By AP

UNDATED – Longtime broadcaster Ernie Harwell, who spent 42 of his 55 years as a broadcaster calling Detroit Tigers games, has been diagnosed with an incurable cancer, several media outlets reported Thursday.

The 91-year-old Harwell, who was in the Tigers' broadcast booth from 1960 until he retired in 2002, remains upbeat after an inoperable tumor was found in the area of the bile duct.

By WKAR

LANSING, MI – The West Michigan Whitecaps beat the Lansing Lugnuts 5-3 last night at Oldsmobile Park. The Lugnuts play their final home game of the 2009 season tonight at 7:05 p. m.

By AP

ORCHARD PARK, NY – Lions rookie quarterback Matthew Stafford closed the pre-season much like he opened it: by showing plenty of promise but little finish.

The same goes for the Buffalo Bills offense, which could certainly use a healthy Terrell Owens to help it find the end zone following a 17-6 loss to Detroit in each team's pre-season finale Thursday night.

By AP

DETROIT – Placido Polanco hit a sacrifice fly in the 10th inning to give the Detroit Tigers a 4-3 victory over the Cleveland Indians on Thursday.

The Tigers completed a three-game sweep and increased their lead in the AL Central to five games over the idle Twins.

Ryan Raburn led off the Detroit 10th with a double. Rafael Perez (4-3) then intentionally walked Miguel Cabrera and issued an unintentional free pass to Magglio Ordonez. Polanco followed with a fly ball to center and Raburn scored standing up.

By WKAR

East Lansing, MI – Welcome to the first installment of Predictions of Earle. Sports Talk AM 870 host Earle Robinson previews the upcoming football season for Michigan State as well as their opening game against Montana State. Earle will also give his fearless predictions on who will finish where in the Big Ten Conference.

By Kevin Lavery, WKAR News

Lansing, MI – The Michigan Grocers Association is encouraging its members to take advantage of a state tax credit program that offers an incentive to locate or expand their businesses in underserved communities.

Michigan's grocery tax credit program has been on the books for more than a year, but it's taken time to compile information on where the tax can be best applied.

By Rick Pluta, Michigan Public Radio Network

LANSING, MI – Governor Granholm will host another meeting with legislative leaders today to try and come up with a budget compromise. The deadline for finishing the budget is less than a month away.

The governor has called for the talks to go into the night, if necessary.

Granholm says an agreement appears close, but GOP leaders say that's not the case.

By Laura Weber, Michigan Public Radio Network

LANSING, MI – A state House committee has begun testimony on legislation that would pool all state workers and teachers in one healthcare plan.

By Gretchen Millich

Lansing, MI – Lansing school officials are celebrating what they call a "nearly perfect" score in meeting performance goals for the 2008-2009 school year. Thirty-one out of 33 Lansing schools made Adequate Yearly Progress under the federal No Child Left Behind law. That includes two of Lansing's three high schools - Everett and Sexton. All three have consistently failed for the last five years.

By Gretchen Millich, WKAR News

LANSING, MI – For the first time in five years, two of Lansing's high school have achieved federal Adequate Yearly Progress. Everett and Sexton High Schools have met standards required by the No Child Left Behind law.

Twenty-five of the district's 26 elementary schools and all four middle schools also earned AYP status.

School Board President Hugh Clarke says he's elated.