Michigan Jobless Rate Reaches Highest Level of 2011

(LANSING, Mich.) -- The state unemployment rate increased for a third straight month in July, reaching its highest level of the year.

Following a dip in unemployment numbers from January to April, July's jobless rate continues to rise, peaking at 10.9 percent and bringing the total number of jobless workers to 500,000 for the first time since January. The jobless rate in January was 10.7 percent of the state's workers.

Michigan's unemployment numbers continue to remain above the national level, which posted a jobless rate of 9.1 percent in July.

Copyright 2011 ABC News Radio

Chase Bank Donates $1 Million for Housing

(DETROIT) -- Chase Bank is partnering with the City of Detroit to encourage city workers to stay or return to the city by providing down payments on housing.

On Thursday, Mayor Dave Bing and Chase will outline details of the plan which will see police officers and city employees receive about $1 million in grant money.  Bing's "Project 14" seeks to stabilize neighborhoods in order to attract people to the city. The down payments will be awarded for the purchase of vacant homes in specific neighborhoods.

Copyright 2011 ABC News Radio

University of Michigan Student Attacked

(ANN ARBOR, Mich.) -- The University of Michigan Department of Public Safety is searching for a man who attacked a female student early Thursday morning.

Officials say the attack occurred around 1:50 a.m in the 500 block of Thompson Street in the vicinity of Kennedy Drive near West Quad. The victim was reportedly walking south along Thompson Street when an unknown man grabbed her arm. The victim managed to break free and fled the scene, officials say. She was not injured.

The suspect is described as a thin black male in his late 50s, approximately 5'7" tall. He was last seen wearing a green shirt, dark-colored pants and a white or light-colored baseball cap.

The university community was already on heightetened alert after a string of recent sex assaults. Since July 15, police report six women have been assaulted in the heart of downtown Ann Arbor. To date, no suspects have been arrested.

Copyright 2011 ABC News Radio

Lawmakers Propose Elimination of 45 Trial Judges

(LANSING, Mich.) -- The Michigan Supreme Court says it supports a recommendation by the State Court Administrative Office to eliminate 45 trial judge positions, a move expected to result in savings of nearly $8 million in salaries and benefits.

According to the office of the Judicial Resources Recommendations, there are too many judges in Michigan.

"Increasing the size of government is easy," said Chief Justice Robert Young at a news conference. "It turns out it takes political courage to reduce it."

The recommendations report only calls for the jobs of 14 trial judges, but Young told reporters he would support a bill eliminating 45. Lawmakers say Gov. Rick Snyder also supports the reduction, which would include dumping one judge position in each of Michigan's 43 counties.

Copyright 2011 ABC News Radio

Foreclosure Crisis and High Unemployment Affect Michigan Children

(DETROIT) -- Adults are not the only ones being affected by foreclosure crisis and high unemployment, a new study released Wednesday reports: Michigan children are also feeling the pinch.

The Annie E. Casey Foundation’s 2011 Kids Count Data Book reveals some startling facts: Michigan ranked No. 38 in the country for child poverty in 2009, No. 47 in the nation for secure parental employment in 2009 (36 percent of all Michigan children lived in a household where both parents did not have a full-time job) and ranked No. 40 for infant mortality that same year.

ABC News Detroit affiliate WXYZ-TV reports that the data examined at 10 key areas of child well-being, parental unemployment, and foreclosure data mostly from 2007 through 2009 across the U.S.

Copyright 2011 ABC News Radio