The Associated Press

COVERT TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) - Operators of the Palisades Nuclear Power Plant in southwestern Michigan say they removed it from service because of a water leak.

The plant operators say they took the plant off line Sunday morning for inspections and repairs to the safety injection/refueling water tank. They say there is no risk to the public.

The plant is along Lake Michigan's shoreline in Van Buren County's Covert Township, about 80 miles east-northeast of Chicago.

LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Gov. Rick Snyder is urging residents to help prevent arson fires in Michigan's communities.

Snyder has proclaimed May 5-11 Arson Awareness Week in Michigan. This year's theme is "Reducing Residential Arson."

The state says that residential arson fires throughout Michigan resulted in more than $10 million in property losses last year. There were 782 residential arson fires in the state in 2012.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) - Twitter chief executive Dick Costolo took a picture of thousands of graduates at the University of Michigan - and then tweeted it, of course.

Costolo joked to the crowd that it "should only take a second." The Michigan alumnus was back on campus Saturday to receive an honorary doctor of laws degree. He told graduates to be bold, figure out what they love to do and "go do that."

LANSING, Mich. (AP) - A federal appeals court has no problem with a Michigan law that bars a presidential candidate from running in the general election after losing in the primary for another political party.

The lawsuit was filed by the Libertarian Party after the secretary of state kept Gary Johnson off the ballot last fall. He'd lost earlier in 2012 as a candidate in Michigan's Republican Party primary.

A three-judge panel at the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati said Wednesday that Michigan's law is constitutional.

The ruling affirms an earlier decision by Detroit federal Judge Paul Borman.

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Some prospective Michigan State University students say they're frustrated by the school's policy allowing deferred admission.

Jim Cotter, the school's director of admissions, tells The Detroit News that the East Lansing university's admissions practice has been in place for more than a decade. It was set up to manage application growth and ensure quality.

Unlike schools that offer a fall wait-list option, Michigan State guarantees some students a place if they wait until January to start.

Anthony Seely is among is one of about 1,000 who have been granted deferred admission. He can't enroll for fall classes unless space opens. The 18-year-old from Grosse Pointe Shores must decide this month whether to take the offer or go to another school.

Seely says it makes the planning process difficult.

Update 11:06 a.m.

The Associated Press reports the National Transportation Safety Board and the Afghanistan Civil Aviation Authority are investigating the crash:

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the crash, but the U.S.-led coalition said in a statement to The Associated Press: "Taliban's claims are false."

It said there was no sign of insurgent activity in the area at the time. Capt. Luca Carniel, a coalition spokesman, said the aircraft crashed from a low altitude right after takeoff.

Here's the site of the crash:

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Monday, April 29th, 11:16 p.m.

VAN BUREN TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) - An official of a Florida-based air cargo company says five of seven people killed in the crash of a civilian plane at an airfield in Afghanistan were from Michigan.

The plane crashed just after taking off Monday from Bagram Air Field, north of the Afghan capital.

The U.S.-led military coalition says it's investigating what caused the crash.

An official of Orlando, Fla.-based National Airlines says its Boeing 747-400 was carrying vehicles and other cargo.

Company Vice President Shirley Kaufman tells the Detroit Free Press that those killed were four pilots, two mechanics and a load master.

Kaufman didn't release the victims' names but says their families have been notified.

National Airlines was based until recently at Michigan's Willow Run Airport, west of Detroit in Wayne County's Van Buren Township.

LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Gov. Rick Snyder and lawmakers don't agree on how much money to set aside in Michigan's savings account.

The rainy day fund was nearly empty when the Republican governor took office after a decade of job losses and budget crises. He successfully built it back up to more than $500 million and is hoping to add another $75 million.

Snyder says a healthy cash reserve is good for the state's credit rating and prudent in case there are future economic downturns.

But the GOP-led Senate next week is expected to approve a budget without extra money in the account. Some legislators say savings are robust and the $75 million should go to other priorities instead.

The House is more in line with Snyder. Lawmakers will negotiate their differences next month.

DETROIT (AP) - Detroit Mayor Dave Bing has taken a step toward seeking a second four-year term leading the city that now operates under a state financial manager.

Bing picked up petitions Thursday afternoon at the city clerk's office for a spot on the August primary ballot. The top two vote-getters advance to November's general election.

He's been silent for months on his re-election intentions as Detroit entered state oversight. Gov. Rick Snyder in March named bankruptcy attorney Kevyn Orr as Detroit's emergency manager.

Bing says he's working closely with Orr, who must approve all financial decisions.

