By Laura Weber, Michigan Public Radio Network

LANSING, MI – About a dozen gas stations--six of them in Lansing--have agreed to allow Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox to look at their finances if and when he suspects them of price gouging.

The targeted stations targeted all raised gas prices to more than $5 a gallon when Hurricane Ike whipped around oil refineries last Fall in Texas.

By AP

LANSING, MI – LANSING, MI (AP) - A last-ditch effort to avoid the layoffs of 100 Michigan State Police troopers has failed.

Members of the Michigan State Police Troopers Association voted against a furlough plan that would have called for sacrificing some of their own pay to temporarily avoid the layoffs of their low-seniority co-workers.

The outcome of the vote was announced Friday but vote totals
weren't released.

Trooper layoffs will begin Sunday.

By AP

DETROIT – General Motors Corp. is confirming it will use an idled assembly plant in Orion Township, Mich., and a parts stamping facility in Pontiac, Mich., to build small and compact cars, a move expected save 1,400 jobs.

GM confirmed the plant selection in a statement Friday, but said the decision is dependent on the outcome of negotiations between the company and the state on incentives.

A person briefed on the decision told The Associated Press on Thursday that Orion Township, about 40 miles north of Detroit, had been chosen.

By Scott Pohl, WKAR

EAST LANSING, MI – EAST LANSING, MI (WKAR) - East Lansing City Councilmember Nathan Triplett will undergo surgery for Crohn's disease next week. His recovery is expected to take six to eight weeks.

The operation has been scheduled for June 29th.

In a press release, Triplett says he was diagnosed with Crohn's disease at the age of 13. He says medication has helped him live in what he calls a "state of relative remission". His doctors recommended surgery after he recently took a turn for the worse.

By Rick Pluta, M ichigan Public Radio Network

LANSING, MI – At the state Capitol, the House and the Senate met until past midnight before beginning a two-week summer break. Much of the day and the evening were spent debating the budget. Nothing was resolved, and the discussions mostly outlined the stark differences in how Republicans and Democrats would address the state's budget crisis.

By Laura Weber, Michigan Public Radio Network

By Rick Pluta, Michigan Public Radio Network

LANSING, MI – The Legislature capped months of wrangling over the future of Detroit's Cobo Hall by sending a compromise plan to Governor Granholm. Supporters say the plan is critical to keeping the prestigious North American International Auto show in Michigan.
AUDIO:

By Melissa Ingells, WKAR

LANSING, MI – LANSING, MI (WKAR) - The Lansing Lugnuts grabbed a 6-5 victory over the Dayton Dragons Thursday night at Oldsmobile Park. The two teams play the second game in their four-game series at 7:05 tonight in Lansing.

By AP

DETROIT – DETROIT (AP) - Magglio Ordonez ended a career-long, 40-game drought without a home run by connecting for the go-ahead shot, leading the Detroit Tigers over the Chicago Cubs 6-5 for their seventh straight victory.

Ordonez connected for a two-run homer in the fourth inning. The AL Central leaders held on to complete the sweep, and matched their longest winning streak of the season.

By Laura Weber, Michigan Public Radio Network

LANSING, MI – The state Legislature wrapped late night budget discussions by sending disputes to House and Senate conference committees. That set up the next stage of negotiations between Governor Granholm and legislative leaders while the Legislature takes a two week summer break.

Lawmakers will reconvene in mid-July to debate cuts to Medicaid and K-12 schools, and the elimination of Michigan Promise college scholarships.