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Our roundup of the latest news from metro Detroit and Michigan businesses as well as announcements from government agencies. To share a business or nonprofit story, please send us a message.

Kresge, Erb, Hudson-Webber Foundations Commit $12M+ to 78 Arts Groups

Detroit Arts Support (DAS), a collaboration between The Kresge Foundation, Fred A. and Barbara M. Erb Family Foundation, and Hudson-Webber Foundation., is granting metro Detroit 78 arts and cultural organizations in metro Detroit more than $12 million over the next three years.

DAS aims to strengthen the arts and cultural sector through consistent support for a diverse set of organizations, which will use the finds for their general operations.

Grant recipients range from small to large organizations spread throughout the region, including Detroit Opera, Huron Valley Council for the Arts, and Sphinx Organization.

The three participating foundations shared a single application and review process before making independent decisions. This partnership streamlined the application process for nonprofit arts organizations while offering shared learning opportunities and improving systems for data collection and analysis necessary for the participating foundations to make funding decisions.

“Metro Detroit’s array of arts and cultural organizations is one of our greatest strengths, one of the keys to our resilience,” says Wendy Lewis Jackson, managing director of Kresge’s Detroit Program. “We seek to support them for their unique roles in anchoring us to tradition and opening windows on our future possibilities.”

The funding process also included focus groups that informed participating arts advocates, community leaders, and artists about the breadth of creativity in the region’s cultural sector. The focus groups provided DAS applicants with feedback about perceptions of their organizations from current and prospective supporters, and they helped DAS funding partners discover arts groups beyond those they have existing relationships with. Taking place over four days, these focus groups represented an important learning component of DAS and emphasized the initiative’s core values of transparency and mutual benefit.

Detroit Arts Support grants provide unrestricted operating support to nonprofits in the performing, visual, and literary arts, as well as to arts service, education, media and broadcasting, and cultural organizations.

For more information, visit here.

Lawrence Tech to host MIOSHA Training Institute Construction Boot Camp

The Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA), in collaboration with Lawrence Technological University’s Construction Safety Research Center in Southfield, is offering a two-week training program teaching MIOSHA’s construction safety standards, job site hazard recognition, and hazard abatement.

The MIOSHA Training Institute Construction Boot Camp will be conducted March 6-16 at Lawrence Tech.

The program is recommended for employers who want to understand employer responsibilities, know how to recognize workplace hazards, and how to protect workers from occupational hazards on construction sites. It’s also recommended for contractors, safety and health coordinators, project managers, job superintendents, and others interested in construction safety and health information.

This boot camp will allow participants to complete training in two weeks rather than in individual MTI classes for months.

Upon completion of this boot camp, class participants will receive:

• A 30-hour OSHA Construction Course card.
• A MIOSHA Level 1 Construction Safety and Health certificate.
• Two electives toward a MIOSHA Level 2 Construction Safety and Health certificate.

This course is open to anyone interested in improving workplace safety and health, not just MTI graduates.

Classes will take place from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, March 6-9 and March 13-16, in Room 406 of LTU’s A. Alfred Taubman Student Services Center.

The course cost of $382.50 includes all course materials but does not include lunches on class days. This cost is half the price that MIOSHA and LTU plan to charge for future sessions. To register, visit here.

Seven Local Black Small Business Receive $5K CBBB Awards

The Washington, D.C.-based Coalition to Back Black Business (CBBB) has awarded $5,000 grants to 324 Black small business owners in 40 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Seven of the businesses are in Detroit.

Detroiters receiving CBBB awards are:

• Janice Mitchell of local retail shop Boutique by Janice.
• Yonika Porritt-Ledbetter of Sun Earth Gold.
• James Chatman of Family Table Detroit.
• Monique Bounds of Unique Monique Scented Candles.
• Tonyal Reid of Muscle Truck Light Hauling and Moving.
• Raymond Brock of Brock’s Plumbing Sewer.
• Gwen Thomas of Fresh Perspectives Seminars, a public relations and marketing firm.

When asked how the $5,000 grant help their businesses, the new round of recipients shared that they used the funds to pay rent and invest in new marketing (56 percet), expanded or replaced inventory (45 percent), paid rent/utilities (40 percent), paid their employees (37 percent), repaid debts or loans (16 percent), and bought personal protective equipment (PPE) (9 percent).

