By AP

LANSING, MI – Michigan has lost more than 4,000 police officers and firefighters this decade.

Hundreds more could be lost if the state follows through on its current budget plan for the fiscal year scheduled to start Thursday.

Cuts to tax revenue sharing payments that cities, townships, villages and some counties use to help pay for police, fire and other services appear inevitable as state lawmakers work to erase a projected $2.8 billion budget shortfall.

By AP

LANSING, MI – A conference committee in the Michigan Legislature has voted to cut state aid to local libraries by 40 percent.

The vote Sunday afternoon sets the stage for votes in the House and Senate when they return to work Tuesday. Lawmakers have until the end of the day Wednesday to erase a $2.8 billion shortfall or there may be a partial shutdown of state government.

By AP

LANSING, MI – A legislative conference committee has voted to cut prison spending in the Michigan budget year scheduled to start in four days.

The 5% cut would be met in part by completing a previously announced plan to close prisons and prison camps. Gov. Jennifer Granholm's administration has been paroling more inmates to save money.

The Legislature could start passing the Corrections Department budget when it returns to work Tuesday. Lawmakers have until the end of Wednesday to erase a $2.8 billion deficit.

By AP

DETROIT – Pavel Datsyuk and Jason Williams each had a goal and an assist, lifting the Detroit Red Wings to a 4-1 pre-season win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday in a matchup of the last two Stanley Cup champions.

Johan Franzen and Ville Leino also scored and Brian Rafalski assisted on all four goals for Detroit, which scored times on the power play. Jimmy Howard made 25 saves.

Pascal Dupuis scored for Pittsburgh (1-4-1) and Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 20 shots.

By AP

CHICAGO – Carlos Quentin hit a three-run homer in his second straight game, rookie Daniel Hudson earned his first major league victory and the Chicago White Sox beat the Detroit Tigers 8-4 Sunday for their third win in 11 games.

Hudson (1-1) outpitched All-Star Edwin Jackson (13-8) over six solid innings, and Quentin broke it open with a drive to right that capped a four-run eighth and made it 8-2.

By AP

DETROIT – The Detroit Lions ended their 19-game losing streak by holding off the Washington Redskins 19-14 Sunday.

Matthew Stafford threw a 21-yard touchdown pass to Bryant Johnson in the first quarter and the two connected to draw a key penalty to set up a TD in the fourth quarter.

The Lions (1-2) had not won since Dec. 23, 2007 and their skid matched the second longest in NFL history.

By Laura Weber

Lansing, MI – Some Republican lawmakers in Lansing will skip this weekend's GOP strategy conference on Mackinac Island. Both the House and Senate scheduled tentative sessions for this weekend as they close in on the final days before the budget deadline. The Legislature must pass a budget plan by Wednesday.

By Rick Pluta

Lansing, MI – The Legislature is expected to work into the weekend to try and wrap up the state budget. At the same time, lawmakers are making emergency plans in case they can't reach a deal before the October first.

State Senate Republicans muscled through a 30-day interim budget that includes the big cuts they want to part of a final budget deal that does not raise taxes.

By Rick Pluta, Michigan Public Radio Network

LANSING, MI – Lawmakers return to the state Capitol for a rare Friday session to try and break a budget deadlock. The Legislature met all day Thursday, but made little progress.

AUDIO:

By Rick Pluta, Michigan Public Radio Network

Lansing, MI – The state Senate has approved an interim budget in case an agreement is not reached five days from now. The Senate version of a one-month temporary budget reflects a 25 percent rollback in spending levels.

WE'LL HAVE MORE on the state budget process later today. Check this website and listen to All Things Considered with Gretchen Millich, starting at 4 p.m.