My Michigan Connection

"Detroit, we are with you," Perkins said, leading a group of automotive business leaders in a lunchtime swig of Brut champagne at the city's Cobo Center.

But not everyone is in the mood to celebrate.

While car companies thrive, Detroit continues to bleed. Saddled with a crippling debt load, mounting labor costs and onerous union contracts, the city that paved the auto industry's success is in need of a bailout of its own."

Read more.

Petition drive seeks to legalize pot in Michigan

2012-01-08T15:03:00.001-05:00

"It may be a lot of smoke in the air, but an effort is in the works to try to make it legal for Michigan residents over age 21 to smoke marijuana.

A petition drive is expected to launch this week aimed at asking voters in November amend the state constitution and legalize marijuana.

If enough signatures are collected and the measure were to pass, Michigan would become one of the first states in the nation to abolish criminal penalties for anyone using, growing, selling and delivering what has been a federally controlled substance for decades."

Read more at the Detroit News

Bad Day For Detroit Teams

2012-01-08T14:50:00.000-05:00

Well...we were 0 for 3 yesterday..

Pistons loose to the New York Knicks.. this could be a very long shortened season. Maybe a lockout would be have better?

and the Lions fell to the Saints..but hope for a brighter future still burns. Great season.

And the Red Wings stage a comeback but the Leafs prevail.. hope the Wings can build a road streak soon.

Still laughing, Detroit radio legend Dick Purtan signs off

2010-03-27T12:53:00.002-04:00

Seattle Post-Intelligencer

After 45 years, Dick Purtan left Detroit's airwaves exactly as he started, with "a little song, a little dance, a little seltzer down the pants," paraphrasing the famous line from "The Mary Tyler Moore Show."

At 8:57 a.m. Friday, with wife Gail looking on and family members dabbing their eyes amid a crowd of friends, present and former sidekicks, and well-wishers, Purtan signaled for his favorite song to be played, Frank Sinatra's "Softly As I Leave You."

"Turn the volume up," said his daughter and sidekick Jackie, while tears flowed at the sentimental lyrics.

DMC sale may mean more competition

2010-03-22T13:06:00.000-04:00

Crain's Detroit Business

Detroit Medical Center's intent to sell its eight-hospital system to for-profit Vanguard Health Systems could stimulate competition between hospitals in Southeast Michigan for paying patients and intensify efforts by hospitals to acquire physician organizations, said several experts.

“Michigan is one of the last places to get a significant influx in investor-owned hospitals, assuming this deal goes through,” said Allan Baumgarten, a Minneapolis-based health care consultant who is familiar with the Michigan market.

Lions make it official with Vanden Bosch, Burleson

2010-03-06T14:27:00.001-05:00

The Detroit Lions made it official on Saturday and announced the free-agent signings of defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch and wide receiver Nate Burleson.

Terms of the deals weren't immediately disclosed, but the Detroit Free Press reported on Friday that Vanden Bosch agreed to a four-year deal and Burleson a five-year pact.

Vanden Bosch notched 44 tackles and three sacks for Tennessee last season. He played five years with the Titans after spending his first four NFL seasons with Arizona, missing the entire 2003 campaign with a torn ACL.

Michigan to share in $1.5B for homeowners

2010-02-21T13:01:00.000-05:00

Michigan is among five states getting money under a $1.5-billion program announced Friday to help struggling homeowners, but it's unclear how many people will be helped or how the program would work.

Funds will be targeted to states that have seen the worst drop in home values -- Michigan, Arizona, California, Florida and Nevada.

It's unknown how much each state will get.

Among the five, Michigan's experience has been the least severe: Online real estate Web site Zillow says values are off from their 2005 peak by about 28%; financial services information management firm Fiserv puts Michigan's drop in home values at 35%.

Detroit mayor reaches out to suburban neighbors

2010-02-21T12:57:00.000-05:00

Business Week

Mayor Dave Bing has appealed to Detroit's suburban neighbors to work with his administration and help pull his struggling, near-bankrupt city from its financial mire for the good of the region.

But the professional basketball Hall of Famer and founder of Bing Steel said Friday morning during a breakfast gathering in affluent Bloomfield Hills that Detroit has to first show it can help itself.

"We're going to need your help, your intellectual capacity, your financial capacity," Bing told several dozen people at Kirk in the Hills church, about 15 miles north-northwest of Detroit.

Chrysler agrees to buy Detroit-area plant from predecessor for $20M, keep open through 2012

2010-02-21T12:56:00.000-05:00

The Canadian Press

Chrysler Group LLC plans to keep its Sterling Heights, Mich., assembly plant open through 2012, preserving 1,200 jobs building the Sebring and Dodge Avenger midsize cars, the automaker said Friday.

The plant near Detroit had been set to close in 2011. But Chrysler agreed to acquire it for $20 million from the company that has managed the automaker's remaining assets since its emergence from bankruptcy protection last year.

"There is no commitment on the future... beyond 2012," Chrysler said in a statement.

In court documents filed Thursday, Old Carco LLC - the so-called old Chrysler - requested an order allowing it to sell the plant to Chrysler Group. The Italian automaker Fiat SpA owns a partial stake in Chrysler Group.

Ex-Detroit mayor fails to make restitution payment

2010-02-21T12:54:00.001-05:00

SF Gate

The prosecutor who forced Kwame Kilpatrick out of the Detroit mayor's office said he violated his probation by missing a Friday deadline to make a $79,011 payment toward his $1 million restitution to the city.

Kilpatrick could face jail or prison as a consequence. His lawyers had warned he couldn't afford the payment: Money orders worth only $14,048 were dropped off at the Wayne County Circuit Court bond office on his behalf.

"We expect that a violation-of-probation warrant will issue," Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said in a statement. "When that comes we will be prepared to attend any hearings." Her office said the warrant could come in the "near future."

Granholm pushes service tax plan, with exemptions

2010-02-13T11:16:00.006-05:00

I considered a different title for this post....
"How To Raise Almost Everyone's Taxes Without Hardly Trying"

Could also be -

"How I Pretend To Care About Small Businesses While Screwing Them All"

Check this story in the Detroit News...
Detroit News

Overall, about 150 state services would be subject to the tax, raising about half a billion dollars for schools. The state has not compiled a definitive list of what would qualify for the tax.

Karen Norman, owner of Penelope's Pet Salon in Royal Oak isn't happy about the proposal.

"The economy is already slow and you tax a service -- that's going to make it even slower. People are struggling to get their animals groomed. It's not exactly a priority," she said. Her business has had to cut two part-time groomers and trim hours to survive the downturn. A service charge could further slow business and mean having to make deeper cuts to stay afloat, she said.

After reviewing the list of services that would be included in this proposal, I created this image with the help of Wordle.

This latest proposal is more proof WHY the state of Michigan will not recover in the foreseeable future. As long as politicians continue to deceive the electorate and as long as we allow it, we will never regain our autonomy.

Granholm: Small Businesses Are Michigan's Future

2010-02-05T12:58:00.002-05:00

Michigan Radio

Governor Granholm says Michigan must "change its culture" to promote small business and entrepreneurship.

During a stop at Detroit's TechTown business incubator, the Governor continued to stress themes from her State of the State speech.

Granholm says Michigan's historical dependence on the auto industry limited entrepreneurship, but that needs to change. And the Governor says the state should help make it happen.

More.