The CBBB is a multi-year initiative founded in 2020 by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation with a $10 million commitment from American Express to support Black small business owners and the communities they serve as they recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and chart a path forward. The initiative is led in partnership with four national Black business organizations: the National Black Chamber of Commerce; the National Business League; the U.S. Black Chambers, Inc.; and Walker’s Legacy.

For more information of the CBBB, visit here.

Jefferson East to Host Small Business Resource Fair Feb. 20

Jefferson East Inc.’s Business Services Team (JEI) is hosting a Small Business Resource Fair at its Neighborhood Resource Hub (14300 E. Jefferson Ave.) from 12-4 p.m. on Feb. 20.

The event is the first in a series that aims to support local entrepreneurs and small business owners with the funding and tools they need to grow and fuel the city’s entrepreneurial revolution.

Every month, JEI will host a Small Business Resource Fair or open hours for Detroit’s District 4 and District 5. District 4 events will take place on the fourth Monday of the month and District 5 events will be conducted every second Monday of the month.

Business Resource Fair dates for District 4 include Feb. 20 and March 20 and dates for District 5 include April 10 and May 8.

Partnering with JEI on the fairs is the Detroit Economic Growth Corp., Detroit Means Business, Motor City Match, and the University of Michigan Center on Law, Finance, and Policy.

While at the events, small businesses will receive technical support, help with filing grants, assistance in the area of business law and accounting, and tips to launch and grow businesses.

Corrections Officers Now Eligible to Attend Michigan’s Community Colleges Tuition-free

Corrections officers needing college credits now are eligible to attend one of the state’s 31 community colleges tuition-free under a new grant program, according to the Michigan Community College Association.

Current state law requires state corrections officers to complete 15 college credits as a requirement for employment. To help officers complete this requirement, MCCA established the Michigan Corrections Officer Grant Program to support tuition and fees at any of its colleges. Funding for the program was included in the Fiscal Year 2023 State Budget.

“Corrections officers are critical to the safety of our communities and Michigan community colleges are pleased to make it easier for them to obtain the credit they need,” says Brandy Johnson, president of MCCA. “Our colleges are located in every corner of the state, making them more accessible for learners that are working and attending classes at the same time.  This grant program removes barriers to success for our state’s corrections officers.”

To be eligible for the Michigan Corrections Officer Grant Program and free tuition, corrections officers must meet the following criteria:

• Be employed by MDOC.
• Earned fewer than 15 college credits.
• Received approval from MDOC for the program.
• Enroll at a community college in Michigan.

“This grant program is going to make a huge difference for corrections officers needing to complete their education requirements,” says Heidi Washington, director of MDOC. “The ability for our officers to complete their credits at any of the 31 community colleges tuition free is a great opportunity.”

To learn more about the program and how to apply, visit here.

Shelving.com to Host Bocce Ball Event to Benefit Capuchin Ministries March 24

Shelving.com, a family-owned provider of corporate and consumer shelving and storage solutions in Madison Heights, will sponsor the 11th annual Bocce with the Brothers fundraiser on from 6 p.m.-midnight March 24, at Villa Penna in Sterling Heights.

Doors and bocce courts open at 5:30 p.m. One hundred percent of the funds generated from the event will directly support the Capuchin Ministries and its valuable programs.

Bocce with the Brothers fundraiser is celebrating its 11th year with an evening that includes musical performances, buffet dinner, and live and silent auctions. There also will be a late-night afterglow party, featuring a live band performance and appetizers.

Louis Vanaria, Irish actor and singer, and Aaron Caruso, operatic and crossover singer, will be the guest hosts for the evening. Brothers of the Capuchin Ministries will be in attendance to play unlimited bocce ball and chat with guests.

“Our team at Shelving.com greatly values the partnership we have developed with Capuchin Ministries over the past 11 years, and it’s truly an honor to give back to this nonprofit that is so near and dear to our hearts,” says Michael Schodowski, president of Shelving.com. “We deeply believe in the importance of a strong and connected community at Shelving.com, and the Bocce with the Brothers fundraiser gives everyone the opportunity to celebrate together while supporting a phenomenal local cause and learning more about the Capuchin brothers’ mission, programs and the individuals they assist.”

