In Michigan
6:03 am
Wed August 5, 2009

Incumbent Detroit mayor advances to general election

DETROIT – Incumbent Dave Bing will move on to the Nov. 3 general election in his pursuit of a four-year term as Detroit mayor.

The professional basketball Hall-of-Famer and former businessman had more than 71 percent of the vote with 69 percent of Detroit's 629 precincts reporting in Tuesday's nonpartisan primary.

Jerroll Sanders had 12 percent of the vote, followed by Tom Barrow with 11.7 percent. The top two vote-getters will compete in November.

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In Michigan
6:12 pm
Tue August 4, 2009

Rogers and Kan. Senator will fight Guantanamo plan

TRAVERSE CITY, MI – Sen. Pat Roberts of Kansas says he'll use every parliamentary maneuver at his disposal to prevent terrorism suspects from being sent to his state.

Roberts issued the warning Tuesday in a telephone news conference with fellow Republican Rep. Mike Rogers of Michigan.

Federal officials say a maximum security prison in Standish, Mich., and the military penitentiary in Fort Leavenworth, Kan., are among possible locations for a site to hold 229 foreign fighters now detained in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

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In Michigan
6:10 pm
Tue August 4, 2009

Closed door budget talks could last until September

LANSING, MI – The state's legislative leaders are expected to meet again later this week with Governor Granholm for private budget negotiations.

AUDIO:
State Representative George Cushingberry chairs the House Appropriations Committee. He says closed-door meetings with the administration are going so well they are close to making some agreements on the budget.

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In Michigan
4:17 pm
Tue August 4, 2009

MEA opposes "fast track" teacher certification

MT. PLEASANT, MI – The Michigan Education Association is speaking out against a proposal that would lessen the requirements needed to become a teacher.

The lower requirements call for a "fast track" certification process that would take 15 months to complete. That compares to the four or five years it takes teachers now.

The proposal was introduced as a way to increase the number of teachers in schools across the state.

But Ed Sarpolus of the MEA says Michigan already has too many teachers.

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In Michigan
1:55 pm
Tue August 4, 2009

Homeland Security facility coming to Michigan

HARRISON TOWNSHIP, MI – HARRISON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) - Federal authorities say they'll build a northern border data collection center in Michigan to fight cross-border crime.

Authorities said Tuesday the $30,000,000 Operational Integration Center at Selfridge Air National Guard Base is the first on the U.S.-Canada border and opens next May. The Department of Homeland Security has several centers on the U.S.-Mexico border.

It will analyze and act on aircraft video, border camera images and other data from federal, state and local agencies.

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WKAR Features
11:12 am
Tue August 4, 2009

MEA says Dillon plan would 'gut' benefits

Credit WKAR Photo

EAST LANSING, MI – Michigan House Speaker Andy Dillon has triggered an intense debate with his idea to pool the benefits of all the state's current and former public employees. He says the plan could reduce the state budget up to $900 million. The Michigan Education Association and other critics say savings are exaggerated and the proposal lacks important detail. WKAR's Mark Bashore interviewed MEA spokesman Doug Pratt.

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In Michigan
10:08 am
Tue August 4, 2009

Primary Election Day today

LANSING (MI) – LANSING, MI (WKAR) - Voters in Lansing go to the polls today to vote in a city-wide primary election. WKAR's Scott Pohl reports.

AUDIO: Mayor Virg Bernero is being challenged by three candidates, including city council member Carol Wood, Lansing Board of Education member and former Lansing city councilman Charles Ford, and musician Ben Hassenger. The top two vote-getters move on to the November general election.

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Sports
5:33 am
Tue August 4, 2009

Tigers beat Orioles with ninth-inning homer

DETROIT – Clete Thomas homered with two outs in the ninth to give the Detroit Tigers a 6-5 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Monday night.

Baltimore led 5-0 with one out in the top of the first, but never scored again. The game was tied at 5 going into the ninth, and Danys Baez (4-5) retired the first two batters, but Thomas hit a 1-2 pitch into the shrubs above the fence in center.

Fernando Rodney (2-2) picked up the win with a scoreless inning of relief.

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Sports
5:28 am
Tue August 4, 2009

Lugnuts lose to TinCaps

FORT WAYNE, IN – The Fort Wayne TinCaps defeated the Lansing Lugnuts last night at Parkview Field, 8-7.

The Lugnuts grabbed a 7-0 lead three innings into the game, thanks to a four-run first and thre-run third inning, only to watch their lead vanish three innings latter as the TinCaps tallied once in the fourth, five times in the fifth, and once more in the sixth inning.

The two teams play the second game of their four-game series tonight.

In Michigan
6:16 pm
Mon August 3, 2009

GM: Over 6,000 have taken early retirement or buyout offers

DETROIT, MI – General Motors announced more than 6,000 hourly workers have taken early retirement or buyout offers.

AUDIO:
The Detroit automaker says the workforce reductions are needed to position the company for long-term viability and success.

GM officials say about two-thirds of the employees responding to the special attrition plan took early retirement. The others took buyouts.

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