'It's a Wonderful Life' Cast Sings a Tune and Says 'Good Morning, Hartland!'

Good Thursday. Here are five tidbits of news and information that we hope you'll find useful or entertaining.

Please also don't miss our video greeting (at right) from the cast of Hartland High School's fall play, , which has shows 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and a 2:30 p.m. show Sunday. Tickets are $13 for adults and $11 for students and seniors. A portion of the gate is being donated to help the family of . The Hartland High School student has been undergoing treament for cancer.

1. The weather

Expect scattered showers Thursday mostly before 8 a.m. under mostly cloudy skies and a high near 49, according to the National Weather Service. Winds will be out of the northeast between 9 and 17 miles per hour with gusts as high as 24 mph. Rain chance is 30 percent. Tonight, it'll be partly cloudy with a low of around 31.

2. Fuel prices

Here's a quick daily survey of the regular per-gallon price, according to gasbuddy.com —

• : $3.39
• Mobil: $3.49 (cash is 10 cents lower)
• Shell: $3.54
• Lowest price at Hickory Ridge and M-59 in Highland: $3.37 at BP.
• Lowest price in the Fenton area: $3.29 at six stations including four on Owen Road at U.S. 23.
• Lowest price in the Brighton area: $3.33 at Costco, 6700 Whitmore Lake Rd.

3. Westland man charged with Hartland break-in on road to trial

Dewayne Austin Haag, 41, waived a preliminary hearing and was bound over to Livingston County Circuit Court for a possible trial over a break-in at the Red Olive restaurant, the Livingston County Daily Press & Argus reports.

Haag, who once lived in Oceloa Township, is accused of stealing an undisclosed amount of money Aug. 23 and is in Hartland and other counties.

4. Slow recovery predicted for region, experts say

An economic forecast for southeast Michigan , according to two experts speaking last week to give a regional economic forecast for the six counties of the Economic Growth Alliance, Fenton Patch reports.

Although Livingston, Genesee, Lapeer, St. Clair, Oakland and Macomb counties will all experience different levels of growth owing to their unique economic situations, the bottom line for the region and the nation is recovery, said Donald R. Grimes, of the University of Michigan’s Institute for Research on Labor, Employment and the Economy, and fellow economist Dr. George A. Fulton.

5. Hartland trivia

Congrats to Ann Wisniewski for getting yesterday's question correct — In 1906, Leola Brian was paid $22 a month to do what job? Answer: A teacher

Thursday's question: In 1932, Jerry and James Brian were the first to achieve what high honor? Hint: There was news that someone else had earned this distinction earlier this week. Please answer in comments.