DJ Frank Krause from Uptown Sound will provide music during the event, and live entertainment will be performed by the Capuchin Soup Kitchen Choir, Noelle Borgia from Piano by Noelle, accordionist Joe Recchia, and youth singers Isaac Murray and Dominic Arkensberg.

Speed painter Dave Santia will be in attendance to sell his original works of art during the live auction. This year, one of the live auction gifts is a one-week trip for two to Lauderdale-by-the-Sea Florida, including a $600 airfare credit and a stay at a one-bedroom, one-bathroom condominium. A wide variety of desserts also will be provided by On the Rise Bakery Café, one of the Capuchin Soup Kitchen programs.

Tickets to the event are $75 per person and include dinner, beer, and wine. Tickets only are available for purchase in advance and include reserved seating. Sponsorship and program advertising opportunities for Bocce with the Brothers also are available. Sponsorships are $575 and up, and program advertisements are $75-$250.

For more information and to donate, visit here.

Hundreds of High School Students Expected to Explore STEM Careers at WCC Event

Washtenaw Community College (WCC) in Ann Arbor will showcase the world of STEM and STEAM careers and educational opportunities the week of Feb. 28-March 2.

The 2023 STEAM Week + Campus Explore events will draw hundreds of area high school students and community members interested in exploring science, technology, engineering, arts, and math careers. WCC also is partnering with the state of Michigan’s MiSTEM Network to honor high school STEM teachers.

The events, which will be conducted both virtually and on campus, will feature WCC’s university and industry partners along with college experts and faculty members, who will share inspiring stories and lead interactive workshops and career presentations.

All STEAM Week activities are free and open to the public.

Among the speakers will be WCC alumna Aisha Bowe, a former NASA rocket scientist, future commercial astronaut, and founder and CEO of STEMBoard, one of America’s fastest growing tech companies, according to Inc. 5000. Bowe raised nearly $2 million in venture capital last year to fund LINGO, self-paced kits that help more than 5,000 students in 10 countries learn coding at home.

Bowe, who transferred from WCC to the University of Michigan where she earned a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering and a master’s degree in Space Systems Engineering, is preparing to become the first Black woman to fly commercially into space with Blue Origin and the sixth Black woman to cross the internationally recognized boundary of space.

WCC’s STEAM Week highlights:

Day 1 – Keynotes by Dr. Victor Vega, Interim VP of Instruction; Dr. Tracy Schwab, Interim Dean Math, Sciences & Engineering Technology; and Aisha Bowe, CEO STEMBoard.

Virtual sessions will include “Cool Careers: The Liberal Arts in STEAM,” Professional Faculty Hava Levitt-Phillips; “Detroit College of Creative Studies;” “Plane Waves Instruments: Demonstration/Telescopes and Astrophotography,” Plane Waves Team and Chris Miller; “Astrophotography,” Brian Ottum; “Imposter Syndrome Workshop,” Dr. Susan Montgomery.

Day 2 – Keynotes by Devon Keen, Director, Inclusion, Equity and Outreach and Graduate Student Research at the University of Michigan; Matt Nelson, Director of Communications at the University of Michigan; and Eric Aiken, Program Manager for Student Support and Development at the University of Michigan.

Other sessions will include a nursing simulation and tour, as well as in-person tracks on advanced manufacturing, welding, HVAC, auto service, body, transportation and motorcycle programs. An in-person session on campus will include a “Venom Research” presentation by WCC Professional Faculty member David Wooten.

Day 3 – Keynotes by Marly Earlywine (FAME USA), Shamar Herron (MichiganWorks! SE) and Mohan Thomas (MiSTEM).

Virtual sessions will include “Careers in Computer and Information Science,” Sandra Lopez of the University of Michigan School of Information; “STEM Career Exploration and Outlook,” WCC Professional Librarian Sandy McCarthy; and “Careers in Engineering,” Sarah Snay from the University of Michigan Engineering.

To register or view a detailed schedule of the week’s events, visit here.

