News

A ten-bill package to ensure that local governments are not hurt by a cut in the personal property tax on business, is on the fast track in Lansing. The tax has, for years, provided essential revenue to many local communities, but the recently approved phase-out has endangered that funding. A …

The state House has approved a supplemental budget bill that includes $215 million for road funding, $100 million of which would go toward winter road maintenance. The House voted yesterday to pass its version of the Senate bill that scales back on spending approved by the upper-chamber. Among other changes, …

Restrictions on the use of “logoed” barware at Michigan pubs and restaurants are eased, under a measure approved by a Michigan House Committee on Tuesday. For many years, Michigan bars and restaurants were prohibited from serving with items that have brewer and distiller logos. The bill, which now goes to …

A federal study found e-cigarette experimentation more than doubled among middle and high school students between 2011 and 2012 – meaning nearly two million young people have tried them. E-cigarettes are not regulated like traditional tobacco, and the state legislature is considering whether or not these should be exempt from …

In today’s society, people try to make their lifestyles as eco-friendly as possible. And in the Copper Country, snowmobiles are everywhere. Combine the two and you get the 2014 Clean Snowmobile Challenge being held all this week at the Keweenaw Research Center. Originating from Yellowstone National Park, the competition features …

Beginning this week, hunting and fishing licenses will cost you more this year in Michigan, as the Department of Natural Resources is raising those fees for the first time in 17 years. The prices of deer licenses are going up from $15 to $31, while fishing licenses now cost $26, …

A new report from the National Park Service says there were over 2.19 million visitors to national parks in Michigan, and they spent just under 182 million dollars during 2012. Also, the spending supported more than 2800 jobs in the state. Michael Reynolds of the NPS says the national park …

Michigan’s memorable winter is about to set another record. Currently, more than 90.5% of the Great Lakes are ice-covered. That’s the most ice cover in 34 years. In 1979, there was 94.7% ice cover, the largest ever recorded by scientists. Jia Wang, a research ice climatologist for the Great Lakes …

An Ironwood neighborhood was evacuated Saturday after a man drank antifreeze and tried to burn his home down. Ironwood Public Safety says the suicidal man had a fight with his live-in girlfriend, drank antifreeze, dumped gasoline throughout his home, and then barricaded himself inside an upstairs bedroom. A SWAT team …

The Michigan Supreme Court Thursday will hear oral arguments on the question of whether persons already sentenced to life in prison as juveniles can be offered a chance at parole. The case People v. Carp will consider whether the U.S. Supreme Court 2012 decision can be applied retroactively. In the …