Smoking Ban Getting Close?

11 09 2008

I mentioned this in a comment earlier in the week, but since WLAJ did a story on it last night, I thought I’d give the topic it’s own post.  Word on the street is the House is going to vote on the “clean” version of the smoking bill sometime before the November elections.

House democrats tell us while negotiations are ongoing right now, they hope to have the reconciled version of the smoking ban signed into law by the November election.

I really would like to see a smoking ban pass, but I’m not in favor of a 100% clean bill.  The ONLY exception should be for cigar/tobacco shops.  Employees know what they’re getting in to there.  Casino’s should not be exempted and there needs to be a way to make sure Indian Casino’s aren’t exempted as well.  There’s a lawsuit working it’s way through the courts that would require Indian Casino’s to purchase liquor license.  HB 4163 should include language mandating that establishments purchasing a liquor license must be smoke free.  That way, should the courts ever decide, it would force Indian casino’s to go smoke free as well.  That will take away the so-called advantage.

On the web. HB 4163


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Categories : Food News, Michigan, Politics

Press Release – Local Bennigan’s Win Franchise Award

10 09 2008

From a press release….what did they win?  Best of one?  There can’t be many left….

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: LaBelle Management Named Number One Bennigan’s Franchisee

LaBelle Management, a hospitality company that independently owns and operates all of the Bennigan’s Grill & Tavern locations in Michigan, has been named the 2008 Number One Bennigan’s Franchisee for all Domestic and International locations. This award, given by Bennigan’s Franchising Company, is based upon each Bennigan’s mystery shopper scores, Guest satisfaction focusing on quality, service and cleanliness and local store marketing efforts.

“LaBelle Management is a key franchisee that we rely heavily upon for their marketing, purchasing and menu expertise. They are truly a leader in the hospitality industry,” said Vince Runco, Interim President and CEO of Bennigan’s Franchise Company. “They have the highest mystery shopper and Guest satisfaction scores in the nation. In fact, the Michigan Bennigan’s consistently receive 100% mystery shopper scores.”

“We are proud of the level of hospitality, service and cleanliness that our Bennigan’s provide to our guests on a daily basis,” said Brad Hansen, CEO of LaBelle Management. “We are honored to receive this prestigious award.”


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Categories : Food News

Aunt Millie’s Bakery Outlet

9 09 2008
  • 5085 W. Grand River Ave.
  • Lansing, MI 48906
  • (517) 886-4227
  • Website
Aunt Millies Bakery Outlet on Grand River in Lansing.

Aunt Millie's Bakery Outlet on Grand River in Lansing.

Aunt Millie’s Bakery Outlet was not our destination today when we started out.  A few weeks ago, I did a post about Aunt Millie’s bread which I found at Kroger.  In that post, I stated the only thing I didn’t like was the price, but that was before I found the bread at Horrocks. Frequent commentor Ang told me there was a Bakery Outlet on Grand River.  When I did a Google search to find the store, another business popped up just a few blocks away.  There wasn’t much info on it, but there was a place called Aunt Millie’s Deli Diner located at 6086 W. Grand River.  I had J put Aunt Millie’s in her GPS to get there from Horrocks and again, a business called Aunt Millie’s Deli Diner showed up.  When we got to the spot it claimed to be, there was nothing but empty land.  I thought maybe the GPS was a little off and got East or West confused, so we kept driving.  Our drive brought us to Aunt Millie’s Bakery Outlet, so we stopped in to see what it had to offer.

