By AP

NEW YORK – A bankruptcy judge says GM can have access to its full $33.3 billion in bankruptcy financing.

Judge Robert Gerber gave final approval to the financing on Thursday. He had given preliminary approval to GM using $15 billion of the total at a hearing earlier this month.

The billions in financing, which is largely being supplied by the U.S. government, is intended to keep Detroit-based GM going until it can sell its assets to a new company and emerge from Chapter 11.

By AP

AUBURN HILLS, MI – Detroit Shock forward Plenette Pierson is expected to be out for the rest of the season after undergoing shoulder surgery.

The team said the 6-foot-2 forward underwent successful surgery to repair right shoulder instability.

Pierson went down with a shoulder injury in the first quarter of the WNBA opener against the Los Angeles Sparks on June 6.

The 27-year-old Texas Tech graduate won the WNBA's Sixth Woman of the Year award in 2007. She has averaged 8.7 points and 1.2 assists in 196 career games since 2003.

By AP

DETROIT – Joe Dumars expects to be busy over the next couple weeks, armed with four picks in the NBA draft and about $20 million in salary-cap space to reshape the Detroit Pistons.

The Pistons president of basketball operations said he plans to take a frontcourt player in the first round. Detroit has the No. 15 pick.

Detroit worked out more than 50 prospects to prepare for tonight's draft and might choose Louisville's Earl Clark, James Johnson of Wake Forest, Ohio State's B.J. Mullens or Austin Daye of Gonzaga.

By AP

DETROIT – Gerald Laird and Miguel Cabrera homered to help the Detroit Tigers win their sixth straight game, beating the Chicago Cubs 5-3 last night.

Zach Miner (5-1), the third of seven Detroit pitchers, picked up the win. Fernando Rodney finished for his 15th save in as many tries. The Cubs put the first two batters on, but Rodney retired the next three to end the game.

Rookie Rick Porcello allowed two runs and seven hits. He walked four in five-plus innings.

By Rick Pluta, Michigan Public Radio Network

LANSING, MI – Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land is expected to formally join the race for Michigan governor Wednesday.

Land has had a campaign committee since mid-February, although she's called it an exploratory committee. The Land campaign says she will announce her intentions at stops in Grand Rapids and Troy.

By AP

LANSING, MI – The Michigan Chamber of Commerce and building trades groups are among those calling on the state to follow through with plans to move the state police into a new
headquarters.

The $40 million, privately owned building is nearly complete and Michigan State Police is scheduled to occupy it in January. But the state Senate has passed a budget bill that does not include the more than $3 million needed to pay the rent next fiscal year.

The state House is expected to vote on the bill soon.

By AP

DETROIT – The FBI says at least three significant players in a broader federal investigation have been arrested in the Detroit area.

FBI spokeswoman Sandra Berchtold says the arrests were made early Wednesday. She says details about the case would be released at a 12:30 p.m. news conference in Washington with Attorney General Eric Holder and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.

By Laura Weber, Michigan Public Radio Network

LANSING, MI – The state House continued voting on sweeping budget cuts Wednesday in Lansing. The lawmakers approved a $2.3 million cut for Michigan's courts.

AUDIO:

The state House Appropriations Committee took testimony from Michigan Supreme Court Chief Justice Marilyn Kelly. She says the courts have left jobs unfilled to reduce spending.

By Rick Pluta, Michigan Public Radio Network

LANSING, MI – The state Supreme Court has ended a five-year legal fight between an environmental group and state regulators.

AUDIO:

By Rick Pluta, Michigan Public Radio Network

LANSING, MI – State Senate Democrats made a failed attempt Wednesday to force a vote on extending jobless benefits to laid-off part-time workers and unemployed people in training programs.

Governor Granholm has called for the bills, which would initially be paid for with federal stimulus funds.

State Senate Democratic Leader Mike Prusi said the Senate should act before beginning a two-week break.