Radio address emphasizes governor's commitment to strengthening economy, creating jobs

LANSING - In her weekly radio address, Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today said that her administration is monitoring the uncertainty in the global markets closely and will continue to do everything possible to create jobs and strengthen the economy in the fight to protect Michigan citizens.

"It's been another challenging week for the national economy but, while we're monitoring the situation at the national level closely for its impact on the state of Michigan, we have not slowed down efforts to diversify this economy and to create jobs in Michigan," Granholm said.  "Despite that uncertainty, here in Michigan, we will continue to be aggressive in our pursuit of every job and every company, because we know that with the targeted plan to diversify this economy, we can emerge from this time of challenge stronger than ever before."

Granholm emphasized the latest good news for the state:        

• The federal Department of Energy joined Michigan in supporting Mascoma, a company building the nation's first commercial cellulosic ethanol plant in the Upper Peninsula .
• 17 companies received $30 million in funding from our 21st Century Jobs Fund to create jobs in fast-growing sectors of our economy, including life sciences, alternative energy, advanced manufacturing and homeland security.  
• Toyota Motor Company celebrated the grand opening of its expanded research and development center near Ann Arbor this week.  Toyota also announced that it will locate its North American Research Institute here in Michigan.
• Mariah Power, a Nevada company, will partner with Michigan-based MasTech Manufacturing to build the Windspire, an affordable wind-power system that can be used at home, creating 141 jobs in Manistee. 

"It was a busy week, full of ups and downs," Granholm said.  "We will all continue to watch and wait for the national economy to stabilize, anxious to see our national leaders make wise choices that will protect us."             

The governor's weekly radio address is released each Friday morning and may be heard on broadcast stations across the state.  The address is available on the governor's Web site at (www.michigan.gov/gov) for download, together with a clip of the quote above.  The radio address is also available as a podcast on the Web site, as well as on iTunes and via RSS feed for general distribution to personal MP3 players and home computers.  Links to the audio files and text of today's address follow.

Governor Jennifer M. Granholm

Radio Address - Jobs Announcements

October 10, 2008

Full:  http://www.michigan.gov/documents/gov/Gov_166_Full_252486_7.mp3

Edited:  http://www.michigan.gov/documents/gov/Gov_166_Edit_252487_7.mp3

Quote:  http://www.michigan.gov/documents/gov/Gov_166_Quote_252488_7.mp3

It's been another challenging week for the national economy - frankly it's been a bit of a challenging week for my voice too - but, while we're monitoring the situation at the national level closely for its impact on the state of Michigan, we have not slowed down efforts to diversify this economy and to create jobs in Michigan.

And this week, those efforts brought good news for Michigan.

Michigan's committed to leading the nation in alternative energy production, so we're pleased that the federal Department of Energy joined with us in supporting Mascoma, a company building the nation's first commercial cellulosic ethanol plant in the Upper Peninsula. Mascoma is going to take wood waste from our sustainable forests and convert it to biodiesel that is cleaner and cheaper than gasoline.  And not only is this company developing the next generation of ethanol that will reduce our nation's dependence on foreign oil and make fuel more affordable, its made-in-Michigan fuel will create nearly 700 jobs for Michigan workers.

Also this week, 17 companies received $30 million in funding from our 21st Century Jobs Fund to create jobs in fast-growing sectors of our economy, including life sciences, alternative energy, advanced manufacturing and homeland security.   These 17 growing companies joined 78 others that have received funding in the first round of awards. 

And, Toyota Motor Company also celebrated the grand opening of its expanded research and development center near Ann Arbor this week.  The Toyota Tech Center is currently home to nearly 900 researchers and engineers who are working on the next generation automobile - right here in Michigan. 

Toyota also announced this week that it will locate its North American Research Institute here in Michigan as well.  The institute will spend more than $100 million over the next four years on advanced automotive research.

And the week ended with the announcement that Mariah Power, a Nevada company, will partner with Michigan-based MasTech Manufacturing to build the Windspire, which is an affordable wind-power system that can be used at home.  Just one Windspire can generate 25 percent of your home's energy needs.  This new partnership will create more than 140 jobs in Manistee and takes us another step closer to being the alternative energy capital of North America.

It was a busy week, full of ups and downs.  We will all continue to watch and wait for the national economy to stabilize, anxious to see our national leaders make wise choices that will protect us.

But despite that uncertainty, here in Michigan, we will continue to be aggressive in our pursuit of every job and every company, because we know that with the targeted plan to diversify this economy, we can emerge from this time of challenge stronger than ever before.

Thanks for listening.

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