The Michigan Association of Compassion Clubs will fight a federal court ruling they say sets a bad precedent for medical marijuana patients.

Michigan International Speedway launches its new season this weekend. Track officials say they see signs of improved attendance this year. 

Campers are already arriving at the MIS track near Jackson to watch qualifying races, and the main event: the 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series on Sunday.

MIS spokesman Dennis Worden says the upswing in ticket sales and camping reservations may show that the economy is improving

Detroit Mayor Dave Bing says he’s requested and received the resignation of his communications chief, Karen Dumas.

The move comes just two days after a bombshell lawsuit filed by a former Bing aide. The suit claims Dumas created a hostile and unstable environment, and wielded unprecedented authority in the executive office.

Bing says he plans to return his focus to the challenges facing Detroit.

"The controversy of the last few days cannot and will not be a distraction to me or this administration."

Also out is Bing’s chief of staff, Shannon Holmes. Kirk Lewis will return to the administration to replace her. Lewis left the mayor’s office earlier this year, after reportedly seeking the job of emergency manager for Detroit Public Schools without Bing’s knowledge. The lawsuit filed this week, however, claims Bing knew about Lewis’s efforts, and even tried to help make it happen.

Michigan boasts plenty of summer festivals celebrating fruit, vegetables, music, and food.  But there’s a relatively new festival that pays homage to the creation of comics.

The third annual “Kids Read Comics” festival happens this weekend in downtown Chelsea, west of Ann Arbor. It features workshops with names like “Make Your Life Into a Comic” and “Nobody Likes a Boring Story.”

Here are some highlights from this week’s programming, in case you missed them. 

“You and me, pal. We’re the loonies.”

While Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou struggled to bring calm to his country today by shuffling his cabinet, The New York Times warns that:

You might expect that the Legislature, our well-paid, elected representatives, would be most keenly concerned with the economy and trying to figure out how to make things better.

Well, once in a while they do show signs of being interested in that, but yesterday … not so much. The governor was forced to postpone efforts to get approval for a new bridge over the Detroit River, a project that would cost Michigan nothing and create at least 10,000 jobs. He doesn’t yet have the votes.

Update 10:58 a.m.

Michigan State University trustees voted this morning to raise tuition by 6.9% for resident undergraduates, which translates to a nearly $800 increase for full time, in-state students.

10:29 a.m.

If you attend one of Michigan's 15 public universities, chances are you'll see your tuition costs go up for the 2011-12 school year.

Several universities have already announced tuition hikes. Here's a roundup of the schools that have voted so far:

Fallout from accusations in Detroit

After a former staffer filed a whistleblower lawsuit accusing Mayor Dave Bing of seeking to dissolve Detroit city council and the Detroit public school board by becoming the emergency manager of both, Mayor Dave Bing's office has been working to control the damage.

He has denied the allegations.

The Detroit News reports Bing might make changes to his staff:

Mayor Dave Bing is moving to fortify his staff and is in serious talks to bring a former lieutenant, a longtime government veteran and ex-television anchor to an administration suddenly rocked by scandal.

Bing is in discussions with former group executive Kirk Lewis to return to a top position, former Coleman A. Young chief of staff Charlie Williams to serve as a high-level executive and former WDIV-TV (Channel 4) anchor Emery King to provide communications consulting, three sources said.

The Mayor's communications chief, Karen Dumas, has told the Detroit Free Press that she'll resign from her post is she's asked to. Dumas was accused in the lawsuit, filed by Rocelle Collins and her husband, of creating a hostile work environment and causing Collins emotional distress. Dumas was quoted in the Detroit Free Press: 

"I understand that I am an at-will employee," Dumas, 48, told the Free Press on Thursday. "If it is determined now or in the immediate future, or whenever, that my presence isn't needed, then I will gracefully go."

The Detroit News reports that Collins says the city of Detroit was involved in writing the controversial emergency manager legislation. The author of the legislation, Representative Al Pscholka (R-Stevensville) says he did not have any conversations with Bing or other city officials while writing the bill.

University of Michigan regents adopt budget cuts and tuition increases

The University of Michigan's board of regents voted to increase in-state tuition by 6.7% and out-of-state tuition by 4.9%. U of M, like many schools across the state, is working to deal with a sharp cut in their budgets from the state. In addition to tuition hikes, U of M will cut its budget.

From the Detroit News

The $1.59 billion fiscal year budget was approved by a 6-2 vote. Denise Ilitch also was named chairwoman of the board, replacing Julia Darrow.