Same old, same old. How many times have we heard this meaningless banter from our public servants? If she or any other politician were truly serious about helping small business they would just get the hell out of our way. Dangling money in any form, grants or loans, require someone bankroll the enterprise. How can anyone think that redistribution of wealth will provide any meaningful and long lasting solution to the economic problems we face today?

Michigan renews push to close Chicago ship locks

2010-02-05T12:55:00.001-05:00

Washington Post

Michigan wants the U.S. Supreme Court to reconsider its refusal to close Chicago-area shipping locks in hopes of keeping Asian carp out of the Great Lakes.

State Attorney General Mike Cox says justices denied the request without knowing that scientists had detected genetic material from the carp in Lake Michigan for the first time.

Solicitor General Elena Kagan acknowledged that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers learned of the DNA find Jan. 15 but did not inform the high court until hours after the Jan. 19 ruling.

Picture this: Detroit without a professional basketball franchise

2010-01-25T20:23:00.002-05:00

mLive.com

The downsizing of Detroit could be hitting the sports world as Pistons owner Karen Davidson looks at a possibility of selling the region's only professional basketball franchise.

Although nothing has been confirmed -- Davidson says she's inquiring about it -- there is the possibility that the Pistons could leave Detroit entirely.

Obviously it wouldn't be the first basketball team to leave the Motor City -- well, technically Auburn Hills, but that's a different issue. The Shock was booted to Tulsa last year.

More HERE.

Another Try

2010-01-05T20:51:00.003-05:00

Another long layoff, another attempt filled with optimism.

A few site and navigation changes for the page.

I have added a navi bar below the title.
There are a few aesthetic changes to the page layout. (A few more to be developed soon.)

Surprise, wonder of State Fair will be missed

2009-09-07T10:25:00.001-04:00

A place with more kinds of rabbits than you ever knew existed needs to pull one of them out of a hat.

Barring an outright miracle, America's oldest state fair ends today. Not just ends for the season, at 10 p.m., but ends forever, after 161 years.

The governor has made it clear that there will be no more bailouts for the fair. She thinks there's more profitable use to be made of 164 acres at one of Michigan's busiest intersections.

Ernie Harwell, 91, has incurable cancer

2009-09-06T22:22:00.002-04:00

He'd been waiting for test results.

His voice last week sounded strong -- as strong as always. By the end of the conversation, however, it didn't.

Ernie Harwell, the treasured voice of the Tigers for all those years, has incurable bile duct cancer. In comments to the Detroit Free Press on Thursday, he said he won't undergo surgery.

But in those same comments, he said he's ready for the next adventure.

It's been no secret lately that Ernie -- as nearly everyone knows him -- hadn't been feeling well. He was in the hospital, then out. There'd been speculation about pneumonia. But most of all there'd been speculation something was wrong.

Read the entire article.

Grand Rapids Public Museum hosts "Machines in Motion" exhibit

2009-09-06T21:35:00.002-04:00

WZZM

He is best known for painting the Mona Lisa, but there was more to Leonardo Da Vinci than that mysterious smile on canvas. The Grand Rapids Public Museum is offering a look at Da Vinci's hand-designed devices with the "Machines in Motion" exhibit. Da Vinci produced more than 10,000 drawings and sketches, which are brought to life in a hands-on way.

Chris Carron with the Grand Rapids Public Museum says, "You know, we have these things that work every day in our lives- automobiles and dishwashers- and we can't see how they work, they're covered up and it's sort of a great mystery to us.

Click HERE to continue.

Flint Truck Assembly Sheds Another 180 Jobs

2009-09-06T21:31:00.001-04:00

WNEM.com

About 180 hourly workers at Flint’s Truck Assembly plant are being laid off.

The workers have low seniority and are losing their positions at the plant to workers with more seniority from General Motors Pontiac Assembly plant.

The layoffs will take effect in the middle of October and will continue through November.

The Pontiac plant is closing its doors and many of its workers will be reassigned to the Flint plant.

Oakland County doctor pleads to guilty conspiracy to posses with intent to distribute

2009-09-06T21:29:00.001-04:00

Examiner.com

United States Attorney Terrence Berg, joined by Robert Corso, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration and Andrew G. Arena, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation Detroit Field Office, announced that a Farmington osteopathic physician pleaded guilty Thursday to charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance.

Sohrab Shafinia, D.O., 48, entered the guilty plea in United States District Court, Detroit, before the Honorable Julian Abele Cook, Jr. Shafinia admitted that, between October of 2005 and May of 2007, he wrote prescriptions for over 18,000 dosage units of Oxycontin™ and its generic equivalent oxycodone HCL, in exchange for cash payment.

Berg said, “The type of criminal violations committed by Shafinia, a licensed doctor, constitute a total abuse of trust by the physician that endangers the safety of their patients. Doctors who risk the safety of the public for personal gain can expect to face charges and as well as prison.”

Dillon takes more heat over plan

2009-09-06T21:25:00.001-04:00

The top Democrat in the Michigan Legislature continues to take heat from labor unions over his proposal to consolidate public employee health benefit plans across the state.

House Speaker Andy Dillon says the health care plan could save taxpayers about $900 million a year once fully implemented, mostly by cutting administrative costs and increasing buying power through pooling. But unions representing public employees consider the proposal an assault on collective bargaining and say it could lead to reduced benefits for workers.

More HERE.

Aug 21st

2009-08-21T00:01:00.001-04:00

Woodward 2009: The Weird and the Wonderful

2009-08-18T19:36:00.000-04:00

Auto Blog

Everybody has their own definition of cool, and the Woodward Dream Cruise may be the ultimate microcosm for the wide-ranging tastes of auto enthusiasts. While most cruisers show up with classic muscle cars or perfectly preserved classics, automotive outliers seem to prefer more abstract expressions. We just so happen to love both – because it just isn't a party without the guy with the lampshade on his head.

More about Woodward Dream Cruise.

Carlos Guillen powers Tigers over Royals

2009-08-16T00:12:00.002-04:00

Go Get 'Em Tigers! Read more.

Searching as they have to find another big bat for their lineup, the Tigers realize they have it.

Carlos Guillen is back from a long hiatus and knocking in runs, four of them Saturday night, as the Tigers thumped the Kansas City Royals, 10-3, at Comerica Park.

Guillen missed most of the spring and early summer because of a shoulder problem that still prevents him from batting right-handed, not that it seemed to slow him down Saturday in front of a typically festive crowd of 37,376.

He had a two-run home run in the fifth that turned a 4-2 Tigers lead into a 6-2 contest; he singled in the first Tigers run in their half of the first after the Royals had taken a 2-0 lead off starter Edwin Jackson; and he drove home Detroit's seventh run in the sixth on a line single to left-center.

Lions' Stafford wins pro debut against Falcons

2009-08-16T00:08:00.001-04:00

Google News

Matthew Stafford threw a touchdown, an interception and had some passes dropped in his debut with the Detroit Lions.

Jason Hanson's 47-yard field goal as time expired lifted Detroit to a 27-26 win over the Atlanta Falcons in the preseason opener for both teams.

Stafford, the No. 1 pick of the NFL's first 0-16 team, completed half of his 14 passes for 114 yards, with a 25-yard TD to fellow rookie Derrick Williams and an interception that Tony Gilbert returned for a score. Keary Colbert dropped Stafford's first pass and two more.

Daunte Culpepper started and completed 5 of 6 passes for 41 yards for Detroit.

Read about the Lions winning streak.

Fool Me Once Shame On You, Fool Me 43 Million Times ....

