Tiger Talent Beats Nods Drones Startup
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20140331-NEWS--0001-NAT-CCI-CD_-- 3/28/2014 5:54 PM Page 1 ® www.crainsdetroit.com Vol. 30, No. 13 MARCH 31 – APRIL 6, 2014 $2 a copy; $59 a year ©Entire contents copyright 2014 by Crain Communications Inc. All rights reserved Page 3 Republican districts won big in $115M in road projects, Aubrey Lee and state Democratic lawmakers fear a repeat trip Pavement of partisanship NEW FEATURE: Leaders over 65 whose impact on others BY CHRIS GAUTZ ed by Republican legislators and only CAPITOL CORRESPONDENT AT CRAINSDETROIT.COM has been timeless two by Democrats. here may not be “Republican Democrats fared better with the The online version of this governor: Twelve of the 19 projects he story allows you to dig More companies sign up for roads or Democrat roads,” as through a database of T lawmakers so often like to say, designated were in Democratic dis- road projects throughout private health exchanges Michigan. but when Republicans carved out a tricts, including $4 million for Belle piece of the road budget for special al- Isle improvements. (See Page 21.) In the coming weeks, Republican This Just In location last year, a whole lot more Democratic districts benefited from leaders in the House and Senate, along roads in Republican districts benefited. road projects in six additional projects, Blue Cross to decide on with Snyder, will begin combing And that, say House of Representa- but only because the request came through another long list of priority same-sex couples coverage tives leadership, wasn’t an accident. from a Republican whose district over- road and bridge repair projects and de- Blue Cross Blue Shield of A project list from the Michigan De- lapped. The overall amount involved is cide which ones will receive funding Michigan still covers same-sex partment of Transportation shows that of small — $115 million, compared to this summer from another $115 million spouses in the state as domes- 108 projects approved by Gov. Rick MDOT’s $1.28 billion roads budget — tic partners after about 300 special allocation. gay couples obtained mar- Snyder and the Republican leaders of but legislative Democrats are worried riage licenses this month, but the House and Senate, 87 were request- the process is about to be repeated. See Roads, Page 21 it is researching whether it must change that practice. NATHAN SKID/CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS The state’s largest private insurance carrier considers married and unmarried same- sex couples domestic part- Drones startup ners, covered in employee health benefit plans if the em- Tiger talent beats nods ployer requests a rider for such coverage, said Blue awaits cash, Cross’ director of corporate communications, Helen Stojic. Bobbleheads a fan favorite, Unmarried opposite-sex part- flight clearance ners are not covered, she said, but good team a better draw meaning the optional rider is BY TOM HENDERSON for a same-sex benefit only. CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS “Domestic partners can be BY BILL SHEA married to each other, but CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS SkySpecs LLC is readying the they don’t have to be,” she business flight plan for its drone- ajor League Baseball’s secret weapon to boost wrote in an email. “Like all making operation. attendance for the past 15 years has been a insurers, we are going to have The Ann Arbor company, which Msilly one: the bobblehead. to sort through a series of focuses on utility craft designed for Silly, but effective. state and federal regulations site inspections, is The Detroit Tigers, though, thanks to being an an- and rulings on this topic.” awaiting — like all nual playoff contender with a roster of superstars, Among those is a March 14 commercial drone WHO’S use the popular nodding-head figures as brand report from the federal Cen- companies — Federal builders and loyalty rewards more than for boosting WATCHING? ters for Medicare and Medicaid Aviation Administration attendance. Services giving guidance on ANJANA SCHROEDER/CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS regulation of the in- Local firms “The driving force behind our items is to grow our what standards health insur- It will cost the Tigers up to $4.25 each for the 15,000 dustry. take flight relationship with our fans and with drone ance issuers had to meet to Max Scherzer bobbleheads that will be given away June 5. Also needed for their affinity with our brand,” said Two other players will get bobblehead honors this season. tech, Page 22 comply with federal law. liftoff: more money. Eli Bayless, the Tigers’ director of Michigan had no same-sex Hobbyist drones promotions and in-game entertain- have been a staple of ballpark promotional market- marriage, until U.S. District are legal, for now, with restric- ment. “We spread it out among dif- ing since 1999. Judge Bernard Friedman struck tions on height and proximity to ferent days of the week to make The dolls are the most effective giveaway at boost- down the state’s ban on such airports. sure that value is there.” ing attendance, according to 55 percent of sports team unions March 21. A stay rein- But for commercial manufactur- The Tigers plan to give away a executives surveyed in 2011 by Haddonfield, N.J.