Michigan Government News

As Michigan copes with high unemployment, shrinking revenues, insolvent cities, shuttered factories, foreclosed homes and sniping politicians, one thing is clear: Something needs to change.

The Michigan Department of Corrections is working to revamp a contested policy that bars HIV-positive prisoners from working in prison food service jobs, The Michigan Messenger reports.

For West Michiganders eager to look ahead two years after sweating through 2009, the annual economic forecast by George Erickcek, an economist for the Kalamazoo-based W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research, and Birgit Klohs, Right Place Inc.

The Democratic party's national leadership is reportedly worried about losing Michigan's governor's office to Republicans next year.

Michigan Supreme Court justices have adopted formal rules for stepping aside from cases if they have a conflict of interest.

Transportation officials failed to inspect some bridges, looked at deteriorating bridges less often than required by state law and did not check for erosion under bridges over rivers, Michigan's auditor said Friday.

A Michigan man charged with killing an abortion protester and a business owner told police he had guns loaded in his truck when he took two nieces and a friend to school just before the shooting spree.

The Michigan Department of Community Health has immediately suspended the license to practice as a physical therapist of Abdul Khaliq Zafar, P.T., based on his conviction in the United States District Court, Eastern District of Michigan.

The Michigan House voted Thursday to tap federal stimulus money set aside for next year to soften a cut in school funding now, but it's unlikely the move is going to win the support of the state Senate.

Following Kalamazoo, Michigan's overwhelming passage of an anti-discrimination law on Tuesday, state lawmaker Pam Byrnes has renewed an effort she announced in June , introducing legislation to repeal the state's 2004 amendment declaring marriage between a man and a woman.

With a key vote Wednesday, the U.S. Senate passed without dissent legislation to extend jobless benefits by 14 weeks or more to out-of-work people -- including at least 100,000 Michiganders -- who have exhausted their unemployment or would by year's end.

Wind Chill: 32 F Font Size: About 55 laid-off state troopers who expected to be recalled now that the state budget is in place will stay off the job a little longer.

Budget problems forced Michigan to lay off 100 state troopers, including 11 in our area.

Aquinas College officials sent a letter to students Wednesday about the loss of the Michigan Promise Scholarship Grant.

Gov. Jennifer Granholm warned Tuesday of a possible 20 percent cut in state spending next year, a draconian step after billions in cuts since 2003 already have dented police and fire services, pushed schools toward insolvency and reduced oversight of prison inmates.

Ohio voters have approved the opening of casinos in Toledo and three other cities, leaving officials and gambling interests in neighboring Indiana and Michigan worried that millions of dollars in gambling revenues - and taxes - are at risk.

Gov. Jennifer Granholm on Wednesday named Andy Levin as the state's chief workforce officer, a position from which he will help oversee efforts to streamline state government service and employment levels.

After the state failed to issue MSU Extension and the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station, or MAES, their monthly payment, officials fear funding for these programs could be eliminated altogether.

Michigan Corrections Director Patricia Caruso has taken a lot of criticism, especially from prosecutors, about higher parole rates and other efforts to reduce Michigan's bloated prison system.

The unbalanced state budget. Cuts to school funds. Statewide unemployment of 15 percent.