WCC’s STEAM Week events will be capped off with an Educator of the Year banquet hosted on campus in conjunction with the State of Michigan’s MiSTEM Network. Area high school STEM teachers will be honored at this event.

© Provided by Android Headlines
Samsung Galaxy S23 Astro Hyperlapse video

Samsung is in the process of rolling out the One UI 5.1 update to its eligible Galaxy devices. The update brings new features introduced with the Galaxy S23 series to older models. Unfortunately, not every new feature makes it to older Galaxy devices due to hardware limitations and other factors. Most notably, Samsung is limiting Astro Hyperlapse to its latest flagships.

Samsung keeps Astro Hyperlapse exclusive to the Galaxy S23 series

The Galaxy S23 series arrived earlier this month with several new camera features and improvements. Samsung made 8K videos smoother by adding 30fps (frames per second) support, up from 24fps on the Galaxy S22. The new phones also capture 4K portrait videos and support QHD resolution when shooting in Super Steady mode. Astro Hyperlapse is another new camera feature that the Korean firm debuted with the Galaxy S23 series. As you might have guessed, it lets you capture hyperlapse videos of the night sky. The phones can record stunning visuals of star trails and other objects in the sky.

There were hopes that Samsung would bring this feature to older Galaxy models with the One UI 5.1 update, but not to be. The new One UI version has already reached several Galaxy devices, including the Galaxy S22, Galaxy S21, Galaxy Z Fold 4, Galaxy Z Flip 4, and more. But none of these devices received Astro Hyperlapse with the update (via). It’s worth noting Samsung’s Expert RAW app already lets Galaxy S22 users capture Astro Photos. However, they still aren’t getting Astro Hyperlapse videos. The company is keeping the new feature exclusive to the Galaxy S23 trio.

Apart from Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S23, no other Galaxy device supports any kind of astrophotography. So it isn’t surprising that they are missing out on Astro Hyperlapse too. But many expected the Galaxy S22 series to get the new feature, only for Samsung to disappoint them all. Maybe hardware limitations prevented the company from bringing it to the 2022 flagship lineup.

Galaxy S23’s Image Clipper may trickle down to other Galaxy models

Image Clipper is another interesting feature that Samsung introduced with the Galaxy S23 series. It lets you crop out objects from photos in the Gallery app by simply tapping and holding on to them. You can save the cropped object as a new image or instantly copy and share it. This feature is missing from the One UI 5.1 update for older Galaxy models, but rumors are that most of those will get Image Clipper down the line. A future update for the Gallery app will likely bring it. You can click the button below to download the latest version of Samsung Gallery from the Galaxy Store.

DOWNLOAD SAMSUNG GALLERY

The post One UI 5.1 doesn’t bring Galaxy S23’s Astro Hyperlapse to older models appeared first on Android Headlines.

On paper and to the eye, the Galaxy S23 Ultra doesn’t appear to be too much different than last year’s Galaxy S22 Ultra. It has the same display, same overall appearance thanks to the floating design for the rear cameras, and in general a very similar spec sheet to last year.

However, to say Samsung didn’t do anything new this year would simply be untrue. We have the new HP2 camera sensor on the backside, Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, plus a subtle hardware change that has completely changed my opinion on big phones. While we can say that the Galaxy S23 Ultra is really just a refined Galaxy S22 Ultra, I wouldn’t try to angle that as a bad thing. I’ve been using the phone for over a week now and I’m ready to share my thoughts on my time with it.

This is our Galaxy S23 Ultra review!

What I Like

Display – This is last year’s Galaxy S22 Ultra display, a 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X (1440 x 3088) panel with a refresh rate of up to 120Hz and 1750 nits of peak brightness. It’s literally the same specifications as last year, but the one thing different is the glass protecting it. Samsung is using Corning’s all new Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the S23 Ultra, which should increase the phone’s protection against display scrapes and cracks. I’m not saying you should test it, but yeah, it’s there. And just because it’s the same panel, who cares? This display is amazing, with incredible levels of brightness, superior colors, while also being able to produce a very easy-on-the-eyes level of low light performance.

