WCSG News Archives

Michigan panel OKs 3 pct. raise for K-12 schools

— Michigan's public schools would get about 3 percent more and it's community colleges and universities about 2 percent more in overall funding next fiscal year under measures nearing final approval...

Calvin College cuts 22 faculty, staff positions

— Calvin College is cutting 22 faculty and staff positions as the Christian liberal arts school looks to cut long-term expenses and its 2013-14 budget.

The staffing reductions were done through lay...

I-5 bridge collapse caused by truck hitting span

— The Washington State Patrol chief says the Interstate 5 bridge collapse into the Skagit (SKA'-jiht) River at Mount Vernon was caused by an oversize truck.

Chief John Batiste told an overnight ...

Syria govt to take part in peace conference

— Russia's foreign ministry says the Syrian government has agreed to a conference on the country's future proposed by Russia and the United States.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevic...

Red Wings top Blackhawks 2-0, take 3-1 series lead

— Jakub Kindl scored on a power play in the second period, Daniel Cleary had an empty-net goal and Jimmy Howard made 27 saves to help the Detroit Red Wings hold on for a 2-0 victory over the Chicago...

32 new charter schools plan to open in Michigan

— Officials say 32 new charter schools plan to open this fall in Michigan.

The Detroit News and The Flint Journal report many of the schools will be in urban areas where charter schools are alrea...

Mich. lawmaker seeks to make small business office

— A Michigan lawmaker wants to create a new state office with the goal of helping small businesses get started and thrive.

Democratic Rep. Collene Lamonte of Montague introduced a bill this week ...

First OK funeral today

— The first of the funerals is scheduled today following the deadly tornado in Moore, Okla.

It will be for 9-year-old Antonia Candelaria, one of seven children who died at a destroyed elementary...

UK emergency committee meets after attack

— The British government's emergency committee has met today after yesterday's attack by two men near London's military barracks.

An active duty British soldier was killed. One of the attackers ...

Cabrera, Tigers down Indians 11-7 on rainy night

— Justin Verlander overcame a rocky start and rain delay to get his fifth win and Miguel Cabrera hit another homer as the Detroit Tigers beat the Cleveland Indians 11-7 on Wednesday night, sweeping ...

Rain making rescue efforts harder in Moore, Okla.

Rescue workers plan to keep searching today in an effort to make sure they haven't missed any Oklahoma tornado victims. Moore Fire chief Gary Bird says he is confident there are no more bodies or sur...

Gov. Snyder, GOP lawmakers agree to budget targets

Gov. Rick Snyder and leaders of the GOP majority in the Legislature have reached a budget agreement for next fiscal year that puts Michigan's unexpected surplus toward funding roads and K-12 educatio...

Grand Rapids copter patrols halt

— State police say they're halting helicopter patrols over Grand Rapids after getting multiple noise complaints.

Lt. Chris McIntire tells MLive.com that the main reason is the greater need in oth...

Riots in Stockholm spread to more suburbs

— Groups of youth have smashed shop windows, set cars ablaze and burnt down a cultural center as the riots that started in one Stockholm suburb after a fatal police shooting spread to other low-inc...

Tigers topple Indians 5-1

— Miguel Cabrera hit a two-run homer and Max Scherzer retired 22 straight batters after the first inning, leading the Detroit Tigers to a 5-1 win over Cleveland on Tuesday night to stop the Indians'...

Twister-devastated residents bracing for many more hours of searches

— It's been a long night in the tornado-blasted suburbs of Oklahoma City and residents are bracing for a long day as well, digging through the rubble and hoping not to add to a death toll that's at ...

Palisades water tank repairs take to early summer

— It could be early summer before repairs are completed at a nuclear power plant in Michigan that has been idled nine times since 2011.

Operators of the idled Palisades Nuclear Power Plant in so...

Grand Rapids helicopter patrols prompt complaints

— State police helicopter patrols over Grand Rapids as part of an effort to curb violent crime in the city and surrounding communities are prompting complaints from area residents.

Noise from the f...

More attacks in Iraq; 7 killed

— Officials say new attacks in Iraq have killed seven people and wounded dozens.

Police say a suicide blast at a checkpoint and militants who opened fire at Iraqi troops have killed three soldier...

Red Wings top Blackhawks 3-1, take 2-1 series lead

— Gustav Nyquist and Drew Miller scored 31 seconds apart midway through the second period and Pavel Datsyuk restored a two-goal lead in the third to help the Detroit Red Wings beat the Chicago Black...

