Free Fishing Weekend offers fun events across the state June 13-14

This coming weekend (Saturday and Sunday, June 13-14), everyone in Michigan – including

residents and nonresidents – can fish without a license, but all other fishing regulations still apply.

Those two days make up the Summer Free Fishing Weekend – the Department of Natural Resources’ annual effort to promote Michigan’s world-class fishing opportunities. While many individuals and families will head out to fish for free on their own, there are many organized events scheduled throughout the state to celebrate the weekend, too.

Some of these events include:

2nd Annual Fish the Bricks Fishing Tournament (Genesee County)

Saturday, June 13, 8 to 11 a.m.

Come to the University of Michigan-Flint Riverfront Residence Hall to register and fish the Flint River. The tournament is for kids age 15 and younger and prizes will be awarded for various categories. All participants must provide their own gear. Refreshments will be served at the end of the tournament.

Free Fishing Weekend on Black River (St. Clair County)

Saturday and Sunday, June 13-14

Bluewater Sportfishing members will be monitoring 15 rod-and-reel combos available for anyone to use to catch fish at the mouth of the Black River (at the St. Clair River). Local businesses will supply the bait.

Go Fish! At Marshbank Park (Oakland County)

Saturday, June 13, 4 to 6 p.m.

Join West Bloomfield Parks & Recreation at the fishing pier located inside the park on Cass Lake for fun for the whole family. Some equipment will be provided and hands-on instruction will be available. Pre-registration is required at westbloomfieldparks.org.

Kids’ Fishing Derby at Menominee Marina (Menominee County)

Saturday, June 13, 8 to 11 a.m. (CST)

Kids ages 13 and younger are encouraged to participate in this free event with lunch and prizes provided afterward. More than 100 rods and reels will be given away to attendees.

Youth Fishing Derby at Burchfield Park (Ingham County)

Saturday, June 13, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Come to the park for a fishing event for kids ages 4 to 16. Free lunch will be provided to all and free T-shirts will be given to the first 300 youth, compliments of the Mason Optimists Club.

There are many more Free Fishing Weekend events scheduled in various locations throughout the state in more than 25 Michigan counties. For more information about the 2015 Summer Free Fishing Weekend please visit michigan.gov/freefishing.

Michigan has celebrated the Summer Free Fishing Weekend annually since 1986. With more than 3,000 miles of Great Lakes shoreline, more than 11,000 inland lakes, and tens of thousands of miles of rivers and streams, Michigan and fishing are a perfect match. Folks heading out this weekend are encouraged to share their photos with the DNR on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Just use #FreeFishing

Blue Water Bridge construction begins Sunday, to last 3 months

Construction on the Blue Water Bridge began Sunday morning, closing the westbound span a few days earlier than originally planned.

The construction, which was scheduled to begin on April 1, will move all international traffic to the eastbound span for three months as workers resurface the road and do maintenance work. Construction is expected to end in early July.

Work began Sunday to lower the amount of traffic on Sunday, according to authorities.

One travel lane will run in each direction across the St. Clair River on the eastbound span. Two lanes will be open at the customs approach on both ends of the bridge.

During construction, bicyclists will not be allowed to ride across the bridge. Wide loads will be restricted to less than 11 feet, and there won't be lanes for NEXUS and FAST drivers, officials said.

The closure will slow down traffic, and although the wait times aren't expected to significantly increase, drivers are encouraged to find alternate means to cross the border if possible.

Powers Diner To Re-Open In Port Huron

Filling the stools in a diner after a high school football game to guzzle down milkshakes — that's what John Liangos remembers about growing up.

He plans to bring those classic milkshakes to Port Huron, along with homemade french fries, 10 kinds of burgers and fried pickles.

And of course, the classic slider.
On Feb. 17, Liangos, 47, of Wyandotte, purchased the Powers Diner building at 1209 Military St.

The eatery will re-open mid-April and will retain the name Powers Diner.
Liangos grew up in the restaurant business, watching and learning from his dad. Liangos cooks for his family's restaurant.

"In the summer I am planning on having BBQs outside and setting up a few tables," he said. "I'm excited to be able to see all the old cars cruising down the street this summer. This diner is going to be all Coca-Cola and cars."

The stainless steel structure shuttered its doors in September 2011, when Phil and Kathy Syzak, who had owned the diner for 28 years, decided to close the business.

