News

By Laura Weber, Michigan Public Radio Network

LANSING, MI (MPRN) – LANSING, MI (MPRN) - State Superintendent Michael Flanagan testified Thursday for the state House Education Committee. The committee is discussing major education reform bills.

The superintendent supports the reform bills, which would target 35 of Michigan's failing schools. The schools would be given a year to show improvement in test scores or risk either being shut down or competing with a charter school.

By Scott Pohl, WKAR News

LANSING, MI (WKAR) – LANSING, MI (WKAR) - The administration at Lansing Community College is proposing the layoffs of 30 people, to help meet a multi-million dollar budget shortfall.

A projected deficit of more than $9,000,000 has been trimmed to $3,300,000.

No faculty cuts are planned. Instead, administrators and supervisors are being targeted.

By AP

NEW YORK (AP) – NEW YORK (AP) - General Motors Corp. strikes a tentative deal to sell its Saturn brand to former race car driver and auto dealer Roger Penske.

Penske, who owns the Penske Automotive Group dealership chain, told reporters on Friday that he plans to offer all 350 Saturn dealerships new franchise agreements. He says Saturn's 13,000 employees will stay on with the company for at least the immediate future.

He declined to name the price for the deal.

By AP

PARIS (AP) – PARIS (AP) - France's transportation minister says so far there have been no signs of debris from Air France Flight 447.

Yesterday, the Brazilian air force said it had plucked a cargo pallet from the Atlantic Ocean. But it later said the pallet was not from the Airbus A330 that went down Sunday with 228 people on board.

By AP

TORONTO (AP) – TORONTO (AP) - Canada has refused a request from the Obama administration to take men cleared for release from the U.S. military prison in Guantanamo Bay.

Kory Teneycke, a spokesman for Prime Minister Stephen Harper, said Friday recent inquiries concerning 17 Chinese Muslims called Uighurs at Guantanamo were rejected.

Teneycke says Canada won't take any detainees. He says they have no connection to Canada and there are security concerns.

By AP

WASHINGTON (AP) – WASHINGTON (AP) - The unemployment rate jumped to 9.4 percent in May, the highest in more than 25 years. But the furious pace of layoffs eased, with employers cutting 345,000 jobs, the fewest since September.

If laid off workers who have given up looking for new jobs or have settled for part time work are included, the unemployment rate would have been 16.4 percent, the highest on records dating to 1994.

The Labor Department also says a total of 14.5 million people were unemployed in May.

(DETROIT, MI) – A person briefed on the deal says General Motors will sell its Saturn brand to former race car driver and dealership chain owner Roger Penske.

Penske has said his company, Penske Automotive Group Inc. of Bloomfield Hills, Mich., is interested in the Saturn brand.

The person briefed did not want to be identified because it has yet to be made public.

By AP

DRESDEN, Germany (AP) – DRESDEN, Germany (AP) - President Barack Obama says the international community has an obligation to stop genocide, even when it's inconvenient.

Obama on Friday was asked how the Holocaust mantra of "never again" might apply to current crises in the Darfur region of Sudan or in Sri Lanka, where the government is accused of shelling hospitals during a quarter-century civil war. Officials deny the allegations.

By AP

DETROIT (AP) – DETROIT (AP) - Jason Bay's bases-loaded double keyed a six-run third inning and the Boston Red Sox completed a three-game sweep of the Detroit Tigers with a 6-3 victory.

Dontrelle Willis took a step back in his comeback from control problems, allowing five runs in 2 1-3 innings despite not giving up a hit. He walked five batters and hit another with a pitch.

By Melissa Ingells, WKAR News

(Fort Wayne, In.) – The Lansing Lugnuts beat the Fort Wayne TinCaps, 4-2, last night at Parkview Field.The Lugnuts and TinCaps play the finale in their four-game series tonight at 7:05 p.m.

By AP

PITTSBURGH (AP) – PITTSBURGH (AP) - The Stanley Stanley Cup finals are all tied at two games apiece.

