News bits: Metro area teens reach out to Katrina victims, Health care, housing & jobs top needs for Michigan's Katrina Evacuees Seems like they top the list for many Michigan residents as well

Michigan Hotel Occupancy Near the Bottom
According to Smith Travel Research, Michigan continues to lose market share in the U.S. commercial lodging industry. By the end of 2004 Michigan ranked 49th in state hotel occupancy rates. So far this year, through July 2005, Michigan's occupancy rate continues to be the lowest of any state and among the lowest in growth rate.

Michigan Bumper Crops May Be Hard to Transport
mLive.com reports that while 2005 was a great growing season for Michigan farmers producing corn, soybeans and other crops, many may find they have no way to sell or ship crops as the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina collides with the rapidly approaching harvest season. Our $3.8 billion-a-year agriculture industry is likely to take a hit as the state competes for a limited number of rail cars.

Lions in Super Bowl XL ... It Could Happen
From the "Fantasy Island" department comes this Detroit Free Press feature that despite 48 years of NFL Championship drought, theDetroit Lions have a shot at Super Bowl XL at Ford Field. Fun fact: Nine times in the last 11 years a team has made the Super Bowl after going .500 or worse the year before and the last Detroit Super Bowl featured two teams (San Francisco & Cincinatti) rebounding from 6-10 records. Zee plane, zee plane!

Mervyns to Close All Michigan Stores
The Detroit News reports that an undefined image, poor marketing and heated competition helped push Mervyns out of the Michigan retail market. The discount department store chain said Wednesday that it will close all 15 of its Michigan stores by February and lay off 1,108 workers.

Lugnuts Deal Not Yet Reached
The Lansing State Journal reports that Lansing could be looking to field a new minor league baseball team in 2010. While Lansing Lugnuts owner Tom Dickson has said he doesn't want to leave, a deal has not yet been reached. A Battle Creek official said the city has had four owners and four major league affiliations, and that Lansing would have no trouble attracting a new team if necessary.

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