Three stories making news across the Midwest today:

1. Fears of a double-dip recession dim. An index of leading economic indicators inched upward in May, according to our partner station WBEZ.org, alleviating some fears that the nation’s economy would enter a double-dip recession. The Conference Board’s index, which rose 0.8 percent in May, suggests the economy will show “modest growth” through the summer months.

2.Nearly 2,000 artists register for ArtPrize. The annual art competition in Grand Rapids will have almost 2,000 artists at 199 participating locations. Registration for the event closed Thursday. Founded by Rick DeVos, ArtPrize offers more than $450,000 in prizes. Last year, ArtPrize welcomed 1,713 artists at 192 venues, according to The Grand Rapids Press.

3. Abandon its automobiles? The concept seems like an unlikely solution for problems in the Motor City. But that’s the lynchpin of a proposal for transforming Detroit that comes from the Urban Priorities Committee of the American Institute of Architects. Their plan calls for “connecting walkable neighborhoods via improved transit and cycling facilities — a stark departure from Detroit’s notoriously autocentric design.” The full plan is profiled in this month’s “Architect,” the monthly magazine of the AIA.