More than 50 people attended the first of five public hearings on Sept. 21 to discuss the possibility of establishing a 4-year college in Macomb County. Lt. Gov. John Cherry, who was present, showed support for the proposal citing that the state is facing an educational gap that must be filled. "There's really no other county in Michigan that is taking higher education and its linkage to the economy so seriously," Cherry added. Wayne State University student Margaret Armstrong of St. Clair Shores cited gas costs and long commutes as a reason to establish a 4-year university in Macomb County.