http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/mi-news/ en-us Sun, 20 Jul 2008 02:12:12 GMT Focus Forum 15 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2048227/posts The Better Business Bureau has issued a warning about an internet scam that is trying to take advantage of the identity of slain Michigan soldier Byron Fouty. It works through the online classified Craig's list. An add appearing on the website says someone claiming to be Fouty's father Mick is trying to sell his son's BMW M6 for $2,800. The car has a Kelley Blue Book value of $80,000. The add reads: "this car will be my gift, my gift in the memory of my son. money not a problem, all I want is to find the right person. person... WXYZ Detroit http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2048227/posts#comment Sun, 20 Jul 2008 02:12:12 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2048006/posts Where the Fans Once Roared, Demolition Crews Now Have Their Day By NICK BUNKLEYNew York TimesJuly 19, 2008 DETROIT — The wake began as soon as bulldozers punched throughthe wall behind Section 501. All month, carfuls of mourners havebeen arriving steadily on an otherwise desolate street in theshadow of the 96-year-old ballpark. Most have digital cameras dangling from their wrists and a D, inOld English lettering, on their shirts. The more prepared pull step ladders from the backs of their vehicles; others climb ontothe roofs of their cars to peer over the eight-foot-tall fenceshrouding workers inside. Across Trumbull Avenue, Greg... New York Times http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2048006/posts#comment Sat, 19 Jul 2008 14:52:03 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2047589/posts WARREN, Mich.--Speaking to a group of General Motors Corp. employees, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) promised to provide a $5,000 tax credit for Americans who buy electric-powered cars such as the future Chevy Volt and "other automobiles that put us on the path to energy independence," even as he suggested he might alter his climate plan to aid the auto industry. The Washington Post http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2047589/posts#comment Fri, 18 Jul 2008 17:42:17 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2047528/posts <p>WARREN, Michigan (CNN) – John McCain on Thursday described Barack Obama’s Senate record as “more to the left” than Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont — an independent who caucuses with Democrats but has described himself as an “independent Democratic socialist.”</p> CNN http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2047528/posts#comment Fri, 18 Jul 2008 15:44:18 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2046397/posts An Action News investigation is raising questions tonight about whether Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick pulled some strings to help a well-connected defendant avoid a trial. It’s a story of a preacher, a prostitute and the mayor—and some say it’s also more evidence of how some people accused of wrongdoing can seem to simply avoid facing the music in the city of Detroit these days under Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick. WXYZ http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2046397/posts#comment Wed, 16 Jul 2008 17:11:21 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2046090/posts Everett was arrested Tuesday afternoon in Novi (Michigan) where he and the teen were to meet. He was wearing a T-shirt with the words, "Worlds Greatest Dad" on the front, when he was taken into custody. WOOD TV 8 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2046090/posts#comment Wed, 16 Jul 2008 01:18:35 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2045857/posts An Ida (Michigan) Township woman who handled a college scholarship fund named in memory of a local soldier killed fighting in Iraq was convicted yesterday in Monroe County Circuit Court of stealing money from the account. ToledoBlade.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2045857/posts#comment Tue, 15 Jul 2008 17:34:04 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2045785/posts G.M. Suspends Dividend and Plans More Layoffs DETROIT — General Motors said Tuesday that it would reduce labor costs for salaried workers by 20 percent, eliminate its quarterly dividend and further reduce truck production to ensure that it has enough cash to finance its turnaround for at least two more years. The moves, which include selling at least $2 billion in assets and borrowing as much as $3 billion,... would stop providing health care coverage to salaried retirees at age 65...reduce its salaried work force and freeze base pay for salaried employees through 2009... executives will no longer receive discretionary... NYTimes http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2045785/posts#comment Tue, 15 Jul 2008 15:12:34 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2045723/posts Rick Wagoner just finished briefing the employees, here are a few highlights... Cut truck production by 300,000 units Next gen truck development suspended Retirees will lose health care at age 65, but pensions will get a bump to fund private health care, plus medicade/medicare kick in then All salaried employee merit increase and bonuses eliminated (inc. execs) through the end of 2009 Engineering levels to be at 2006-2007 levels, no new hiring + head count reductions No mention of salary decreases Buyouts, MSP (mutual separation packages) and "other separation strategies" will be rolled out. Investment in small engine development and... self http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2045723/posts#comment Tue, 15 Jul 2008 13:16:45 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2045585/posts Scott Romney, the older brother of John McCain’s former GOP rival Mitt Romney, will become a co-chairman of the McCain campaign in Michigan, CBSNews.com confirms. CBS News http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2045585/posts#comment Tue, 15 Jul 2008 03:45:50 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2045395/posts Southfield (WWJ) -- General Motors is preparing to announce a major downsizing and restructuring moves Tuesday in response to falling U.S. sales. A statement from the company says Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner will discuss the changes at a news conference at 9 a.m. Tuesday. Before the news conference, Wagoner will address employees. The company released no further details. WWJ http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2045395/posts#comment Mon, 14 Jul 2008 21:56:02 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2045384/posts Barack Obama has more than doubled his lead over John McCain to eight percentage points in the economic battleground state of Michigan, with much of his new support coming from voters who have moved away from the Republican hopeful. The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey finds 47% of Michigan voters favoring Obama while 39% back McCain. Rasmussen Reports http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2045384/posts#comment Mon, 14 Jul 2008 21:38:39 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2045136/posts Michigan should be a layup for Barack Obama. The state's economy is in the doldrums, blue-collar auto workers are losing jobs and the state hasn't voted for a Republican in a presidential election since 1988. But recent polls show the