Free Republic

For the second time Detroit Public Schools Financial Manager Robert Bobb has threatened to bankrupt the school system. Bobb wants school teachers to agree to a Termination Incentive Plan (TIP) which says each teacher must loan the district $10,000 a year from pre-tax earnings to help eliminate the schools’ deficit. DFT President Keith Johnson says if teachers do not agree to the union-generated plan, they face a 10 percent pay cut for five years widening the wage gap between city and suburban teachers. Additionally, teachers may face bankruptcy proceedings that could make a teachers’ contract void. Many teachers have said...

Will consumers buy from a bankrupt auto maker? There always are bargain hunters, but I was certain many would stay away. With Pontiac and Saturn out of the picture, I figured General Motors would be down to 16% market share, losing perhaps another 3% as worried potential buyers talked themselves out of visiting a GM showroom. That would have left GM with as little as 13% share. At least, that’s what I figured, and I have a lot of experience covering failing auto companies. So far, I’m wrong. GM’s market share has been climbing since it left bankruptcy, hitting 20.2%...

Investigators say they’ve uncovered evidence that a Pittsfield Township homeowner was acting in self-defense when he fatally shot another man outside his home Wednesday morning. Both men were armed when they got into a dispute, police revealed this afternoon. The shooting took place early Wednesday on Rockport Court in the Arbor Creek subdivision. The accused shooter, Adham Mofiid Abu Farha, 34, was released from the Washtenaw County Jail this afternoon as police continue to investigate the shooting outside Farha’s home in the Arbor Creek subdivision. Police say Michael Robert Rajchel, 28, of Van Buren Township, came to Farha’s home at...

Michigan's state Senate and House passed a smoking ban that will make indoor smoking illegal, save for gambling areas, cigar bars and cigar shops. The measure, HB 4377, passed by a vote of 24 to 13 in the Senate and was overwhelmingly approved by the House in a vote of 75 to 30. The legislation will become law when Gov. Jennifer Granholm signs it; she has come out in favor of such legislation, according to press reports from Michigan. The law will go into effect May 1. Exemptions to the legislation include cigar bars, tobacco stores and casinos. A smoking...

Video Linky

Just how electric vehicles will change the world is an evolving debate, but one new analysis says that EVs and connected industries could be a $300 billion business by 2020 and create over a million jobs globally along the way. In the U.S., somewhere between 125,000 and 300,00 jobs could be created, with the higher number only being reached if the U.S. adopts more "concerted and aggressive efforts" to promote EVs. These predictions come from global management consulting firm PRTM and are based on widespread adoption of the recently-released Electrification Roadmap that ambitiously foresees BEVs and PHEVs making up a...

In a Right Side of Life exclusive, I had reported (based on this Portland Civil Rights Examiner posting by Dianne Cotter) that attorneys Leo Donofrio and Stephen Pidgeon have, in fact, gotten together and have been retained by lead Plaintiff James Anderer and other Chrysler dealers to appeal on damages incurred in the Chrysler bankruptcy sale. Further, the concept of quo warranto — an ancient “prerogative writ” — has been confirmed by Devvy Kidd’s recent telephone conversation with Mr. Donofrio as a petition by which he and Mr. Pidgeon will be challenging the Obama Administration under three counts. ...[snip]... In...

Wayne County Prosecutors say Kilpatrick is living large on what he should be paying to the city of Detroit in restitution. He spent $595 at a Gucci store and $158 at a nail salon this past June, Assistant Wayne County Prosecutor Athina Siringas said. Siringas also said $800 was spent at one point over the summer on Omaha steaks. Other transaction were made for golf and smooties, and one at a shop called "Nothing Bundt Cakes.'' "That's what you chose to spend the money on?'' Siringas asked Kilpatrick, who invoked his Fifth Amendment privilege several times during Monday's hearing.

Abortion Center in Michigan Advertises Business as "Sacred Work" Detroit, MI -- An abortion center in Michigan is drawing guffaws from pro-life advocates for a new series of video advertisements touting its abortions as "sacred work." The ads from Northland Family Planning Centers of Michigan follow comments this week from a pro-abortion religious leader saying abortion is a "God-given right." Full story and video at http://www.LifeNews.com/state4623.html

<p>HIGHLAND PARK, Mich. (CBS/AP) Jamar Pinkney Sr., the 37-year-old Michigan father who allegedly shot and killed his teenage son because the boy told him he molested a 3-year-old girl, will pursue an insanity defense, his lawyer said Tuesday.</p> <p>On the same day, a judge in the Detroit enclave of Highland Park ruled that Pinkney Sr. will stand trial on first-degree murder, assault and firearm charges.</p>

Northland Family Planning Centers of Michigan are advertising their services with newly created videos which calls abortion "sacred work." Sacred? Sacred is defined as "entitled to veneration or religious respect by association with divinity or divine things; holy." The video is part of a series of videos highlighting their abortion services and states, "We believe in the goodness of our work." The spokesperson points to a sign hanging in the abortion clinic that says "We do sacred work that honors women and the circle of life and death. When you come here bring only love." The clinic says that abortion...