Since I didn’t review the S22 Ultra last year, this is the first time experiencing this display for me, and honestly, I think it’s the best display I’ve ever used. As always, Samsung spares no expense when it comes to tweaking settings for it either. We can toggle the variable refresh rate, set an adaptive brightness, adjust white balance and choose between screen mode presets, and adjust resolution. Comparing it to my Pixel 7 Pro’s display, I wouldn’t say it’s a night and day difference to my human eyes, but it certainly performs better in direct light conditions thanks to the higher peak brightness.

Hardware – Yes, this phone looks like last year’s Galaxy S22 Ultra. If that’s an issue for you, sorry. For those who don’t mind, it’s a handsome device. Personally, I like the floating cameras on the backside, but maybe that’s just me. Most importantly, though, Samsung made a hardware adjustment that I’ve really fallen in love with. For many of the past Galaxy Note and Ultra devices, there was a severe curve for the phones’ sides, making for little area to actually hold the device. On the S23 Ultra, Samsung has lessened the curve while widening out the sides, making for a noticeably larger area to hold the phone. I don’t want to be that guy, but it’s a legit game changer for a phone of this size. It makes one-handed use much more comfortable, as it feels more secure while in hand. This, alongside the new and improved HP2 camera sensor, is my favorite thing about the phone. Besides that, yeah, this is pretty much a Galaxy S22 Ultra in the hardware department.

Battery – It shouldn’t be a shock, but this phone’s battery life, thanks to 5,000mAh of juice, is great. To test it, I have been going hard on my Marvel Snap game, climbing the ranks to push this phone to its limits thanks to the game’s performance toggles. I can force 60Hz gameplay, increase graphical settings, as well as enable the game’s gyroscope feature. No doubt, a lesser phone with a smaller battery may struggle with extended gameplay at these levels, but the Galaxy S23 Ultra holds up well.

I’m sure this is all thanks to much work Qualcomm and Samsung have into their respective products, but also the cooling system that Samsung uses on the internals of this device. I’ve used this phone a ton and I haven’t felt it get warm at all. Even with my gaming and lots of picture taking, as well as videos I’ve taken, this phone’s battery is holding up super strong. I’m easily pulling in 4+ hours of screen on time every day, while going to bed with 20%+ of battery remaining each night. I repeat, the battery is very good. When the need to charge arrises, 45W wired charging is available, as well as 15W wireless charging and 4.5W reverse wireless charging for your accessories.

Performance – As I just got done saying in the section above, I’ve been putting this device through the paces with gaming, video recording, and all that jazz. It hasn’t skipped a beat yet. Areas where you might typically notice hiccups are the quick switching of apps and the processing of high resolution photos. From my experience, the phone has no problems jumping through apps and delivering quick processes on photos, with exception to the 200MP setting. That’s no surprise, as we’re typically talking about 50MB to 100MB shots. I think it’s safe to assume any phone would take a second or two to process that much information. Point being, with a base of 8GB RAM and the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset being partnered with the Adreno 740 GPU, this phone hauls in the performance department.

Camera – There are a lot of cameras on the backside of the Galaxy S23 Ultra. In total, there are four — the new 200MP HP2 wide angle, 10MP periscope telephoto, 10mp telephoto, and a 12MP ultra wide angle. The crown jewel is obviously the HP2 sensor, with its massive 200MP sensor. The goal here is a camera that can not only capture incredible detail in optimal lighting conditions, but also bring an improved levels of low light photography. After testing it myself, I can confirm, the camera system on the S23 Ultra is the best and most versatile system currently available from Samsung. I’d also argue it’s the best in the entire smartphone market, but I haven’t tested every phone ever, so it’s hard to make that claim. It’s really, really good though.

The importance of being able to capture any shot, in any condition, is paramount to me. Not only that, but let’s say there’s considerable distance between you and the subject. This phone and its up to 100X zoom takes care of that, so long as you have either hands with surgeon steadiness levels or a tripod. With that said, anything up to 10x zoom is still captured without much additional image processing, so that watercoloring effect we sometimes see from zoom levels of 30x and 100x is not present.

