Michigan

SOUTH BEND - Problems at Midwest oil refineries continue to affect gas prices in the region. CLICK HERE TO FIND THE CHEAPEST LOCAL GAS PRICES WITH THE GASSBUDDY PRICE GUIDE While gas prices across most of the nation are down about 2 cents from a week ago, the average cost of gas in Indiana and Michigan rose more than 23 cents over the past week with prices locally reaching as high as $4.29 on Monday . ...

NILES — With the warm weather and sunshine, it's a good time to do some yard work, but if you live in Michigan and were planning on burning those fallen leaves and sticks? Change your plans. Practically the entire state of Michigan is under a ban on burning. That's because of all of the warm, dry and windy weather. So, fire departments and the Department of Natural Resources are asking the people of Michigan to hold off on their burning. "When the weather changes like this, we get high winds and warm temperatures and the dry grass is still sitting on top, (so)

It's  a bargain hunter's dream and it starts today (Friday) - Michigan's longest garage sale. The annual U.S. 12 garage sale goes through Sunday. The highway stretches from Detroit to New Buffalo in Berrien County. People in Edwardsburg, Galien, Niles, and Sturgis are among those setting up sales. Here's a link where you can get exact addresses of sellers.

BAY CITY, Mich. (AP) — Expressions of regret are pouring in from Michigan's congressional delegation after the shooting of U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords in Tucson in which six people died. Rep. Gary Peters, D-Bloomfield Township, served with Giffords on the House Science and Technology Committee in the last session of Congress. He says he grieves for those killed and prays for the "speedy and full recovery" of her and the other wounded.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — The University of Michigan has revised a policy that once banned some people from its Ann Arbor campus for life. The school says that beginning next month bans will be instituted for one year. It then would be up to the school's police chief whether a ban is removed or extended another year. Officials are reviewing the bans of 2,000 people. About 900 could be removed from the banned list by summer's end. The older policy was criticized by the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan and other groups.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Michigan and Rich Rodriguez will meet again Wednesday to discuss the embattled football coach's future, The Associated Press has learned. A person familiar with the situation told the AP that Michigan athletic director Dave Brandon has not decided whether to fire Rodriguez, who's 15-22 with college football's winningest program. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the details of the evaluation were supposed to remain confidential.

LANSING, Mich. (AP) - A newspaper says its analysis has found that Michigan's nursing homes perform slightly better than average on a federal rating system. The Detroit Free Press reported Sunday ( http://on.freep.com/uTtSgU ) that it examined data from the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. It says inspectors issued about 4,000 citations against 425 Michigan nursing homes in 2010. The most common violation was for failing to prevent dangers that can cause accidents, found at 63 percent of the homes.

FERNDALE, Mich. (AP) — An employee at a Detroit-area produce market is in critical condition after getting caught in a cardboard box compactor. Ferndale police say the accident happened about 8:30 a.m. Friday at Western Market. The worker, described only as a female, was being treated at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak. Owner Tony Selvaggio tells WXYZ-TV the woman was loading boxes into the machine when she was pulled partially in, crushing her legs.

Michigan's Republican Primary is Tuesday, but as candidates make their final push, some people are upset with one kind of campaigning: Robocalls! Those computer-delivered, pre-recorded messages. Walt Stone of Berrien Springs says he and his wife have been bombarded with them for the last three months. He says he hears from the Mitt Romney campaign the most, but all the campaigns call. And he says they can get a little sneaky. “The ones recently, our caller ID doesn't show a number so you almost know it's going to be a political robocall, we just don't answer those.” Stone got so frustrated he found a website he says can help: stoppoliticalcalls.org The National Do Not Call List does not apply to political calls.

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — A judge has sentenced a Grand Traverse County teenager to a year in jail for stabbing and beheading a cat. The Traverse City Record-Eagle reports 18-year-old Jonathan D. Cook also was sentenced Friday to five years of probation. The Blair Township teen pleaded guilty Feb. 25 to a felony count of killing or torturing an animal. Cook previously told Circuit Judge Philip Rodgers the cat bit him, so he stabbed it and went back "a couple days later and cut its head off. " The teen says he stuffed the cat's head in a plastic bag tied to his belt buckle and showed it off to his friends.