In 2003, the iconic shiny chrome diner building replaced the original Powers Classic Hamburgers, which was built in the 1930s.

Dale Powers operated two hamburger joints in Port Huron.

One was dubbed The Hamburger Stand, a drive-in restaurant at 1524 Pine Grove Ave. The city of Port Huron bought that restaurant in 1992. It was demolished to build an access road to the Thomas Edison Parkway.

The second bore Powers' name at the current diner site.
In the 1950s the sliders were 15 cents.

While the stands were founded by Powers in the mid-1930s, ownership changed hands a few times.

In 1975, Mary Ann Barcelona and Suzanne Oden bought the restaurants and renamed them J&J's Hamburgers after their husbands, Jerry and Jack, according to a 1983 Times Herald article.

J&J's, a small black-and-white stand, was one of few remaining drive-in restaurants where a waitress would come out to parked cars to serve customers.

In the 1980s the sliders were 45 cents — a steep increase from the 15-cent burgers back in the day — but the simplicity kept the customers coming.
It was known as the place everyone from homemakers to factory workers and policemen gathered to grab a bite to eat

Not All Bronze Health Insurance Plans Are Created Equally!

Do You Know?

1.     Which plans have a $250 Emergency Room Co-Pay vs. plans that are subject to the deductible?

(NOTE:  Most ER visits will cost more than $1,800 - so a $250 co-pay would be one way to contain cost).
 

2.     Which plans have a CO-PAY for prescriptions vs one's that have a deductible before CO-PAY?
 

3.     Which plans have a CO-PAY for specialist doctor visits?  (Not all plans do).
 

4.     The different between an Embedded Deductible vs an Integrated Deductible?
 

5.     Which plans do NOT participate in ANY claims until the deductible has been met?
 

6.     When to use Short Term Health Insurance (Non-PPACA compliant).  

As a licensed insurance agent, I get asked these questions often, and it can be confusing but it doesn't have to be.  Every client that I meet with has different expectations from their health insurance plans.  

Open Enrollment till Sunday February 15, 2015:

ON or OFF the exchange, I can help you understand your options for health insurance.  Last week, I

helped a couple in their early sixties understand how to enroll on the marketplace exchange.  In their case, they qualified for a tax credit over $700 per month.  At that point, we reviewed the different plans that were offered by different insurance companies and selected the plans that had the benefits that met with their needs.  The outcome was an affordable plan for health insurance.

Email me here  to set an appointment to review your health insurance.

These companies are competing for your business – which means there is competition which this author likes to see.  There are options to choose from.  Always consult with a health insurance broker, since they represent many companies, instead of just one company.

About the Author:  David Banet is a life, health, property and casualty insurance broker that helps people and small businesses with their health, life, home, auto business and retirement needs with insurance products. He writes articles on health, life and annuities.   David is a family man residing in southeast Michigan, and is licensed in Michigan & Ohio & Florida & South Carolina, Indiana Pennsylvania and Tennessee.

He is an independent broker which means that he represents many insurance carriers. There is no charge to enroll in a health insurance plan for his services.  

   

David has given several educational seminars on Medicare Basics in the neighboring community. 

P. O. Box 997, Troy, Mi 48099   |   By Appointment: |

   (248) 227-8199   |   Nationalinsurance.David@Gmail.com

www.AimInsuranceGroup.com      www.DavidTBanet.com

Beaumont Health announces appointment of John T. Fox as president and chief executive officer

The Beaumont Health Board of Directors has announced the appointment of John T. Fox as president and chief

John Fox

executive officer of Beaumont Health. Fox will join the organization in March.

“John Fox is one of the most recognized leaders in all of health care today,” says John D. Lewis, chairman of the board, Beaumont Health. “Over the past 15 years, he has led Emory Healthcare to become one of the top-rated health systems in the country for quality and patient safety. John and his team's recent work in successfully caring for Ebola patients and their families further established Emory’s reputation for outstanding care. We are fortunate to have such a well-respected and experienced CEO to lead Beaumont Health. Our board, leadership team, physicians, nurses and staff all look forward to partnering with him to lead us into the future during this dynamic, exciting time in health care."

