A hole that long scarred East Front Street isn't so holey these days. A five-story, mixed use building soon will begin to rise at the corner of Park and Front streets in downtown Traverse City.

A five-story building under construction at 101 N. Park St. spurred a concept to revitalize the southern riverbank between Cass and Park streets, where a commercial alley runs behind Front Street's buildings, said Rob Bacigalupi, of the city's Downtown Development Authority.

Absences in Grand Traverse County schools largely dropped this week once buildings reopened after a suspected swine flu outbreak.

Swine flu immunizations at Traverse City West and East middle schools planned for next week are canceled after a vaccine shipment was delayed. But several area student clinics at other schools are planned for next week.

Judge sentenced DeJonge to life in prison without parole, the mandatory sentence for a first-degree murder conviction.

A new Traverse City Commission will be seated on Monday.

City officials are seeking applications for three open positions on city boards.

A scheduled swine flu vaccination clinic won't be held today at Central Grade School due to low vaccine supply.

Traverse City Mayor Michael Estes leaves office Monday, two years after he promised to listen to voters and change the course of local government. His active, engaged style differed from that of predecessor Linda Smyka, whom he handily defeated in 2007, and he garnered praise from some for his budget-cutting efforts and grumbles from others who lost long-held influence when the Estes-led commission took control.

President Barack Obama opened a conference that drew leaders from 386 tribal nations, including Derek Bailey, chairman of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians.

A union representing two Leelanau sheriff's deputies filed a grievance contending their recent firings were "unjust," the latest incident of discord that's pitted officers against administrators and caught the eye of civil rights advocates.

Students in Josh Veith's social studies classes like to talk about politics, especially when issues surface that concern their daily lives. But Veith noticed they tended to express opinions to each other within the classroom walls. So he had his students at Traverse City High School put their ideas on paper and address them to politicians. The teens write letters every Friday to various government leaders, from President Barack Obama to outgoing Traverse City Mayor Michael Estes.

School board members in Elk Rapids focused their search for a new superintendent on a school chief from a local district. Steve Prissel, superintendent of Buckley Community Schools, is in contract negotiations with Elk Rapids' board to lead the Antrim County district.

Officers arrested a Cadillac man after he allegedly tried to commit suicide.