For those interested, astrophotography is easily achievable on this device, thanks to the downloading of Samsung’s Expert RAW camera app. What’s more, the fact that taking breathtaking shots of stars and other celestial bodies is accessible by a single press of a button, with the user not needing to know absolutely anything about the process itself, is incredible. I praised Google for bringing astrophotography to the masses with Night Sight and Samsung builds upon this principle considerably well. With a single press of a button inside the camera app’s improved Hyperlapse mode, you can enable star trail shots that professionals usually have a lengthy setup and post processing software for. On the phone, I press the shutter button, walk away for an hour, and then return to amazing pictures and videos.

It took Samsung a couple of years to catch up, but I would now argue that they have surpassed Google in the astrophotography category. Last year, Google introduced its new Macro setting for Pixel phones, but yeah, the Galaxy S23 Ultra has that as well and it’s also very good. I’m racking my brain, but I don’t think there’s anything this phone’s camera array can’t capture well.

S Pen – For those who live that stylus life, yup, the Galaxy S23 Ultra has an S Pen hidden within it. There are no new features that I’m aware of, but that’s fine. The S Pen already does so much, like remote camera shutter functionality and other Air Actions, so I’m not exactly sure what more it could need. I think S Pen has reached its final stage of evolution, which for those who have to have it, I’m sure is great. Personally, I’m not a stylus user and I don’t intend on becoming one. The universe granted me with 5 stylus’ per hand, so I don’t need any extra. The remote shutter is certainly useful in some occasions, but the S Pen won’t ever be a dealbreaker feature for me. S Pen Pro is supported on the device, just in case you have one, too.

What Could Be Better

Software Redundancy, Bloat – Samsung is notorious for software settings redundancy. The company reminds me of Boeing or any other airplane manufacturer. Any setting on this phone can either be accessed from multiple locations or settings for the same area of the phone are sometimes split into separate menus. This has been an issue with Samsung phones for what feels like forever, the feeling of being absolutely lost within the settings menu. It’s not fun, and thank goodness for the search function. Without it, you’d never find anything. When One UI was first introduced, it felt polished and slim. As we venture now into One UI 5.1, built atop Android 13, it feels like we have regressed into what can sometimes feel like a bloated mess.

Speaking of bloat, a recent report drew our attention to the actual OS size on these new Samsung devices. In the storage settings for this device, it says that the OS takes up 87GB of space, though, there has been a bit of back and forth on how accurate these numbers are. Whatever the true number may be, the fact that most Android makers have removed expandable storage remains to be an issue for many potential buyers.

Where the software pleases me is the continued steps towards improved user customization, but technically that’s a Google and Android 13 thing. On this device, under the Wallpaper and Style menu, users can enable the color palette, which is stupidly disabled out of the box. If I was Samsung, it’s something I’d want to highlight. When enabled, users can choose which colors of their set wallpaper they’d like to highlight throughout the entire OS. It really is one of the best things introduced into Android in some time (first available in Android 12), with Android 13 building even further upon it.

Samsung has also adopted it nicely by having all of its apps support the masked icons feature, but unlike Pixel devices, the masked icons carry over to the app drawer, too. Does it look great when we consider what feels like 95% of developers aren’t adopting the masked icons feature yet? No, no it doesn’t. But one day, hopefully soon (wink, wink), it won’t matter that developers are either lazy or have stopped supporting their apps.

Video

Unboxing

First 10 Things to Do

The Verdict

I can make this very simple. If you have a Galaxy S22 Ultra, you can skip the Galaxy S23 Ultra. If you have any other device, I recommend this phone. Even to my fellow Pixel fans, this is a really good phone that offers a ton of stuff. If you can’t live with One UI, I totally understand. However, if you’re on an aging Samsung device or finally getting ready to rid yourself of an old LG phone maybe, this is the super mega phone you want if you consider yourself a power user. For specs, there’s nothing better currently out in the Android world here in the US, so for now, Galaxy S23 Ultra is the undisputed King of Android. Haters gon’ hate, but this phone is fantastic in all of the main categories: Camera, Display, Hardware, Battery Life, and Software Updates.

If we’re looking at device purchases purely from a stance of how long something will be supported, Samsung is currently winning the race. As of now, new Samsung devices get 4 years of Android OS upgrades, plus 5 years of security patches. Even Google doesn’t match that. There’s no arguing that Samsung devices are good Android investments.