2009-07-23T16:29:00.001-04:00

iWon Sports News

Former Detroit Red Wings star Sergei Fedorov says a man entrusted to manage his money during the past 11 years swindled him out of $43 million.

In a lawsuit filed Thursday in Wayne County Circuit Court, Fedorov says Joseph Zada of Grosse Pointe Shores also broke a promise to repay him $60 million by April 20.

The suit says Zada "acting in concert with others" and "intentionally lied to Fedorov" whenever he asked about the money.

Goodbye A2 News

2009-07-23T16:26:00.001-04:00

USATODAY.com

After 174 years, the last edition of The Ann Arbor News rolled off the presses Thursday with a three-word headline: "Farewell, Ann Arbor."

The only general circulation daily newspaper in this college town has gone out of business. It is being replaced by AnnArbor.com, an online news site that will produce a print edition twice a week, on Thursday and Sunday.

The 12-page front section of the News was dedicated to the history of the paper and the transition to AnnArbor.com, which is also owned by Advance Publications. That site goes live Friday.

You Can't Make This Stuff Up

2009-07-07T20:40:00.003-04:00

I have been away from the hometown for quite a while but I really enjoy catching up on current events around the city. It's a lot like reading the funnies.

Detroit News

Former City Councilwoman Monica Conyers today blamed her desire to help neighbors on her current troubles.

"My biggest problem is helping people," Conyers told viewers on WHPR-TV (Channel 33.) "This whole situation has gotten to the point where I don't want to help people. That's a sad situation. ... If they're going to turn around and lie about people, if they're going to lie on me, I don't want to help people."

The comments on her live show, "Ask the Councilwoman," were the first in public since Conyers resigned Monday after pleading guilty to a five-year felony on claims she accepted two payments of $3,000 to switch her vote in 2007 on a $1.2 billion sludge-hauling contract.

If Conyers took the dough to help "people", I have two questions....
why'd she take so little and why'd she take a plea?

From The My Michigan Connection Blogroll

2009-07-05T13:05:00.004-04:00

Yes. Once again it has been a while since I last posted. I am working today on refreshing the page, cleaning up the blogroll, etc.

Here's what's happening with the Michigan bloggers -

At Akindele Unleashed, a post entitled Building Independent Minds discusses the need to reject the dogma of our political parties and reassert the value and judgement of our independent minds and actions.

Independence will come from our minds when we realize that (1) no political party will come in and save us and (2) we have to save ourselves. The Democratic Party and their policies have not done anything to enhance urban communities to move them into the 21st century and the Republican Party still think that they can win elections without coming into the urban communities. It is a sad day when Democrats can run on conservative principles in rural Michigan and win elections but Republicans will not even open the discussion on an urban execution plan to even forge relationships in urban areas.

For Detroit Red Wings fans, Matt Saler at On The Wings looks for the silver lining with recent changes in the Wings locker room.

Also, most of us would consider this good news: it looks like Samuelsson’s priced himself out of returning.

All in all, this is comparatively great news after the pretty crappy events of the first day of free agency (even though I wasn’t a fan of keeping him, losing Hossa to Chicago wasn’t exactly a highlight of the off-season). The summer could have gone even further south had Hudler and Leino played the Wings tougher in negotiations, but it looks like things are headed to a good conclusion.

Matt, I'm not sure I agree with you about Samuelsson though.

Programming note: Christine Barry is working upgrade her site. Be sure to check it out soon.

There more happening in Alaska than just the Sarah Palin resignation.....
Here's former Michigan boy Buford T Porcupine, aka Todd Katke, sharing his pics from his beloved Denali National Park.

Rise and shine trail buddies, it's 4:00am in Denali National Park. On the road patrolling by 4:30am. Once again this year I was offered another opportunity to camp and ride along with a old friend (a video photographer) on a film permit. A solid week of scouting for wildlife along the 90+ mile road that runs out to Wonder Lake. On a typical day, we rose at 4:00am and were on the road by 4:30am drinking our coffee and having dash board muffins to go. As sleep was optional, we put in 20 hour days. Some mornings we might encounter brown bears right alongside the road early in our day. Other mornings maybe a little later in the day. Maybe catching a red fox running with morning breakfast, heading for the den at the Polychrome Pass overlook area.

Karen De Coster notes the latest spectator sport...Competitive Eating.

It’s sad that Americans delight at watching people shove food into their mouth while it dribbles down their chin, cheering them on. How did this ever get to be entertainment? 68 freakin’ hot dogs in 10 minutes. Juvenile males who delight in making themselves sick in front of an audience. Americans are bored people, I tell ya.

Along the same line as Karen writes, I cannot help but wonder at how pathetic has it gotten that we are fixated by the latest news about what drug combination killed Michael Jackson but completely missed all the fine print contained in that abomination known as the Cap & Trade Bill.

In case some have forgotten, Dr. Sanity posted a copy of the Declaration of Independence. While everything else seems to be going to Hell, let us all hope that we can reassert the rights illuminated in this document and emerge on the other side with our values intact.

Closing this post brings us back to more stories about food ...
Mid-Michigan Foodie writes about a conspiracy in the making - Strawberry shortage.

Today we were looking for strawberries; lots of strawberries; about 12 quarts, to be exact, mostly for freezing.

I knew of one small you-pick operation near the Midland County line, but we didn't have time to pick our own. After a fruitless (pardon the pun) Internet search of strawberry growers in our area we settled on buying ours from Buckeye Market, a venerable produce grower/seller east of Gladwin; while they don't grow their own strawberries, they do sell Michigan berries, and they have a local reputation for quality.

When we got to the store, we found lots of summer people provisioning for the long weekend...but no strawberries. A shipment from Traverse City was due to arrive at noon, I was told. I left my number and asked for a call when the berries were in.

Record Michigan voter turnout tops 5 million

2008-11-06T18:18:00.001-05:00

Michigan voters turned out in record numbers for Tuesday's election, topping 5 million for the first time in state history, elections officials said Wednesday.
Advertisement

But the total unofficial tally, 5,094,558, was slightly below projections. And the portion of eligible voters who participated in 2008 -- about 68% -- was still below highs set for presidential elections in the 1960s.

In 2004, 4,875,692 Michiganders voted in the Bush vs. Kerry election, a 64.7% turnout.

Detroit fears the worst as GM merger talks roll on

2008-10-20T16:13:00.001-04:00

Detroit's economy has been beaten down for years by wave after wave of job losses in the U.S. auto industry, but locals fear the worst may be yet to come if General Motors Corp and Chrysler LLC merge.

"It's already been ripped apart," Tim Jones, 55, said when asked about the economy of the Detroit area.

"People are losing jobs. If you walk down any main street in this area, you see half of the businesses are closed," said Jones, who left the construction industry two years ago to start an online business selling cell-phone batteries.

"A combination of GM and Chrysler will only make things worse

Michigan's US Senate hopefuls hold 2nd debate

2008-10-20T16:11:00.001-04:00

Chicagotribune.com

Michigan's major party U.S. Senate candidates disagreed sharply Monday on how to help the struggling domestic auto industry in a debate at the Detroit Economic Club.

Incumbent Democrat Carl Levin and Republican challenger Jack Hoogendyk debated for the second time in less than 24 hours. They met Sunday evening at a Grand Valley State University television studio in Grand Rapids.

Levin and Hoogendyk differ sharply on what to do about the economy, Immigration and a host of other topics. That was evident again Monday in a debate that lasted about 50 minutes and was mostly centered on the economy and related topics such as health care costs and taxation.

