By AP

WASHINGTON – New crash tests on those fuel-efficient mini cars suggest that crash repairs can be an expensive proposition.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reports that repairing damage to microcars in low-speed crashes of 3 to 6 miles per hour could cost anywhere from $474 to $3,701.

The Institute conducted low-speed crash tests on the front and back bumpers and the front and rear corners of seven 2009 vehicles. The Kia Rio racked up the most damage in the four tests, averaging $2,705.

By AP

WASHINGTON – WASHINGTON (AP) - The Senate is set to pass a tobacco control bill today.

The House has already passed a similar bill, and resolution of relatively minor differences would send it to President Barack Obama, who supports it.

The measure would give the federal government broad new powers to monitor and change a toxic substance that contributes to some 400,000 deaths every year.

By AP

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama takes his push for health care reform on the road today, hosting a town-hall meeting in Green Bay, Wis.

The president wants to overhaul the current system to extend coverage to the 50 million people who don't now have health insurance. Lawmakers have been wrestling over whether to add a government-sponsored insurance plan to the mix.

In order to personalize what's at stake, the president will be hearing directly from people about their problems with the system as it is.

By AP

WASHINGTON – The director of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum says their security training helped save lives when guards quickly shot an elderly gunman who opened fire with a rifle.

Sara Bloomfield also paid tribute to a guard who was killed in the Wednesday attack. She told NBC's "Today" show Thursday that 39-year-old officer Stephen Tyrone Johns was both a terrific professional and a warm, jovial person.

By Melissa Ingells, WKAR News

LANSING, MI – The Lansing Lugnuts had a come-from-behind victory over the Great Lakes Loons last night at Oldsmobile Park. The series continues tonight at 7:05.

By AP

AUBURN HILLS, MI – Alana Beard scored 15 points, Crystal Langhorne added 14 and the Washington Mystics improved to 3-0 for the first time in franchise history with a 75-69 victory over the
Detroit Shock.

Rookie Marissa Coleman added 13 points to help Washington end a six-game losing streak against the defending WNBA champion Shock (1-2).

Taj McWilliams and Katie Smith had 14 points each for Detroit.

Detroit led by 10 points early in the second quarter, but the Mystics finished the half with a 23-4 run to take a 38-27 lead.

By AP

CHICAGO – CHICAGO (AP) - Justin Verlander pitched a six-hitter for his first victory ever at U.S. Cellular Field as the Detroit Tigers defeated the Chicago White Sox 2-1.

Jim Thome hit his 552nd career home run and John Danks pitched 7 1-3 strong innings, but the White Sox still fell 6 1/2 games behind AL Central-leading Detroit. Adam Everett homered for the Tigers, who have won five of their last six games.

By AP

PITTSBURGH – No matter what happens in Detroit when the puck drops for Game 7 tomorrow night, the Penguins have gotten further than last year.

In 2008, the season ended one game earlier against the Red Wings, who took Game 6 in Pittsburgh and paraded around the Mellon Arena ice with the Stanley Cup.

Not that the Penguins would feel any better to see the Red Wings celebrate again at home. But Pittsburgh at least knows it has a shot to win the Cup with one win in a place that hasn't produced many happy moments for them.

By Rick Pluta, Michigan Public Radio Network

Lansing, MI – Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land has endorsed elections reforms that are bottled up in a state Senate Committee controlled by her fellow Republicans.

Land was testifying before the state House Elections and Ethics Committee.

By Laura Weber, Michigan Public Radio Network

East Lansing, MI – A state House committee voted to keep the 100 Michigan state troopers who were scheduled to lose their jobs because of budget cuts.