News

By AP / WKAR

LANSING, MI – Physicians Health Plan---a Lansing-based health maintenance organization---has been sold to a unit of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. Terms of the deal were not revealed.

Blue Care Network announced the purchase of the Sparrow-owned HMO on Tuesday. Scott Wilkerson is President and CEO of Physician's Health Plan.

By Gretchen Millich

Lansing, MI – US Chamber of Commerce President Thomas Donohue says Michigan workers and businesses can recover from the recession by expanding trade with other countries. Donahue spoke Tuesday at the annual meeting of the state Chamber of Commerce.

By Gretchen Millich

Lansing, MI – Student Democrats at Michigan State University are expecting more than 200 people at a protest against TV and radio talk show host Glenn Beck. Beck is scheduled to speak Tuesday evening at the annual meeting of the Michigan Chamber of Commerce in East Lansing.

By AP

TRAVERSE CITY, MI – A federal report says the government is moving so slowly to clean up the most polluted sites in the Great Lakes that it will take 77 more years to finish the job at the current pace.

The inspector general's office with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released the report this week.

By Laura Weber, Michigan Public Radio Network

LANSING, MI – Michigan's legislative leaders say they are close to an agreement on $1.2 billion in budget cuts. That is the amount of spending rollbacks the state Senate proposed earlier this summer.

But House Speaker Andy Dillon says the Democrats still want more spending than Republicans for K-12 schools, higher education and the Michigan Promise college scholarship.

By Mark Bashore, WKAR News

EAST LANSING, MI – EAST LANSING, MI (WKAR) - The MSU Museum is beginning a new chapter. This week, the 152 year-old East Lansing institution welcomes its new director, Dr. Gary Morgan. WKAR's Mark Bashore spoke with Morgan about his new mid-Michigan posting.

By Melissa Ingells, WKAR News

By Melissa Ingells, WKAR News

UNDATED – UNDATED (WKAR) - Actor and playwright Jeff Daniels talks about the opening of his new play "Escanaba" at the Purple Rose Theater in Chelsea, Michigan--and what it's like to write, act, play music, and try to keep sane.

By Melissa Ingells, WKAR News

UNDATED – UNDATED (WKAR) - Actor and playwright Jeff Daniels talks about the opening of his new play "Escanaba" at the Purple Rose Theater in Chelsea, Michigan--and what it's like to write, act, play music, and try to keep sane.

By AP

LANSING, MI – The top Republican in the Michigan Senate says he and the Democratic House speaker are moving ahead with a plan to balance the state budget with at least $1.2 billion in spending cuts.

Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop also told WWJ-AM radio Tuesday that there so far is no agreement to take up bills later that would avoid some cuts by raising additional tax revenue.

By Rick Pluta, Michigan Public Radio Network

LANSING, MI – Budget talks at the state Capitol dragged into another day with no deal imminent. Legislative leaders say they're continuing to talk in hopes of reaching an agreement with just two weeks before the October first deadline.

There are sincere philosophical differences pitting legislative leaders against each other and Governor Granholm. But political ambitions may also be playing a role as they attempt to negotiate a compromise.

By AP

AUBURN HILLS, MI – The Detroit Shock say they've signed contract extensions with Deanna Nolan, Katie Smith and Plenette Pierson.

The team withheld financial terms of the deals announced Monday.

Nolan is a three-time WNBA champion with the Shock. She appeared in 33 games this season and averaged 16.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.3 steals.

Smith was the 2008 WNBA Finals MVP and has appeared in 27 games this season for the Shock. She's averaging 15.7 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.8 assists.

By AP

DETROIT – Marco Scutaro's second error of the game allowed Brandon Inge to score from second base in the bottom of the 10th inning, and the Detroit Tigers rallied to beat the Toronto Blue Jays 6-5 on Monday night.

Pinch-hitter Aubrey Huff belted a tying three-run homer in the ninth and Ryan Raburn also went deep for the American League Central-leading Tigers.

Adam Lind and Edwin Encarnacion homered for Toronto.

By AP

KALAMAZOO, MI – One of two teens accused of beating a 15-year-old boy because he is gay will spend six to nine months in juvenile detention after pleading guilty to aggravated assault.

The 16-year-old defendant was sentenced Monday in Kalamazoo County Family Court.

Portage's Steve Harmon says he was attacked Aug. 13 in a Portage parking lot. He says his attackers used anti-gay slurs as they struck him about 20 times in the head and face.

By AP

LANSING, MI – Michigan will get about $19.6 million in federal stimulus money for energy efficiency and conservation projects.

The U.S. Department of Energy said in a release Monday the block grant will go toward energy efficiency projects and programs, and to building audits, upgrades and codes.

The Michigan package is part of $354 million awarded to 22 states.

By Rick Pluta, Michigan Public Radio Network

LANSING, MI – There are 16 days until the deadline to complete a new state budget. Talks will resume in Lansing this week to try and resolve the impasse. The Democratic leader of the state House says he expects there will be budget votes this week.

AUDIO:

By AP

LANSING, MI – Facing an Oct. 1 deadline to get a budget in place, Democratic House Speaker Andy Dillon is talking about adopting all $1.2 billion in cuts that Senate Republicans passed in June.

In return, the Republican Senate majority might agree after Oct. 1 to put money back into the budget for some programs important to Democrats, who want to to keep a college scholarship program and money for early childhood development and local police and firefighters.

By AP

DETROIT – Gerald Laird and Brandon Inge each had two RBIs, helping the Detroit Tigers snap a season-worst five-game skid with a 7-2 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday.

Rick Porcello won a matchup with fellow rookie Ricky Romero. Porcello (13-8) gave up two runs on four hits in six innings to improve to 3-0 in his last four starts.

Romero (12-8) also went six innings, allowing four runs on 10 hits.

By AP

NEW ORLEANS – Drew Brees looked even better than last year, which was bad news for a Detroit Lions team trying to win for the first time since 2007.

Brees tied a Saints record with six touchdown passes and threw for 358 yards as the Saints beat the Lions 45-27 Sunday to extend Detroit's regular-season losing streak to 18.

Two of Brees' touchdown passes went to Jeremy Shockey, who hadn't scored since being traded from the New York Giants to New Orleans last season.

By AP

DETROIT – Detroit Mayor Dave Bing says the economically troubled city will focus on core public safety services while outsourcing or privatizing others.

Bing described his plan in an interview published Sunday in the Detroit Free Press.

Detroit faces a $300 million budget deficit and its revenue could be $80 million short as the city tries to pay bills this fiscal year.

Bing said he must shrink the city's 13,000-member work force by 10 percent, lower labor costs and cut services to keep the city afloat financially.