2 races key for Oakland County Dems to control commission

2008-10-20T16:09:00.001-04:00

Oakland County Democrats need to gain one seat to take control of the county Board of Commissioners, and they hope Steven Schwartz of Farmington Hills is the person to help them do it.

"We need to make Oakland County the alternative energy capital of the world," said Schwartz, 54.

Schwartz, who began his career as an assistant city manager in Birmingham, wants to see so-called green-collar jobs be a key to economic development in Michigan's wealthiest county. He's challenging incumbent Republican Mike Rogers, who has represented Farmington and Farmington Hills for the past six years.

Regulators shut Main St. Bank

2008-10-11T22:27:00.001-04:00

In the first major sign that the state's grim economy has taken a toll on its banks, federal and state regulators moved Friday to shut down Main Street Bank in Northville.

Main Street is the first bank to fail in Michigan since March 2002, when New Century Bank in Shelby Township was forced to close. With the closure, 15 banks around the country have shut their doors this year.

Monroe Bank & Trust in Monroe will pay a 1% premium to buy Main Street's $86 million in total deposits and purchase some other assets. Regulators said Main Street's customers will have uninterrupted access to their money, with the bank's Northville office and a branch in Plymouth reopening today under the Monroe name.

Oakland County seen as recession resistant, but not recession proof

2008-10-11T19:07:00.001-04:00

Hometownlife.com

Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson addressed members of The Engineering Society of Detroit in Novi Wednesday, highlighting initiatives to lead the county through difficult economic times.

Among the initiatives Patterson outlined at the Rock Financial Showplace include maintaining a AAA bond rating for nine years, saving the county millions of dollars a year, and the establishment of a two-year rolling budget, a financial model Patterson said is revered by Wall Street.

The county finance team is now working on the 2011 budget

Lansing-area house sales up, but prices slide

2008-10-11T19:05:00.001-04:00

LSJ.com

Sales of houses in the Lansing region jumped 20 percent in September, according to data released today by the Greater Lansing Association of Realtors.

But the average sales price of those houses was 17 percent lower than the average a year earlier.

There were 424 houses sold in September, according to the association, which tracks sales in Clinton, Eaton, Ingham counties and surrounding areas by its members. That's up from 352 during September 2007.

What Recession? Mich. County’s Pagers Will Let Potential Jurors Shop

2008-10-11T19:03:00.001-04:00

ABA Journal

No-shows for jury duty could soon be much less of a problem in one Michigan county, which plans to distribute pagers in the near future so that potential jurors can shop at downtown stores while they are waiting to be called into a courtroom.

The new system will require prospective jurors in Macomb County to return to the courthouse within 10 minutes of being paged, reports the National Law Journal. It is one of a number of new options and incentives being offered at courthouses around the country, to make showing up for jury service less burdensome.

Lettuce that sickened 36 in Michigan came from California

2008-10-11T19:02:00.001-04:00

The tainted iceberg lettuce that has sickened 36 people statewide originated in California before being shipped to Michigan, state agriculture officials announced today.

Once in Michigan, the lettuce was sold by local distributors to institutions and restaurants, seeding an E. coli outbreak that started at Michigan State University and Lenawee County Jail in early September before spreading to metro Detroit.

To date, the Department of Community Health has confirmed E. coli O157:H7 in seven people in Macomb County, five in Wayne County and one in Oakland County. The toxic strain causes vomiting, cramps and bloody diarrhea.

Elections officials deny illegally purging voters

2008-10-11T19:01:00.001-04:00

A newspaper report Thursday said tens of thousands of eligible voters have been removed from rolls or blocked from registering in at least six swing states. Election officials lined up to defend their registration procedures and said they had done nothing wrong.

The New York Times based its findings on reviews of state records and Social Security data, and said it had identified apparent problems in Colorado, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Nevada and North Carolina.

Two states had purged voters, the Times said. Ohio and three other states were cited only for sending several requests for voter registration verifications to the Social Security Administration.

The Times said voters appear to have been purged by mistake and not because of any intentional violations by election officials or coordinated efforts by any party. It says that some states are improperly using Social Security data to verify new voters' registration applications, and that others might have broken rules that govern removing voters from the rolls within 90 days of a federal election.

Whitmore Lake Family Could Be Involved In Other Crimes

2008-10-09T17:34:00.001-04:00

WHMI 93.5 FM

A Whitmore Lake family arrested Sunday after they were caught red-handed breaking into cars parked during church services have been released from the county jail because charges have yet to be filed. The suspects include a 50-year old mom and three of her children, including a 29-year old daughter, and two sons aged 23 and 16. Commander of the Brighton Michigan State Police post Lt. Gene Kapp tells WHMI during services, the family cruised the parking lot looking for items to steal from cars in the parking lot.

Ypsilanti couple accused of harboring immigrants

2008-10-09T17:32:00.001-04:00

mlive.com

The government says a Washtenaw County couple converted their basement into bedrooms for illegal immigrants who worked in their restaurant.

Trial opened Tuesday in federal court in Detroit for Guan Chen and his former wife, Hoa (Hoy) Le Chen. They're charged with harboring illegal immigrants in Ypsilanti by providing work, transportation and a place to live in late 2006 and early 2007.

The Chens have pleaded not guilty.

GM looking to refinance Detroit headquarters

2008-10-09T17:27:00.001-04:00

General Motors Corp is looking for support from Detroit city pension officials to refinance its Detroit headquarters and could possibly sell it, but has no plans to move from the iconic building.

GM is meeting with Detroit's police and fire pension board this week to seek money for the building known as the Renaissance Center, GM spokesman Tom Wilkinson said Tuesday.

"We have been looking for options to monetize the asset," Wilkinson said. "This particular deal is probably a long shot because the deal we'd like to do on the building is way more than they would typically have to invest."

Grand Rapids City Manager Kurt Kimball retiring after 22-year career

2008-10-09T17:25:00.001-04:00

MLive.com

After managing the city's day-to-day operations for nearly 22 years, City Manager Kurt Kimball announced today he will retire at the end of the year.

"I really am choosing to go at a good time for me and for the city," said Kimball, 58.

Kimball will leave a city government that has become smaller and leaner over the past seven years as City Hall has struggled to deal with a shrinking manufacturing base, cuts in state revenue-sharing funds and rising health care costs

State asked to investigate Allstate rate hikes

2008-10-09T17:22:00.001-04:00

Michigan’s insurance consumer advocate is asking the state to hold hearings on Allstate Insurance Co.’s automotive insurance rate hike.

Melvin Butch Hollowell is asking insurance commissioner Ken Ross to look into reports published by Allstate that claimed Michigan’s drivers were among the safest in the country and had reduced accidents for several years in a row.

The insurance company said its reports were wrong after it filed its newest insurance rates with the state, which included hikes of 5% to 7%. Those rates went into effect July 28.

GOP vows Mich. still worth fight

2008-10-07T18:37:00.001-04:00

Detnews.com

Michigan Republicans searched Monday for ways to fill the void left by John McCain's decision to pull out of the state, while Democrats were anticipating the benefits of a surge in new voter registration on the final day to sign up before the Nov. 4 election.

In Pontiac, state and Oakland County GOP officials held a news conference to declare their campaigns far from over, despite McCain's abrupt decision last week to pull staff and TV ads from Michigan. A new GOP group emerged in Troy and Grand Rapids, trying to capitalize on vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin's weekend comments, publicizing an effort to get 100,000 signatures on an online petition encouraging her to visit the state.

