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In this morning's news...

Morning News Roundup, Friday, December 16th, 2011
Brother O'Mara
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Morning News Roundup, Friday, December 16th, 2011

Busy Day at the Capitol

Lawmakers were busy yesterday in Lansing as the winter legislative session came to an end. “A proposal to get rid of the limit on the number of university-sponsored K- 12 charter schools in the state is on its way to Governor Rick Snyder’s desk. The state Senate gave final approval to the measure yesterday at the state Capitol,” Laura Weber reports. And,  the state Senate approved a bill that would allow state officials to appoint a transition team to work with a community after an emergency manager’s term is up. Rick Pluta reports:

The bill would create a transition team for a local government that’s ending its run with an emergency manager. But lawmakers could quickly adopt an alternative version next year if the state’s emergency manager law is stalled by a referendum or reversed by a court. Lawmakers will not however, revisit the emergency manager law before January when they return from a month-long winter break.

And, of course, what would the end of a legislative session be without a fight on the House chamber floor.

W. MI Power Plant Restarts after Shutdown

The Palisades nuclear power plant in West Michigan has been restarted after it was shut-down due to a problem with its water pumps. The Associated Press reports:

Operators of the southwestern Michigan plant say it returned to service and reconnected to the electric grid late Thursday night. Both of the plant's feed water pumps automatically shut down Wednesday afternoon. Palisades is about 35 miles west of Kalamazoo and about 80 miles east-northeast from Chicago across the lake. Palisades has had several recent operating problems, with two shutdowns in September and one each in August and January.

Detroit Red Kettle Donations Down

The Salvation Army’s annual Red Kettle Campaign is running short of its goal in metro Detroit. “The charitable organization's Eastern District has a goal of $8.2 million. It’s raised about $3 million dollars with only a week and a half left to go in the campaign. The Salvation Army’s West Michigan group is faring better. Spokesman Roger Snider says kettle donations are up about one percent in Kent County, where the goal is $1.6 million dollars. He says overall donations in Kent County are up nearly five percent,” Rina Miller reports.

Zoe Clark is Michigan Public's Political Director. In this role, Clark guides coverage of the state Capitol, elections, and policy debates.