Fox has more than 30 years of experience leading large, complex integrated health systems and academic medical centers. He joined Emory Healthcare in 1999 as chief operating officer and became CEO in 2002. Emory Healthcare is the largest and most comprehensive health system in Georgia with $2.7 billion in revenue. In 2013, Emory's two largest hospitals were ranked No. 2 and No. 3 nationally among all hospitals in the University HealthSystem Consortium Quality and Accountability Study. Prior to joining Emory, Fox was executive vice president of Clarian Health, now known as IU Health, in Indianapolis. Before that, he served as vice president and chief financial officer at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. As an MBA and CPA, Fox began his career at Coopers and Lybrand, working in health care consulting. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Washington University in St. Louis and his MBA from the University of Cincinnati.

“I am honored to have this opportunity to work with the outstanding team at Beaumont Health,” says Fox. “The accomplishments and reputation of all three founding organizations have been known to me for many years. The prospect of working together to build an integrated, high-performance system for the future is very exciting.”

In his new role, Fox will be responsible for providing strategic direction and leadership for the new health system, which was officially formed in September 2014 through an affiliation involving Beaumont Health System, Oakwood Healthcare and Botsford Health Care. Initially, he will focus on developing strategies to sustain and grow Beaumont Health as a regionally and nationally renowned health system. The new organization’s focus is on improving the value of health care services by delivering high quality, well-coordinated patient care at the right time in the right setting at an affordable cost, to improve the health, well-being, and outcomes of all patients served.

“John Fox is a remarkable CEO who has experience in creating a well-balanced health system blending an academic medical center with a network of hospitals,” says David Wood, M.D., chief medical officer, Beaumont Health. “He understands how to work with insurers and physician organizations on achieving population health goals. He will bring a fresh perspective with new ideas to health care in Southeast Michigan that will enhance the continuum of care for our community."

Fox will succeed Gene Michalski, initial president and CEO of Beaumont Health since June 2014, and president and CEO of Beaumont Health System since 2010.  Michalski will retire in 2015.

“On behalf of the Beaumont Health Board and the boards of our three founding health systems, I want to thank Gene for his many years of dedicated service to the organization and to our communities,” says Lewis. “His commitment has been truly exemplary and we congratulate him on his upcoming retirement. The successful formation of Beaumont Health is a fitting capstone to his remarkable and successful career.”

After the formation of Beaumont Health, the system’s new 14-member board of directors began a comprehensive national search to identify a new CEO for the organization.  A search committee was formed with representation from the three founding health systems. The process was led by the executive search firm Korn Ferry.

“We interviewed several exceptional health care leaders and were impressed with the high quality of candidates,” explains Lewis. “In the end, we are very confident that John Fox is the right person to lead us.”

The retirement of Michalski, a resident of Oakland Township, caps off his 44-year health care career that began at Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak in 1971 working in

Gene Michalski

the laboratory.

Michalski was appointed as Beaumont Health System’s fifth president and chief executive officer on June 1, 2010. He served as executive vice president and chief operating officer of Beaumont Health System from 2006 to 2010, and as senior vice president and hospital director of Beaumont Hospital, Troy from 1997 to 2006. Prior to that, he served as a senior associate hospital director, associate hospital director, assistant hospital director and administrative assistant at Beaumont.

Michalski left Beaumont to serve as executive vice president and chief operating officer of Saint Francis Hospital, Evanston, Illinois, from 1992 to 1996.

During his Beaumont career, Michalski led major facility expansions at the Royal Oak and Troy hospitals; created a new ambulatory care division; oversaw the transition of Bon Secours Hospital into Beaumont, Grosse Pointe; and formed successful centers of excellence that enhanced quality and strategic growth. His leadership contributed to Beaumont, Royal Oak being named the No. 1 hospital in Michigan by U.S. News & World Report in 2014 and a long list of other regional and national quality accolades.

 About Beaumont Health

Beaumont Health, a not-for-profit organization, was formed by the affiliation of Beaumont Health System, Botsford Health Care, and Oakwood Healthcare Inc. with a goal of providing high quality, efficient, accessible services in a caring environment for Southeastern Michigan residents and beyond.  The organization has net revenues of nearly $4 billion and consists of eight hospitals with 3,337 beds, 153 outpatient sites, 5,000 physicians, more than 33,000 employees and 3,500 volunteers.  Beaumont, Royal Oak is the No. 1 hospital in Michigan with 10 national specialty rankings from U.S. News & World Report and is ranked No .4 nationally in the 2014 University HealthSystem Consortium Quality and Accountability Study. Beaumont, Royal Oak and Troy have earned Magnet designation for nursing excellence.

