NOFS HEAVY FAVORITE ON EVE OF ELECTION

Republican Mike Nofs heads into Tuesday's special Senate election against Democratic Rep. Martin Griffin as an overwhelming favorite with political observers forecasting a landslide victory that will give the GOP a 22-16 edge in the Senate.

GRANHOLM SEEKING 20% CUTS ON ALL BUDGETS

All state departments will start the 2010-11 fiscal year with 20 percent less general fund money than they have for the current year under the budget proposals being developed by the administration of Governor Jennifer Granholm.

AG. COMMISSION TO OUTLINE NEW ROLE

With maybe two meetings left before it loses its place as the head of the Department of Agriculture, the Commission of Agriculture plans to spend that time charting out the future of the department and its place in that future.

UNIVERSITIES DECIDING HOW TO TACKLE PROMISE GRANT AWARDS

Students at Saginaw Valley State University are getting a reprieve from the state's elimination of the Promise Grant scholarship as school officials have decided to cover the cost of the $500 award for the fall semester.

FIRST REFUND ORDERED UNDER NEW ELECTRIC LAW

The Public Service Commission ordered Consumers Energy to refund some $39.6 million annualized for overcharging customers since May.

D.N.R./D.E.Q. ENTER SECOND PHASE OF MERGER

The departments of Natural Resources and Environmental Quality are now in the second phase of their planned merger with the adoption Monday of an official merger plan.

GROUP ASSEMBLES PRIMER FOR GOVERNOR CANDIDATES

Attention candidates for governor: Some of Lansing's brightest minds have compiled a massive, comprehensive list of topics they think the next governor should use to prepare themselves for the task when he or she takes office on January 1, 2011.

FLU CASES STILL EXPLODING IN STATE

With state officials saying this year's flu outbreak is unprecedented, the state saw another explosive increase in the reported number of flu-like diseases last week, and since September 1 reported that 16 people have died in the state from H1N1, the swine flu.

COURT TO HEAR ARGUMENTS ON M.E.A. DEDUCTIONS

Oral arguments on a case involving the ability of the Michigan Education Association to deduct members' pay for its political action committee will be heard this week by the Supreme Court as part of 12 cases slated for arguments before the court in November. Also coming up for argument will be a medical malpractice case that stemmed from a scandalous shooting in a Detroit-area psychiatrist's office.

S.F.A. REPORT: PROMISE GRANT COST $100M, NOT $140M

If the Legislature and Governor Jennifer Granholm had maintained the Promise Grant college scholarship, it would have cost about $100 million, not the $140 million estimated, according to a report from the Senate Fiscal Agency.

MICHIGAN JOINS 14 OTHER STATES IN MEDICAID FRAUD LAWSUIT

Michigan will be part of a lawsuit against pharmaceutical companies that allegedly gave kickbacks to medical providers and defrauded the state's Medicaid system, Attorney General Mike Cox announced Monday.

Source : Gongwer News Service : Michigan Report, Volume #48, Report 213, November 2, 2009. Full access requires a subscription or a visit to a subscribing library such as the Michigan State University Main Library.