News

By Nick Lien, Michigan Public Radio Network

MT. PLEASANT, MI – The Michigan Education Association is speaking out against a proposal that would lessen the requirements needed to become a teacher.

The lower requirements call for a "fast track" certification process that would take 15 months to complete. That compares to the four or five years it takes teachers now.

The proposal was introduced as a way to increase the number of teachers in schools across the state.

But Ed Sarpolus of the MEA says Michigan already has too many teachers.

HARRISON TOWNSHIP, MI – HARRISON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) - Federal authorities say they'll build a northern border data collection center in Michigan to fight cross-border crime.

Authorities said Tuesday the $30,000,000 Operational Integration Center at Selfridge Air National Guard Base is the first on the U.S.-Canada border and opens next May. The Department of Homeland Security has several centers on the U.S.-Mexico border.

It will analyze and act on aircraft video, border camera images and other data from federal, state and local agencies.

By Mark Bashore, WKAR News

EAST LANSING, MI – Michigan House Speaker Andy Dillon has triggered an intense debate with his idea to pool the benefits of all the state's current and former public employees. He says the plan could reduce the state budget up to $900 million. The Michigan Education Association and other critics say savings are exaggerated and the proposal lacks important detail. WKAR's Mark Bashore interviewed MEA spokesman Doug Pratt.

By Scott Pohl, WKAR News

LANSING (MI) – LANSING, MI (WKAR) - Voters in Lansing go to the polls today to vote in a city-wide primary election. WKAR's Scott Pohl reports.

AUDIO: Mayor Virg Bernero is being challenged by three candidates, including city council member Carol Wood, Lansing Board of Education member and former Lansing city councilman Charles Ford, and musician Ben Hassenger. The top two vote-getters move on to the November general election.

By AP

DETROIT – Clete Thomas homered with two outs in the ninth to give the Detroit Tigers a 6-5 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Monday night.

Baltimore led 5-0 with one out in the top of the first, but never scored again. The game was tied at 5 going into the ninth, and Danys Baez (4-5) retired the first two batters, but Thomas hit a 1-2 pitch into the shrubs above the fence in center.

Fernando Rodney (2-2) picked up the win with a scoreless inning of relief.

By WKAR

FORT WAYNE, IN – The Fort Wayne TinCaps defeated the Lansing Lugnuts last night at Parkview Field, 8-7.

The Lugnuts grabbed a 7-0 lead three innings into the game, thanks to a four-run first and thre-run third inning, only to watch their lead vanish three innings latter as the TinCaps tallied once in the fourth, five times in the fifth, and once more in the sixth inning.

The two teams play the second game of their four-game series tonight.

By Jerome Vaughn, Michigan Public Radio Network

DETROIT, MI – General Motors announced more than 6,000 hourly workers have taken early retirement or buyout offers.

AUDIO:
The Detroit automaker says the workforce reductions are needed to position the company for long-term viability and success.

GM officials say about two-thirds of the employees responding to the special attrition plan took early retirement. The others took buyouts.

By Rob South, WKAR News

EAST LANSING, MI – Lansing City Attorney Brigham Smith says he would welcome an investigation into his office's release of private medical information.

In June the HIV status of a man arrested at Fenner Nature Center was included in a Freedom of Information Act request. The request was sent to several media outlets, including WKAR. The State Public Health Code and HIPAA prohibit the public release of a person's HIV status.

By Laura Weber, Michigan Public Radio Network

LANSING, MI – Governor Granholm will have to fight an uphill battle if she pushes for a two cent beer tax hike to generate revenue. She reportedly proposed the hike in closed-door budget negotiations with legislative leaders in Lansing.

AUDIO:
A two cent increase per bottle could generate more than $40 million in tax revenue a year. Advocates of the hike say it's long overdue, with Michigan not touching the beer tax since the mid-1960s.

By AP

STANDISH, MI – A number of residents in the Michigan town of Standish say they'd welcome detainees from Guantanamo Bay with open arms to save their biggest employer - a state prison.

The Standish Maximum Correctional Facility is among several in the state scheduled for closure because of budget cuts.

