Rick Pluta

It was a weekend for political battling in Michigan at the Republican and Democratic state conventions. There were spirited fights over who would lead the parties for the next two years. Now, Democrats and Republicans in Michigan have to heal their internal wounds before they face each other next year.

The state Senate has approved legislation that would outlaw consensual sexual relationships between school personnel and students who are between the ages of 18 and 20.

A financial review team has found Detroit faces a cash crisis of epic proportions – and city officials do not have a workable plan to deal with it.

There’s a hearing this week in Lansing on legislation that would stop the state from setting aside hundreds of acres strictly for the purpose of nurturing native plants and animals.

A state elections panel Friday gave its O-K to a couple of petition drives that want to put questions on the 2014 general election ballot.

There’s a difference of opinion between state Attorney General Bill Schuette and the American Civil Liberties Union on how prosecutors should handle a U-S Supreme Court decision.

The Michigan Supreme Court says police officers do not have to stop talking to a suspect once the right to remain silent is invoked.

Republican lawmakers at the state Capitol have some harsh words for the Michigan Department of Civil Rights.

Governor Rick Snyder says he’ll be ready to move ahead with a state takeover of Detroit city hall – depending on the results of a financial review that should wrap within several days.

The Michigan Department of Civil Rights has asked the federal government to order schools to stop using American Indian nicknames and mascots or risk losing education funds.

Governor Rick Snyder’s budget proposal includes some big spending increases for road repairs and early childhood learning.

Immigrant rights groups are cheering Michigan Secretary of State Ruth Johnson’s decision to allow people brought to the U-S as children to get a driver’s license.

Thousands of children of illegal immigrants in Michigan are now eligible for a driver’s license or official state I-D.

The Michigan Court of Appeals has ruled medical marijuana users may share small amounts of pot without running afoul of state law.

A gun charge filed against former state House Speaker Craig DeRoche has been dismissed.

We can remove state Senate Democratic leader Gretchen Whitmer from the list of potential challengers to Republican Governor Rick Snyder next year.

No immediate changes are planned to a state policy that denies driver’s licenses to people who were brought to the U-S as young children by illegal immigrants.

Governor Rick Snyder has asked the state Supreme Court to bypass lower courts and rule soon on whether Michigan’s new right-to-work law is legal.

Low-income drivers who’ve lost their licenses because they owe hundreds or thousands of dollars in fees could soon be allowed to work off their debt.

A Republican state lawmaker says he’ll soon make another attempt soon to relax restrictions on concealed guns in schools. That’s after Governor Rick Snyder vetoed a measure last year that would have allowed teachers, parents and visitors to carry concealed weapons in schools.