The university will absorb a $47.5 million cut in state funding, the largest in its 194-year history.

"A $47.5 million reduction is a big blow," Provost Phil Hanlon said. "It requires a lot of tough choices across campus."

To manage the drop in state aid, all university schools, colleges and administrative units will undergo a 1.5 percent budget cut.

In addition, low-enrollment classes will be eliminated, and some university centers and institutes will be closed or downsized.

Employees will be asked to pay more toward their health care, and operational staff will be reduced through layoffs.

A school for pregnant teens and teen moms stays open After weeks of outcry at the planned closing of the Catherine Ferguson Academy in Detroit, students, staff, and supporters celebrated as they learned their school would not close. Michigan Radio's Sarah Hulett reported on the announcement: 

Preparations were under way at Catherine Ferguson Academy in the morning for a big rally to protest the school’s closure. Students were milling around in the hallways. Some were making signs. Across town, protestors were getting on a bus to join the demonstration.

But on the 14thfloor of the Fisher building, something else was happening.

"Good morning, everyone," Roy Roberts told reporters at a news conference he called. "I want to change your storyline."

Roberts announced that Catherine Ferguson Academy – along with two other schools – would be taken over by a charter operator, instead of closing.

Back at the school, staff and alumni and students celebrated with hugs and screams.

My dad grew up in Scarsdale, New York – but, as he’s quick to point out, that was before it became “Scahsdahle.”  His dad told him always to root for the underdog, and my dad took that seriously.

All his friends were Yankees fans, but Dad loved the Dodgers.  A perfect Friday night for him, when he was a young teen, was to go up to his room with a Faygo Redpop, a Boy’s Life magazine – he was on his way to becoming an Eagle Scout – and listen to Red Barber, who wouldn’t say something so prosaic as, “the bases are loaded,” but “the bases are saturated with humanity.”

Dana Friis-Hansen will take the lead at the Grand Rapids Art Museum next month. On this week's Artpod, we talk with Friis-Hansen about his museum philosophy, the state's art ecosystem, and what he means by "negative space."

Bump it up!

A rash of recall petitions for Republican lawmakers in Michigan have recently emerged.

At last count, 16 lawmakers are being targeted for recalls including Governor Rick Snyder, Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville, and House Speaker Jase Boldger.

Michigan Radio's Jennifer White spoke with Susan Demas, political analyst for Michigan Information and Research Service and Ken Sikkema, former Republican state Senate Majority Leader and senior policy fellow at Public Sector Consultants to examine these efforts.

A member of the family that owns the Ambassador Bridge between Detroit and Canada testified before a state Senate committee in Lansing today.

He spoke with a handful of lawmakers who appear annoyed by conflicting information.

Matt Moroun told lawmakers that a proposal to build a publically owned bridge between Detroit and Canada is unnecessary because traffic is down, and tolls would not cover the construction costs.

But he also says the company is prepared to build a second bridge.

That prompted this question from Republican state Senator Geoff Hansen:

“If you receive a permit, will you build a second span?”

Moroun answered:

“The next day we’ll start. Promise.”

Republican state Senator Mike Nofs asked why the Ambassador Bridge owners would want to build a second bridge.

“Why would you build a second bridge the next day if you can’t make the money? The tolls aren’t going to be there. The traffic isn’t going to be there," Nofs said. "It’s going to cost you a lot more money, and you have to expand the roadways on both sides, and you have a government against you apparently right now - Canada - why would you build a second span?”

Moroun says his family’s company needs to build another bridge because the Ambassador Bridge is about 80 years old, and costs a lot of money to maintain.

Democratic state Senator Virgil Smith from Detroit says the Ambassador Bridge owners are controversial figures in the city.

“If you want to proceed with this – with the new project, with the new bridge – I think you’re going to have to clean up a number of your actions in southeast Michigan to do so, or I don’t see it happening no time soon," Smith said.

Many state senators expressed frustration with what they view as a slew of contradictory studies about whether a publically owned bridge would be profitable to taxpayers, or a burden.

Hearings on the bridge issue will continue next week.

Lieutenant Stacey Randolph alleges the chief discriminated against her in 2009 and 2010 when he promoted white male officers instead of her. The chief denied the allegations in a court filing this week.

Lieutenant Stacey Randolph is the first and only African-American female supervisor at the Kalamazoo Public Safety Department. She applied for a promotion on two separate occasions in the past two years. Both times a white male got the job. Randolph scored equal to or better than other candidates.