What’s it worth? Appraiser Darlene Hines knows

Like to watch Antiques Road Show on TV?

Darlene Hines lives it.

The Bloomfield Township businesswoman operates Nostalgia Antique Appraisal Services out of an office at Square Lake Road and Woodward.

But she spends a lot of time appraising collections of furniture, vintage clothing, jewelry, paintings, porcelain, china, African-American art and whatever. “My specialty is antiques and residential contents,” she said.

“Clients call our office for appraisals for insurance, divorces, estates, charitable donations and for value confirmation. I get calls from residents, corporations, attorneys and regular clients.”

What they get is a detailed evaluation of their items that is not quite like what you see on the Antiques Roadshow, although Hines has no quarrel with the show, and even has served as an off-camera appraiser for it.

But for an official appraisal, one that can stand the scrutiny of the courts or – shudder – the IRS, a thorough evaluation is needed. That can result in a 70-page report.

“Every appraisal is like a research paper,” she said. “It’s time consuming.”

And it’s not a job for amateurs. Hines is a certified appraiser with the International Society of Appraisers and served two terms on the ISA board of directors. She is past president and vice president of the Great Lakes Chapter of the ISA.

Along with the Antiques Roadshow she has appeared on the PAX TV show What’s It Worth and published an article in the Journal of Advanced Appraisal Studies, in the ISA newsletter and on its blog and was a guest speaker at the National Auctioneers Conference in Grand Rapids.

She didn’t start out as an appraiser. She and her husband opened an antique store in Brighton in 1995. That led her to become involved with the ISA and gain certification as a professional appraiser.

Gradually, she spent less time at the store and more doing appraisals. “My business grew out of that,” she said.

Professional appraising is a highly specialized field requiring a rigorous training to get certification and continuing education afterward. ISA also has strict ethical standards appraisers must adhere to.

Appraisers must have a thorough understanding of the item and know who to turn to for assistance with items that are not in their specialty. “We piggyback on each others’ skills,” she said.

There are fewer than 200 certified appraisers in ISA in the country, she said. Appraisers produce evaluations that can stand up in court or be accepted by the IRS for charitable tax deductions or used for insurance claims to recover losses.

“I do appraisals all over the country,” Hines said. But the Birmingham-Bloomfield area is particularly fruitful and Hines has worked for many local residents and businesses.

Her most memorable object was also the most emotion stirring one. “A church burned down – except for a crucifix,” she said. “That was the only thing to survive. They called me in. That was touching.”

She can be reached at (248) 454-1062 or (248) 431-4552. Go towww.nostappraisals.com.

First Huron Corp Bank Merging With Talmer Bancorp, Inc.

Talmer Bancorp, Inc., of Troy, expects to close its merger with First of Huron Corp. on Feb. 6.

First of Huron Corp. is a holding company for Signature Bank. It is based in Bad Axe and has eight branches in the Thumb.

"We're going to convert the weekend of Feb. 6," Will Oldford, Talmer Bank and Trust regional president, said. "The signs will change, we'll complete the merger, they will be on the Talmer Bank system that weekend, and that Monday everybody is going to open up Talmer bank."

According to a news release, the merger agreement was approved by First of Huron stockholders in December. Oldford did not know the total acquisition price, but said Talmer paid $25 a share.

"One of our strategic priorities is to continue to acquire other banks," he said.

He said the merger has been approved by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., the Federal Reserve and the state of Michigan

First of Huron had Signature Bank branches in Bad Axe, Sandusky, Harbor Beach, Port Hope, Caro, Sebewaing and Frankenmuth.

Oldford said Talmer will consolidate branches in Bad Axe and Sandusky.

"The Signature branch is across the street from a Talmer Bank branch in Sandusky, so we already announced we will be closing the Signature Bank in Sandusky," he said.

There are two Signature Banks in Bad Axe. The company will consolidate the two into a single Talmer Bank branch.

Oldford said all of the Signature Bank branch employees will be retained.

"Signature is a great franchise," he said. "It complements our footprint in the northeast region. The customer loyalty they have shown was the primary driver for this acquisition."

Talmer Bancorp, Inc., is the holding company for Talmer Bank and Trust and Talmer West Bank. The banks operate in Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland and Nevada.