Sidney Crosby scored his first goal in four games to put Pittsburgh ahead midway through the second period, helping the Penguins beat the Detroit Red Wings 4-2 to even the series.

Marc-Andre Fleury made 37 saves for Pittsburgh.

Darren Helm and Brad Stuart gave Detroit a 2-1 lead early in the second period. But Jordan Stall, Crosby and Tyler Kennedy scored in a 5 1/2-minute span of the second for a 4-2 lead.

By Rob South, WKAR News

East Lansing, MI – East Lansing, MI (WKAR News) - Local musician Ben Hassenger officially launched his campaign for Mayor of Lansing Thursday.

Hassenger officially kicked off his mayoral bid in the backroom of an Old-Town record store. A group of his friends held up hand-made signs in support. They were surrounded by dusty bins full of vinyl LP's decades older than their candidate.

By Rob South, WKAR News

Lansing, MI – Ben Hassenger officially kicked off his mayoral bid in the backroom of an Old-Town record store.

A group of his friends held up hand-made signs in support. They were surrounded by dusty bins full of vinyl LP's decades older than their candidate. Hassenger wants the city to reach out to young people like him and focus more energy on creating a vibrant arts community.

By AP

New York – New York (AP) - Chrysler dealers expecting to lose their franchises took the stand today in the automaker's bankruptcy protection case. Just under 20 dealers were sworn in, but only about 14 testified, and no Chrysler officials took the stand.

Many dealers question why they were chosen for termination when their sales and service records are good. Arguments on a motion to terminate franchises are scheduled for Tuesday.

Lansing's Story Chrysler is one of about 300 dealers across the country resisting termination.

By AP

Dearborn, MI – Dearborn, MI (AP) - Leaders from Michigan's large Arab- and Muslim-American community say they are encouraged by President Barack Obama's words to the Muslim world but are reserving ultimate judgment until they see action.

Members of the Dearborn-based Congress of Arab American Organizations said Thursday during a news conference that Obama's speech in Cairo signals a new era in relations between the United States and Muslims. It also shows an openness to resolve issues such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

By Rick Pluta, Michigan Public Radio Network

Lansing, MI – Lansing, MI (MPRN) - Michigan's Republican secretary of state is complaining about the Democratic governor. Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land says Governor Granholm is ordering her to close branch offices more days than are necessary.

By Kevin Lavery, WKAR News

(East Lansing, MI) – When Michigan instituted one of the nation's most generous tax credit programs 14 months ago, filmmakers flocked to the state to shoot their next production. Aside from attracting large studios, the incentive is also meant to train homegrown production assistants to work in the industry.

By AP

SEOUL, South Korea – SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - There's been no word on whether a trial for two American journalists held in North Korea has actually begun.

Laura Ling and Euna Lee face accusations of illegal entry and "hostile acts" in a case that could send them to a labor camp for 10 years.

Ling and Lee are reporters for former Vice President Al Gore's California-based Current TV media venture. They were arrested March 17 near the North Korean border while on a reporting trip to China.

By AP

PARIS (AP) – PARIS (AP) - Air France has told families of passengers aboard Flight 447 to abandon any hope of survivors.

A counselor present at a meeting with Air France's CEO Pierre-Henri Gourgeon says he told the families that the plane broke apart either in the air or when it slammed into the ocean's surface.

The counselor, who was asked by Paris prosecutors to help counsel family members, said Thursday "what is clear is that there was no landing. There's no chance the escape slides came out."

By AP

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Some government researchers say the Environmental Protection Agency should take a closer look at sports fields and playgrounds made from ground-up tires.

The EPA for years has endorsed recycled-rubber surfaces as a means of decreasing playground injuries. But documents show its own scientists have pointed to research suggesting potential hazards from repeated exposure to bits of shredded tire that can contain carcinogens and other chemicals. Other reviews show little or no health concern.