By Rick Pluta, Michigan Public Radio Network

LANSING, MI – Governor Granholm says the late U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy will be remembered as a voice for the under-privileged. She says he knew how to forge deals with those who disagreed with him.

"He came from a family of privilege, but he used that position in a way to be the megaphone for children, and for the elderly, and for people with disabilities," she says. "It's a huge loss in the Senate. It's not just a huge loss for Massachusetts. It's a huge loss for the nation."

By Mark Bashore, WKAR News

EAST LANSING, MI – The health of retail businesses in Michigan continues to be weak but is slowly gaining strength.

AUDIO:
The Michigan Retailers Association says July was the best month for state retailers in a year. Overall, businesses with sales declines still outnumber those with increasing sales. But for the third straight month, the gap has narrowed.

James Hallan is the association's President and CEO.

By AP

LANSING, MI – Gov. Jennifer Granholm says there's a "ridiculously short" amount of time left to get the state budget done and avoid a government shutdown on Oct. 1.

Speaking at a Wednesday news conference, the Democratic governor said budget talks are continuing between the state budget director and the heads of the Senate and House appropriations committees.

She expressed frustration at how long it's taking to reach a
budget deal. Granholm says it's ridiculous "that we are at the end of August
and we're not there yet."

By Laura Weber, Michigan Public Radio Network

WIXOM, MI – Ford plans to sell its vacant Wixom plant to manufacturers of solar panel and batteries. Legislative committees in Lansing heard testimony Wednesday from Wixom officials and representatives from the companies.

AUDIO: The green-technology manufacturers need the Legislature to create tax credits in order to receive federal funding as well to set up shop in Wixom. Those refundable tax credits would not be reflected in the budget until 2012.

By Gretchen Millich, WKAR

MASON, MI – Ingham County Commissioners have voted against putting a county-wide millage proposal on the ballot. The millage would have guaranteed funding for the sheriff's department for the next five years.

AUDIO: The millage would have offset cuts to the sheriff's department and provided funding for road patrols in rural townships that don't have their own police department.

Last night, the proposal was rejected by a vote of 10 to 6.

By AP

SOUTHFIELD, MI – A Michigan judge is being sued by a woman who says she was forced to remove her Muslim headscarf in his courtroom.

Melanie Elturk, an attorney for the Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, says the federal lawsuit against Wayne County Circuit Judge William Callahan will be filed Wednesday. The Michigan CAIR chapter is joining in the suit.

By Laura Weber, Michigan Public Radio Network

EAST LANSING, MI – A new study suggests paroling more people convicted of violent crimes would not pose a significant risk to the public.

Citizens Alliance on Prisons and Public Spending - or CAPPS - conducted the study. It showed 3% of sex offenders in Michigan returned to prison for another sex crime. The study also showed murderers and rapists are often denied their first parole.

Barbara Levine is with CAPPS.

By AP

LANSING, MI – A Michigan lawmaker says local governments should be able to ban smoking in restaurants and bars since a proposed statewide ban is stalled in the Legislature.

A bill sponsored by Rep. Gary McDowell would let each county, city, township and village decide if people can smoke in local bars and restaurants.

Michigan law allows only the Legislature to ban smoking in food establishments.

McDowell says the law should be changed because legislators will not pass a statewide ban.

By Gretchen Millich, WKAR News

Mason, MI – Ingham County Commissioners will vote tonight on whether to put a county-wide millage proposal on the November ballot that would guarantee funding for the sheriff's department. Budget cuts could eliminate sheriff's patrols in several rural townships that don't have their own police.

AUDIO:

Deputy Jacob Newton is part of the sheriff's rural road patrol. Most of his time is spent making traffic stops and he's about to make another one.

By Rick Pluta, Michigan Public Radio Network

SOUTHERN MICHIGAN – Governor Granholm climbed aboard an Amtrak train Monday to call attention to the states's efforts to win $800 million in federal stimulus funds. Michigan is part of an eight-state consortium trying to build a Midwest regional high-speed line with Chicago as its hub.