Free Republic

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP)—Charles Woodson(notes) wants to be known as more than a football player. Donating $2 million to the new University of Michigan Mott Children’s Hospital and Women’s Hospital gives him a chance to do that. The school announced Woodson’s gift on Thanksgiving before he played for the Green Bay Packers against the Detroit Lions. Woodson’s money will support pediatric research by The Charles Woodson Clinical Research Fund in the $754-million, 1.1-million square foot hospital slated to open in 2012. He hopes to attract the world’s best researchers who want to help children with cancer, heart disease, kidney disorders...

Why is Sarah Palin’s “Going Rogue” book tour stopping at The Villages, a Florida retirement center, on Nov. 24? Here’s a thought – maybe it’s because The Villages is mentioned in the book. On page 265, Ms. Palin describes the place at some length as she writes about stopping there for a rally. She is particularly taken by the fact that the main mode of transportation in this retiree-heavy community is the golf cart, decorated and jacked up to fit the owner’s personality. “My family and I had never seen anything like this and thought it was the Florida version...

PONTIAC, Mich. (AP) - Talk about getting stuck with the cheap seats. The Pontiac Silverdome in suburban Detroit was built three decades ago for $56 million. Now it's being virtually given away after a judge approved its sale for a paltry $583,000. That comes out to $7.25 a seat as the once-proud arena is relegated to being another sad symbol of the Detroit area's economic collapse. The Silverdome opened in 1975 as home of the Detroit Lions and housed the NBA's Pistons in 1978-88.

Sarah Palin looks at a cover of Newsweek handed to her as she arrives for a book signing of her new book 'Going Rogue' in Grand Rapids, Michigan November 17, 2009

The abandoned corpses, in white body bags with number tags tied to each toe, lie one above the other on steel racks inside a giant freezer in Detroit’s central mortuary, like discarded shoes in the back of a wardrobe. Some have lain here for years, but in recent months the number of unclaimed bodies has reached a record high. For in this city that once symbolised the American Dream many cannot even afford to bury their dead. “I have not seen this many unclaimed bodies in 13 years on the job,” said Albert Samuels, chief investigator at the mortuary. “It...

Washington (CNN) -- Nearly two years into the recession, opinion about which political party is responsible for the severe economic downturn is shifting, according to a new national poll. A CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey released Friday morning indicates that 38 percent of the public blames Republicans for the country's current economic problems. In May, 53 percent blamed the GOP. According to the poll, 27 percent now blame the Democrats for the recession, up 6 points from May, and 27 percent now say both parties are responsible. "The bad news for the Democrats is that the number of Americans who hold...

Ann Arbor, Michigan POLL: Should guns be allowed on campus?

There may be additional e-mails that could have tipped off law enforcement or military officials to the Fort Hood shooter before he went on his deadly rampage, the chairman of the Senate Armed Forces Committee said Friday. The U.S. government intercepted at least 18 e-mails between Hasan and Anwar al-Awlaki, a radical American-born cleric. They were passed along to two Joint Terrorism Task Force cells led by the FBI, but a senior defense official said no one at the Defense Department knew about the messages until after the shootings. The official spoke on condition of anonymity in order to discuss...

In a fast-paced world, life can sometimes be daunting. Fortunately, the state of Michigan has online advice for almost every aspect of life, from shopping to gardening, eating to driving. Sure, some of it may be painfully obvious, nitpicky or bizarre, but just remember: The state knows what's best for you.

An enraged Highland Park, Michigan father is accused of killing his son - as he begged for his life - after learning the teen may have sexually abused a toddler. Jamar Pinkney Sr., 37, irate over hearing his 15-year-old son Jamar Pinkney Jr. had sexual contact with a 3-year-old girl made the teen strip at gunpoint, marched him to a vacant lot and shot him to death despite pleas from the boy and his mother, a relative said. Michigan authorities filed a first-degree murder charge Wednesday against Pinkney Sr. in his son's shooting death Monday. Defense attorney Corbett O'Meara said...

