The Associated Press

DETROIT (AP) - Gov. Rick Snyder says he's at least a week away from deciding if Detroit needs an emergency manager to confront its $327 million budget deficit and $14 billion long-term debt.

Snyder told reporters Thursday that the city's drastic population loss over six decades is the main reason for its financial woes.

Detroit had 1.8 million people in the 1950 U.S. Census and about 700,000 in 2010. Snyder says new growth holds the key to Detroit's recovery.

ISLE ROYALE, Mich. (AP) - Isle Royale National Park's gray wolves apparently don't have a gender gap after all.

Scientists reported last year that only nine wolves remained on the Lake Superior island chain - the lowest total in more than 50 years. They said just one was known to be a female, raising doubts about the predator's long-term prospects for survival in the wilderness park.

But Superintendent Phyllis Green said Thursday that genetic analysis of wolf excrement and additional observations suggest that four or five of the animals are females.

Even so, Green says the wolves' situation remains tenuous and experts are studying how climate change may affect them.

Michigan Technological University biologists are conducting their annual winter study at Isle Royale and are expected to release updated wolf and moose numbers next month.

LANSING, Mich. (AP) - A state House committee has approved bills to overhaul Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, leaving out anti-abortion provisions that torpedoed an earlier effort to change the status of the state's largest insurer.

Bills headed to the House don't include language to prevent insurers and businesses from providing elective abortion coverage in employee health plans.

Gov. Rick Snyder vetoed a similar bill less than two months ago over last-minute abortion provisions.

Some lawmakers discussed restoring abortion restrictions.

The proposed overhaul seeks to modernize but not sell Blue Cross, which is governed by a separate law from other insurers and waits longer for its rate changes to be reviewed.

Before Thursday's 11-0 vote, senior advocates testified about concerns that costs will rise because of the legislation. Three Democrats abstained from voting.

FLINT, Mich. (AP) - University of Michigan economists are predicting job growth for the region including Genesee, Lapeer, Livingston, Macomb, Oakland, St. Clair and Shiawassee counties.

George Fulton and Don Grimes of the Ann Arbor school's Institute for Research on Labor, Employment, and the Economy said the areas will gain more than 76,000 jobs this year through 2015. They issued the annual forecast Thursday for the Economic Growth Alliance, a partnership that includes the counties.

They say the region will add 17,600 jobs this year, 27,200 jobs in 2014 and 31,600 jobs in 2015. That comes after a gain of nearly 75,000 jobs over the past three years.

Fulton and Grimes say that the job growth will be accompanied by slowly declining unemployment and relatively tame inflation.

DETROIT (AP) - Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder is planning to discuss Detroit's financial situation on Thursday.

The governor is expected to hold an afternoon round table with the media in Detroit. Snyder's office says he isn't planning to announce if he'll appoint an emergency manager, but instead to provide an update on where things stand.

The Republican governor has less than a month to decide whether the state will take over the city's broken finances and send in someone to oversee a recovery.

LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Gov. Rick Snyder is taking steps aimed at improving mental health services in Michigan.

The Republican governor issued two executive orders Wednesday to bolster mental health initiatives in the state.

The first creates a Mental Health and Wellness Commission. The commission will be led by Lt. Gov. Brian Calley and will advise the Michigan Department of Community Health on ways to strengthen mental health services.

LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Michigan drivers may no longer be let off the hook if child passengers aren't in a safety seat.

Violators now can avoid up to $103 in fines and court costs if they buy a child safety seat before the court appearance date on their citation.

But under a bill passed 35-1 by the state Senate on Wednesday, judges would no longer be required to waive the court penalties. Supporters say repeat offenders aren't buying car seats in good faith.

The legislation specifically addresses violators of a requirement to secure children under age 4 in a safety seat. Michigan also requires children under age 8 to be in a booster seat.

The bill was sent to the House for its consideration.

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Supreme Court has ruled that a Michigan defendant cannot be retried for arson even though his initial acquittal was based on a judge's mistake.

The court voted 8-1 Wednesday in favor of Lamar Evans, who was charged with arson after he was seen running away from a burning vacant house in Detroit with a gasoline can in his hand.

A judge acquitted Evans midway through his trial based on a mistaken interpretation of the law.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor said for the court that the acquittal is final, even if granted in error. Justice Samuel Alito dissented.

LANSING, Mich. (AP) - More Michigan residents may soon be added to the state's online public sex offender registry.

The full House passed a bill Tuesday that would require people convicted of a single Tier I offense for some crimes involving minors to be placed on the online sex offender registry.

Offenses that would qualify would include unlawful imprisonment if the victim is a minor and knowingly possessing sexually abusive material of a child.

The bill's sponsor, Republican Sen. Rick Jones of Grand Ledge says the bill will allow the public to "protect their children and grandchildren."

The House Fiscal Agency reports that a few hundred people would be added to the state's public registry. Currently people convicted of Tier II and III offenses are already placed on the registry.

DETROIT (AP) - A man who believes he knows where Jimmy Hoffa was buried says he's been interviewed three times by federal authorities since stepping forward in January.

Tony Zerilli tells Detroit TV station WDIV that the FBI has enough information for a search warrant to dig in Oakland County. He says he answered every question from agents and prosecutors.

