1986 in Michigan
Events from the year 1986 in Michigan. Top Michigan news stories. The Associated Press (AP) selected the top stories in Michigan for 1986 as follows: 1. Heavy rains in September and October that brought 20 inches of rainfall and resulted in $400 million in damage, including $289 million in losses to farmers. Gov. Blanchard declared the flooding to be the worst in state history. 2. The November gubernatorial election in which James Blanchard won re-election with 68% of the vote. Republican William Lucas, the first African-American candidate for the office, received 31% of  the vote. The margin was the largest landslide in Michigan in six decades. 3. Incentives offered by General Motors and other American automobile manufacturers to reduce inventory. GM offered 2.9% financing, and American Motors offered zero percent loans on some models. 4. Record high water levels in the Great Lakes. Lake levels in October 1986 were more than a foot higher than the previous year. 5. The proposed conversion of Consumers Power's Midland Nuclear Power Plant to gas generation. 6. General Motors' announcement, following a $338 million operating loss in the third quarter, that it would close nine  plants and scale back operations at two other plants. Seven of the affected plants were located in Michigan. The move was expected to result in the loss of 17,000 jobs in Michigan. 7. The decline in gasoline prices to 83 cents a gallon in Michigan. 8. The arraignment of Judge S. Jerome Bronson for bribery and his suicide hours later. 9. The application to the Department of Justice for a joint operating agreement between the state's two largest newspapers, "The Detroit News" and "Detroit Free Press". 10. Michigan's unemployment rate drops below 10%. The AP also separately suggested  the state's top sports stories as follows: 1. The story of Chuck Long being drafted by the Detroit Lions, holding out for better contract terms, and missing most of the 1986 Detroit Lions season. 2. Kirk Gibson re-signing with the Detroit Tigers after becoming a free agent. 3. The Michigan Wolverines defeated Nebraska in the 1986 Fiesta Bowl, led by Jamie Morris who rushed for 156 yards in the game, and were ranked No. 2 in the final AP Poll. 4. The Detroit Red Wings' firing of Brad Park as head coach and hiring of Jacques Demers to  replace him. 5. (tie) Jim Harbaugh guaranteeing a victory over Ohio State and leading the 1986 Michigan Wolverines football team to a berth in the Rose Bowl. 5. (tie) The demise of the Cherry Bowl, a bowl game played in the Pontiac Silverdome in 1984 and 1985. 7. The end of Scott Skiles' college basketball career. He led the 1985–86 Michigan State Spartans men's basketball team to the Sweet Sixteen round in the 1986 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament. 8. The Michigan State Spartans men's ice hockey team winning the 1986 NCAA Division I Men's  Ice Hockey Tournament. 9. (tie) The deaths of Detroit sports legends, Hank Greenberg (September 4), Norm Cash (October 11), and Bobby Layne (December 1). 10. The Detroit Pistons' trades that saw the departures of Kelly Tripucka and John Long and arrivals of Adrian Dantley and Sidney Green.