SW Michigan

KALAMAZOO - For more than three decades, Western Michigan University has been one of the greenest-minded academic institutions in the U.S. Home to the nation's first college revolving fund for financing energy-saving initiatives, WMU was among the first universities to abandon coal as a fuel source.

Washington - A trio of Michigan lawmakers introduced federal legislation Thursday aimed at securing long-awaited funding for Great Lakes dredging and harbor maintenance projects. U.S. Reps. Candice Miller, R-Harrison Township; Dan Benishek, R-Crystal Falls; and Bill Huizenga, R-Zeeland, partnered on the Great Lakes Navigation System Sustainability Act designed to treat the Great Lakes as one unit for budgeting purposes to ensure their harbors receive adequate funding.

It's not just urban school districts, like Detroit, Ecorse and Pontiac, that are operating with deficits, state School Superintendent Mike Flanagan told legislators Thursday morning. Fifty-five districts, including Mt. Clemens, Brighton, Pickney and White Cloud, are spending more money than they're taking in and are subject to state review.

LANSING -- A pair of bills which expand the subjects which satisfy high school graduation requirements in mathematics, science, foreign languages, health and physical education were approved by the state House of Representatives by wide margins with bipartisan support Thursday.

Detroit's attempt to avoid bankruptcy will hit a critical stage next week as emergency manager Kevyn Orr brings together dozens of creditors to present a stark offer: less than 10 cents on the dollar for the loans, bonds, retiree obligations and other debts that have been strangling the city for years.