This week marks five years since the NBA's infamous 'Malice at The Palace'. It was a scene that will live on forever as the moment player and crowd interaction went a step too far. With 45 seconds remaining and the Indiana Pacers leading by double digits over the Detroit Pistons at their home court the Palace of Auburn Hills, Ron Artest sparked a riot when he fouled Ben Wallace. Wallace responded with an aggressive shove and tensions boiled over for both sides as the referees tried to break up the all-in fight. A smug Artest then walked over and lay...

Have a close look at the screencap. Notice what Norah O'Donnell's holding in her left hand? Those are notes, with factoids from the 2008 presidential campaign. She's reading from them to challenge a Sarah Palin supporter who was waiting in line at the book signing yesterday in Grand Rapids, Michigan. We all remember how back during the '08 campaign, MSM reporters would challenge people attending Obama rallies with uncomfortable truths about their candidate, along the lines "would you still support him if you knew he had the most liberal voting record in the Senate?" Or not. I certainly can't remember...

More than 1,000 people queued for up to 24 hours to have their books signed on the first stop of Sarah Palin's tour to promote her new book. Confirming her rock star political status, students bunked off, employees skipped work and the most ardent fans huddled in the cold overnight to make sure they received an orange wristband, given out by security staff at a shopping mall in Grand Rapids, Michigan, that would let them meet the former Republican vice presidential candidate. They sported "Palin Power" stickers and Palin T-shirts and broke into occasional chants of of "Palin! Palin! Palin!"...

Photo: Rebecca Cook, Reuters GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) - College students ditched class, employees skipped work and some huddled in the cold overnight just to make sure they get an orange wristband Wednesday that would let them meet Sarah Palin. Thousands gathered outside a Barnes & Noble and chanted "Palin! Palin! Palin!" for the kickoff of the former Republican vice presidential candidate's "Going Rogue" book tour, which has taken on the feel of a political pep rally. "She's a person of faith, she has a family, she has gone through a lot of the trials and tribulations we have. I'd...

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — College students ditched class, employees skipped work and some huddled in the cold overnight just to make sure they get an orange wristband Wednesday that would let them meet Sarah Palin. A line of more than a thousand people — some sporting Palin Power stickers and Palin T-shirts — moved slowly into a Barnes & Noble store Wednesday to see the former Republican vice presidential candidate and Alaska governor on the first stop of her "Going Rogue" book tour. During the hours they waited, some broke out in chants of "Palin! Palin! Palin!" Scores more who...

<p>Contact your Senators and let them know what you think!</p> <p>U.S. veterans or subsidies for United Nations (U.N.) bureaucracy.</p>

Folks, Post here if you are going, know someone who is going, have reports on the size of the crowds, or interaction with Gov. Palin. WWJ Radio Detroit this morning @ 5:00am noted people were already getting their wrist bands that early for the book signing in the evening.

Would Sarah make a good president? Vote here: http://www.fox17online.com/news/fox17-palin-for-president-poll,0,7769112.poll

Former presidential contender's book tour stops at ND. BY ERIN BLASKO SOUTH BEND — Bob Moore was enthusiastic about Mike Huckabee long before the Republican presidential candidate arrived on the national scene in 2007, charming his party's base with his strong commitment to conservative values and moderates and even liberals with his "aw, shucks" persona. He was quick to point that out Tuesday, shortly after meeting the former Arkansas governor at a promotional event at the Hammes Notre Dame Bookstore. "I've read all of his books except the one that just came out," the Goshen man said, adding that that...

Talk about a political rock star. A crowd estimated at more than 1,500 already had lined up by mid-morning at a Grand Rapids, Mich., bookstore in advance of a 6 p.m. book signing by 2008 Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, whose book "Going Rogue" has already become a runaway bestseller -- one day after its release. Die-hard fans of the former Alaska governor traveled from all over the state and began setting up outside a Barnes & Noble store in the city's Woodland Mall at around 9 p.m. last night, hunkering down in 30-degree overnight temperatures to camp out...

Waiting for Sarah's First Booksigning

DETROIT – Chevrolet affirms its commitment to fuel solutions and building refined, eco-friendly vehicles with the debut of the U.S. production version of the Cruze sedan at the Los Angeles Auto Show, on Dec. 2. The Cruze, along with the much-anticipated Volt electric vehicle, will give visitors to the L.A. show a close-up view of Chevrolet’s expanding lineup of gas-friendly to gas-free products. “With expected highway fuel economy up to 40 miles per gallon, Cruze will be extremely gas friendly while the Volt electric vehicle can be operated gas-free," said Brent Dewar, vice president, Chevrolet. “Chevrolet's focus is on forward-looking...