Aunt Millie’s Bakery Outlet isn’t fancy.  It’s a small room attached to the administration offices.  The store is stocked with all of Aunt Millie’s products.  The shelves are nothing more than bread racks.  Since we had just stopped at Horrocks, we didn’t really need any bread, but I wanted to look.  We’ve been buying wheat pitas and making home made pita chips.  We picked up two packages at Horrocks, but if they had them cheap here, I cold always use more.  Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Bakery, Lansing, Michigan, Reviews

Roma Bakery, Deli, & Fine Foods

9 09 2008
  • 428 N. Cedar St.
  • Lansing, MI 48912
  • (517) 485-9466
  • Website
  • No Online Menu
Roma Bakery, Deli, & Fine Foods on Cedar St. in Lansing

Roma Bakery, Deli, & Fine Foods on Cedar St. in Lansing

Finding Roma today was totally an accident.  We made our weekly trip to Horrocks and wanted to find something for lunch.  I seem to remember someone telling me Aunt Millie’s had a Deli out on Grand River, so that’s what we went looking for.  We put it in the GPS and when the GPS said we had arrived, there was nothing that even remotely looked like a diner.  We found the outlet store, but no deli.  I thought maybe it was farther down Grand River, so we kept driving.  Eventually, we hit I-96 BL and I got on that without even knowing.  Once I figured out we were going through Old Town, I thought of that bakery on Cedar Street that we had passed so many times without even giving a second glance to.  Since it was getting late in the afternoon and J needed to get to work, I suggested stopping since it would probably be something we could grab and go.

Roma is situated just a few blocks from Oldsmobile Park and downtown Lansing.  The building makes it look like nothing more than the corner bakery, but there is a sign out front that says “Join us for lunch.”  The parking lot was pretty empty when we pulled in around 1:00 and we wondered if we were making a mistake. 

The inside is set up like a local grocery store.  The name Roma suggests an Italian bakery, but I would call it more European as they offer food and baked goods from all parts of the continent even though most of their wares are Italian.  The deli case is in the back of the store.  Next to the deli case is a long pastry case filled with home made goodies.  Since lunch was the priority, we hit that up first. Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Bakery, Cafe, Deli, Downtown, Grocery, Lansing, Local Flavor, Michigan, Restaurant, Reviews, Sandwiches, Specialty Shop

Press Release – International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers

8 09 2008

Haven’t had a smoking ban post in a while, but I got this press release today from the International Premium Cigar and Pipe Retaliers…..out of Georigia. 

LANSING, Michigan September 8, 2008 – According to Chris McCalla,
legislative director of the International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers
Association, his organization has learned that the Michigan state
legislature will likely reopen debate on a proposed statewide smoking ban
based on erroneous information provided by well-funded anti-smoking forces.

Michigan’s State Representatives and Senators have been deadlocked on a
proposal for several months with each preferring their own version of such a
ban. McCalla believes the two chambers are working to approve a statewide
smoking ban by the end of this current session. Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Food News, Lansing, Michigan, Politics

Delhi Cafe

8 09 2008
  • 4625 Willoughby Rd.
  • Holt, MI 48842
  • (517) 694-8655
  • No Known Website
  • Menu
The Delhi Cafe on Willoughby Road in Holt.

The Delhi Cafe on Willoughby Road in Holt.

Finally!  Back in Michigan.  I got home late last night and slept in to almost lunch time.  My girlfriend needed to run to the dry cleaner to drop off my suit and she waited for me to get up so we could grab something for lunch.  She suggested hitting a drive thru, but I was tired of fast food.  I suggested we check out that cafe we saw on Willoughby Road while driving home from East Lansing one night.

The Delhi Cafe is part of a strip mall about half a mile of Cedar Street in Holt.  There’s not much else there, but the Cafe takes up a good chunk of the space.  The sign out front claims the cafe has some Greek influence.  We didn’t notice that on the way in, but after looking at the menu, it makes sense.  It’s not a Greek menu, but there is definitely some Greek inspiration. Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Holt, Local Flavor, Michigan, Restaurant, Reviews

McDonald’s – Benton Harbor

8 09 2008
  • 2020 Pipestone Rd.
  • Benton Harbor, MI 49022
  • (269) 926-7600
  • Website
  • Menu
McDonalds in Benton Harbor

McDonald's in Benton Harbor

I have now eaten at McDonald’s more this week than in the previous year combined.  I left Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, IL (review HERE) after the IRL without eating lunch.  After searching for our car for a half hour then getting caught in traffic trying to get back to I-80, I was starving, but really wanted to get back on the road.  I had been gone since Thursday afternoon and hadn’t seen J since then.  It was already 7:30 back in Lansing, so I passed on going to dinner with my family and hit the road.  I decided to drive for a while hoping my options would get better if I could get to a bigger city.  I don’t like stopping in Indiana because there is so much construction on I-94 it’s hard to get on and off, so I just kept moving. 

