A photograph and tracks found recently in the Upper Peninsula have rekindled a debate over whether Michigan has an established, breeding cougar population.

The state Department of Natural Resources has released a cougar photo taken last month in the Upper Peninsula's Chippewa County.

Former Benzie County Administrator Chuck Clarke sued his ex-employers, and alleged commissioners fired him in violation of his contract. Clarke, 61, served as administrator from 1998 until August, when commissioners ousted him.

Budget cuts and a hike in salt prices could make it tougher for motorists to travel on northwest Michigan's icy roads this winter.

A post-Bioneers workshop will be held Saturday at the Oleson Center at Northwestern Michigan College.

A Manistee County man is charged with breaking into a home in Grand Traverse County's Long Lake Township.

Gerry Alan Leaureaux, 39, is charged with second-degree criminal sexual conduct with a person under 13. A preliminary examination is set for Nov. 13.

The Michigan appeals court ordered a man removed from the state's sex-offender registry Wednesday, saying it was cruel punishment.

Ohio voters have approved the opening of casinos in Toledo and three other cities, leaving officials and gambling interests in neighboring Indiana and Michigan worried that millions of dollars in gambling revenues -- and taxes -- are at risk.

State social workers struggling with mounting welfare, food stamp and Medicaid caseloads said Wednesday they fear for their lives after being assaulted or threatened by recipients frustrated with long lines and delays in aid.

Last year pharmaceutical companies spent more than $4 billion urging patients like you to "ask your doctor" about their drugs. But if you want a prescription that won't empty your wallet, while still keeping you well, you might start asking your doctor about drugs you don't see on TV.

The issue: The Grand Traverse County Road Commission may have thoughts about seeking a county-wide road millage. Our view: Tuesday's voting in Acme and East Bay townships doesn't bode well.

By KEN WINTER: A former Lansing-based state government reporter recently observed that state government coverage by Michigan's largest news organizations continues to diminish. Some important stories hardly surface in today's news because news organizations have dramatically reduced newsroom staffs.

Just wondering; We need a change

Petoskey advanced to its second straight Division 2 soccer state championship match with a win over Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook-Kingswood. Suttons Bay fell to Hudsonville Freedom Baptist in overtime in a Division 4 semifinal.

Water levels on the rivers were high and muddy after the recent rains, but catch rates should improve as the waters recede, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources said Wednesday in its weekly fishing report.

Benzie Central earned its first-ever trip to the district finals with a win over Manistee in the Class B bracket the Huskies host. (Plus more volleyball district results.)

New York's attorney general hit Intel Corp. with an antitrust lawsuit Wednesday, claiming the company used "illegal threats and collusion" to dominate the market for computer microprocessors.

Local Chrysler dealers welcomed the company's plans to revamp its struggling Dodge car brand under its new turnaround plan.

The most common deals under the government's $3 billion Cash for Clunkers program, aimed at putting more fuel-efficient cars on the road, replaced old Ford or Chevrolet pickups with new ones that got only marginally better gas mileage, according to an analysis of new federal data by The Associated Press.

The Federal Reserve pledged Wednesday to keep a key interest rate at a record low for an "extended period," in a sign that the U.S. economy is growing but remains deeply dependent on government help.

When it comes to exercise, most of us are looking for a way to lose weight and firm up without spending endless hours in the gym. But how well do such "exercise cheats" measure up to their claims that they'll do the work for you? We sent four products to four experts for their evaluation.

Nurses were training women in rural Mexico to examine their breasts for cancer when one raised her hand to object. If she lost her breast, Harvard public health specialist Felicia Knaul recalls the woman saying, "My man would leave me" -- and with him, the family's income.

The Health calendar is published weekly. Information to be included can be mailed to the Record-Eagle, 120 W. Front St., Traverse City, MI 49684; faxed to 946-8632; e-mailed to sbeach@record-eagle.com or delivered to: 120 W. Front St. Traverse City.

Collection of prescription meds; Film and discussion on drug abuse; Workshop on grief and the holidays; Up North 2 airs Parkinson's program; Mother/baby support group not meeting; Workshop on 'The Art of Condolence'; Local pediatrician discusses parenting; Free tranquility harp workshop offered; Seminar helps with senior care issues; Registered nurses meeting Nov. 12; Dental lab holding food drive; Dietitian speaking at gluten-free group