December 2009
Metropolitan Affairs Coalition a partner in restoration project at Refuge Gateway
The completion of a major wetland restoration project was announced in Trenton by Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano and Congressman John Dingell on Wednesday, December 2. The project is part of the transformation of a former industrial brownfield along the Detroit River to a world-class center for conservation, environmental education and sustainability, with positive economic impact as well. MAC is a partner in this $750,000 project. Read more…
Read the press release (PDF) from December 2, 2009.
October 2009
Shining Light Awards honor three regional heroes
The third annual Shining Light Regional Cooperation Awards, presented by the Detroit Free Press and the Metropolitan Affairs Coalition, took place on October 8, 2009 in Dearborn at the Ford Conference & Event Center. The program was inspired by the late long-time Detroit Free Press editor and publisher Neal Shine. Awards are given in Shine’s memory, and in honor of noted community leaders Eleanor Josaitis and Mayor Dave Bing.
2009 Award recipients include:
Brittany Galisdorfer, Program Director, Michigan Suburbs Alliance
Dave Bing Future Leader Award
Mariam C. Noland, President, Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan
Eleanor Josaitis “Unsung Hero” Award
The Honorable Damon J. Keith, United States Circuit Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
Neal Shine Award for Exemplary Regional Leadership
Highlights of the 2009 event, the honorees and media coverage can be found at www.shininglightawards.com. The Free Press produced exclusive videos for the event which can be viewed here.
August 31, 2009
Shining Light Awards Honor Three for Outstanding Commitment to Region
The 2009 “Shining Light Regional Cooperation Awards” will be awarded to Judge Damon J. Keith, Mariam C. Noland and Brittany Galisdorfer for the important contributions they have made to regional cooperation, progress and understanding in metropolitan Detroit. The winners will be recognized October 8, 2009, at a special breakfast ceremony and celebration at the Ford Conference & Event Center in Dearborn, Michigan, beginning at 8 a.m.
The awards ceremony and breakfast is open to the public. Tickets are $35. For ticket information, go to www.shininglightawards.com or call 248-336-8623.
February 2009
Metropolitan Affairs Coalition elects officers and board members
Deborah I. Dingell, vice chair, GM Foundation and executive director, Public Affairs & Community Relations, General Motors Corporation, was elected chairperson of the Metropolitan Affairs Coalition at its December Board of Directors meeting.
Click here for full slate of officers and directors elected.
October 2008
Shining Light Awards honors three regional heroes
The second annual Shining Light Regional Cooperation Awards took place on October 9, 2008 and honored the late long-time Detroit Free Press editor and publisher Neal Shine. Awards named for noted community leaders Eleanor Josaitis, and Dave Bing were also presented.
More information on the 2008 event, the honorees, and press coverage can be found at www.shininglightawards.com. Exclusive videos produced by the Free Press for the event can also be found here >>
August 2008
Metropolitan Affairs Coalition releases its regional agenda; National leaders need to understand the issues that play important roles in improving Southeast Michigan
As the national political parties hold their conventions and the election season gears up for the final push to November 5, the Metropolitan Affairs Coalition (MAC), a unique partnership of business, labor, and government leaders in Southeast Michigan, releases its regional agenda, with an important message to the national candidates — that it is in the nation’s best interest to preserve and build upon Southeast Michigan’s infrastructure, environmental, and economic assets.
News Release — August 21, 2008
March 2008
Accepting proposals for new fishing pier and boat dock project at Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge
Metropolitan Affairs Coalition, in cooperation with Wayne County and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, is requesting engineering and design assistance to establish a new fishing pier and boat dock at the Refuge Gateway of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge in Trenton, Michigan. Once completed, this new regional recreational opportunity will provide accessible fishing to one of the largest walleye fisheries in North America. For more information on this project and submitting a project proposal, click here >>
January 2008
University of Michigan Grad Student awarded MAC-Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge Fellowship
Rebecca Sowder, a graduate student at the University of Michigan’s School of Natural Resources and Environment, has been awarded a prestigious, one-year fellowship to work on projects common to Metropolitan Affairs Coalition’s Greater Detroit American Heritage River Initiative and the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge, including working with partners to design and oversee construction of an environmental education shelter and interpretive trails in the refuge’s Humbug Marsh in Gibraltar and Trenton, and helping coordinate a wetland restoration project at the refuge’s Brancheau Unit in Monroe County. Read more >>