Prison workers and some local officials say keeping the jobs it provides would trump any fears about having suspected terrorists around.

By Mark Bashore, WKAR News

EAST LANSING, MI – Michigan continues to look hard at a controversial plan to put all its public employees in the same pool of health benefits. The idea's author---State House Speaker Andy Dillon----says he's learning of more potential savings. Dillon spoke with WKAR's Mark Bashore.

By Laura Weber, Michigan Public Radio Network

LANSING, MI – The state Legislature has been quiet for the past month as leading state lawmakers meet behind closed doors to set targets in budget negotiations.

Legislative leaders met in private through much of July to discuss how to fill a $1.8 billion hole in the budget for the coming fiscal year. They say they're getting closer to reaching consensus.

By AP

DETROIT, MI – Vice President Joe Biden will discuss the economy and steps taken by the White House to turn things around on a visit to Detroit.

Biden will speak Wednesday afternoon at NextEnergy.

His office says in a release that Biden's speech will focus on building a new economic foundation to support lasting prosperity and recapturing America's spirit of innovation.

Tickets are limited and available on a first-come basis from noon to 1 p.m. Tuesday at NextEnergy.

By AP

DETROIT – Detroit's mayoral and city council candidates are making their final campaign pushes as Tuesday's primary election nears.

Incumbent Mayor Dave Bing faces a field of six competitors. The 65-year-old Bing is finishing out the term of former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, who resigned in September as part of plea deals in two criminal cases.

Bing faces five other candidates on Tuesday, but only Tom Barrow has real name recognition with voters. Barrow lost to then-Mayor Coleman A. Young in 1985 and 1989.

By AP

ROCHESTER, NY – A flight carrying about 50 people from Detroit to Rochester, N.Y., has landed safely after a sensor indicated that a fire extinguisher in the plane's cargo bay went
off.

Authorities say Northwest Airlines Flight 2903 was about 30 miles outside of Rochester on approach Sunday night when an indicator alerted the crew of a possible problem in the cargo hold.

The flight was being operated by Memphis, Tenn.-based Pinnacle Airlines Inc.

By WKAR

LANSING, MI – The Lansing Lugnuts beat the Kane County Cougars 5-0 on Sunday afternoon at Oldsmobile Park. The Lugnuts finished their six-game homestand with at 3-and-3 record. At 7:05 p.m. tonight, Lansing takes to the road to begin a four-game series in Fort Wayne.

By AP

AUBURN HILLS, MI – Lindsay Whalen scored 22 points, Asjha Jones had 20 and the Connecticut Sun snapped a three-game losing streak with a 83-65 win over the Detroit Shock on Sunday.

Sandrine Gruda added 11 points for Connecticut (10-9), which moved into tie with Washington for second place in the Eastern Conference - five games behind Indiana.

Deanna Nolan scored 20 points and Cheryl Ford had nine points and 10 rebounds for sixth-place Detroit (6-10).

By AP

GRAND BLANC TOWNSHIP, MI – Tiger Woods has another trophy for his overflowing collection.

Woods shot a 69 Sunday and coasted to a three-shot victory with a 20-under 268 at the Buick Open for the 69th PGA Tour title of his career.

He improved to 36-1 when he has the outright lead after 54 holes. Woods has four wins this season - doubling the total of his nearest competitors - in just 11 starts since returning from knee surgery.

By AP

CLEVELAND – Carl Pavano tossed eight sharp innings and the Cleveland Indians routed the Detroit Tigers 11-1 on Sunday to win their weekend series against the AL Central leaders.

Asdrubal Cabrera and Grady Sizemore each hit a two-run homer off Armando Galarraga (5-10) as Cleveland totaled 13 hits and won for the seventh time in 10 games.

By Rick Pluta, Michigan Public Radio Network

EAST LANSING, MI – The Michigan Supreme Court says an uncle and his wife can't get permanent custody of his brother's children without proving the mother is not fit to raise them.

AUDIO:
The Oakland County couple sued for permanent custody of the four children after raising them for several years while the biological parents struggled with cocaine addiction and scrapes with the law.