When people talk about placemaking - they always reference its necessity in the context of attracting and retaining talent. Everyone has seen statistics on per capita income and higher education so the importance of education is not a question. However, the focus is often on the side of "attracting" talent rather than retaining. And to retain...implies that you have it to begin with. How can communities move the needle on cultivating talent in their own communities? We are starting to partner with the Michigan College Access Network on promoting tools to improve college attainment in local communities. And, the National League of Cities just released an Action Guide that helps communities get started at well. Because in order for all of our placemaking efforst to bear fruit - we need the talent to blossom. Stay tuned for more tools that your community can use to incease a culture of educational attainment!

Summer Minnick is Director of Policy Initiatives and Federal Affairs. She can be reached at 517-908-0301 or sminnick@mml.org.

Oakland University has unveiled its "Ideas to Business (I2B) Lab" in coordination with other university services to assist entrepreneurs.

The I2B Lab, a part of the University's School of Business Administration, is designed to connect OU student entrepreneurs with the resources thy need to take their ideas from "incubation to commercialization".

The lab offers a adviser program, team resource group, networking forum and a strong partnership with OU INC, Oakland University's own SmartZone business incubator.  The I2B and OU INC are prime examples of the powerful tools that our state's institutions of higher learning can, and are bringing to the table to work in coordination with other efforts to re-energize Michigan's economy.

Working to develop entrepreneurs and and utilizing our strong higher education system are two assets of the League's "Center for 21st Century Communities" program.  Congratulations, OU!

Arnold Weinfeld is Director of Strategic Initiatives and Federal Affairs for the Michigan Municipal League. He can be reached at 517-908-0304 or by e-mail.

A new on-line magazine from the Center for Michigan, "Bridge", has hit the world wide web.

The publication produces content throughout the week with a focus on six key aspects of life in Michigan, several of which have been key elements in the League's public policy and advocacy message such as quality of life, and talent and education. Other focal points include success, the economy, the public sector and the safety net.

As noted on its website, the goal of Bridge is to better inform Michigan's private citizens so as to encourage a vibrant state in both the private and public sectors.

Arnold Weinfeld is Director of Strategic Initiatives and Federal Affairs for the Michigan Municipal League. He can be reached at 517-908-0304 or by e-mail.

LANSING - The League held its first-ever Twitter Talk on transportation today at the Lansing office. Using new communication tools was a great way not only to spread the message, but to encourage participants to also think about the topic itself in new and innovative ways.

The dialogue was fast and furious, and was being echoed across the state in "real time" on Twitter. Much of the focus was on the need to develop a new dialogue that looks not only at how much we're spending, but on how and where we're spending it, at a time when people are re-designing their relationships to work and community.

Interesting fodder came from all the panelists, on topics like making sure public transit actually connects people to their jobs, and how safety and efficiency must be cornerstones to any successful transportation system. Some of the organizations tweeting and retweeting today included the Project for Public Spaces (an international nonprofit); Transport 4 America, a nationwide coalition focused on creating a national transportation program for the 21st century; Rustwire; Friends of Transit; and League of Michigan Bicyclists.

Hopefully the ripple effect will reach to the governor's office and beyond, showing that Michigan is engaged and energized on the subject of creating a new vision for Michigan's transportation system.

 Read more about the Michigan's Transportation Vision: A Twitter Talk on Twitter @letsavemich and @mmleague and the hashtag #mitransvision and here on this website.