By Scott Pohl, WKAR News

EAST LANSING, MI – Michigan State University Friday dedicated a major expansion of the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory. The celebration also looked ahead to the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams, or F-RIB, a newly-awarded research facility which will be constructed at MSU.

By Melissa Ingells, WKAR News

EAST LANSING, MI – We may not have hit 90 degree temperatures yet, but our book reviewer Lev Raphael has some steamy summer reading for us this month. It's Flora Fraser's "Pauline Bonaparte: Venus of Empire."

By AP

BASEL, Switzerland – BASEL, Switzerland (AP) - Swiss pharmaceuticals company Novartis AG says it's produced a first batch of experimental swine flu vaccine.

The vaccine hasn't been tested and cannot be used in humans yet. It was made in cells, rather than grown in eggs as is usually the case with vaccines.

But because vaccines grown in cells account for less than 5 percent of the world's flu vaccine capacity, Novartis' announcement is unlikely to provide a major boost to the world's pandemic vaccine supply.

By AP

NEW YORK – The New York Philharmonic has elected a new chairman.

Gary W. Parr was elected chairman of the board of directors of the Philharmonic-Symphony Society of New York Inc. on Thursday. He assumes his new position on Sept. 24.

Parr succeeds Paul B. Guenther, who has held the post since September 1996. As chairman, Parr will serve as the society's chief volunteer officer.

By AP

STOCKHOLM – General Motors' Saab unit says a deal to find a new owner was "just around the corner" but added nothing has been finalized and didn't name any potential buyers.

In a statement on its Web site today, the Swedish unit said it was moving closer to a deal to secure the future of the ailing brand.

A person briefed on the talks would not identify the final bidders for Saab but said yesterday news could come "shortly" -- perhaps as early as today.

By AP

LANSING, MI – Michigan's carrot producers are deciding whether to keep paying to promote their product.

The Ag Marketing Resource Center says Michigan grew 17 percent of the nation's processing carrots and 3 percent of its fresh carrots last year.

A vote runs Monday through June 26 on whether to renew the Carrot Industry Development Program for another five years.

By AP

AUBURN HILLS, MI – The man who led the rescue of Chrysler in the 1980s welcomes Fiat chief Sergio Marchionne after the Italian automaker's takeover of the U.S. company.

Ex-Chrysler Corp. chief executive Lee Iacocca signed an open letter to Fiat Group SpA's chief dated Friday, saying he wants "to be among the first to welcome you to a truly unique auto company."

Iacocca wrote as honorary chairman of the National Chrysler Retirement Organization. Group President Chuck Austin also signed.

By AP

MONROE, MI – DTE Energy Co.'s Monroe Power Plant has begun using new equipment that's part of a $1.7 billion overhaul to curb air pollutants.

The Detroit News and Detroit Free Press report Friday the utility installed the first of two flue gas desulfurization units - or scrubbers - at the plant in Monroe, about 35 miles south of Detroit.

By Melissa Ingells, WKAR News

LANSING – The Great Lakes Loons beat the Lansing Lugnuts last night 3-2 at Oldsmobile Park. The Lugnuts dropped to 0 and 5 in extra-inning games in 2009, all home games. The Loons and Lugnuts play the third game in their four-game series tonight at 7:05 p.m.

By AP

CHICAGO – Scott Podsednik hit an RBI single off Joel Zumaya with the bases loaded in the ninth inning, giving the Chicago White Sox a 4-3 rainy win over the visiting Detroit Tigers.

The start of the game was delayed nearly three hours by showers. The Tigers almost made it an even longer day when Curtis Granderson hit a tying, two-run homer off closer Bobby Jenks with two outs in the top of the ninth.