MICHIGAN CITY - The suspect in the murder of a retired Michigan City teacher has been captured in South Bend. Last Thursday, June 6, police were called to the 500 block of E. 8 th St. in Michigan City in regards to a welfare check. When they arrived, they found a person dead inside his apartment. The victim was 66-year-old Henry Whitten. An autopsy the next day determined Whitten was the victim of a homicide. According to the Michigan City News-Dispatch, LaPorte County Coroner John Sullivan said Whitten died from a brain bleed caused by blunt force trauma.

The following release was issued by Indiana Michigan Power around noon Friday: Indiana Michigan Power crews continue to restore power to customers in southwest Michigan following the strong storms of Wednesday night and Thursday morning. More than 250 additional personnel are working on electric lines and providing support in the area.  Among the factors affecting the restoration is the high number of downed poles: 22. Another factor was damage to high-power transmission lines.  Here are the most-recent projections for fully restoring power in southwest Michigan communities.

The husband of a Michigan City woman, whose remains were identified last week, says he's grieving her loss just like the rest of her family. David Morris organized a press conference, Monday afternoon, partly to address rumors that he might have had something to do with 29-year-old Candi Brown's disappearance and death. “There's been a lot of rumors, a lot of speculation, a lot of finger pointing, only thing I can say to that is we just have to wait and see,” said Morris.

The husband of a missing Indiana woman whose remains were positively identified last Friday is expected to speak publicly at a press conference around 3:00 p.m. Monday on the sidewalk in front of City Hall. Candi Brown disappeared last August and her remains were found last month.  Police used DNA testing to positively identify the remains. Shortly after she disappeared, Brown's car was found abandoned outside a Michigan City bar and grill. No arrests have been made, and police have not said anything about suspects.

MICHIGAN CITY - Police are investigating the death of a retired Michigan City teacher. Officers on Thursday were called to the 500 block of E. 8 th St. in regards to a welfare check. When they arrived, they found a person dead inside his apartment. The victim is identified as 66-year-old Henry Whitten. An autopsy was performed on Friday, and the cause of death has been ruled a homicide. Police say the case is being aggressively investigated. Anyone who knows anything about the case is asked to contact Detective Cpl. Greg Jesse at (219)

Michigan City Police have identified human remains found in early May as those of Candi Brown, who has been missing for several months. “Devastation, like never in a million years did you think this would happen to you,” said James Edwards, Brown's cousin. The last anyone saw of the 29-year-old Brown was in late August of last year. Her car was found abandoned outside a Michigan City bar and grill. Her family and friends said it was so unlike her to just disappear.

MICHIGAN CITY - Police are investigating after finding someone dead inside a house in Michigan City. Officers got a call from someone asking police to stop by and check on things. When they got there, they found a body at a house in the 500 block of East 8 th Street. Police aren't telling us much at all. They haven't even been able to reach family members yet. They are asking anyone with information to come forward.  

SOUTH BEND - Problems at Midwest oil refineries continue to affect gas prices in the region. CLICK HERE TO FIND THE CHEAPEST LOCAL GAS PRICES WITH THE GASSBUDDY PRICE GUIDE While gas prices across most of the nation are down about 2 cents from a week ago, the average cost of gas in Indiana and Michigan rose more than 23 cents over the past week with prices locally reaching as high as $4.29 on Monday . ...

You may not know his name, but likely have seen his artwork in many popular children's books. Mark Teague is best known for his artwork in the "How Do Dinosaur" books. He also wrote the "Mrs. LaRue" series about a dog and has authored 18 books. Teague visited four schools in Southwest Michigan Thursday. WSBT caught up with him reading his newest book, "The Three Little Pigs and the Somewhat Bad Wolf," to more than 150 students at EP Clarke Elementary School in St. Joseph.