News

Some young conservatives within the Republican party who support gay rights are urging party leaders to drop anti-gay language from the Republican Party Platform. They are coming through Michigan this week after previous stops in several other states. Others within the party have said the platform language opposing same sex …

Escanaba has received permission to close its power plant this summer. The Mid-Continent Independent System Operators has decided not to extend a “system support resource” agreement with the city to keep the power plant operating. The city had been receiving payments for several years to keep the power plant on …

Groups opposed to Prop 1 took to the statehouse Wednesday to lobby lawmakers against the ballot proposal. Paul Mitchell with the Coalition Against Higher Taxes and Special Interest Deals led the charge at a rally on the East lawn of the capitol encouraging people to go office-to-office and state their …

Michigan’s unemployment rate in March dropped three-tenths of a percentage point to 5.6 percent. According to the Department of Technology, Management & Budget, the number of unemployed in the state fell by 14,000 over the month; however total employment edged upward by only 2,000. The net result was a labor …

Legislation that makes major reforms to Michigan’s no-fault auto insurance law appears to be on the fast track. The state Senate Insurance Committee Wednesday advanced a bill that would create a new governor-appointed group to handle claims for catastrophic injuries, put limits on attendant care, establish an auto insurance fraud …

Democratic lawmakers in Michigan have introduced a series of bills designed to provide tax breaks to the middle class in the state. The three bills – if approved – would reinstate a per-child tax deduction, a homestead property tax credit and roll back a tax on retirement income. Callie Melton, …

The Houghton County Board of Commissioners received an audit report of their budget by Rukkila, Negro and Associates’ Debbie Bradford at their regular monthly meeting on Tuesday. They gave the county a modified opinion which means it was a clean report. The auditor also indicated that there were no overages …

A Mass City man accused of delivery of multiple drugs will head to trial next month. 29-year-old Clinton Roberts is one of six suspects in the western U.P. who were arrested on various drug charges January 8th. Roberts did not enter a plea at his final pretrial and plea motions …

A Gwinn man arrested after allegedly choking his girlfriend has entered into a plea agreement in Marquette County District Court.   29-year-old Brandon Strohm pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated assault – domestic violence, which is a misdemeanor. He was originally charged with one felony count of assault by …

Governor Rick Snyder has announced the appointment of Justin Carlson, of Negaunee, to the Iron Industry Museum Advisory Board.   Housed within the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, the nine-member board advises the department on policies, plans and programs concerning the Negaunee Township-based Michigan Iron Industry Museum. It supports education …