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BC-MI--Michigan News Digest, MI


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Michigan at 5 p.m. EDT.

Corey Williams is on the desk in Detroit and can be reached at 800-642-4125 or 313-259-0650. For access to AP Exchange and other technical issues, contact AP Customer Support at apcustomersupport@ap.org or 877-836-9477.

Some TV and radio stations will receive shorter APNewsNow versions of the stories below, along with all updates.

TOP STORIES:

DETROIT BANKRUPTCY

DETROIT — Pressure was building Wednesday for Michigan lawmakers to commit $350 million to Detroit pensions, a day after the city reached tentative agreements with pension funds and a retiree group to reduce payouts. The city has an $816 million pledge from foundations, philanthropists and Gov. Rick Snyder to shore up pension funds and prevent the sale of city-owned art as part of Detroit's strategy for exiting the largest public bankruptcy in U.S. history. But the state's share still hasn't been nailed down, and some in the Republican-controlled Legislature aren't sold yet. Retired police officers and firefighters would see smaller cost-of-living payments but no cut in pension benefits under a deal announced Tuesday. Detroit's other retirees, who have smaller pensions, would get a 4.5 percent cut and elimination of yearly inflation allowances under a separate compromise. By David Eggert and Ed White. SENT: 670 words, photos MIPS101-102, MICO201.

GREAT LAKES-FISH VITAMIN

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — Subtle immune system changes may explain why some Great Lakes trout and salmon die from the lack of an essential vitamin after eating alewife, an important forage species, according to a scientific report released Wednesday. Death from deficiency of thiamine, or Vitamin B1, is a primary obstacle to restoring lake trout, which were decimated by parasitic sea lamprey in the mid-1900s. It also hampers the stocking of chinook and coho salmon, popular sport fish native to the Pacific that were introduced into the Great Lakes in the 1960s. By John Flesher. SENT: 550 words.

STATE GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS:

GOVERNOR'S RACE-EDUCATION

LANSING, Mich. — Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mark Schauer said Wednesday he would make education his top budget priority, but didn't specify how much he'd spend on schools or universities. Schauer and his running mate, Oakland County Clerk Lisa Brown, blasted Republican Gov. Rick Snyder's record on education while presenting their six-page education plan to reporters. Their proposal includes a school adequacy study, expanded teacher training, increased financial aid for college students and standards for class sizes and teacher-student ratios. By Emma Fidel. SENT: 580 words.

Also:

— GAY MARRIAGE-MICHIGAN — Attorneys who persuaded a judge to overturn Michigan's ban on gay marriage are opposing the state's request to have an entire appeals court take the case. They want the case to move quickly, but they say the Cincinnati-based court should stick to its practice of assigning cases to a three-judge panel. SENT: 130 words.

— JAIL MAIL — A judge has ordered the Livingston County jail to stop intercepting mail sent to inmates from the American Civil Liberties Union. Federal Judge Denise Page Hood signed a restraining order last week after the ACLU complained it got no response to two dozen letters sent in February. SENT: 130 words.

— BEAR PROGRAM — The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has developed a program to help middle schoolers learn about Michigan's plants and animals by focusing on a year in the life of a bear. Participating students will learn about the life cycle of the Michigan black bear. SENT: 130 words.

BUSINESS:

AUTO SHOW-TOYOTA CAMRY

NEW YORK — Shaken by the advances of newer, sportier rivals, the Toyota Camry is trying to shed its vanilla reputation. The redesigned 2015 Camry, unveiled Wednesday at the New York International Auto Show, is longer and wider, with a large, aggressive grille and chiseled sides. Toyota says it changed every exterior piece but the roof. By Dee-Ann Durbin. SENT: 800 words, photos NYML107-112.

AUTO SHOW-MUSTANG 50TH

NEW YORK — Ford is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Mustang with a limited-edition model and a display atop the Empire State Building. At the New York International Auto Show on Wednesday, the company revealed the 50 Year Limited Edition. The company will only build 1,964 special cars, honoring the year when the Mustang first went on sale. By Dee-Ann Durbin. SENT: 300 words, photos NYJM101-102, 105, 107-108, 110, 112, NYBZ138.

AUTO SHOW-ALFA ROMEO

NEW YORK — After a nearly 20-year absence, Italian car maker Alfa Romeo is returning to the U.S. market. Alfa CEO Harald Wester said Wednesday the company plans to ship around 100 4C sports cars to the U.S. this June. Alfa expects to ship a total of 800 cars to the U.S. this year, including 500 limited edition 4C models. Wester expects 4C shipments will grow to 1,200 to 1,300 per year in 2015 and beyond. By Dee-Ann Durbin. SENT: 280 words.

CHRYSLER-TIPTON FACTORY

TIPTON, Ind. — Chrysler is set to mark the opening of a new transmission plant in central Indiana with a ceremony next month including the company's top executive. The automaker started last month testing new transmissions assembled at the factory near Tipton and anticipates to start shipping transmissions from the plant by mid-May. SENT: 280 words.