"We believe Michigan and Oakland County are worth fighting for. We're not going anywhere. We're staying right here," Oakland GOP chairman Dennis Cowan said.

Economy looms large in Michigan's US Senate race

2008-10-07T18:35:00.001-04:00

MLive.com

Michigan's economic misery topped the list of issues in the U.S. Senate race long before the debate over rescuing the U.S. financial industry came up.

It's even bigger now as uncertainty swirls around what's next for the nation's economy.

Incumbent U.S. Sen. Carl Levin, a Detroit Democrat and Michigan's longest serving U.S. senator, said his vote last Wednesday in support of the $700 billion rescue plan was made "with many qualms."

His Republican opponent, state Rep. Jack Hoogendyk, said it's a vote he wouldn't have made at all.

Michigan governor signs energy package

2008-10-07T18:34:00.001-04:00

Michigan Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm on Monday signed into law legislation that calls for 10 percent of electricity in the state to be generated from renewable sources by 2015.

Just over half the 50 U.S. states have set requirements for renewable power generation.

Also signed into law is a Michigan provision requiring energy efficiency to cut power demand by 5.5 percent by 2015.

A third provision signed by Granholm limits switching by industrial customers from Michigan utilities. This amendment to existing law is seen as helping Consumers Energy build a new coal power plant and for Detroit Edison to build a new nuclear plant by assuring them of an adequate customer base to support the major capital projects.

Detroit Shock are champs for third time in 6 years

2008-10-06T23:11:00.002-04:00

SI.com

It wasn't exactly a surprise development for Bill Laimbeer.

The Detroit Shock coach fully expected his team to go out this season and win their third WNBA championship since 2003.

And that's exactly what they did.

"This is what we thought was going to happen when we started the season. We knew we had a good team, and we knew we had heart,'' Laimbeer said after the Shock completed a three-game sweep of the San Antonio Silver Stars with a 76-60 win on Sunday.

Laimbeer knows a thing or two about winning, having been the coach for the Shock's previous two championships and also earning a pair of NBA crowns as a player with the "Bad Boy'' Detroit Pistons.

Rising salt prices could be big hit to road maintenance

2008-10-06T23:10:00.001-04:00

Metro Detroit drivers will need to brush up on their wintertime driving skills, as rising salt prices put the hurt on already wounded highway maintenance budgets.
Advertisement

Road agencies across the state and nation are paying more for road salt this year and, in some cases, planning to use it much more judiciously than in the past. In some parts of the country, prices have tripled, but road officials in metro Detroit said they're largely seeing less severe but still significant increases of $10 or so a ton. That's still a big hike considering cities like Warren can use 10,000 tons in a typical winter and Detroit 30,000 to 45,000 tons.

Michigan pullout signals bigger trouble for McCain

2008-10-06T23:08:00.001-04:00

Quick: Tell me how a John McCain presidency would revive Michigan's economy, our beleaguered auto industry, or U.S. manufacturing in general.

If you answered much more than "continue the Bush tax cuts," then you've said more than the McCain campaign has been able to articulate in the past few months.

And that, more than anything else, is the reason McCain packed up his Michigan operation last week. McCain pulled out because he never seemed to connect here, and failed to capitalize on what I think was a golden opportunity to turn this state from mildly blue to solidly red.

Background About The Economic Crisis

2008-10-05T10:24:00.000-04:00

Palin Disagrees With Michigan Pullout, Takes Second Stab at 'Gotcha' Questions

2008-10-05T10:20:00.000-04:00

FOXNews.com

Sarah Palin criticized John McCain's decision to pull campaign resources out of Michigan in an interview with FOX News on Friday, saying she and her husband Todd would "be happy" to campaign in the economically distraught battleground state.

The Republican vice presidential nominee, on the heels of her debate with Joe Biden, also took a second stab at questions that seemed to trip her up during recent interviews, declaring that she looks "forward to speaking to the media more and more every day."

Palin said the decision to pull out of Michigan, which was announced Thursday, was "not a surprise" to her since polls show McCain slipping in the state.

But Palin said that when she read the news, she "fired off a quick e-mail and said, 'Oh come on, do we have to?'"

Howell business assists with TV home 'makeover'

2008-10-05T09:54:00.002-04:00

livingstondaily.com

One of Livingston County's largest employers is reaching out to help an area family "makeover" their home and lives.

Howell-based Citizens Insurance has helped less-fortunate families refurbish their homes as part of ABC television's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," and is now helping a Michigan family in Holt.

Citizens Insurance, along with Lansing-based Rathbun Insurance Agency, will insure the Nickless family's home for one year free of charge once it's complete.

Judge issues gag order in Michael George case

2008-10-05T09:53:00.002-04:00

The Ann Arbor News Online

The Macomb County prosecutor's office will not be disqualified from the Michael George case, but to prevent tainting a future jury pool in George's second murder trial, a Macomb County Circuit Court judge instructed attorneys on both sides not to talk about the case.

Judge James Biernat enacted the gag order today during a hearing on the defense's motion to disqualify Prosecutor Eric Smith and his office from the case.

Earlier this year, George was convicted by a jury of first-degree murder in the 1990 cold case shooting death of his wife, Barbara George, at their Clinton Township comic book store. Biernat overturned the conviction, in part citing new evidence found after the conviction and prosecutorial misconduct.

Willow Run school board recall effort can go forward

2008-10-05T09:49:00.002-04:00

Language seeking to recall three Willow Run school board members was approved by a 2-1 vote of the Washtenaw County Board of Election Commissioners Wednesday.

Willow Run First (For the Inspiration and Recognition of Students and Teachers), a grass-roots organization, submitted the language to recall school board President Claudette Braxton, Andy Blakita and Clifford Smith.

Travis Greer, a Willow Run First member and a former school board member, said after the meeting that group members will begin circulating the petitions as soon as possible.

According to the state election law, the group has 180 days to gather 1,583 signatures, which is 25 percent of residents in Superior and Ypsilanti townships who voted in the 2006 gubernatorial election.

McCain pulls out of Michigan

2008-10-02T18:29:00.001-04:00

detnews.com

John McCain is ending his attempt to win Michigan, a serious blow to the Republican's presidential hopes.

Chuck Yob, a co-chair of Michigan's campaign, confirmed the decision, as did state GOP Chairman Saul Anuzis.

"I don't think it's a very good decision. I think they're wrong," said Yob, a longtime Republican activist in West Michigan. "But I'm a loyal John McCain supporter. Whatever's good for McCain is good for me."

Yob said the decision was based on internal campaign polls that show Michigan as a more difficult state than battlegrounds such as Ohio, Florida and Pennsylvania.

Bid of $1.75 on eBay gets abandoned Saginaw home

2008-10-01T19:37:00.001-04:00

iWon News

With a winning bid of just $1.75, a Chicago woman has won an auction for an abandoned home in Saginaw. Joanne Smith, 30, recently was the top bidder for the home during an auction on eBay, The Saginaw News reported. Her bid was one of eight for the home.

"I am going to try and sell it," she told the newspaper. "I don't have any plans to move to Saginaw."

Smith said she hasn't seen the property or visited Saginaw, which has been hard-hit by economic troubles in recent years

Ficano to lead mission to China

2008-10-01T19:07:00.001-04:00

Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano will lead a trade mission to China for the fourth time in November.

One of the primary events of the trip will be a presentation by the Michigan delegation at the China International Auto Parts Expo in Beijing.

