By Laura Weber, MPRN

LANSING, MI – State lawmakers return to Lansing this week after a two week summer break. House Democrats are expected to unveil new legislation Monday.

The legislation would make easier for people to sue insurance companies for denying claims. It would also allow the state to fine insurance companies up to a million dollars for denying claims.

By AP

DETROIT – The Coleman A. Young Municipal Center has been evacuated because of a Detroit Water and Sewage Department water main break.

The Detroit News says the building is closed Monday but is scheduled to reopen at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday.

The building was closed for about 12 hours last September after a suspicious package was found in the executive suite of outgoing Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick.

Last summer, a lightning strike closed the building for nearly two weeks.

By AP

DETROIT – Clete Thomas drove in five runs and Brandon Inge homered twice as the Detroit Tigers routed the Cleveland Indians 10-1 on Sunday.

All-Star Justin Verlander (10-4) pitched seven shutout innings, allowing five hits and three walks. He struck out eight, giving him 149 for the season - the most by a Tiger pitcher at the All-Star break since Mickey Lolich had 156 in 1972.

By AP

SAGINAW, MI – SAGINAW, Mich. (AP) - More children across the economically strapped Saginaw Bay region need free lunches this summer, but experts and volunteers say fewer outlets have the means to provide them.

Coordinator Shawn Flood of the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan's Children's Feeding Program tells The Saginaw News that larger numbers of children are showing up for free meals and snacks at about 50 sites the program serves in region.

By WKAR

BURLINGTON, IA – The Lansing Lugnuts beat the Burlington Bees yesterday afternoon, 6-5, at Community Field. The Lugnuts have one more game at Burlington tonight at 7:30, then take Tuesday off before starting a series at home against the Cedar Rapids Kernels.

By Laura Weber, Michigan Public Radio Network

LANSING, MI – President Obama is expected to talk about his healthcare reform plan Tuesday in Macomb County. He'll use Michigan as an example of why drastic reform is necessary.

AUDIO:
Michigan's hospitals and physicians face increasing pressure to treat uninsured patients. That's because as the number of people unemployed goes up, so does the number of uninsured.

By Scott Pohl, WKAR News

EAST LANSING, MI – U. S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack will be in Charlotte for a public forum Monday.

Secretary Vilsack's rural community forum in Charlotte is part of the Obama administration's ongoing rural tour.

He's expected to talk about the USDA's efforts to rebuild rural America.

Projects associated with the stimulus legislation known as the American Renewal and Reinvestment Act will be highlighted.

By AP

LANSING, MI – Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm is taking her campaign for green technology to the governor's residence.

A wind turbine has been erected and solar panels will soon go up. There's also a new sprinkler system that saves water by taking weather and what's planted into account and a small area of the garage roof covered with sedum as a green roof demonstration.

By Rob South, WKAR News

EAST LANSING, MI – A local group that wants to make Lansing's streets more accessible to bikers and walkers is getting closer to its goal. It hopes to change the city's street and traffic plans to include bike paths, and more pedestrian friendly roads and intersections.

Jessica Yorko is with Walk and Bike Lansing. She says the first step of the plan would be to create a detailed map of where changes are needed.

By AP

DETROIT, MI – A leaner General Motors has emerged. The automaker is making a quick exit from bankruptcy, hoping to make money and build cars that people are more eager to buy.

The new GM is cleansed of massive debt and burdensome contracts that would have sunk it without federal loans. The U.S. government owns a majority stake, although the Obama administration says it has no plans to run the automaker.

The new GM also emerges amid the worst sales slump in a
quarter-century.