough to passively list commercial property. If Delta County wants to get serious about selling these properties and drawing new capital into the area it will need to take these listings and market them in a way that raises their stature on the domestic and global market. A more robust strategy mixed with coordination among local/national stakeholders and an investor packet (to be discussed at another point) can go a long long way!

A few cross comparison ideas/places to consider raising awareness of local building and business opportunities. A little more research might consider the effectiveness of each category but this is a good start.

1. Regional Cities
2. Cities with Universities
3. Places with Existing Innovative Clusters
4. Cities with Young Entrepreneurs (25-40).
5. Cities with Higher Incomes and Investments.
6. Places and Media outlets that have an outdoor orientation.
7. Large investment funds and institutions that may be willing to buy multiple buildings and fund new ventures.
8. Immigration Authorities
9. International Investment Forums/Sites

Key Point: Commercial property should be marketed using channels that attract entrepreneurs with investment capital and business "know how". 

Hipler, H. (2007). Economic redevelopment of small-city downtowns: options and considerations for the practitioner. Bar Journal, 81 (2).

Malizia, E. & Song, Y. (2015). Does downtown office property perform better in live–work–play centers? Journal of Urbanism: International Research on Placemaking and Urban Sustainability, 9, (4). Retrieved https://doi.org/10.1080/17549175.2015.1056212