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Every Saturday Michigan Radio's Rina Miller talks with political analyst Jack Lessenberry about the week's top regional news stories. This week they talked about who Michiganders are likely to vote for in the presidential election, how the Teamsters are backing Proposal 6, and the death of inventor, Stan Ovshinsky.

Flint is a much maligned city. While there is plenty of good happening in the city it does have challenges that go far beyond an image problem.

Detroit City Council will once again take up a plan today that calls for making Belle Isle a state park.

Last week, Michigan Radio's Sarah Cwiek reported council members called the plan "ridiculous" and "terrible."

James Tate was the Council’s leading voice for some kind of state partnership on Belle Isle. But Tate said the proposal, as it stands, is “very flawed” and “rife with a lack of detail.”

“I think it’s ridiculous for us to be asked to vote, or even consider, a document that’s so incomplete,” Tate said.

“At this moment, I’m an absolute no. What we have in front of us is way beyond disrespect. It’s stupid.”

Council member Saunteel Jenkins agreed.

The state has promised more details and is confident a deal can be reached. From today's Detroit Free Press:

Calhoun County residents who are coping with deteriorating roads won't be able to blame the Road Commission anymore.

The state legislature passed a law in the spring that allows County Commissions to disband their Road Commissions.

Ingham County did so right away, and now Calhoun County has followed suit.

Art Kale chairs the Calhoun County Board of Commissioners.  He said the board took the action because of what it saw as financial mismanagement by the Road Commission.

Kale said the change had bipartisan support.

"When I hit a pothole, I don't look to see if it's a red pothole or a blue pothole. All I know is that this was the biggest issue our citizens were complaining about," said Kale.

Kale said the Road Commission's managing director will stay on at least through the end of his year-long contract and that no employee changes are planned.

He also said the Teamsters, which represents Road Commission workers, were in favor of dissolving the commission.

Earlier this week, Michigan Radio's Rina Miller reported on an MSU study that links a parasite found in cat stomachs and undercooked meat to suicides.

That may be just the beginning for Toxoplasma gondii.

The infection it can cause in humans, called toxoplasmosis, appears innocent enough.

Many cases exhibit no symptoms and typically require no treatment.

If I were the late Andy Rooney, I might start today by asking whether you see your glass as half full -- or half empty?

Meaning -- do you focus on the positive or the negative? On the other hand, there’s an old joke about the difference between an optimist, a pessimist, and a Detroiter. The optimist sees the glass as half full; the pessimist, as half empty.

Generalizations are always dangerous, but here’s two that are pretty safe. Most Republicans are not happy that Barack Obama was elected president four years ago. And in Michigan, Democrats are unhappy with Governor Snyder and the Republican legislature.

I don’t think I’ll get much argument there. But now consider this: Two years ago in Michigan, fifty-five percent of registered voters didn’t vote at all. When you consider that some people don’t ever register, the picture is even worse.

Yesterday, I talked about a major effort the state’s labor unions were launching to counteract what they feel is a major assault on collective bargaining. They are attempting to amend the constitution to make it impossible to take collective bargaining rights away from any group, no matter the circumstances.