Officials to kick of Michigan seat belt campaign

Law enforcement officials across Michigan will be enforcing federally funded safety belt enforcement zones through the coming Memorial Day travel weekend.

Safety belt enforcement is to be the topi...

Motorists in MI paying a bit more at the pump

— AAA Michigan says gasoline prices have risen about 10 cents during the past week to a statewide average of about $3.88 per gallon.

The auto club says Monday the average is about 13 cents per ga...

NKorea fires 5th projectile into waters

— South Korea says North Korea has fired a short-range projectile into its own eastern waters — for the fifth time in three days.

Pyongyang regularly conducts short-range missile tests. Analyst...

Rangers beat Tigers 11-8 despite 3 HRs for Cabrera

— David Murphy put Texas ahead with a three-run home run, and the Rangers spoiled a three-homer game from Miguel Cabrera with an 11-8 victory against the Detroit Tigers on Sunday night.

Murphy's ...

Tornadoes level homes in Okla., 1 dead

SHAWNEE, Okla. (AP) — An Oklahoma sheriff is crediting early warnings for a low death toll during a tornado outbreak that ravaged the Plains and Midwest.

Authorities say a 79-year-old man died Su...

George W. Bush event raises $400,000 for school

— An event featuring President George W. Bush has raised $400,000 to support the West Michigan Aviation Academy.

Bush spoke Wednesday to a crowd of roughly 900 during the second annual Leaders of...

Power bills to rise for Consumers Energy customers

— The average electric customer of Consumers Energy will start paying $1.67 more per month.

The $89 million rate increase was approved Wednesday by state regulators. It's less than a $110 million...

At least 6 dead in Texas tornadoes

— Parts of North Texas have been slammed by tornadoes with at least six people killed.

The spring tornado outbreak destroyed or damaged dozens of homes and injured dozens of people. Officials say...

Deadly explosion in Afghan capital

— NATO says two of its service members and four civilian contractors were killed when a suicide car bomber struck a convoy belonging to the military alliance in the Afghan capital today.

At least...

Blackhawks edge Red Wings 4-1 in series opener

— Johnny Oduya and Marcus Kruger scored in the third period, Corey Crawford made 20 saves and the Chicago Blackhawks beat the Detroit Red Wings 4-1 in the opener of their second-round playoff serie...

Pres. George W. Bush comes to Grand Rapids

The West Michigan Aviation Academy is preparing for a special Gala tonight that will take place in a hangar at the Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids. The featured speaker for this year's fun...

Law enforcement agencies observing police week

— Law enforcement agencies statewide are holding events to mark National Police Week.

Ceremonies planned for Wednesday include the Port Huron Department of Public Safety, which will honor its pol...

Captain locked out as plane cockpit door jams

— Air India says the cockpit door of one of its planes got jammed during a flight while the captain was using the toilet, forcing an unscheduled landing by the co-pilot in central India.

An airl...

House panel set to OK cut in food stamps

— The House Agriculture Committee is set today to consider small cuts to the $80 billion-a-year food stamp program in an effort to appease conservatives who say the food aid has become too expensiv...

Cabrera homers in Detroit's 6-2 win over Astros

— Miguel Cabrera homered, Doug Fister pitched seven impressive innings and Andy Dirks gave the Tigers a lift for a second straight night in Detroit's 6-2 victory over the Houston Astros on Tuesday. ...

Mich. projected to get $542M more than expected

— Michigan could take in $542 million more in revenue than projected 4 months ago.

That's according to a report Monday from the nonpartisan Senate Fiscal Agency. It's good news for lawmakers and...

George W. Bush to speak at Michigan fundraiser

— President George W. Bush is the featured speaker at a fundraiser this week for the West Michigan Aviation Academy.

Organizers say the event in Grand Rapids begins Wednesday afternoon and inclu...

Jury will now decide on death penalty for abortion doctor

— The jury that convicted a Philadelphia abortion doctor of first-degree murder Monday, will return later this month to decide whether he should face the death penalty.

Dr. Kermit Gosnell was con...

Bangladesh honors the dead from building collapse

— Thousands of mourners have gathered at the wreckage of a Bangladeshi garment factory building to offer prayers for the 1,127 people who died in the structure's collapse.

The mourners raised the...

Dirks hits grand slam, Tigers beat Astros 7-2

— Andy Dirks hit his first career grand slam, part of a six-run fourth inning for the Detroit Tigers in their 7-2 victory over the Houston Astros on Monday night.