The FBI declined to comment Monday.

GLEN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) - The state Transportation Department has received $100,000 in federal funds to extend Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore Heritage Trail by nearly five miles.

The funding is part of $12.5 million for 29 projects in 20 states to improve access to national parks, forests and wildlife refuges.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced the projects Monday.

DEARBORN, Mich. (AP) - Michigan colleges are stuck with a bill worth millions of dollars when students with federal grants drop out but keep the cash.

The Detroit Free Press says Henry Ford Community College in Dearborn likely will raise tuition, partly to repay $4.1 million to the federal government. Spokesman Gary Erwin says two-year colleges have been hit "particularly hard."

LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Michigan film producers and Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville say they will lobby to maintain the state's $50 million film credits cap.

Gov. Snyder is calling for a $25 million dollar cap in film incentives in the budget he has proposed. The amount is the same he proposed last year, but lawmakers raised the cap to $50 million during budget negotiations.

LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Gov. Rick Snyder is joining with advocacy groups to raise awareness for Michigan families living without heat this winter.

Snyder proclaimed February "Keep Michigan Warm" month to highlight "the growing and critical need for home heating assistance in Michigan." It was requested by advocacy group Coalition to Keep Michigan Warm.

Snyder says "no one should ever have to choose between heating their home and feeding their family." He says many families are forced to spend more than half of their annual income on energy costs.

LANSING, Mich. (AP) - A new report finds that most of Michigan's electricity providers are on pace to generate 10 percent of their power from renewable sources by 2015.

The Michigan Public Service Commission's annual renewable energy report released Friday finds the use of wind, the sun and other renewables was expected to have reached 4.7 percent last year. The estimate was 4.4 percent in 2011 - up from 3.6 percent the previous year.

LANSING, Mich. (AP) - In the height of tax season, many Michigan residents owe more money to Lansing.

Some major income tax changes approved 21 months ago by Gov. Rick Snyder and lawmakers are just now starting to hit taxpayers filing their state returns.

Homeowners and renters used to qualify for a credit if their household income was no more than around $83,000 a year. Now they don't get it unless their total household resources are $50,000 or less.

A state tax deduction for children is gone. So is a special exemption for seniors.

ADRIAN, Mich. (AP) - Police in southern Michigan say crews are responding to a chemical release and people nearby are being asked to stay in their homes as a precaution.

No injuries were reported Friday morning in Adrian, about 60 miles southwest of Detroit. Police say there's no immediate threat to the public.

Police say in a statement that a barrel containing 30 to 35 gallons of nitric acid was letting off gas after reacting with a small amount of sodium hydroxide.

Roads nearby are closed and the fire department is asking residents and others within one-tenth of a mile of the area to stay where they are. Police say that could last until 1 p.m.

The Lenawee County hazardous materials team is on the scene along with the county's emergency management office.

DETROIT (AP) -  After a five-month trial, jurors have the corruption case of former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick.

But the judge says formal deliberations won't start until Tuesday, at the jury's request. Monday is a public holiday

Prosecutor Mark Chutkow had the final word, giving a blistering rebuttal to the closing remarks of defense lawyers. He says Kilpatrick engaged in "breathtaking" corruption that robbed Detroiters of honest government.

Kilpatrick, his father Bernard and construction contractor Bobby Ferguson are accused of widespread corruption through bribery and extortion. The Kilpatricks are also charged with tax crimes.

The prosecutor displayed a chart to show jurors the large spikes in cash deposits when Kilpatrick was mayor. Chutkow called it a "tidal wave of green."

Kwame Kilpatrick's lawyer says his client got cash gifts from supporters.

LANSING, Mich. (AP) - The Michigan Department of Transportation and Amtrak are saying full speed ahead on expanding the state's high-speed train service.

Amtrak will take over maintenance on the former Norfolk Southern Railway route used by Amtrak's Wolverine Service and Blue Water trains Feb. 16.

MDOT purchased 135 miles of the railroad last year.

MDOT says this will allow track improvements to begin to bring more areas high-speed train service. The department says improvements may begin as early as this spring.

Amtrak trains currently reach 110 mph along an 80-mile stretch between Porter, Ind. and Kalamazoo. The expansion of the high-speed service is expected to start between Kalamazoo and Battle Creek and head eastward.

MDOT and Amtrak say the goal is to get passengers between Chicago and Detroit in about 5 hours.

PONTIAC, Mich. (AP) - A judge says Pontiac's state-appointed emergency financial manager violated the Open Meetings Act in making changes to the city's retiree pension board.

The Oakland Press of Pontiac and the Detroit Free Press report Oakland County Circuit Judge Rae Lee Chabot on Wednesday ruled against Lou Schimmel, who last year cut the pension board from 11 members to five amid concerns about spending.

Chabot says the change "looks like a dictatorship."

Schimmel says he disagrees with the judge's order but he'll comply with the directive. He's working to fix the finances of the cash-strapped city.

The preliminary injunction comes in a lawsuit filed by the City of Pontiac Retired Employees Association. The board is scheduled to meet this month.

   Pontiac's finances have been under state supervision since 2009.