News

By AP

AUBURN HILLS, MI – Deanna Nolan scored 34 points to lead Detroit to a 94-87 victory over the New York Liberty on Thursday night, helping the defending champion Shock clinch a playoff spot.

The Shock (17-16) continued their late-season surge, winning for the eight time in their last 10 games to move one-half game behind second place Atlanta in the Eastern Conference. Detroit, which began the season 9-14, secured a post-season berth when Chicago beat Indiana.

By AP

LANSING, MI – A new report says 1.3 million people in Michigan lacked health insurance last year.

The U.S. Census Bureau said Thursday 11.7% of state residents weren't covered through private companies or the government in 2008. That's up from 10.4% in 2007.

Things may be even worse now, because the figures don't include people who lost coverage as unemployment rose this year.

The Michigan League for Human Service says the report has good news and bad news for the state.

By Kevin Lavery, WKAR News

EAST LANSING, MI – Michigan State University has officially opened its new surplus store and recycling center.

The 74,000 square foot facility can process three times more waste material than the university's center of Harrison Road. The new center features rainwater collection tanks, solar panels and motion sensors.

MSU trustee Melanie Foster says in addition to its main function, the center will become an important educational tool.

By AP

LANSING, MI – House Speaker Andy Dillon doesn't expect a repeat of the round-the-clock sessions House members endured in September 2007 as they struggled to avoid a state shutdown.

Dillon said Thursday on a taping of public television's "Off the Record" program that House members will have to meet more often, but should be able to get budget bills passed by the Sept. 30 deadline.

He doesn't expect a repeat of the short government shutdown that took place in 2007, and sees no need for a continuation budget.

By Mark Bashore, WKAR News

LANSING, MI – About 40 human service agencies spent Thursday dispensing free goods and services to the homeless at an annual event in Lansing. This year's gathering featured something new---identification cards for the homeless.

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Lines were long for the new ID cards that will verify eligibility when receiving public services. Mary Clark of Lansing is a longtime human services administrator who volunteered at the gathering:

By Rick Pluta, Michigan Public Radio Network

WIXOM, MI – A shut-down Ford plant in metro Detroit has found a new life as a sprawling manufacturing space for alternative energy companies. State officials say it's part of the new beginning for Michigan manufacturing.

By Scott Pohl, WKAR News

LANSING, MI – A new organization calling itself Business Leaders for Michigan has announced a plan to fix Michigan's economy.

The group is made up of the Chief Operating Officers of big employers across the state. Organizers say the southeast Michigan group Detroit Renaissance is integrating with business leaders from other parts of the state.

Among the many proposals in their plan is a call for a reduction of the state work force by 5-10%, and cutting their pay to the average of state workers in other states.

By AP

DETROIT, MI – General Motors Co. says it will allow new car buyers to return their vehicles within 2 months of purchasing them for a full refund if they're not satisfied.

The program is part of a sweeping, new marketing campaign, called "May the Best Car Win."

The automaker says it will help prove that its vehicles are competitive when it comes to quality and performance.

GM will allow customers who purchase a new vehicle between Sept. 14 and Nov. 30 to return it for a refund within 31 to 60 days from the date of purchase.

By WKAR

East Lansing, MI – WKAR sports talk AM 870 host Earle Robinson gives his fearless predictions as well as previewing the Michigan State Central Michigan matchup

By Mark Bashore, WKAR News

LANSING, MI – City and county human service workers start a computerized system Thursday to improve services to the area's homeless population.

About 40 community organizations will offer assistance at "Project Homeless Connect" and for the first time some recipients will use an identification card with a bar code.

By AP

DETROIT – Detroit's mayor says city bus service will continue Saturdays and Sundays, but some routes will be cut and 113 drivers will be laid off.

Dave Bing told City Council on Wednesday the changes will take effect effective Sept. 26 as the city faces a $300 million budget deficit. Route changes will be announced Thursday. He says cutting weekend service was never seriously considered.

Bing also told the council tentative agreements are in place with some municipal unions, but only one has ratified a contract.

By AP

ROCHESTER, MI – Facing a possible back-to-work order by a judge later in the day, striking professors will go back to the their classrooms at a suburban Detroit university, as a tentative three-year agreement was reached early Thursday morning.

A statement posted on Oakland University's Web site says terms of the deal won't be available until its ratified by the American Association of University Professors, but fall semester classes are expected to begin Thursday morning.

By AP

MINNEAPOLIS – Anna Montanana's putback with 28.6 seconds capped her career night and gave the playoff-hopeful Minnesota Lynx a 75-72 victory over the Detroit Shock on Wednesday night.

Reeling from the Shock's 13-0, fourth-quarter run, the Lynx bounced back and scored nine straight points to seal the victory.

Montanana, Renee Montgomery and Rashanda McCants all scored 12 points for the Lynx - Montanana's mark a career high.

By AP

KANSAS CITY, MO – Robinson Tejeda tossed six shutout innings to outpitch Justin Verlander, Billy Butler hit three doubles and the Kansas City Royals beat the Detroit Tigers 5-1 on
Wednesday night for their first three-game winning streak since July.

Butler picked up his club-record fourth three-double game of the season and fifth consecutive multihit game. The first baseman's emergence has been one of the few bright spots in Kansas City's otherwise dismal season.

By Rick Pluta, Michigan Public Radio Network

LANSING, MI – The state House Republican leader says the odds of a state government shutdown increase dramatically each week there's not a budget deal in Lansing. The deadline for wrapping up the budget is September 30.

Minority Leader Kevin Elsenheimer says the budget plan just made public by Governor Granholm this week represents progress. But he says Republicans still think it relies too heavily on tax hikes and stimulus funds that add to the federal deficit.

By AP

ROCHESTER, MI – A judge has ordered around-the-clock negotiations between Oakland University and a union as part of an effort to resolve a nearly weeklong strike by the school's
professors.

Oakland County Circuit Judge Edward Sosnick on Wednesday said that if an agreement can't be reached by 10 a.m. Thursday he'll hold a hearing on the school's request for a back-to-work order for professors.

The strike has delayed the start of classes for 18,000 students.

By Peter Payette, Michigan Public Radio Network

LANSING, MI – A report by a state agency says there will be no new demand for electricity in Michigan until 2022.

The Michigan Public Service Commission says proposed new coal plants by Consumers Energy and Wolverine Power are unnecessary and unjustified.

But their report also says Consumer's plant near Bay City might be needed if the utility first closes one of its old coal-fired plants.

By Rick Pluta, Michigan Public Radio Network

LANSING, MI – State House Speaker Andy Dillon tried to turn down the heat today on his feud with Governor Granholm, and said Democrats are still on the same side in the budget debate in Lansing. Granholm and Dillon engaged in a round of name-calling Tuesday over progress on the state budget.

By Rick Pluta, Michigan Public Radio Network

LANSING, MI – Governor Granholm floated a plan Tuesday that would use spending cuts and new taxes on vending machine sales, bottled water, and live entertainment to balance the budget. The plan was quickly torpedoed by the Democratic leader of the state House.

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By Melissa Ingells, WKAR News

EAST LANSING, MI – The Lansing Symphony Orchestra begins its new season of concerts Saturday night at Wharton Center. Conductor Timothy Muffitt came to the WKAR studios recently to talk about the music on the program. The concert starts with a French take on the music of Spain--"Espana" by Emmanuel Chabrier.

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