- stated the ban the next day, ers like SkySpecs, drone flight is combined total of 35,000 bobble- based analysts Turnkey Sports & Entertainment Inc. but more than 300 couples al- grounded until testing is completed heads of three players this season, Next closest on the list were T-shirts at 17 percent ready obtained marriage li- in six states and the FAA weighs in among dozens of other promo- and T-shirts/jerseys at 16 percent. censes. on rules for the industry. Bayless tions over 81 home games. — Chad Halcom Baseball’s front offices love bobbleheads, which See Tigers, Page 25 See Drones, Page 22 MEDICAID: Sponsored By: in store ™ the changesc FREE Webinar April 9 • Noon - 1 p.m. In Partnership With: crainsdetroit.com/webinars NEWSPAPER 20140331-NEWS--0002-NAT-CCI-CD_-- 3/28/2014 4:49 PM Page 1 Page 2 CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS March 31, 2014 MICHIGAN BRIEFS One-stop doc shop: Health clinic of Engineering, and his wife, Denise, are giving $2.5 million to to open in Meijer store ‘Tonight Show’ bit gives plug to maker of kids’ blocks the MSU engineering program, The In December, Crain’s reported on Associated Press reported. Lamp is the emergence of health clinics in If you’re familiar with Jimmy Fallon as host of Twitter. MLive.com reported that Fallon’s tweeting president and CEO of Connecticut- metro Detroit CVS stores, under a “Late Night” and, now, “The Tonight Show,” you generated 243 retweets and 1,349 favorites for the based Northern Tier Energy LP. contract between Detroit-based know that one of his schticks is playing popular company. Lindenwood owner Pete Bultman called Ⅲ Grand Rapids will have a Henry Ford Health System and Minute- songs to the accompaniment of small, handheld in- the cameo of the company’s Uncle Goose blocks team in the National Basketball As- struments you would expect to see in Elmo’s backup “quite cool.” Clinic, a division of Rhode Island- sociation’s Development League, and band, as opposed to the E Street Band. And in an era of smartphones and tablets, it’s no- based CVS Caremark Corp. This past it will be an affiliate of the Detroit Recently, Fallon and Co. did its interpretation of table that over the past five years, the company’s week in West Michigan, Kalama- Pistons, MLive.com reported. Un- “Let It Go” from the movie “Frozen,” fronted by the revenue has increased by double digits, MLive re- zoo-based Bronson Healthcare said it der an agreement, undisclosed woman who made it relentlessly famous: Idina Men- ported. Lindenwood employs about 20 people. would open a retail health clinic owners will purchase and relocate zel — or as John Travolta calls her in his mental Au- Bultman said Lindenwood doesn’t pay for product called FastCare in a Meijer Inc. store the Springfield Armor from Massa- toCorrect, “Adele Dazeem.” placements but does make them available as props. in Portage, the Grand Rapids Busi- chusetts for the 2014-15 season. Among the instruments: wood blocks embossed He said he also has seen the blocks in the TV show Ⅲ ness Journal reported. Comstock-based Bell’s Brewery by the letters “L,” “I” and “G” and made by Grand “Mad Men.” (Probably reeking of cigarette smoke Inc. has begun offering its summer FastCare provides treatment for Rapids-based Lindenwood Inc. Enter the power of and scotch.) staple: Oberon. For the first time minor medical conditions and this year, the wheat ale is being sold symptoms such as allergies, cold in cans. Events were planned at and flu symptoms, laryngitis, poi- guilty to embezzlement in Janu- venues per capita; active-life op- Loesel and members of his family, bars around the state, apparently son ivy, ringworm and upper res- ary. Okun Bros. began to take note tions such as parks and outdoor ac- whose effort to sell land for a Wal- because beer in cans is more excit- piratory infections. The clinic, ex- after its accounts weren’t being tivities per capita; percentage of Mart Stores Inc. development was ing than most of us realized. pected to open this week, accepts paid and the owner infused $50,000 restaurants that are fast food, with blocked after the Frankenmuth City Find business news from walk-in patients only. and then $55,000 of his own money a lower percentage being better Council passed a law restricting the around the state at crainsdetroit to keep the store in the black.