In rare move, DEQ staff urge veto on weakened cleanup law   Michigan Department of Environmental Quality staff members took the rare step of publicly opposing lame duck legislation this week. Eighty-two DEQ staff members sent Gov. Rick Snyder a signed letter requesting he veto Senate Bill 1244. The state employees said the bill has "no basis in the protection of health and the environment." MORE ►Gov. Snyder finalizes Line 5 tunnel deal

Detroit's Metropolitan Building gets new life after 40 years vacant   Another former eyesore in downtown Detroit has a new lease on life. The Metropolitan Building opened its grand lobby this week for the first time in 40 years. It took $33 million and more than a year to restore the stately structure. The Metropolitan will house a hotel, restaurants and retail space. We have some impressive before and after pictures for your viewing pleasure. MORE ►Detroit's building boom: Is it the peak or is it just beginning? ►Ford paid $90 million for once-doomed Central Station

MLive's Big Ten bowl picks: Get 'em before we're proven wrong! hat Great news Big Ten Conference! We are picking against you, which means you should do pretty well this bowl season. (We mean, it's really hard to post a sub-.400 correct picks mark. But during this past regular season, we made it look easy.) The only problem is that most prognosticators are going against the Big Ten, too. Something's gotta give, right? MORE ►More Spartans ►More Wolverines ►More Broncos