The 69-year-old Bing was elected mayor in May 2009 to complete the remaining months of disgraced ex-mayor Kwame Kilpatrick's second term. Voters re-elected elected Bing that November.

He inherited a budget deficit that now stands at $327 million.

DETROIT (AP) - Donations from businesses and federal grants will allow Detroit to keep open 50 public parks slated for closure this year due to lack of money.

Mayor Dave Bing says Wednesday that the donations include $5 million over five years from auto industry supplier Lear Corp. Other donors include General Motors Co., Ford Motor Co., Marathon Petroleum and the Kellogg Foundation.

Several businesses, community groups and residents also have adopted parks in order to keep them open.

The parks donations follow a pledge of $8 million from businesses and foundations for 23 EMS units and 100 police cars.

Detroit's finances are under control of a state-appointed emergency manager. The city's budget deficit is about $327 million.

More than 200 city parks were closed between 2008 and 2009.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) - Officials say about 150 people who were evacuated from homes in Kent County because of flooding have been allowed to return home.

Kent County spokeswoman Lisa LaPlante says those allowed home by around midday Wednesday are among nearly 700 officials believe are evacuated. She says officials want to make sure homes are inspected before people return and utility crews restore power and natural gas service.

The Kent County number doesn't include about 1,000 people evacuated from downtown Grand Rapids' Plaza Towers because of the rain-swollen Grand River.

LaPlante says it could be weeks before Kent County officials have estimates of the financial cost of the flooding damage in the area.

LANSING, Mich. (AP) - The Republican-led state House is looking to do away with tax incentives that lure moviemakers to Michigan so the money instead goes toward road maintenance.

The House on Tuesday stripped $25 million in tax credits it planned to set aside for the film industry.

The funding would go to the state and local governments for road repairs.

The House also cut $25 million from an economic-development fund and allocated it for roads.

The full House is expected to vote on its budget Wednesday, setting the stage for negotiations with the Senate and Gov. Rick Snyder next month.

So far the GOP-controlled Senate and governor are looking to designate at least $25 million in incentives for Hollywood - half the amount in the current budget.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) - A man who uses his car to spread an anti-abortion message is suing the city of Ann Arbor and its police chief over what he says is the violation of his free-speech rights.

Paul Dobrowolski displays signs with phrases such as "Abortion hurts women" in the window of a vehicle he parks outside a Planned Parenthood facility.

The federal lawsuit was filed Tuesday.

The suit says Dobrowolski was ticketed twice last year for violating a portion of the city code that prohibits parking a vehicle on a street for the purpose of displaying advertising.

One of Dobrowolski's signs gives the name, phone number and address of a facility that provides free ultrasounds.

Ann Arbor Mayor John Hieftje says he doesn't comment on pending litigation, but "the city enforces the law."

VAN BUREN TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) - The Yankee Air Museum is kicking off a $6 million campaign to make its home at a former facility that built B-24 bombers during World War II.

Museum officials announced this week an effort to purchase and renovate part of the former Willow Run powertrain plant. The museum is housed at Willow Run Airport, near Ypsilanti in Wayne County's Van Buren Township.

Its original headquarters was destroyed by fire in 2004.

Dennis Norton, the founder and president of the Yankee Air Museum, has presented plans to Ypsilanti Township officials. The museum says it has until Aug. 1 to secure funding, and would buy the site from the Revitalizing Auto Communities Environmental Response Trust.

Ford Motor Co. built the plant for B-24 production. It later was taken over by General Motors.

President Barack Obama has had a briefing from two Lansing-area teenagers about their new technology for warning swimmers about dangerous off-shore currents.

19-year-old Spencer Ottarson and 17-year-old Julie Xu represented Williamston High School on Monday as of 12 teams that presented their science projects at the White House's third science fair.

Obama examined their Offshore Rip Current Alert System, which was on display in the East Garden.

DETROIT (AP) - Tests by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality have found that hulking black mounds along the banks of the Detroit River in southwest Detroit don't pose a threat to human health.

The petroleum coke, or pet coke, mounds are a byproduct of oil refining used in energy production. The material has been brought by trucks from the nearby Marathon Petroleum Co. refinery, and the mounds drew attention starting earlier this year.

The Detroit News reported the MDEQ's findings Friday.

Area residents, the Canadian government and U.S. lawmakers are among those concerned about potential pollution and health effects.

Findlay, Ohio-based Marathon Petroleum says the pet coke stored along the Detroit River is no longer owned by the company. If stored properly, however, Marathon says pet coke poses no environmental concerns.