The trip is scheduled for Nov. 7-16 and will include visits to Wuxi, Chongqing, Changchun and Beijing.

Amid voting concerns, ACORN comes out of its shell

2008-10-01T19:05:00.001-04:00

C and G News

Ruth Johnson, the current county clerk/register of deeds and a Republican, said the local clerks had a meeting Sept. 24 and learned that about two-thirds of the voter registrations coming into Oakland County this election cycle are invalid, mostly because they’re duplicates.

In Pontiac alone, about 4,500 registrations were duplicates or had something else wrong with them, she said. One person’s name in Oakland County was registered 12 different times with different signatures, she added.

Joe Rozell, Oakland County’s director of elections, chimed in and said that these irregularities are primarily coming from ACORN.

Secretary of State spokeswoman Kelly Chesney told C & G Newspapers that potential evidence has been turned over to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. But she was confident about the integrity of the electoral system and said workers are putting in overtime to prepare for this election.

A hunt in garbage helps solve eco-terrorism spree

2008-09-27T14:34:00.001-04:00

A business owner checking a trash container for scrap cardboard was alarmed by something else: gas masks, maps, an M-80 explosive, arson photos and anti-government writings.

"It was kinda scary," Andy Wishaw recalled. "Some of my employees said it's nothing. I thought, 'What's it going to hurt to call the police?'"

The discovery turned out to be a big break for the FBI.

Agents on the trail of eco-terrorism used the contents to help solve more than a dozen acts of arson and tree spikings in Michigan and Indiana committed in the name of a radical group, the Earth Liberation Front, known as ELF, from 1999 through 2003.

Details on the trash and other evidence against two key figures are in search warrants in federal court in western Michigan. The warrants and affidavits are sealed, but they've landed on the Internet, offering a look at how the FBI closed in on Frank Ambrose and Marie Mason.

Millen Out

2008-09-24T11:21:00.001-04:00

The Sports Network

Matt Millen is reportedly out as Lions president and general manager.

WDFN-AM in Detroit is reporting that Millen was informed of the decision late Tuesday night.

The move comes just days after Bill Ford Jr., the son of Lions owner William Clay Ford, stated publicly he would have fired Millen if the decision were his.

Millen had been in charge of the Lions since 2001. The team has produced an NFL-worst record of just 31-84 in that time, including 0-3 this season.

Mich. Dems file suit against GOP in Ohio

2008-09-16T18:10:00.001-04:00

USATODAY.com

A lawsuit has been filed to challenge what Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama's campaign says is an attempt to keep people facing foreclosure from voting.

The lawsuit was filed Tuesday in federal district court in Detroit by Obama for America, the Democratic National Committee and several Macomb County voters.

It asks for an injunction prohibiting the Macomb County GOP, the Michigan Republican Party and the Republican National Committee or anyone connected with them from challenging Michigan voters whose homes are on foreclosure lists.

Detroit mayor's ex-chief of staff back in court

2008-09-15T22:43:00.001-04:00

mlive.com

Deal or no deal?

A judge has called Christine Beatty back to court Monday to learn whether the ex-top aide to Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick will strike a deal with prosecutors or go to trial.

No agreement was reached Thursday in her perjury case, but Wayne County Circuit Judge David Groner seemed optimistic that an accord could be near.

Race, economy lead Mich. voters to waver on Obama

2008-09-15T22:42:00.001-04:00

Chicagotribune.com

Michigan's history of racial tensions is tugging against its Democratic tendencies, giving Barack Obama fits when most everything else potentially benefits Democrats: a soaring unemployment rate, shrinking auto industry and depressed housing market.

The first minority candidate with a serious shot at the presidency is not running as well as his Democratic predecessors among working-class whites in this pivotal Midwestern swing state, partly because of the color of his skin.

"I've got a lot of friends ... (who) are like, `Oh, no,"' when it comes to voting for a black presidential candidate, said John Martin, a 42-year-old Democrat from Macomb County's Harrison Township who backs Obama. "They're all working people, all in unions, plumbers and stuff like that. ... A few of them have said they're not even going to vote."

Livonia council to hear residents’ worries

2008-09-15T22:40:00.001-04:00

Residents can share their concerns with city officials Wednesday when the City Council discusses plans to redevelop the Livonia Mall, bringing the city closer to rehabilitating a long-standing eyesore in northeast Livonia.

The structure will be demolished, and rather than a single structure with a common, enclosed space connecting stores replacing it, the new Livonia Marketplace will look more like Wonderland Village and Tel-12 shopping center in Southfield.

But one issue expected to generate debate is the possibility of a 24-hour operation in the complex.

Taxable property values expected to decline

2008-09-15T22:37:00.001-04:00

Daily Tribune

Local communities have been warned to expect taxable property values to decline in the coming year.

The Oakland County Equalization Division, the county's tax assessing arm, sent letters to the communities on Sept. 3.

"It's so they can begin to budget appropriately," said county Executive L. Brooks Patterson.

The county Equalization Division does the property tax assessing for 47 of the county's 61 communities.

McCain is what U.S. needs now, wife says at speech in Pontiac

2008-09-15T22:36:00.001-04:00

Cindy McCain said her husband is not a man for all times, but he is a man for these times.

"He's what we need now," said the presidential candidate's wife, speaking Saturday night before 600 Oakland County Republicans in Pontiac.

"This is not the time for someone to be in there that doesn't understand about sending people into combat, but more important, bringing them home in honor and victory," she said.

Trying to stop removal hearing, Detroit mayor sues

2008-08-28T19:39:00.001-04:00

Lawyers for Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick filed a lawsuit Thursday aimed at scuttling a hearing that could lead to his ouster, saying the proceedings would be unfair and presided over by a governor who is biased against him.

Wayne County Circuit Judge Robert Ziolkowski is expected to hear a request Friday to halt removal proceedings scheduled to start Wednesday.

Gov. Jennifer Granholm scheduled next week's hearing under a rarely used provision of the Michigan Constitution that allows the governor to evict officials for misconduct. Kilpatrick's political life is threatened not only by the hearing, but by felony charges that he lied under oath about an affair and assaulted investigators; he denies any wrongdoing.

Obama widens lead in poll in Michigan

2008-08-22T20:42:00.001-04:00

MLive.com

A new poll says Democrat Barack Obama has extended his lead over Republican John McCain in Michigan.

The survey conducted by the Detroit Free Press and WDIV-TV shows Obama leading McCain, 46 percent to 39 percent, with 12 percent undecided and 3 percent backing other candidates. But 31 percent of those polled say they could be persuaded to change their minds by Election Day.

The Next Bailout: Detroit

2008-08-22T20:41:00.001-04:00

WSJ.com

First came Bear Stearns, then mortgage lenders and borrowers, followed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac: They've all looked to Uncle Sam for a bailout, and now the word around Washington is that Detroit will be next on the taxpayer supplicant list.

Earlier this month, the Detroit Free Press reported that the top dogs at Ford, GM and Chrysler had a meeting of the minds and decided that the way out of their current losing streak would be to ask the feds for a lifeline. They figure they'll need $40 billion or so to ride out their current troubles until they reach the promised land of hybrids, the Chevy Volt, and, who knows, maybe even profits.

We've since heard that lobbyists for the car makers are taking their pitch for direct federal loans around Washington, with a goal of unveiling the plan after Labor Day -- conveniently in the frenzy of the fall election campaign. They've briefed Congressman John Dingell, the dean of Michigan Democrats, as well as officials in the Bush White House.