I got to Benton Harbor around 9:00 EST.  I knew there was a mall just off the Interstate, so I figured there would be some food options around there.  I got off the Interstate and everything was dark.  The only places still lit up were McDonald’s and Steak ‘N Shake.  Neither was an ideal choice, but McDonald’s is more filling, so I drove to the golden arches to grab something to go. Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Benton Harbor, Chains, Fast Food, Michigan, Reviews

McDonald’s – Paw Paw

4 09 2008
  • 829 S. Kalamazoo St.
  • Paw Paw, MI 49079
  • (269) 657-2835
  • Website
  • Menu
McDonalds in Paw Paw located just off I-94

McDonald's in Paw Paw located just off I-94

When I left Lansing this afternoon, I had no intention of eating fast food.  I knew when I left for Champaign, IL at about 1:30, I would have to stop somewhere for lunch before I got to my parents house.  Just to their house, it’s about a four hour drive and Champaign is another hour after that.  I got just passed Kalamazoo and got really, really hungry.  I pulled off in Paw Paw.  Being a county seat, I assumed there would have to be sandwich places near the courthouse.  There were a lot of restaurants, bars, and pubs, but not a whole lot of quick sandwich shops.  The one I did find in the main business district was already closed for the day as it was almost 3:00.

After striking out downtown, I drove back out towards the Interstate where chains dominate the landscape.  There used to be a place called the Chicken Coop (review HERE) close to I-94, but since the last time I was in town (May), it has been torn down and a Walgreens is being built.  So, my choices were all chains.  I contemplated Taco Bell, but realized that would be hard to eat in the car.  I ended up choosing McDonald’s mostly because it was next to a stop light and it’d be easy to cross traffic to get back to the Interstate.  Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Burgers, Chains, Michigan, Paw Paw, Restaurant, Reviews

Big Ten Weekend Update

3 09 2008

I’m heading back to Illinois AGAIN this weekend, but this time, it’s for work.  I’ll be in Champaign for the University of Illinois football game against Eastern Illinois.  The Big Ten Tour will start up again as I will find at least one if not two or three places for a meal in Champaign-Urbana and I’ll let you know what the new Memorial Stadium looks like since MSU won’t be making the trip to Champaign or even playing U of I this year.

On Sunday, I scored free tickets to the Indy Car race at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, IL.  I’ve been to Chicagoland once before the year it opened, but I’ll probaby post about my experience for the open-wheel racers. 

The whole weekend should lead to a handful of reviews of places I stop along the way.  Posting will be light for a while…just wanted to let you know why.


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Categories : Food News

Press Release – Michigan Summer Vacation Stories

2 09 2008

From a press release sent by House Speaker Pro Tempe Michael Sak.

“MADE in MICHIGAN MAKE it MICHIGAN” contest deadline is September 8

LANSING – House Speaker Pro Tempore Michael G. Sak (D-Grand Rapids) is urging residents who vacationed in Michigan this summer to submit their contest entries in order to be eligible to win a free “Destination Pure Michigan Adventure” vacation this fall. Announced in late June, Sak’s “MADE in MICHIGAN MAKE it MICHIGAN” (MiMMiM) campaign encouraged residents to travel the Great Lakes State during the summer months to experience all that Michigan has to offer.

“I have heard from countless residents in all corners of the Great Lakes state who spent their summer vacation experiencing the grandness of Michigan,” Sak said. “But I’m sure there are many more wonderful stories I haven’t heard. With Labor Day behind us, which marks the unofficial end of summer, I want to remind our residents to send me a summary of their wonderful summer experiences before our contest deadline passes. All you need to do is send me your story.” Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Food News, Michigan, Politics

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