Also:

— SMALL BUSINESS GRANTS-DETROIT — City government, development and philanthropic leaders launched a grant program Wednesday intended to help boost small businesses in the city and the two communities it surrounds. Mayor Mike Duggan announced the plans Wednesday with officials from the New Economy Initiative, Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan and the Detroit Economic Growth Corp. SENT: 201 words.

— BELLE ISLE-DRIVERLESS VEHICLES— Officials say portions of Detroit's Belle Isle are expected to be closed to the public for several days in September for an event showcasing driverless vehicles. Plans initially called for the city-owned island park in the Detroit River to be closed except for Detroit Yacht Club members for the Intelligent Transport Systems World Congress, which runs Sept. 7-11. SENT: 130 words.

AROUND THE STATE:

SEVERE WEATHER-MICHIGAN

EVART, Mich. — Flooding is persisting along swollen rivers in parts of western Michigan as it eases in some other parts of the state. The National Weather Service says the Muskegon River reached a record 15.8 feet late Tuesday at Evart in Osceola County after earlier exceeding a previous high of 15 feet set in March 1989. Meanwhile, flooding eased along the Tittabawassee River from Midland into Saginaw. SENT: 400 words, photos. UPCOMING: 400 words, photos.

Also:

— FROZEN LAKES-SHIPPING — The shipping season is open in Marquette's Upper Harbor following help from two U.S. Coast Guard ice-breakers. The Kaye E. Barker and the Mesabi Miner arrived on Sunday, guided into port by ice-breakers Morro Bay and Katmai Bay. The start of shipping season at the harbor came about two weeks later than expected. SENT: 130 words.

SMALL BUSINESS GRANTS-DETROIT

DETROIT — Detroit government, development and philanthropic leaders launched a grant program Wednesday intended to help boost small businesses in the city and the two communities it surrounds. Mayor Mike Duggan announced the plans Wednesday with officials from the New Economy Initiative, Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan and the Detroit Economic Growth Corp. They said NEIdeas: Rewarding Ideas for Business Growth will give $500,000 to 32 existing small businesses in Detroit and the enclaves of Hamtramck and Highland Park. Organizers say the goal is to recognize businesses that have been cornerstones of their communities. SENT: 220 words.

EXCHANGE-UNDAUNTED MARATHONER

HOLLY TOWNSHIP, Mich. — When Anita Harless told her sons that she was returning to the Boston Marathon this year, they told her they didn't want to come, she said. "I asked my oldest son, 'Austin, why don't you want to go?' He said, 'Mom, I'm 14. I don't want to die. I don't even want to think about dying at 14.' My 11-year-old (Alec) said, 'That's what I was going to say,'" Harless of Holly Township said. "I told them that they can't live in fear." An AP Member Exchange by Monica Drake. The Oakland Press (Pontiac). SENT: 490 words, photo MIPON501.

SPORTS:

BKC--MICHIGAN ST-SIGNING

EAST LANSING — Michigan State signed a third player to its basketball recruiting class, adding depth with the addition of Marvin Clark Jr. The 6-foot-7, 219-pound Clark signed a letter of intent Wednesday. Michigan State previously signed one of Clark's teammates, guard Lourawls Nairn, and forward Javon Bess in November. Clark and Nairn attend Sunrise Christian Academy in Kansas. Clark is from Kansas City, Mo. He averaged 20 points and nine rebounds last season for a 29-1 team. Clark scored 32 points and grabbed 14 rebounds in a game against Cloud County Junior College and had 30 points and 16 rebounds against Independence Community College. By Larry Lage. SENT: 370 words, photo NY180.

BBA--INDIANS-TIGERS

DETROIT — Miguel Cabrera and the Tigers take on Carlos Santana and the Indians, who were Detroit's closest competitors atop the AL Central last season. Game starts at 7 p.m. UPCOMING: 650 words, hometown lead on losing team, photos.

BKN--PISTONS-THUNDER

OKLAHOMA CITY — The Thunder try to build momentum for the playoffs as they close out the regular season against the Detroit Pistons. Game starts at 8 p.m. UPCOMING: 750 words, photos.

___

If you have stories of regional or statewide interest, please email them to apmichigan@ap.org. If you have photos of regional or statewide interest, please send them to the AP state photo center in New York, 888-273-6867. If you have questions about the Michigan AP news report, please contact the Detroit bureau at 800-642-4125 or apmichigan@ap.org.

MARKETPLACE: Calling your attention to the Marketplace in AP Exchange, where you can find member-contributed content from Michigan and other states. The Marketplace is accessible on the left navigational pane of the AP Exchange home page, near the bottom. For both national and state, you can click "All" or search for content by topics such as education, politics and business.

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