Dan Gilmartin and Natalie Burg talk about aging in place on the Prosperity Agenda radio show.

From now until 2030, AARP predicts all 50 states will see a “rapid acceleration in growth” in their elderly populations as baby boomers turn 65.

During this month’s Prosperity Agenda radio show on News/Talk 760 WJR the Michigan Municipal League's Dan Gilmartin and guests talk about retiring baby boomers and the unprecedented opportunity they bring to cities and downtowns ready to accommodate them.

Several Michigan communities, such as Marquette, Holland and Howell, are already recognized for meeting this challenge and becoming thriving environments for retirees. The show airs 7 p.m. Wednesday on News/Talk 760 WJR, but you can listen to the show anytime here on our website or by podcast here. You can register now for the Age-Friendly Communities Conference coming Feb 28 to UM-Ann Arbor.

The host of the show is League CEO Dan Gilmartin and his co-host for this first show of 2013 is Natalie Burg, a writer and owner of Vial Half Full Communications. Natalie is a former Downtown Development Director in Owosso and now writes about cities, placemaking and downtowns for numerous outlets including Metromode and Ann Arbor’s Concentrate. Our other guests are Marquette City Manager Bill Vajda, Barbara Spreitzer-Berent, an urban planner and gerontologist who serves as volunteer state coordinator for health and supportive services for AARP Michigan; and Joe Borgstrom, director of downtown and community services division for the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA). The Prosperity Agenda is a monthly radio show that challenges listeners to help make Michigan a better place to live, work and play by creating vibrant and prosperous local communities. It airs on News/Talk 760 WJR on the fourth Wednesday of each month.

Matt Bach is director of media relations for the Michigan Municipal League. He can be reached at (734) 669-6317 or mbach@mml.org.

Forbes recently announced their “Ten Best Small Cities to Raise a Family,” and Marquette was designated #3 in the nation and Midland was designated as No. 4 in the nation. In reaching their decision, Forbes.com reviewed multiple quality-of-life measures that make living easier for families with a population under 100,000. Of the 126 cities falling under that parameter, they ranked each city on five measures including affordability, education and jobs.

For details, go here. Also read articles about this designation from The Mining Journal in Marquette and the original article by Forbes. Both Midland and Marquette and members of the Michigan Municipal League.

Matt Bach is director of communications for the Michigan Municipal League. He can be reached at (734) 669-6317 or mbach@mml.org.

Michigan is home to many unique, diverse, and attractive cities and towns. From our picturesque lakeside communities to our urban downtowns. From our heritage sites to our natural wonders - our state is full of distinctive travel destinations. The Center for 21st Century Communities (21c3) likes to see it when Michigan communities are honored for their uniqueness, and acknowledges that promoting a "sense of place" attracts tourists and makes communities vibrant places where people want to live and work.

Each year, the National Trust for Historic Preservation honors U.S. cities, towns, and sometimes neighborhoods that "exude an authentic sense of place," by acknowledging a Dozen Distinctive Destinations around the country. The program pays tribute to places where one finds things like "attractive architecture," as well as "cultural diversity and commitment to historic preservation, sustainability, and revitalization," according to the program's website.

Nominations for the 2011 Dozen Distinctive Destinations are being accepted until September 10, 2010. Nomination Guidelines are available online. Nominations must be submitted by a Chamber of Commerce, Convention & Visitors Bureau, National Trust Statewide or Local Partner, Main Street Office, Historic Hotel of America, or other tourism, preservation, or local organization, according to the guidelines.

Selected communities will receive online promotion, inclusion in a feature article appearing in Preservation magazine, additional promotional support, and the title of "2011 Dozen Distinctive Destination," which includes use of the program logo.

A number of Michigan communities have been honored with the title in the past. Last year, Marquette, Michigan was selected as the "2010 Fan Favorite," by public vote. 21c3 hopes to see more Michigan cities and towns join the ranks. So, get your nominations in before the September 10 deadline!

Jennifer Eberbach is  professional journalist and writer. Find contact information on her website www.jenthewriter.info

The Michigan Humanities Council has awarded 13 public humanities projects with nearly $155,000 in grant money. The funding is supporting programs and exhibitions at museums, heritage festivals, research and publishing projects, theater programs, and other types of arts and culture programming in cities across Michigan. Find out what the 13 arts, cultural, and educational institutions plan to accomplish with the money. Recipients are spread out across the state in Sault Ste. Marie, Hancock, Marquette, Traverse City, Holland, Kalamazoo, Whitehall, Saginaw, East Lansing, Ann Arbor, Detroit, and Dearborn, MI. The money will go a long way towards ensuring that these culturally enriching projects succeed and fulfill their potential.

Also, the Arts & Humanities Touring Program is accepting grant applications for traveling exhibits and performances happening until September 30, 2010. The award supports “touring performers, artists, exhibitors, and humanities presenters listed in Michigan's 2009-2012 Arts & Humanities Touring Directory,” an online directory offered by the Michigan Humanities Council and the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs. Eligible applicants include “any Michigan nonprofit organization, institution, school, library, museum, chamber, association, or local government agency” that is “the sponsoring organization,” according to the program’s website. Grant applications will be accepted through September 2, 2010.

Jennifer Eberbach is a professional journalist and writer. Find contact information on her website www.jenthewriter.info