Michigan Report for Friday, January 27, 2012

Obama Announces ‘Race To The Top' Initiative For Universities

ANN ARBOR - President Barack Obama called on colleges and universities across the nation to keep their tuitions low or risk losing federal funding, and announced a "Race to the Top" initiative that will encourage states not to cut funding for higher education.

During his speech Friday at the Al Glick Fieldhouse on the University of Michigan campus, Mr. Obama said universities cannot continue to raise tuition rates each year. And if they do, they will see their federal funding decrease, he said. This would be the first time the federal government has tied aid to higher education to tuition rates.

Newsmaker Friday: The Truth Will Out, Stamper Says

The controversy surrounding the "Gateway Project" is not about the Gateway Project at the Ambassador Bridge, Detroit International Bridge Company President Dan Stamper said in an interview. In fact, the real intent of the ongoing dispute on new ramps to provide access to the Ambassador Bridge is the state's desire to see a new bridge built two miles south of the Ambassador site.

Businesses To Face New Bill For Unemployment Bonding

Michigan businesses will pay back the state's $3.3 billion in unemployment benefit bonds, but that amount is much less than what they would have paid if the state had continued borrowing money from the federal government, state officials said Friday.

Martin: No Initial Plan For Highland Park Schools

Jackie Martin will begin his role as emergency manager of Highland Park School District on Monday and will not begin making plans until then on how to turn the district around, he said at a media event after his appointment to the post.

Anderson Pushes Missed Votes Website; Johnson Says It's Political

Sen. Glenn Anderson (D-Westland) introduced a bill this week requiring that the Legislature's website include how many missed session days and missed votes each lawmaker has accumulated, which one of his primary opponents in the 13^th U.S. House District says is a political attack.

Court Removes Justin From Jackson Bench

The Supreme Court agreed with the Judicial Tenure Commission that 12^th District Judge James Justin had engaged in ongoing misconduct in recent years that warranted his removal from the bench and fines to cover the cost of investigating his case.

Poll: Obama Leads Romney, Gingrich In State

If the presidential election were held today, Michigan voters would favor President Barack Obama over either former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney or former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich, a poll released Friday said.