Looking for something to do New Year's Day? How about a hike at Hayes State Park

If you're looking for something different to do on New Year's Day, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources will host a hike at Hayes State Park near Onsted off Michigan Avenue (only about 11 miles from Manchester) at 11 a.m.

The hike will begin at 11 a.m. at the park, and the difficult will vary on what those in attendance want to partake in. The DNR encourages participants to bring their camera and a chair to enjoy a campfire later that day.

If you attend, you'll also have the opportunity to win several fitness club memberships, as well as an afternoon at Lazy B's Ranch.

If you're out of town, here's the list of other hikes taking place around the state. They range from Hayes all the way to the Porcupine Mountains in the western Upper Peninsula.

And for those of you who are worried about timing: yes, the hike says it will be complete before the Lions kick off at 1 p.m. against the Packers.

Offensive advertising?

I was horrified today when I checked my email and saw the latest ad from Spirit Airlines.

The "busty" advertisement is outrageously offensive to women. The "double d" slogan is an extreme stretch to find some way to incorporate breasts into the company's advertising. It's sad Spirit has been forced to use sexual images of women to sell its services and can't stand on its reputation, treatment of customers and overall experience.

The subject of the email teased readers with "Check out our Double D's." Sounds quite similar to a slogan an adult entertainment company might use.

Worst of all, this ad commits one of the most common and repulsive parts of sexual advertising, not showing the model's face. Why isn't it shown? It's because the company could care less about anything above her neck, including her brain. This model's breasts were used as objects, trying to disconnect them from any uncomfortable feelings that could arise from associating them with a person with thoughts and feelings. It makes it easier for the ad to be digested, but actually adds to one of society's problems, the sexualization of women.

The ad also continues to send women and young girls the message that they have to have large breasts to be appealing. Who in the Spirit Airlines advertising department thought this ad campaign was acceptable?

Spirit may support it's double d promotion, but it's definitely disgusting.

Bridgewater is getting excited for the Sugar Bowl

The painted rock in Bridgewater on Austin Road has had some additional embellishments in recent weeks to go with its "Go Blue" tagline:



We want to know how you think the Wolverines will do next week in the Sugar Bowl against Virginia Tech. Click on the widget below and enter your phone number, and Google will call you and prompt you to leave a message telling us how you think Michigan will do next week in New Orleans (Your phone number can be left private as well, if you're worried about giving out your phone number).

BRIDGEWATER TOWNSHIP: Man shoots his wife and himself, wife taken to U-M hospital

By Ben Baird
bbaird@heritage.com
Twitter: @BenBaird1

A Bridgewater Township man shot his wife and then committed suicide Saturday night in the 13000 block of Austin Road.

The wife was shot in the chest and shoulder. She was taken to the University of Michigan Hospital and is reported to be in stable condition.

Township Supervisor Jolea Mull learned about the shooting at about 11:45 p.m. Saturday from the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office.

She said according to police, the couple was arguing throughout the day because of the man's depression issues.

He shot his wife and then turned the gun on himself. The wife was able to run out of their residence and call 911. She was taken to the hospital in critical condition, but on Sunday police told Mull the woman is now in stable condition.

There is no official statement on the shooting from the sheriff's department yet, Mull said.

Staff Writer Ben Baird can be reached at bbaird@heritage.com.

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Midnight Madness event the result of quick brainstorming

It's amazing how such a short time span can result in some of the best ideas.

A seemingly good example is the Midnight Madness Fundraiser event being put on by several of the merchants in Manchester next weekend. The event, designed to spur late-night shopping and donate to a local charity or community group, was thrown together just this month by two local merchants: Steven Hahne of MacLennan's Nursery, and Nichole Fisher, owner of Nichole's Emporium, which opened earlier this year.

Hahne said the ideas for it just came within minutes of the two of them discussing, and out of it a seemingly fun idea was born.

Janet Larson, the president of the Manchester Area Chamber of Commerce, said the talks for it happened at an evening chamber networking party. It's amazing what can happen with just a few minutes of small talk at a business-related function.

If you're planning on shopping that night and you have your camera, we'd love to publish any photos we receive from the evening (unfortunately, I have that day off, and won't be able to make it). If you have any, feel free to send me an email at dveselenak@heritage.com.

And be sure to spread the word of the event. We're doing our part, with the flyer posted on our front door at our downtown Saline office:

Land acquisition by DNR in Manchester, Norvell townships recommended by Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund

The list of recommendations by the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund was tweeted this evening by the DNR, and the purchase of the Trolz family farm is listed.

Here's the tweet announcing all the recommendations statewide, which includes six projects in Washtenaw County:

Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund Board recommends 99 grant-funded projects totaling $39.6 million: ow.ly/7TwWl

— Michigan DNR (@MichiganDNR) December8, 2011

The recommendation of the acquisition, which is being called the River Raisin Recreation Area, is to cost $3 million on the area, which is "to focus on hunting, fishing and outdoor recreation."

The move was the next step in the land acquisition, the DNR told The Enterprise in September. The next step is to send the recommendation to the state legislature, a process that could go well into next year.

Other projects on the recommendation list in the county include:

Washtenaw County

• $2.275 million to connect to urban nature preserves

Ann Arbor

• $300,000 to Gallup Park for several improvements, including energy improvements and better access to buildings
• $300,000 to help fund the in-ground skate park at Veterans Memorial Park

Ypsilanti Township

• $300,000 to renovate Rutherford Pool

Ypsilanti

$289,400 for developing the Heritage Bridge over Michigan Avenue and a fishing pier

Manchester resident appears on NPR's "Talk of the Nation"

A benefit from Google Alerts is to see whenever something is written about "Manchester, Michigan." Yesterday, an interesting piece came across and thought I'd share it.

It was a link to NPR's "Talk of the Nation" show, a call-in program for listeners to voice their opinions on different subject matters in the nation. This clip talks about the new television show, "All-American Muslim," a show filmed in Dearborn to showcase Muslims living in America. 

Many of the callers debated on whether the show was a good representation of Islamic life here in America, and one of those callers came from the village. 

A caller identified as Susan called the show from Manchester, and talked about how she would like to see more diversity when it comes to showing Muslims in their day-to-day lives.

"And when I go to the masjid or the mosque in my area in Ann Arbor, I don't see this as a cross-section of Muslims," she told the radio show. "I see this as a very small proportion of Muslims."

It was a show filled with Michigan voices, as another caller voiced their opinion from Ann Arbor, and another from Dearborn.

You can read a transcript of the conversation here, or click below to listen to the show. It's about 16 minutes long.