U.S. Operations Received $50 Billion in Taxpayer Funds -- And Now May Send Millions of Dollars Overseas. At a meeting with President Obama Monday morning, Communist Party Secretary Yu Xheng Sheng told the U.S. president how well General Motors' Chinese division was doing. "The business of GM in Shanghai is pretty good," Secretary Yu told the president. "By the end of October this year their sales has increased by 40 percent over the same period of last year. I think that the fantastic performance here in Shanghai is definitely a boost to their business in the United States." "Absolutely," said...

In a surprise move, the head of GMAC Financial Services -- the giant, taxpayer-supported auto lender -- was ousted Monday. The forced resignation of Alvaro de Molina after only 19 months as chief executive caps a series of clashes with regulators and mounting board frustration over his turnaround plans for the Detroit company. GMAC has received $12.5 billion in taxpayer money since December 2008 in two installments, giving the U.S. government a 35.4% stake and growing power over the firm's trajectory. Government officials said they made no suggestion to GMAC's board to dump Mr. de Molina. "That was 100% GMAC's...

Firm plans to retire $6.7 billion loan years before it is due General Motors is expected to announce on Monday that it will begin repaying its debt to the United States next month, years earlier than required. The nation's largest automaker plans to pay $1 billion per quarter until the $6.7 billion loan is repaid, according to a source familiar with the matter. The plan does not cover all of the $50 billion the United States has invested in the company. How much the government will receive on its investment depends on GM's eventual stock value. In exchange for the...

DETROIT - An analysis by The Detroit Free Press has found that most of the federal stimulus funding that's reached Michigan has created few private-sector jobs. The Free Press examined more than 1,800 awards to agencies, departments, municipalities and firms in Michigan under the stimulus act. It found that the biggest impact was spurring or protecting public-sector or summer jobs-not private-sector jobs. Of the 22,513 stimulus jobs reported in Michigan, 13,555 were tied to state money for education, doled out to local school districts. The Free Press also reported Sunday that its analysis shows that some recipients of the stimulus...

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Um, you've got the wrong state, Boss. Legendary rocker Bruce Springsteen made an onstage geography goof Friday when he bellowed "Hello, Ohio!" to adoring fans at the Auburn Hills Palace -- in Michigan. The "Born in the USA" crooner referred to the neighboring state several times before trusty E Street Band guitarist Steven Van Zandt whispered their actual location into his ear.

Axelrod Signals Obama Will Try to Strip Abortion Language From Health Care Bill by FOXNews.com The amendment, authored by Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Mich., went beyond preventing the proposed government-run plan from covering abortion to restrict federal subsidies from going toward private plans that offer abortion coverage. David Axelrod says the amendment changes the 'status quo,' something the president cannot abide. White House Senior Adviser David Axelrod suggested Sunday that President Obama will intervene to make sure a controversial amendment restricting federal funding for abortion coverage is stripped from final health care reform legislation.

The Detroit Free Press is a very liberal left-leaning newspaper, so that is why I changed my subscription to the Detroit News; however, on Sunday, Detroit News subscribers get the Detroit Free Press as the News isn't published on Sun. Imagine my shock when the headlines screamed "Billions for State, but where are the jobs?" The Free Press has done an in-depth analysis of the stimulus and concluded that Michigan's primary recipients of the stimulus money created one or fewer jobs. And the hundreds of millions of dollars the federal government spent to buy thousands of vehicles from metro Detroit's...

Two women trying to avoid arrest after allegedly stealing goods from a local Wal-Mart store head-butted, urinated on and drove off with a security guard. ...security guard attempted to stop the women from getting away with $45 in stolen merchandise. Marilyn Cole, 35,...was arraigned Tuesday. Cole was on parole for bank robbery at the time. Cole was released from prison April 3. ...she was ordered not to have any contact with Wal-Mart stores, the victim or the co-defendant, Rashieka Lariena Stewart. Stewart, 23...was arraigned Tuesday on one count of unarmed robbery The two women were stopped inside the Wal-Mart on...

