Nicole Walton

LANSING, MI (AP)--   A Republican Michigan lawmaker is seeking to crack down on welfare abuse by ensuring the state isn't giving out food assistance to dead people.   

The House Family, Children and Seniors Committee approved a bill last week that would require the Department of Human Services to check the U.S. Social Security Death Index once a month to see if a Bridge Card recipient has died.

Bridge Cards are used like debit cards for state food assistance and cash programs.

LANSING, MI (AP)--   The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is planning a series of public meetings on proposed fishing regulations and fisheries management policies. 

Officials also will explain newly adopted changes to rules that deal specifically with northern pike and muskellunge.

Regulations for northern pike include a statewide 24-inch minimum size limit, a five-fish bag limit with only one fish greater than 24-inches allowed in the daily limit, and a 24-inch to 34-inch protected slot limit.

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Ark Preschool

Arvon Township

AuTrain-Onota

Baraga

Bark River-Harris

Bay Middle College

BHK Baraga, Houghton-Keweenaw Co. Headstart

Big Bay de Noc

Bishop Baraga Catholic

Breitung Township

Christ the King Preschool

Crossroads Christian

Delta Schoolcraft ISD

Dickinson-Iron Tech

Escanaba

Ewen Headstart

Ewen-Trout Creek

Father Marquette

Finlandia

Florence

Forest Park

Gladstone

Ashley Longtine, 14, talks about her experiences at her first Pro-Life march in Washington, D.C.

Put your clocks one hour ahead before you go to bed this Saturday night.  It's the return of Daylight Saving Time, which will make getting up for work Monday morning a bit more difficult for many  

people. 

It's also a good reminder to change the batteries in your smoke detectors and check to see they're in working order. 

MARQUETTE, MI--   Marquette Police are looking for suspects in the theft of a wallet from a local bar. 

MARQUETTE, MI--   A Marquette man charged with home invasion has been bound over to circuit court.  

Douglas Fitzpatrick, 26, is accused of breaking into a home on the 500 block of West Washington Street in January and stealing property.  He allegedly talked about the crime before it was committed. 

Fitzpatrick is charged with second-degree home invasion, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $3,000 fine. 

He waived his preliminary hearing last week.  Arraignment is set for March 22 in Marquette Circuit Court. 

LANSING, MI (AP)--   The Michigan Senate has voted to authorize $21 million in emergency spending to dredge Great Lakes harbors grappling with record-low water levels. 

The bill passed 31-5 Thursday and now heads to the House.

The short-term fix would buy time while Governor Rick Snyder's administration and legislators search for permanent revenue to help water-starved harbors. The federal government has cut back on dredging and the lakes continue declining.

LANSING, MI (AP)--   People in Michigan could get the chance to pet and take photos with bear cubs, under legislation approved by the House. 

The bill approved by a 56-52 vote Thursday would free up facilities to allow the handling of bear cubs up to 9 months old or weighing no more than 90 pounds.

The Senate approved the bill last month. It will be returned to the Senate for final approval of changes before making its way to Governor Rick Snyder's desk.

LANSING, MI (AP)--   A Democratic Michigan lawmaker is launching an effort to prevent employers from asking about a person's criminal background on job applications. 

Democratic Representative Fred Durhal of Detroit introduced a bill this week to remove the question of previous felony convictions from job applications. He said Thursday the question unfairly puts people trying to turn their life around at a disadvantage.