After much hard work, the Elk Rapids Chamber now has a modern Web site with an online community calendar that is comprehensive and informative. Here is the direct link: http://www.elkrapidschamber.org/event-calendar/

I now provide a permanent link to it in the right sidebar.

Thanks, Chamber, for following through on your promise to give us a single-source listing of area events. Huzzah!

Note to readers: Be sure to list your events on this calendar.

Question for Chamber: Any onboard capability or future plans to allow key vetted citizens to post events directly to the calendar?

A Canadian biotechnology company wants to cultivate medical marijuana in a former copper mine in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula where it has been growing plants for more than a decade.

Prairie Plant Systems Inc., which has a contract to supply medical marijuana in Canada, would need approval from state and federal officials to convert the mine in White Pine, the Detroit Free Press reported Monday. Brent Zettl, the company’s president and CEO, said there’s demand despite major regulatory hurdles.

“There’s a need to bring this under the proper reins of appropriate manufacturing for patient safety and for public safety,” Zettl said.   News-Review

Quite the enterprising re-purposing in the New Economy.

A growing number of public universities are charging higher tuition for math, science and business programs, which they argue cost more to teach — and can earn grads higher-paying jobs.

More than 140 public universities now use “differential tuition” plans, up 19% since 2006, according to research from Cornell’s Higher Education Research Institute.   USA Today

I usually saw differences in fees when I was in school, not in actual tuition.

As I said in the teaser, typically ‘harder’ classes actually means ‘more expensive.’ I challenge anyone to read the 200 pages a day and more, including preparing lengthy and overlapping term papers, that I had to do while majoring in Liberal Arts.

UPDATE:  – Good, somewhat related discussion on college education between Gail Collins and David Brooks – NYT