Radio ads support Detroit mayor

2008-08-22T20:39:00.001-04:00

UPI.com

A radio ad supporting embattled Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick is running on stations in the city.

Adolph Mongo, who was responsible for a controversial ad in 2005 that suggested Kilpatrick's critics were involved in a lynching, told The Detroit News that the goal is to suggest the mayor is innocent and put pressure on Wayne County District Attorney Kym Worthy to offer a plea bargain.

"Stop the chaos and bring this to an end," Mongo said. "Stop the lynching and dragging him all over the state."

On Tuesday, Kilpatrick won a small legal victory, the Detroit Free Press reported. A state appeals court upheld a judge who relaxed the conditions of Kilpatrick's bail, ruling that he does not need to be electronically monitored and can attend the Democratic Convention in Denver.

Michigan GOP lawmakers call for action on gas prices

2008-08-18T21:08:00.002-04:00

Some Republican members of Michigan’s congressional delegation are back in Washington today calling on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi - again - to bring Congress back to do something about high gas prices.

Rep. Candice Miller of Harrison Township is one of those who has returned to the nation’s capital in the middle of the August recess to go to the House floor and call for a special session. She says she knows Democrats in her district are "embarassed and frustrated and outraged" that Congress is on a break while gas prices remain as high as they do.

Detroit mayor to stand trial on assault charges

2008-08-18T21:05:00.001-04:00

A judge has ruled there's enough evidence for Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick to stand trial on assault charges stemming from a confrontation with two investigators.

The investigators testified Friday that an angry Kilpatrick shoved one of them into the other and made racial remarks while they were trying to deliver a subpoena to a Kilpatrick friend.

Grand Rapids to host green building conference

2008-08-18T21:04:00.001-04:00

The DeVos Place convention center will host the state's first Great Lakes Green conference and exhibition. Events on Thursday and Friday are focused on builder topics and those on Saturday cater to homeowners and consumers interested in green products and services.

Rich Kogelschatz, president of Heartland Builders LLC in Rockford and chair of the conference, said the focus is on green building and remodeling.

More than 100 exhibitors will be set up on Thursday for an invitation-only reception hosted by Grand Rapids Mayor George Heartwell.

Swedish king to visit Flint

2008-08-18T21:03:00.001-04:00

Chicago Tribune.com

The king of Sweden is coming to Flint.

King Carl XVI Gustaf is expected to visit Kettering University on Sept. 26 during a two-day trip to Michigan.

Kettering Provost Michael Harris tells The Flint Journal that plans are under way for a ceremony featuring Gov. Jennifer Granholm. He says the king is expected to talk with Detroit automakers during his visit, but Flint is his main destination.

Kettering is hoping Swedish Biogas International of Linkoping will build a plant in Flint that would convert human waste into vehicle fuel and generate heat and electricity.

Obama lead narrowing in Michigan, poll says

2008-07-31T19:37:00.001-04:00

New polling data out today continues to suggest Barack Obama’s lead in Michigan over John McCain is narrowing.

Public Policy Polling of North Carolina surveyed 883 likely voters in Michigan from last Wednesday to Sunday and found Obama, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, leading McCain 46%-43% in the state, with 10% undecided. The poll has a margin of error of 3.3 percentage points.

A month earlier, the firm’s Michigan poll had Obama leading McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee, by 48%-39%.

LeFevre arraigned on escape charge

2008-07-31T19:34:00.001-04:00

A woman arrested more than 32 years after she fled a Northville Township prison was arraigned Monday on an escape charge.

Susan LeFevre, 53, faces up to 5 additional years in prison if convicted of the charge. She is currently serving a 10- to 20-year sentence in the Robert Scott Correctional Facility in Plymouth Township for her original conviction for selling heroin. She escaped from a different prison -- the Detroit House of Corrections Women's Division facility in Northville Township -- in 1976.

Global Warming Impact On Lake Michigan

2008-07-31T19:23:00.003-04:00

WSJM

A new study says global warming could cost Michigan billions of dollars. The report says lake levels have fallen in recent years, and if they keep falling, the annual cost of dredging could rise as much as 154-million dollars. Michigan Department of Environmental Quality spokesperson Robert McCann says warmer temperatures mean less ice on the lake, causing more water to evaporate. And he says that could have a huge impact on Lake Michigan.

Holy hooligans! Phony 'Joker' arrested in Michigan

2008-07-29T13:50:00.001-04:00

iWon News

Police in Michigan have arrested a man who they say tried to steal posters and other items related to the new Batman movie from a cinema lobby while dressed up as the Joker.

Detective Mike Mohney said Monday 20-year-old Spencer Taylor of Three Rivers has been booked for investigation of larceny and malicious destruction of property.

Taylor is scheduled to be arraigned Aug. 5 in St. Joseph County District Court.

Bringing the Election Battle to Michigan

2008-07-27T16:41:00.001-04:00

WWMT Newschannel 3

Michigan is playing an increasingly important role in the November election. One of the latest polls out shows Michigan, a key battle ground state, is up for grabs. Senator Barack Obama currently has a narrow 3-point lead over Senator John McCain among voters in our state.

The Obama campaign is trying to turn up the heat here in West Michigan. Saturday the campaign officially opened four regional offices in Grand rapids, Muskegon Heights, Battle Creek and Holland.

The McCain campaign believes it has a shot to carry Michigan as well.

The campaigns have been running nonstop for over a year now. But over the weekend both parties decided to step things up a notch and proving that Michigan will be an important state to win.

Deputies Tell Court Detroit Mayor Kilpatrick Shoved Officer, Drug Testing Ordered

2008-07-26T21:34:00.001-04:00

FOXNews.com

A judge struck down the conditions of Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick's bond on Friday, ordering him to pay $7,500 and undergo random drug testing following allegations he berated and attacked investigators trying to serve a subpoena to a close friend of the mayor.

District Court Judge Ronald Giles' ruling came after the two investigators with the county prosecutor's office testified an irate Kilpatrick launched into a profanity-laced tirade and shoved one of them as they tried to serve the subpoena to Detroit businessman Bobby Ferguson on Thursday.

Kilpatrick's previous bond was $75,000, but he was not required to pay. Now, he owes 10 percent.

Kilpatrick and his former top aide, Christine Beatty, are charged with perjury, misconduct and obstruction of justice, all tied to their testimony in a civil trial last year.

Wrigleyville an 'Octopus Free Zone' on New Year's

2008-07-23T18:40:00.001-04:00

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES

Cook County Commissioner Mike Quigley is a Blackhawks fan. It goes without saying he hates the Detroit Red Wings.

So when Quigley put together an official resolution Tuesday celebrating the Hawks' outdoor showdown against the Red Wings on New Year's Day at Wrigley Field, he included a secret message to the reigning Stanley Cup champions and their fans.

He used red capital letters in the last line of his resolution to spell out a favorite chant he learned while growing up a Hawks fan ''in the second balcony in Chicago Stadium.'' The letters spelled out, ''DETROIT SUCKS.''

Besides declaring Jan. 1 will be ''Chicago Blackhawks Day'' in Cook County, Quigley's resolution designates Wrigley Field and the surrounding area an ''Octopus Free Zone'' -- a dig at Red Wings fans' tradition of throwing octopi on the ice after their team scores.

Ford targets more plants for buyouts; shares rally

2008-07-23T18:37:00.001-04:00

MarketWatch

Ford, in the midst of a broad restructuring, is looking to slash deeper into its payroll by expanding its buyout program to 14 more plants in Michigan and Ohio by mid-August.

