Nation IN BRIEF : MICHIGAN : Welfare Payments Blocked on Appeal

An appeals court in Lansing, Mich., blocked a judge’s order that the state resume paying about 83,000 welfare recipients. The Michigan Court of Appeals said it would review Circuit Judge James Giddings’ earlier ruling that the state had not given adequate notice that the payments would be cut off Oct. 1. Giddings also found that disabled aid recipients were not told of an alternative program. The injunction stemmed from a lawsuit filed by Michigan Legal Services on behalf of some welfare recipients. The General Assistance fund, which supported mainly childless adults, was cut from this year’s budget. Gov. John Engler said the $240 million could be better spent.