CHICAGO – Illinois environmental officials will dump a toxic chemical into a nearly 6-mile stretch of the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal Wednesday to keep the voracious Asian carp from entering the Great Lakes while an electrical barrier is turned off for maintenance. The fish, which can grow to 4 feet long and 100 pounds and are known to leap from the water at the sound of passing motors, have been found within a few miles of Lake Michigan and there is evidence they might have breached the barrier, designed to repel them with a non-lethal jolt. Environmentalists fear the...

Michigan State has suspended eight football players in the wake of a fight at a campus residence hall. University police have identified 10 suspects in the Nov. 22 incident and hope to identify five more suspects. Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio last week dismissed sophomore running back Glenn Winston and junior safety Roderick Jenrette from the team, citing an unspecified violation of team rules. Michigan State confirmed Tuesday that both Winston and Jenrette were present during the incident. The other players present during the incident are: wide receiver Mark Dell, wide receiver B.J. Cunningham, wide receiver Fred Smith, running...

Detroit (WWJ) -- Outgoing Detroit City Councilwoman Martha Reeves is throwing herself a big "going away" party Thursday. The invitation calls it a "Come and Help Me Go Away Party" and says "gifts are welcome."

Like a forgotten downtown billboard, Detroit proclaims a warning about the rest of America for any who will stop and look. If ever an American city was a warning for the nation, it is Detroit. Its crumbling mansions, overgrown boulevards and abandoned factories drive a message home to those who will pay attention. We cannot afford to ignore Detroit any longer. Why? What killed Detroit is killing America. Detroit used to be synonymous with wealth and prosperity. It was a city humming with big-finned cars and Motown rhythms. Factories churned out products that ended up on store shelves around the...

Detroit, Mich., Dec 1, 2009 / 02:05 am (CNA).- Responding to an increasing number of women who continue to drive late in their pregnancies, car manufacturers are researching safety devices to help protect expecting mothers. The research includes a crash test dummy of a pregnant woman named MAMA 2B.Researcher Stefan Duma of Virginia Tech told USA Today that although states are not required to report fetal deaths in accident data, between 300 and 1,000 unborn babies die in car accidents each year. This accident fatality rate is about four times the rate for victims between infancy and four years...

·11250 Waples Mill Road ·   Fairfax, Virginia 22030    ·800-392-8683   Important Pro-Gun Bills to be Considered Tomorrow in Michigan!   Tuesday, December 01, 2009   Please Contact Your State Representative Immediately!Tomorrow, the Michigan House of Representatives will consider House Bill 5302 and House Bill 5303.HB5302, introduced by State Representative Paul Opsommer (R-93), and HB5303, authored by State Representative Joel Sheltrown (D-103), would prohibit employers from firing employees who safely and lawfully store their firearms in locked vehicles. Big business is actively lobbying against this much-needed reform and is trying to create loopholes for large corporations.Please contact your State Representative IMMEDIATELY and politely urge them...

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...

DEARBORN, Michigan (Reuters) - At Tuhama's Lebanese deli in Dearborn, and at bakeries and barbershops throughout town, it's no secret the CIA is looking for a few good spies. "There is a lot of talk, and nobody likes it," said Hamze Chehade, a 48-year-old Lebanese-American, taking a bite of his chicken shawarma. In dire need of agents fluent in Arabic, the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency has made an unusual public show of its recruiting effort in Dearborn -- a city of 100,000 with the densest Arab population in the United States. The agency has bought full-page ads in Arabic-language newspapers...

Note: The following text is a quote: Department of Justice Office of Public Affairs FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEMonday, November 23, 2009 Arrests Made in Case Involving Conspiracy to Procure Weapons, Including Anti-Aircraft Missiles Arrests were made today in a case involving a conspiracy to procure weapons, including anti-aircraft missiles. A criminal complaint, unsealed today, charged Dani Nemr Tarraf with conspiring to acquire anti-aircraft missiles (FIM-92 Stingers) and conspiring to possess machine guns (approximately 10,000 Colt M4 Carbines). In addition, Tarraf and other defendants — including Douri Nemr Tarraf, Hassan Mohamad Komeiha, and Hussein Ali Asfour — were charged with conspiring to...

LANSING , Mich., A Michigan lawmaker is requesting a hearing for a bill that would give the state an official tartan, or Scottish-inspired plaid pattern. State Rep. Richard LeBlanc, D-Westland, who introduced an identical tartan bill that failed to gain steam in 2007, said he supports a tartan made by Scottish weaver Kati Meek, 69, of Alpena, Mich., the Detroit Free Press reported Monday. Meek said the tartan includes colors representative of Michigan's forests, lakes, beaches , cherries and snow. "I used Michigan's natural colors. There's some pretty gross tartans, and this I think is one of the more attractive...

