Come April, Detroit City Council plans to Skype their public meetings. According to the Detroit Free Press, "City Council plans to allow Skype users a chance to address members with a Web cam during the public comment period of regular meetings," Steve Neavling reports. Detroiters with a web cam or networked cell phone (e.i. iPhone, Android, etc.) can contribute comments to City Council meetings mobily. 

This could be an interesting development in the realm of messaging & technology, one of the Center for 21st Century Communities' (21c3)'s "eight assets" that make for vibrant communities. Many government agencies and public officials across the U.S. are getting more into social networking and web communications sites like Skype. I recently blogged about how Facebook changed its terms of service to make it easier for State and local governments to join. 

Council President Charles Pugh told the Free Press he "expects the technology to spur more interest in local government among young people, who rarely attend meetings and are the least likely group to vote," in Neavling's own words. Depending on how much the public ends up taking advantage of the option to comment through Skype, it could potentially encourage more Detroit residents to participate in City Council meetings - young and old. "In a city of 750,000 people, fewer than a dozen residents typically speak out during the comment period," according to the Free Press.

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

Many participating artists and craftspeople report making good money at the annual Ann Arbor Art Fairs, which start tomorrow July 21 and run until July 24. As an Ann Arbor native, an art fair fan, and a locally-based journalist, I've gotten plenty of chances to ask art fair artists; "So, how are sales going?" Although some artists do better than others (and sales tend to ebb and flow with the health of the economy), I've heard it time and time again that some artists make more money at Ann Arbor's fairs than they do anywhere else. 

The Detroit News recently reported feedback from a few participating artists, including Rhode Island glass artist Christopher Belleau, who says that out of the 17 fairs he is doing this year, "Ann Arbor is my best show....I make twice in Ann Arbor what I do at East Coast shows," according to the report. I recently interviewed some of Ann Arbor's local art fair artists for an AnnArbor.com article, including painter Scott Hartley, who has "built up a customer base over the years," and finds it to be a valuable opportunity to connect with collectors. 

However, artists aren't the only ones who report making bank at the fairs. The nationally-revered fairs also have a substantial economic impact on the community at large. The approximately half million people who attend the four city-wide Ann Arbor Art Fairs also spend their money at downtown shops, restaurants, and hotels. AnnArbor.com ran an article last month, which reported, "As Art Fairs approach, Ann Arbor merchants brace for crowds, big windfalls." The article mentions a 2008 survey, which "showed expenditures of $49 million in shopping, $25 million in dining, and $5 million in lodging," according to the report.

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

A growing demand for commercial businesses that supply filmmakers with equipment and services is creating more opportunities for small businesses, new startups, and entrepreneurs to take advantage of emerging niche markets in Michigan.

A movie obviously needs lights and cameras before a director can call, “Action.” Lest we forget that there is much more to making a movie than that. Imagine you are a filmmaker with a shopping list of items. Now imagine how convenient it would be to have access to places like prop shops, antique stores, costume shops, and other specialized establishments.

The Detroit Free Press featured an article last week, entitled “Prop supply on the rise in Michigan,” which profiles how three local Michigan businesses are taking advantage of this emerging niche market. Events and design company Display Group, in Detroit, already had a massive amount of props that they use at “high-profile events and corporate events,” which “can also be used for the movie industry,” according to President Rick Portwood.  Royal Oak antique store Heritage Co. II expanded to rent and sell props to some big time film producers. Sam’s Prop House in Hazel Park got its start after co-owner Julie Juran and her daughter scored some props that a film crew was going to throw away.

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

The Center for 21st Century Communities’ (21c3) “eight assets” that make cities and towns attractive places to live and work have been included among the “core values” of the City of Saline, Michigan’s 2010-2011 Strategic Plan for city governance! 

This means that the ideas, goals, and solutions presented on this website are really starting to have a tangible impact on communities that are looking for ways to become more vibrant places in the 21st Century. The Michigan Municipal League, which created 21c3 and identified the “eight assets,” is particularly pleased to see a community in Michigan so whole-heartedly embracing its effort to help communities “place-make.”

Included among Saline’s “core values” is a call to “Review Potential Components of 21st Century Communities,” and they are using 21c3’s “eight assets” as a model or a jumping off point. The “eight assets” that you can learn about on this website include; Physical Design & Walkability, Green Initiatives, Cultural Economic Development, Entrepreneurship, Multiculturalism, Messaging & Technology, Transit, and Education - all of which appear in Saline’s 2010-2011 Strategic Plan.

Beyond including 21c3’s “eight assets” in the plan, it also sets out a few other goals and objectives throughout the rest of the document that relate to 21c3’s efforts. The city wants to do things like “enhance downtown music activities,” “increase non-motorized traffic, including pedestrian and biking,” “ensure that Saline is a model for environmental efforts,” and improve city government's communications and online presence. If you’ve been keeping up with this site, you’ll notice that these are some of the topics we’ve been blogging about, and you can find many related resources, multimedia resources, and solutions on this site. 

Browse the “eight assets," by clicking around the flash image on the top of this page, or find out more about the Technical Services that the League has started offering communities in Michigan who want to develop as strong, vibrant 21st Century Communities.

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