Each year, billions of dollars of our nation's agriculture sector are the direct result of the work done by bees. In Michigan, blueberry, apple and cherry growers - among others - count on them to pollinate their crops.
However, bee populations have been in slow decline across most of the United States.
From the Cherry Festival in Traverse City to the Great Lakes Folk Festival in East Lansing, towns and cities of all sizes across Michigan host a variety of unique festivals and celebrations.
One of the more unusual festivals is this weekend in Potterville. Current State's Melissa Benmark recently talked to Joe Bristol, the director of Gizzard Fest, about its 14th year.
Today on Current State: Michigan's demand for homebuilding labor; the Lansing Symphony Orchestra performs 1980s classics; Neighbors in Action features Friends of Ingham County Parks; East Lansing's Prima Civitas explores opportunities in Libya; and MSU's 53rd season of "Summer Circle Theatre."
One of the first casualties of the Great Recession was the national housing market; home values reached historic lows after the bubble burst in 2007. Now, a rising demand for new housing is driving a nationwide recovery. But the problem is that many skilled workers who lost their jobs in the last six years have moved on.
The Lansing Symphony Orchestra is playing a free concert tonight (Wednesday, June 5) at 7 pm in downtown Lansing's Adado Riverfront Park. The show will feature pop songs from the 80s.
Friends of Ingham County Parks have supported - among many other things - Potter Park Zoo, Hawk Island developments, and the "Friday Night Concert" series.
The Libya program would provide for a long-term stream of international students to Michigan and bolster higher education in the state, according to Prima Civitas.