"We're going back to the plants where we've been having various capacity actions and we're taking steps to match output with customer demand," Ford spokeswoman Anne Marie Gattari said.

The Dearborn, Mich.-based automaker is also cutting back on overtime, as well, in a belief that buyouts may look more attractive if the opportunity for extra pay is eliminated, The Wall Street Journal reported.

The plant-by-plant buyout program came about when Ford fell short of its target of cutting about 8,000 workers during an incentive offered earlier this year, with only about 4,200 choosing the option, according to the Journal.

Detroit Mayor's Charges Broadened After Texts to Other Women Surface

2008-07-23T17:47:00.001-04:00

FOXNews.com

An investigator's report says the Wayne County prosecutor's office has determined that Kilpatrick sent and received text messages with "intimate or romantic content" to several women who were not his wife or former Chief of Staff Christine Beatty.

The report says the office was able to locate and identify the women, but it does not list their names.

The allegations led the prosecutor's office to amend two current charges against the 38-year-old mayor. The amended complaint was signed by a district court magistrate and changes a misconduct-in-office charge and one of four perjury charges.

Lansing Considering Proposal Banning Scooters

2008-07-22T17:08:00.002-04:00

/ WILX News 10

Sales are up at Riverfront Cycle in Lansing...and it isn't bikes improving sales-- it's motorized scooters.

"We're seeing a lot more moped lookers, and we sold quite a few more-- about twice as many as last year," said David Hanson, owner of the cycle shop. "We're doing more than ever before."

Hanson says the reason is no surprise, with the high price at the pump.

"They (scooters) get between 85 and 100 miles per gallon. It's a viable means of transportation," said Hanson.

That could all change. Lansing City Council Vice President Derrick Quinney is spearheading an effort to amend a city code, banning all motorized scooters under 50 cubic centimeters in the city.

Oakland County gov't ranked 2nd most digitally advanced county in nation

2008-07-22T17:06:00.001-04:00

mLive

Tech-savvy Oakland County officials took second place in a competition against 3,000 county governments nationwide, in the 2008 Digital County Survey among counties with populations of 500,000 or more.

The 2008 Digital County Survey is an annual study focusing on the technology innovations of the best governments.

Only San Diego County scored higher than Oakland.

Counties were ranked on more than 100 measurements and data points covering such areas as online delivery, infrastructure, architecture and governance models.

Nonprofit forms around Next Detroit Neighborhoods Initiative

2008-07-22T17:05:00.001-04:00

Crain's Detroit Business

The city of Detroit is spinning the Next Detroit Neighborhoods Initiative into an independent nonprofit so it can continue to attract foundation funding.

Launched just over a year ago to revitalize six Detroit neighborhoods over five years, the program has leveraged $8.9 million in funding from private foundations, the business community and the state through Cities of Promise grants, said Pamela Moore, director of operations for the program and one of its six employees.

But it hopes to raise another $91 million for work in those six neighborhoods and additional funding beyond that to support future revitalization in other parts of the city.

Daniels, Weaver to perform "Love Letters"

2008-07-22T17:04:00.002-04:00

The Ann Arbor News

Jeff Daniels and Sigourney Weaver will team up for a one-night-only performance of A.R. Gurney's two-person play "Love Letters" in Detroit Saturday night as a benefit for Daniels' Chelsea-based Purple Rose Theatre and also for the Detroit Film Theatre.

Much like Daniels, Weaver is also involved in her own theater company, the New York-based Flea Theater. Daniels joined Weaver for a fundraising production of "Love Letters" in New York last year, and now Weaver is returning the favor.

"I said 'I'll do it for you if you do it for me,' " Daniels told The News recently. "I was happy to help."

The performance will take place at the restored Detroit Film Theatre, part of the Detroit Institute of Arts, 5200 Woodward Ave.

Flint remembers GM's glory with parade marking 100th anniversary

2008-07-21T17:32:00.002-04:00

Matt Assenmacher is a cyclist at heart and runs two bicycle shops in Genesee County, but on Sunday, he had old-fashioned gasoline and a lot of nostalgia pumping through his veins.

His 1908 Buick Roadster -- once owned by Buick's first chief engineer, Walter Marr -- led the procession as Flint marked the 100th anniversary of General Motors Corp. with a downtown celebration that was part parade, part car show, and part homecoming.

"This town is still dogged by a lot of mixed emotions when it comes to GM," said Assenmacher. "But today is a day to be proud and honor what is one of America's industrial giants."

Flint-built Chevrolets and Buicks dominated the parade lineup. And there was something for everyone -- brass-era cars, Bel Airs, a rolling wave of chrome, stunning Cadillacs, sports cars, Buick Supers, muscle cars, motor homes and vans.

Granholm signs measures to help Michigan downtowns

2008-07-21T17:28:00.000-04:00

Governor Jennifer M. Granholm signed a package of bills Thursday that is expected to give local officials new tools to help attract business to revitalize downtowns.

"Vibrant downtowns, both large and small, are vital to a prosperous future for Michigan,” Granholm said. Creating opportunities for new entrepreneurs, she added will allow downtowns to attract young professionals and revitalize retail and housing development.

Among other things, the new laws amend existing statutes to:

• Allow local downtown development authorities (DDA) to operate retail business incubators.

Off-Duty Deputy Shoots Party Intruder

2008-07-21T17:27:00.000-04:00

WDIV Detroit

An off-duty Wayne County deputy shot and killed a masked gunman who interrupted a party early Sunday morning.

Police said a party was winding down around 4:30 a.m. at a house on Detroit's southwest side when two armed masked men broke in.

Homeowner Victor Akrawi said the two men broke in his front door, told everyone to get down and started firing.

"No matter where you are, there are always people trying to get you," Akrawi said.

Police said one was carrying a shotgun and another a handgun.

Donors to Detroit mayor's legal fund owe taxes

2008-07-21T17:26:00.001-04:00

Chicagotribune.com

Three of more than 30 companies and individuals who have contributed to Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick's legal defense fund owe more than $820,000 in state and federal taxes, according to records reviewed by The Detroit News.

The newspaper reports Saturday that the tax delinquents include the company that owns the Sheraton Detroit Riverside hotel. The owners of the former Hotel Pontchartrain donated $3,000 despite owing $501,299 in state taxes.

Brian Jeffries, president and chief executive of Detroit-based Ambassador Capital Management, gave the fund $10,000. Jeffries and his wife owe the Internal Revenue Service $290,803 in federal income taxes, according to filings with the Oakland County Register of Deeds office.

McCain and Romney worlds collide in Michigan

2008-07-21T17:23:00.001-04:00

CNN Political Ticker

Several of Mitt Romney's top fundraisers anted up for John McCain on Friday afternoon in Detroit, and McCain returned the favor with some words of praise for his former rival.

"In case you missed it, as short a time ago as this morning, Mitt has been on the shows, not only defending, but standing up for the things that we believe in, are important to the future of the country," McCain told a small group of donors gathered at the Detroit Athletic Club, referring to Romney's efforts as a campaign surrogate.

The event raised over $1 million for his campaign.

McCain dined at a table with at least two of Romney’s top fundraisers — John Rakolta, Jr. and Ed Levy, Jr., both of whom were Bush "Rangers" during the 2004 cycle. They were joined by Romney's brother Scott, a Michigan attorney.

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2008-07-21T17:22:00.001-04:00