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Southwest Michigan Today: Friday June 7, 2019

File photo of road construction by WMUK
WMUK

Enbridge heads to court over its agreement with the state over Line 5. Some Republican lawmakers want to sell assets to fund road repair. WMU alum Marin Mazzie is remembered at the Tony Awards.

(Michigan Radio) Enbridge wants the Michigan Court of Claims to establish the validity of agreements made with the Snyder administration. Enbridge wants to replace a section of its Line 5 pipeline in the straits of Mackinac and place that section in a tunnel. Governor Gretchen Whitmer halted the plans. Company officials announced the legal action yesterday. Attorney General Dana Nessel says - quote - "we look forward to seeing them in court."

(MPRN) Some Republican lawmakers want to look into selling some state assets and using the money to fix Michigan’s roads. That includes the Blue Water Bridge that connects Michigan and Canada. Republican lawmakers are trying to find ways to raise more money for the roads. But they want to avoid Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s proposed 45-cent fuel tax increase. The proposed budget portion passed out of a subcommittee Thursday. It would require the Department of Transportation to develop proposals for the sale of eight welcome centers, four airports, and a rail line along with the bridge.

(Interlochen Public Radio) State Representative Larry Inman will seek treatment for long-term use of pain medication. Inman is a republican from Williamsburg near Traverse City. He has taken pain pills for years to recover from a variety of surgeries, according to a press release. Inman faces up to 20 years in prison on charges of extortion, soliciting a bribe and lying to the FBI. He has plead not guilty to all charges. Republican and Democratic leaders in the State House have asked Inman to step down. Inman’s attorney says the lawmaker has no plans to resign.

Western Michigan University alum Marin Mazzie has won a posthumous Tony award for her work on Broadway. Mazzie was recognized about nine months after she died of ovarian cancer in 2018.Mazzie graduated from Western in 1982 and began her Broadway career in New York three years later. She won several previous Tony awards before her death. Her husband accepted the latest award at a reception on Monday. Mazzie launched her career at the Barn Theatre in Augusta while she was still a student at Western.

In baseball, Battle Creek snapped a five game losing streak with a 4-3 win over KalamazooThursday night. That also ended the Growlers five game winning streak.The Bombers will host Kokomo Friday night at C.O. Brown Stadium in Battle Creek to begin a two game series. The Growlers will play at Rockford Friday evening.