By Rob South, WKAR News

EAST LANSING, MI – Lansing City Attorney Brigham Smith says he would welcome an investigation into his office's release of private medical information.

In June the HIV status of a man arrested at Fenner Nature Center was included in a Freedom of Information Act request. The request was sent to several media outlets, including WKAR. The State Public Health Code and HIPAA prohibit the public release of a person's HIV status.

By Laura Weber, Michigan Public Radio Network

LANSING, MI – Governor Granholm will have to fight an uphill battle if she pushes for a two cent beer tax hike to generate revenue. She reportedly proposed the hike in closed-door budget negotiations with legislative leaders in Lansing.

AUDIO:
A two cent increase per bottle could generate more than $40 million in tax revenue a year. Advocates of the hike say it's long overdue, with Michigan not touching the beer tax since the mid-1960s.

By AP

STANDISH, MI – A number of residents in the Michigan town of Standish say they'd welcome detainees from Guantanamo Bay with open arms to save their biggest employer - a state prison.

The Standish Maximum Correctional Facility is among several in the state scheduled for closure because of budget cuts.

Prison workers and some local officials say keeping the jobs it provides would trump any fears about having suspected terrorists around.

By Mark Bashore, WKAR News

EAST LANSING, MI – Michigan continues to look hard at a controversial plan to put all its public employees in the same pool of health benefits. The idea's author---State House Speaker Andy Dillon----says he's learning of more potential savings. Dillon spoke with WKAR's Mark Bashore.

By Laura Weber, Michigan Public Radio Network

LANSING, MI – The state Legislature has been quiet for the past month as leading state lawmakers meet behind closed doors to set targets in budget negotiations.

Legislative leaders met in private through much of July to discuss how to fill a $1.8 billion hole in the budget for the coming fiscal year. They say they're getting closer to reaching consensus.

By AP

DETROIT, MI – Vice President Joe Biden will discuss the economy and steps taken by the White House to turn things around on a visit to Detroit.

Biden will speak Wednesday afternoon at NextEnergy.

His office says in a release that Biden's speech will focus on building a new economic foundation to support lasting prosperity and recapturing America's spirit of innovation.

Tickets are limited and available on a first-come basis from noon to 1 p.m. Tuesday at NextEnergy.

By AP

DETROIT – Detroit's mayoral and city council candidates are making their final campaign pushes as Tuesday's primary election nears.

Incumbent Mayor Dave Bing faces a field of six competitors. The 65-year-old Bing is finishing out the term of former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, who resigned in September as part of plea deals in two criminal cases.

Bing faces five other candidates on Tuesday, but only Tom Barrow has real name recognition with voters. Barrow lost to then-Mayor Coleman A. Young in 1985 and 1989.

By AP

ROCHESTER, NY – A flight carrying about 50 people from Detroit to Rochester, N.Y., has landed safely after a sensor indicated that a fire extinguisher in the plane's cargo bay went
off.

Authorities say Northwest Airlines Flight 2903 was about 30 miles outside of Rochester on approach Sunday night when an indicator alerted the crew of a possible problem in the cargo hold.

The flight was being operated by Memphis, Tenn.-based Pinnacle Airlines Inc.

By WKAR

LANSING, MI – The Lansing Lugnuts beat the Kane County Cougars 5-0 on Sunday afternoon at Oldsmobile Park. The Lugnuts finished their six-game homestand with at 3-and-3 record. At 7:05 p.m. tonight, Lansing takes to the road to begin a four-game series in Fort Wayne.

By AP

AUBURN HILLS, MI – Lindsay Whalen scored 22 points, Asjha Jones had 20 and the Connecticut Sun snapped a three-game losing streak with a 83-65 win over the Detroit Shock on Sunday.

Sandrine Gruda added 11 points for Connecticut (10-9), which moved into tie with Washington for second place in the Eastern Conference - five games behind Indiana.

Deanna Nolan scored 20 points and Cheryl Ford had nine points and 10 rebounds for sixth-place Detroit (6-10).