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?

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...

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.

They had been waiting for more than 24 hours, camped out on the pavements in a frigid Michigan chill. Stepping off her bus, in four-inch heels, black skirt and red blazer, came their heroine — clutching baby Trig. A roar went up, acclaiming the woman who they passionately believe is going to save America. “Alaska and Michigan have so much in common — the huntin’, the fishin’ and the hockey mums!” she declared to chants of “Sarah! Sarah!” and “USA! USA!” She went on to pay homage to “just the hardworking patriotic Americans who are here”. It was like 2008...

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Hundreds of Sarah Palin fans lined up Wednesday at a Michigan book store to get the chance to meet the former Alaska governor as she kicked off a national tour for her book "Going Rogue." Some supporters camped out overnight to be among the first to get wristbands from the Barnes and Noble bookstore at Woodland Mall in Grand Rapids. Those with the orange bands will get the opportunity to have the former 2008 Republican vice presidential candidate sign their copies of the book at the three-hour signing event Wednesday evening. The memoir was released Tuesday...

Palin launches "Going Rogue" tour in West Michigan Updated: Wednesday, 18 Nov 2009, 10:17 AM EST Published : Wednesday, 18 Nov 2009, 5:52 AM EST KENTWOOD, Mich. (WOOD) - Crowds lined up outside Woodland Mall in Kentwood early Wednesday morning to get wristbands for former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin's evening appearance at Barnes & Noble. Palin sign copies of her book "Going Rogue" between 6 and 9 p.m. at the store, 3195 28th St. SE. Barnes & Noble will hand out first-come, first-serve wristbands beginning at 7 a.m. Only one wristband will be given per person. The wristbands will...

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.

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...

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...

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...

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.

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.

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

DEARBORN, Mich. (AP) -- Ford Motor Co. says it plans to sell a new police cruiser vehicle to replace the Crown Victoria once the sedan is phased out of production in 2011.

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.

Attorney General Eric Holder has agreed to give a keynote speech later this month to a Michigan group which includes the local branch of the Council on American-Islamic Relations even though the FBI has formally severed contacts with the controversial Muslim civil rights organization. On Nov. 19, Holder is scheduled to speak in Detroit to the first annual awards banquet of Advocates and Leaders for Police and Community Trust, a coalition of several dozen law enforcement and community groups. An online registration form for the event includes the Council on American Islamic Relations-Michigan on a list of “official & participating...

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...

Just like a slap to reality, a Detroit Imam was shot by the FBI in Dearborn. Luqman Ameen Raids Michigan-MediaAbdullah was “‘advocating and encouraging his followers to commit violent acts against the United States,’ FBI agent Gary Leone said in an affidavit…” The leader of the radical U.S. Sunni Muslim group has members that are, “mostly are black and some converted to Islam while in prisons across the United States.” Abdullah’s son was arrested in Canada. Gordon Cullulu, retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel, who spoke at a town hall in October in Standish, wrote a very detailed and informative article...

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...

He didn’t start 13 successful companies and secure more than 200 patents over 40 years by giving up when things got tough. Perseverance drove Robert Fischell to success. Sticking with an idea they believe can work is his best advice for other inventors aiming to get their innovation to the marketplace. “The harder I work, the luckier I get,” Fischell said Wednesday in a keynote address on medical device innovation at the annual MichBio Expo in Kalamazoo. “Give yourself the opportunity to get lucky. When you think of something, don’t just let it go. Figure out a new way to...

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....

Unfortunately for America the Islamic dominance in sections of Michigan is growing stronger, and stronger. Will the Islamic influence there get as bad as it is in the UK? Time will tell... NOV. 4, 2009 Muslims given strong role in Hamtramck BY NIRAJ WARIKOO FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER After Tuesday's election, Muslims are to make up half of the city council members in Hamtramck, a percentage believed by advocates to be the highest Muslim representation in a municipality in the United States.

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...

MOUNT CLEMENS, Mich. — A Michigan judge says a man who claims he was chased, shot and beaten by workers at a store he'd just robbed can sue the men.....The 23-year-old filed a lawsuit against the store, its owner and three employees in April. Zielinski was shot twice and claims he was excessively beaten.

The city that was once one of the wealthiest in America is a decrepit, often surreal landscape of urban decline. It was once one of the greatest cities in the world. The birthplace of the American car industry, it boasted factories that at one time produced cars shipped over the globe. Its downtown was studded with architectural gems, and by the 1950s it boasted the highest median income and highest rate of home ownership of any major American city. Culturally it gave birth to Motown Records, named in homage to Detroit's status as "Motor City". Decades of white flight, coupled...