

"Detroit News Tracks the Transition"
As faces change during the transition to a new administration, join Capitol Issues Forum to hear Jonathan Oosting of Detroit News talk about newly elected and returning leaders, Wednesday Nov. 28, 8 to 9 a.m. Oosting joined Detroit News Lansing Bureau in 2016, where he covers the Legislature, governor's office and state agencies. He was an MLive Group reporter for eight years and earned a bachelor's degree in English at Grand Valley State University and a master's degree in


"Election Forecast: 13 Days Out"
As the Nov. 6 election draws closer, join Capitol Issues Forum Wednesday Oct. 24, 8 – 9 a.m. to hear Adrian Hemond and Brian Began of Grassroots Midwest predict election outcomes. Grassroots Midwest is a bipartisan advocacy firm providing polling and consumer data collection and campaign consulting. Adrian Hemond, partner and CEO, specializes in appropriations, local government, regulatory affairs and procurement. Brian Began, elections and research director, has had extens


"Covering the Midterm Elections"
Zach Gorchow, editor of Gongwer News service, joins Capitol Issues Forum Thursday, Sept. 27 to talk about his coverage of the governor's race, the potential for a partisan shift in control of the Legislature and ballot proposals. An editor at Gongwer since 2009, Gorchow also reported for the Detroit Free Press, covering Wayne County and the City of Detroit. He is an international relations graduate of Michigan State University, where he wrote for the State News, MSU's student


Surveys not always accurate election predictors
As pollsters attempt to predict elections outcomes, those who rely on the results need to evaluate them for credibility, cautioned Jeff Williams, CEO of Public Sector Consultants (PSC), who spoke at Capitol Issues Forum March 21. In his presentation, “Predicting Elections: Lies, Damned Lies, Statistics ... and Surveys", Williams pointed out that survey results can be skewed by using inaccurate population sampling or surveying non-voters instead of voters. Williams further not


Debriefing on Gov. Rick Synder’s last State of the State Recap 1/24
A lot has been done, but more needs to be accomplished, said Ari Adler, communications director in the governor’s office, when he recapped Gov. Rick Snyder’s State of the State speech at Capitol Issues Forum Jan. 24. The state of Michigan has achieved significant progress during the governor’s tenure, Adler noted, referring to two Wall Street Journal articles the governor handed up during his speech. The first article published Oct. 2009 was titled ‘The State of Joblessness’,


"Pipes and Pavement" Recap Summary 2/16
Michigan could be losing out on jobs and economic growth thanks to inadequate investment in infrastructure, said Mike Nystrom, Michigan Infrastructure and Transportation Association and Janice Beecher, MSU's Institute of Public Utilities, who spoke at Capitol Issues Forum Feb. 16 on findings and recommendations of Gov. Snyder's 21st Century Infrastructure Commission.
Potential businesses looking to relocate or expand to the area are concerned about Michigan's i