Warranties could spike cost of road construction in Michigan hat  Have you ever heard of a road warranty? Probably not. But tucked into the state's 2015 roads package - designed to generate $1.2 billion for roads - is a provision that requires local governments to have a pavement warranty program in place. The thing is, nobody really knows if these warranties are cost effective, or, even, what the going rate for them is. MORE ►SOS says 30-minute gaurantee 'achieved' ... if you make an appointment ►Michigan residents could be able to bet on sports by March Madness

  

City forcibly cleans up trash collector's yard   Bill Peterson thinks of himself as an avid proponent for recycling. He has operated a trash hauling and recycling business out of his Grand Rapids home for years. The city thinks of Peterson, shall we say, differently. In fact, the city has ticketed Peterson for a string of code violations since 2003. Things came to a head this week when the city showed up and hauled away piles of junk from Peterson's yard. MORE ►Grand Rapids data center given additional tax break by state House ►Teachers sign to Ann Arbor school board, set tone for contract talks

Fsta See the leaders in the Ultimate State Champion through the fall season hat  We started tracking the Ultimate State Champion in 2015 in an effort to highlight Michigan's top performing athletic departments. (Heck, any team can win a title for its school! This contest tracks an school's entire body of work.) Here are the standings after the fall season. Here's something new, though. Four-time champion Rockford didn't make this initial top 20 list. MORE ►Complete high school sports coverage ►Small ball created big change for girls basketball

  

11 magical Michigan places to get you in the holiday spirit     It's the most wonderful time of the year! But perhaps you just aren't feeling it yet. If you want to avoid being a Scrooge all season, maybe a trip to one (or more) of these festive locations will help you get into the spirit. On the other hand, if you are already filled with seasonal cheer, you might want to visit these spots to take full advantage of the holidays. Either way, go forth and be merry. MORE ►Farm near Kalamazoo introduces walk-through holiday light display ►Michigan is one of the 'Grinchiest' states in America, study says