Victor Martinez also homered for...

Man critical from fall at club where 2 died before

— Grand Rapids police say a man was critically injured in a fall down a four-story staircase at a night club where two men died in similar accidents.

Police say 36-year-old Kevin R. Obrien of Wyo...

NRC commissioner, congressman to visit nuke plant

— A Nuclear Regulatory Commission member and a Michigan congressman plan to visit the Palisades Nuclear Power Plant, which was taken off line over a repeated water leak problem.

New Orleans-base...

Huge drug cost disparities seen in health overhaul

— Industry analysts and advocates are warning that cancer patients could face high costs for medicine under President Barack Obama's health care law.

To try to keep premiums low, some states are ...

Mexico sets shelters as volcano shakes, spews ash

— Authorities are setting up shelters in central Mexico as they prepare for a possible big eruption of a volcano near Mexico City.

Seismic activity has increased at the more than 17,000-foot volc...

Detroit Red Wings finish off Ducks 3-2 in Game 7

— Henrik Zetterberg and Valtteri Filppula each had a goal and an assist, and the Detroit Red Wings finished off the Anaheim Ducks with a 3-2 victory in Game 7 on Sunday night.

Justin Abdelkader s...

House GOP backs expanded Medicaid, with conditions

— Majority Republicans in the Michigan House are backing an expansion of Medicaid eligibility to more low-income residents, but only if major changes are made to the government health insurance prog...

Efforts to restore rapids to Grand River get boost

— The expansion of a program for restoring and improving urban waterways nationwide is expected to boost efforts to restore rapids to the Grand River in Grand Rapids.

The Environmental Protection...

Hackers steal $45 million from ATMS

— One cybercrime expert says a $45 million heist was on the "high-end" of what can be done by cybercriminals who exploit banking systems connected to the Internet.

The global network of thieves ...

Woman found alive in Bangladesh rubble

— Bangladesh rescue workers have freed a woman trapped for 17 days in the rubble of a collapsed building.

The rescuers discovered the woman Friday afternoon and ordered an immediate halt to their...

Nationals beat Tigers 5-4 for 2-game sweep

— Ryan Mattheus, Drew Storen and Rafael Soriano combined for shutout relief after Dan Haren nearly squandered a four-run lead, and the Washington Nationals beat the Detroit Tigers 5-4 Thursday to co...

Officials plan Mich. flooding damage assessments

— Officials plan to conduct preliminary damage assessments in parts of West Michigan that were among areas hit hard by recent flooding.

The state police Emergency Management and Homeland Security...

District that can't pay teachers shuts another day

— A Michigan school district that says it can't afford to pay its teachers is closed for another day as officials plan to declare a financial emergency.

The Buena Vista School District is in Sagi...

US medicine spending shows rare dip in 2012

— Spending on prescription medicines in the U.S. fell for the first time in more than five decades last year.

A new report from the IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics states the total spent...

Couple missing from Carnival cruise ship

— Authorities are searching off Australia's east coast for two passengers on a Carnival cruise ship who were believed to have fallen overboard overnight.

The couple, Australian citizens from New ...

OT goal puts Ducks past Wings 3-2

— Nick Bonino scored 1:54 into overtime, and the Anaheim Ducks moved to the brink of the second round with a 3-2 victory over the Detroit Red Wings in Game 5 on Wednesday night.

Defenseman Ben Lo...

Ex-SC Gov. Sanford thanks God for political resurrection

— Former Republican South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford has thanked God for reviving his political career.

Sanford won back his old congressional seat Tuesday. The seat became vacant when U.S. Sen. ...

Governor declares State of Disaster for 19 Counties

Michigan Governor Rick Snyder has declared a state of disaster for 19 counties and two cities to support ongoing local efforts to respond to the severe flooding that affected parts of Michigan. The t...

West Michigan church vandalized for 2nd time

— A West Michigan church has been vandalized for the second time in recent months.

The Rev. Gregory Hogg says that he learned Tuesday that Holy Cross Antiochian Orthodox Church in Allegan County'...

Italy cargo ship slams into Genoa port, kills at least 5

— Rescuers in Italy say they haven't yet accounted for a half-dozen people after a cargo ship slammed into a control tower in the port of Genoa.

At least five people are confirmed dead and author...

NBA, NHL Playoffs

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Knicks have evened their Eastern Conference semifinal series at a game apiece by dominating the last 15 minutes of a 105-79 win over the visiting Indiana Pacers. Carmelo...