Several school districts and cities heavily reliant on commercial and industrial taxes could fail financially over the next two years, says Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson. Patterson said Friday that commercial and industrial property values could be 40 to 70 percent lower two years from now, exacerbating the declining values and tax base in the residential market and adding another burden to strained local budgets. “We’ve seen something very, very dangerous on the horizon for local communities,” Patterson said. “School districts will probably be the first to go under. We’ll lose a few of them next year. “A few...

LANSING, Mich. (AP) -- Lansing police officials say an officer whose Tasering of a handcuffed man was caught on dashboard video has been suspended for two weeks without pay for violating department policy.

A project to encase one of Detroit's thousands of abandoned homes in ice this winter to draw attention to foreclosures that have battered the region is moving forward and expanding. Photographer Gregory Holm said this week that the state's land bank agreed to donate a home on the city's east side for the Ice House Detroit project. The scope of the project by Holm and freelance architect Matthew Radune is growing. They plan to use some money they've raised to help a Detroit family get a home by paying back taxes on a foreclosure. Holm also said early-release prisoners will...

Detroit (WWJ) -- A Detroit federal judge has sentenced a Detroit businesman and corruption figure to the maximum five years in jail for conspiracy to commit bribery. Rayford Jackson arranged the bribes for now-former city councilwoman Monica Conyers

A lively three-way Republican primary is taking shape in Michigan, where attorney Brian Rooney, who made his candidacy official on Thursday, is running against former Rep. Tim Walberg and rancher-real estate investor Marvin Carlson. The winner of the GOP primary will face Rep. Mark Schauer next November. The prospect of taking on Democrat Schauer is pretty inviting to Republicans in the 7th District, which includes the cities of Battle Creek and Jackson. Another GOP prospect has been considering getting in the race, too -- Bill Martin, CEO of the Michigan Association of Realtors. However, sources on the ground say Martin...

A short video of sets and action from the upcoming Red Dawn remake being filmed in and around Detroit. These shots are from the filming in Pontiac, MI. NSFW WARNING: The background music contains some vulgar language and may not be safe for work or around younger children. Viewers with concerns should mute the sound before playing the video. Note: I am not affiliated in any way with Contrafilm, MGM, or anyone else involved in the production or marketing of this film.

On October 30, Brian Rooney, an attorney for the Thomas More Law Center, filed his papers to run for Michigan's 7th Congressional Seat. Rooney had initially put aside his political plans when his son Blaise was born with a congenital heart defect in February, but the fight to save his son's life in the midst of the national health-care debate convinced him to enter the race. Rooney, a Republican, will face serious opposition in the GOP primary from former one-term Rep. Tim Walberg, who lost the seat in 2008 to Democrat Mark Schauer. Rooney, ardently pro-life and pro-family, faces...

The Motor City wants change. At least that was the message sent from the polls on Tuesday night’s general municipal election. While some of the election results had been easily predicted, there were some minor surprises. City Council President Kenneth Cockrel Jr. was expected to come out second if not on top of the city council race. Instead, voters demoted him, placing the former interim mayor fourth behind three fresh faces to the council. But as the polls predicted, Charles Pugh got the most votes, making him the new city council president. Gary Brown, who had been expected to be...

While roaming the grounds of the US Capitol yesterday, Kristinn Taylor obtained a list of possible democrat defectors of the now infamous “Healthcare” bill. Kristinn was asked to post this list of wobbly democrats on FreeRepublic in an effort to mobilize our forces and overwhelm these members with phone calls and e-mails asking them to vote NO on the socialization of our healthcare. We also learned that Nancy Pelosi had just scheduled the vote for tomorrow; Saturday, November 7, 2009 at 6:00 PM. For all those who were unable to answer the call to surround the Capitol yesterday, here is...

DETROIT -- Nobody can say for sure how an old dump truck ended up on the fourth floor of the abandoned Packard auto plant on East Grand Boulevard. But there's no doubt about how it got back down. It was pushed through a hole in the wall. The act, caught on video, required the efforts of a number of people, a sledgehammer, a hydraulic floor jack, stacks of cinder blocks and a peculiar sense of propriety. The Packard plant, a 3.5-million-square-foot luxury-car factory, opened in 1907 and shut down in 1956. In more recent decades, other businesses operated on the...

