Tagged: WKAR

By Mark Bashore, WKAR

LANSING, MI –

Commissioners of Lansing's Board of Water and Light plan to vote this evening on a nine-percent rate hike for the utility's water and steam customers. Approval would mean about a $116 average monthly increase for non-residential steam heat customers. The average monthly residential water bill would rise a few dollars a month.

BWL officials say more revenue is needed to update aging water and steam infrastructure.

If approved, rate increases would take effect March first.

By Laura Weber, Michigan Public Radio Network

LANSING, MI –

About one-fourth of kids in Michigan live in poverty. That's according to the Kids Count report from the Michigan League for Human Services. The report says the percent of kids living in poverty and "extreme poverty" has risen dramatically in the past decade, as has the rate of kids who qualify for free or reduced-price school lunches.

By Mark Bashore, WKAR News

Lansing, MI –

A group of area business figures and politicians is urging the United States Postal Service to rethink a plan that would end mail processing operations at Lansing's Collins Road postal facility. The group says it's perplexed by what it considers poor communication by the postal service.

By Rick Pluta, Michigan Public Radio Network

LANSING, MI –

A coalition opposed to a proposed overhaul of Michigan's no-fault insurance law is headed to court. The group wants to know how much money no-fault claims cost ratepayers and the insurance industry. We have more from Michigan Public Radio's Rick Pluta.

By AP

FARMINGTON HILLS, MI –

Family members say a 21-year-old man living in Michigan has been missing nearly three weeks after traveling to Syria.

Firas Nashef of Farmington Hills said Monday that his nephew Obada Mzaik boarded a flight for Damascus Jan. 3 at Detroit Metropolitan Airport but wasn't seen exiting immigration clearance in Syria.

By AP

DETROIT –

Organizers of the North American International Auto Show say this year's attendance was the highest since 2005.

The annual event at Detroit's Cobo Center closed on Sunday. Organizers say attendance during the public portion of the show was 770,932. That's also up from last year, when 735,370 went to the show.

The 2013 show dates have been set. That includes media previews Jan. 14-15, industry previews Jan. 16-17, the charity preview Jan. 17 and the public show Jan. 19-27. The previews routinely draw thousands.

By Kevin Lavery, WKAR News

Lansing, MI – The city of Lansing may be in for a legal fight as it plans to build a new $245 million casino.

Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero and the Sault Ste. Marie band of Chippewa Indians are trumpeting their agreement to build a 125,000 square foot casino. But the Saginaw Chippewas challenge that claim. They say the Sault's decision to build far outside their historic tribal lands is illegal.

By AP

HAZEL PARK, MI –

Two women are suing the state of Michigan to try to overturn a state ban on adoption by unmarried couples.

April DeBoer and Jayne Rowse each have adopted children on their own. But they'd like to adopt the children as a couple, which is an option only for heterosexual married couples.

The women are nurses who live together with three children in Hazel Park, a Detroit suburb.

By Laura Weber, Michigan Public Radio Network

Lansing, MI – Some health advocates say Governor Rick Snyder was not bold enough in his State of the State speech on fighting childhood obesity. Governor Snyder mentioned a program in his speech last week that would teach parents about proper nutrition for young children to help combat childhood obesity.

Katherine Knoll with the Midwest chapter of the American Heart Association says kids need direct instruction on how to control their weight, and that should take place in school.

By Kevin Lavery, WKAR News

Lansing, MI – The city of Lansing is announcing plans to build a 125,000 square foot casino in its downtown entertainment district. Officials are working with a branch of the Chippewa Indian Tribe to bring the venue to Lansing.

The Kewadin Lansing Casino, as the project is currently named, would be operated by the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians. It's expected to bring 1,500 permanent jobs and some 700 construction jobs.

By Kevin Lavery, WKAR News

Lansing, MI – Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero is announcing a major economic development initiative today. The city and the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians are planning to build a 125,000 square foot casino adjacent to the Lansing Center on the city's downtown riverfront. It's a $245 million project is expected to create 1,500 permanent jobs.

By AP

DETROIT –

Gov. Rick Snyder has offered a business-focused version of his State of the State address to a commerce-friendly crowd.

The Republican told business leaders Friday at a Detroit Regional Chamber-hosted event that the state made great progress last year. He says more must be done to fix transportation and more should be invested in fixing roads and bridges.

His remarks come two days after his State of the State speech.

By AP

DETROIT –

A feature-length documentary titled "Detropia" is being shown at this year's Sundance Film Festival.

The Detroit Free Press reports (http://on.freep.com/xAVmYi ) that the film portraying the Motor City as a canary in the coal mine of America's economic future makes its premiere on Saturday at the event in Park City, Utah.

"Detropia" is made by filmmakers Heidi Ewing, who grew up in Farmington Hills, and Rachel Grady. They are known for the documentary "Jesus Camp," which focused on an evangelical Christian summer camp.

By Laura Weber, Michigan Public Radio Network

LANSING, MI –

Voters may soon be asked to decide whether the state should no longer prohibit recreational marijuana use. Michigan Public Radio's Laura Weber has more.

The state Board of Canvassers has approved the language of a petition that calls for the end of marijuana prohibition for anyone aged 21 years or older.

By Scott Pohl, WKAR News

LANSING, MI –

The Lansing Board of Water and Light will hold a public hearing tonight on rate hike proposals that would affect the utility's water and steam customers.

The Lansing Board of Water and Light public hearing begins at 5:30 p.m. in the utility's Haco Drive headquarters board room.

If approved, rates would go up 9%. Electricity rates would not be affected.

WKAR's Scott Pohl reports.

By AP

DETROIT –

General Motors sold just over 9 million cars and trucks worldwide last year to reclaim the title of the world's top-selling automaker.

The company says it sold 9.03 million vehicles last year, up 7.6% from 2010.

That beat Toyota, which took the crown away from GM in 2008. Toyota sold 7.9 million vehicles last year. The March earthquake in Japan cut Toyota's factory production and hurt its sales.

Germany's Volkswagen took second place with a record 8.156 million sales in 2011. That was up 14% over 2010.

By AP

PLYMOUTH, MI –

A committee in a suburban Detroit school district is expected to recommend whether Toni Morrison's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel "Beloved" should be removed from use in some of its high school classes.

The Detroit News reports (http://bit.ly/xhKrqc) that an update from the committee in Plymouth-Canton Community Schools is expected by Friday. The review began after two parents objected to the book's content.

By Laura Weber, Michigan Public Radio Network

LANSING, MI –

Tea Party activists and health care advocates packed a public hearing Thursday at the state Capitol. State lawmakers will decide over whether Michigan should create a website that would allow people to comparison shop for health insurance.

As Michigan Public Radio's Laura Weber reports, most people who showed up used he event to voice their opinion on the federal Affordable Care Act.

By AP

LANSING, MI –

Gov. Rick Snyder says he intends to propose higher education spending in his upcoming budget proposal.

Snyder told The Associated Press in a Thursday interview that the 2012-13 budget proposal he'll present Feb. 9 will include more money for a number of areas.

He says that education "is one of those" areas. School districts were cut 2 percent cut this year.

By Rick Pluta, Michigan Public Radio Network

LANSING, MI – Governor Rick Snyder used his 2012 State of the State speech to strike an optimistic tone about Michigan's future, and to refocus attention on what he says is unfinished business from last year.

In his second State of the State address, Governor Snyder got to start off with some good news - Michigan's unemployment rate fell in the final month of 2011 to the lowest it's been in over three years.