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An influencial business forecasting company has named Flint as one of 13 "Comeback Cities" in 2011.  Kiplinger.com ranks Flint along side other American cities that weathered the economic recession that are poised to make a big comeback this year.   

Last year, many automakers brought in profits and announced that they would open up new factories and add new jobs.

But the industry is adding new jobs at a time when qualified candidates are hard to come by.

David Shepardson wrote about the shortage in the Detroit News today:

The average cost of gas in Michigan is $3.86. That’s nearly $1.00 more than it was this time last year.

Nancy Cain is a spokesperson for Triple-A Michigan. She says generally prices don’t go up this much so early into spring, "but this is our 8th weekly increase, and we’re seeing prices just going up."

Cain says the price at the pump follows the crude oil price, which she says is "topping $111-$112 a barrel. So that’s up to a 2.5-year high."

More than 15 hundred people will meet in Lansing this week to discuss Michigan’s affordable housing needs. 

Jess Sobol is the director of operations in the Community Development division within the Michigan Housing Development Authority.  He says this week’s conference will give people from the non-profit and for-profit worlds a chance to meet and discuss ways of reclaiming ‘sustainable’ communities.