Link-only: Campus gun legislation merely clarifies gun rightsI wrote this regarding House Bill 5474 introduced by Rep. Schmidt. It's been heard in committee twice. Needs calls and letters of support to get heard on the floor!

The news from Dearborn is sunny, except for the auto maker's labor relations. A year ago, Ford Motor Co. steered clear of the auto industry's version of the "public option." You know, a government-funded bankruptcy. Maybe the decision wasn't entirely altruistic. Plan B, as in bankruptcy, would have ended more than a century of Ford family control. Whatever the motives, Ford chose a private solution for regaining its corporate health, and today the patient is walking without a government crutch. Last week Consumer Reports gave the company quality ratings comparable to those of Honda and Toyota. On Monday, Ford reported...

Surrounded by her family, Maj. Stella Carroll looked out over a sea of fluttering American flags Wednesday morning at Parma Elementary School. More than 400 tiny voices greeted the mother of five with the national anthem and other patriotic songs, and the children presented her with letters calling her a hero. Carroll, who has served in the U.S. Army Reserves for more than 20 years, will leave Saturday for a year-long tour in Kandahar, Afghanistan. "We want you to know how much we respect and appreciate you," Parma Elementary School Principal Sue Haney told Carroll during the send-off ceremony at...

A state lawmaker wants to allow same-sex marriage in Michigan. Representative Pam Byrnes of Washtenaw County introduced a plan Wednesday to amend the state constitution to allow same-sex marriages, as well as recognize them from other states. "Same-sex couples should not be denied the joys and responsibilities that come with making a lifetime commitment to each other," Byrnes said. "The Michigan I know is not a place that would deny visitation rights to a dying loved one or access to health care just because of someone's sexual orientation." In 2004, Michigan voters passed an amendment banning gay marriage. The amendment...

No stops are planned in Seattle, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Los Angeles and other major cities and book-buying communities that are standard for authors on the road, but where the voters tend to be Democrats. Beyond a Nov. 16 television interview with Oprah Winfrey, nothing is scheduled for Chicago. New York will feature media appearances only. Instead, the itinerary for Palin, whose "Going Rogue" comes out Nov. 17, includes Noblesville, Ind.; Washington, Pa.; and Rochester, N.Y. "She wants to be unconventional. She is unconventional," HarperCollins spokeswoman Tina Andreadis said Wednesday....

GRAND RAPIDS-- Sarah Palin will be coming to the Woodland Mall Barnes & Noble store in Grand Rapids Nov. 18, her first stop on a tour promoting her book "Going Rogue." The Associated Press reports Palin's tour will begin the day after the book is released and two days after she is interviewed by Oprah Winfrey. A local Barnes & Noble spokesperson confirmed Palin will be at the Woodland store at 3670 28th St SE. Palin, the former Alaska governor and vice presidential candidate, will make appearances around the country. HarperCollins spokeswoman Tina Andreadis said Wednesday that the tour will...

Former state Rep. Mike Nofs began courting Jackson County voters before there was a vacancy in the 19th Senate District. After Mark Schauer was elected to Congress last fall, Nofs started the New Year with more than $100,000 in his campaign war chest. He never lost his fundraising lead over state Rep. Martin Griffin, D-Jackson, which, combined with his message of lower taxes and job growth, translated into a convincing win in Tuesday night's special election. The Battle Creek Republican defeated Griffin 19,508 to 11,105, with three precincts yet to report at press time. "I think we worked hard. I...

Students all over the state of Michigan may soon be able to carry concealed weapons on campus. Bill 5474, introduced by Wayne Schmidt, R-Traverse City, to the Michigan House of Representatives, would prohibit colleges from banning weapons on campus. Section two of the bill specifically outlines what local units of government and institutions of higher learning would not be able to do if the bill were passed. “A local unit of government or institution of higher education shall not impose special taxation on, enact or enforce any ordinance or regulation pertaining to, or regulate in any other manner the ownership,...

An upstanding Detroit citizen explains where the "Obama money" for her (fingers crossed) stimulus check is coming from. Her answer? "His stash...I don't know!"