Nicole Walton

CHASSELL, MI--   The Houghton County Sheriff’s Department is investigating a two-vehicle accident that injured two people. 

Deputies say the crash happened Saturday around 9:30 p.m. on Chassell Painesdale Road near US-41. 

A 39-year-old woman was westbound when she looked down to change the radio station.  Her vehicle crossed the center line and hit another vehicle driven by a 51-year-old Chassell man head-on.  The woman was uninjured.  The man and his passenger were taken to Portage Health for treatment of their injuries. 

LANSING, MI (AP)--   A bill recently introduced in the Michigan House would lessen penalties for residents caught with small amounts of marijuana. 

Democratic Representative Jeff Irwin of Ann Arbor's legislation would make possession of one ounce or less of marijuana a civil infraction. Fines would be based on whether it's the first, second or third violation.

Currently, possessing pot can lead to misdemeanor charges with heavy fines and jail time.

CANTON, MS (AP)--   Nissan Motor Company is recalling 123,308 Altima sedans because their spare tires may be over- or underinflated. 

Altimas from the 2013 model year that were made between March 21 and March 26 are affected.

Tires that are significantly over- or underinflated can increase the risk of a crash. Nissan says it has no reports of accidents or injuries related to the defect, which was discovered by a dealer.

Nissan blamed the issue on a malfunctioning pressure regulator at its Canton, Mississippi plant. That equipment has since been repaired.

ESCANABA, MI--   A new beer maker is coming to the U.P. 

Bell's Brewery owner Larry Bell met with Escanaba officials to discuss the purchase of just over three acres of land.  Bell wants to construct a $2.5 million brewery and bottling facility in the Whitetail Industrial Park, which he says is an easily accessible spot for operations.  The facility will employ five people.

Bell says the brewery will produce three or four new types of beers.

BRIMLEY, MI--   Police have identified the person killed in a Chippewa County crash last week. 

Troopers from the Sault Ste. Marie Post say Theresa Labranche-Teeple, 37, of Brimley died Sunday morning when her pickup truck lost control on a curve on 6 Mile Road.  The truck left the roadway and struck a tree. 

Troopers say speed was a factor in the crash, which remains under investigation. 

LANSING, MI (AP)--   A Michigan law allows doctors to alert state officials if they believe that patients' medical conditions make it unsafe for them to drive. 

The Detroit Free Press reports the law was approved late last year and clarifies a doctor's responsibilities when faced with a patient who has vision loss, dementia or other age-related health problems that could threaten their driving abilities.

Like laws in several other states, officials say Michigan's new law shields doctors from liability if something goes wrong on the road.

LANSING, MI (AP)--   The administrator of Michigan's court system is recommending two consecutive years of 3 percent raises for state Supreme Court justices, who make about $165,000. 

But Chad Schmucker says he's actually trying to help the trial judges in Michigan's 83 counties. That's because their salaries are based on a percentage of what Supreme Court justices are paid.

Schmucker recently told the state compensation commission that trial judges haven't received a raise since 2002. They're paid about $140,000 a year.

LANSING, MI (AP)--   Michigan says that the seasonally unadjusted unemployment rate is down statewide and in all 17 major labor markets. 

The Department of Technology, Management & Budget released the March figures Thursday, showing the statewide unemployment rate at 8.8 percent. That's down 0.4 percentage points from February and 0.8 points from March 2012.

The populous Detroit-area job market accounts for about half the state's workforce, and its unemployment rate fell down 0.3 percentage points to 9.9 percent from February to March.

MARQUETTE, MI (AP)--   Weather officials say flooding is possible in parts of the Upper Peninsula next week as waters recede in other parts of the state. 

Heavy rains and melting snow have brought flooding to parts of the Lower Peninsula, including the Grand Rapids and Saginaw areas. Now, the National Weather Service says the Upper Peninsula could see flooding as temperatures warm and snow melts.

SAWYER, MI (AP)--   Plans call for the runway at Sawyer International Airport to be shortened by more than 3,000 feet after a federal funding cut. 

The Marquette County Board voted unanimously this week on the plan.

The length of the 150-foot-wide runway will be reduced from 12,366 feet to 9,000 feet, and an adjacent taxiway will be shortened.  Officials say they hope to keep the runway at its current length through 2016.