race is closer than many expected... Among the factors that could help Sen. McCain are Sen. Obama's decision not to contest Michigan's mid-January primary...and critical comments he made last year about Detroit's auto makers. But perhaps the biggest boon to his efforts: the unpopularity of the state's Democratic governor, Jennifer Granholm. Gov. Granholm has an approval rating of 30%... Voters... WSJ http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2045136/posts#comment Mon, 14 Jul 2008 12:48:12 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2044991/posts Could growing fresh vegetables help save crumbling inner cities around the world and tackle hunger? ___ That is the ambitious aim of a charity called Urban Farming, which has its headquarters in Detroit, the capital of the US's wilting car industry. The idea is very simple: turn wasteland into free vegetable gardens and feed the poor people who live nearby. Motown has lost more than a million residents since its heyday in the 1950s and it is common to see downtown residential streets with just a few houses left standing. Taja Sevelle saw the hundreds of hectares of vacant land... http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7495717.stm http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2044991/posts#comment Mon, 14 Jul 2008 02:01:02 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2044721/posts I'm very saddened to learn of my friend, Tony Snow's passing from cancer, this morning. I've known Tony for more than two decades--since I was literally in junior high school, and he was an editorial writer for The Detroit News before it transformed into the Detroit Newsistan. At that time, the newspaper was actually worth reading, and under then-Editorial Page Editor Thomas Bray, Tony was a rising star as his deputy. Tony was not afraid to write very pro-Israel editorials in the face of rising Muslim and Arab whining in town. My dad introduced me to Tony's writing in the... Debbie Schlussel.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2044721/posts#comment Sun, 13 Jul 2008 09:12:36 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2044682/posts The Detroit campaign office of Presidential hopeful Barack Obama was targeted by thieves. wxyz.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2044682/posts#comment Sun, 13 Jul 2008 04:42:13 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2044413/posts Obama's Liberal Shock Troops By JOHN FUND July 12, 2008 While he is a skilled candidate, Barack Obama's ability to surprise, stun and sweep over the vaunted Clinton Machine to capture the Democratic nomination was rooted in his background as a community organizer. He's now turning those skills to the general election. But liberals aren't just on the march on the presidential level. This year, liberal activists are spending parts of the fortunes of their wealthy donors to transform politics at the state and local level. In 2005, billionaire investor George Soros convened a group of 70 super-rich liberal donors... WSJ http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2044413/posts#comment Sat, 12 Jul 2008 14:14:14 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2044023/posts In my last enduring image of Fanchon Stinger, she was flat on her back. It was last week and the perky FOX2 Morning co-anchor was tightening her abs on camera with a fitness expert, one of those fluffy, get-bikini-ready-for-summer feature segments that separate morning newscasts from the somber evening reports. Turns out the vision was symbolic, since Stinger is now truly down, and could be out. The most flamboyantly named news personality in our market has herself been stung: suspended indefinitely by Detroit's FOX affiliate due to her alleged association with developer Rayford Jackson, a central figure in the latest... Detroit Metro Times http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2044023/posts#comment Fri, 11 Jul 2008 17:20:12 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2043912/posts NEW YORK, July 10 (Reuters) - MasterCard Inc (MA.N: Quote, Profile, Research), the world's second-largest credit card network, will replace Ace Ltd (ACE.N: Quote, Profile, Research) in the Standard & Poor's 500 .SPX, and will also replace General Motors Corp (GM.N: Quote, Profile, Research) in the S&P 100 index .OEX of major blue-chip companies, S&P said on Thursday. S&P said it is dropping Ace from its flagship index because the insurer is reincorporating in Switzerland, rendering it ineligible for including in S&P U.S. indexes. MasterCard shares have risen more than sixfold since the Purchase, New York-based company went public in... Reuters http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2043912/posts#comment Fri, 11 Jul 2008 13:32:32 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2043747/posts Scott Rasmussen points to these striking results: Barack Obama said yesterday that "instead of worrying whether immigrants can learn English," Americans "need to make sure your child can speak Spanish." A national telephone survey conducted last month by Rasmussen Reports found that U.S. voters overwhelmingly disagree with the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee. Eighty-three percent (83%) place a higher priority on encouraging immigrants to speak English... ... A reader noted this is among the pieces of information that voters in Ohio, Pennsylvania and MIchigan need to hear before they make their decision in November. National Review Online http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2043747/posts#comment Fri, 11 Jul 2008 01:58:39 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2043435/posts A Michigan man is suing Zondervan Publishing and Thomas Nelson Publishing, claiming biblical references to homosexuality as a sin violate his constitutional rights and have caused him emotional pain and mental instability. Bradley LaShawn Fowler, 39, is seeking $60 million from Zondervan and $10 million from Thomas Nelson, The Grand Rapids (Mich.) Press reported. He is representing himself in both claims. Fowler claims the Bible has made him an outcast and contributed to physical discomfort and periods of "demoralization, chaos and bewilderment." "As frivolous as this case may sound, it's an indicator of where the homosexual agenda is headed," said... CitizenLink http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2043435/posts#comment Thu, 10 Jul 2008 14:54:41 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2043584/posts McCain slammed economic adviser Phil Gramm for his “mental recession” and “nation of whiners” comment. He said he didn’t agree with him and even proposed a position in a McCain administration -- ambassador to Belarus, “though I’m not sure the citizens of Minsk would welcome that,” McCain said. “I don’t agree with Sen. Gramm,” McCain said at a news conference this afternoon. “I believe that the person here in Michigan who just lost their job, isn’t suffering from a ‘mental recession.’ The mother here who is trying to get enough money to feed her children, isn’t ‘whining.’” “Phil Gramm doesn’t... MSNBC First Read http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2043584/posts#comment Thu, 10 Jul 2008 19:54:41 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2042980/posts A homosexual man is suing two major Christian publishers for violating his constitutional rights and causing emotional pain, because the Bible they publish refers to homosexuality as a sin. Bradley LaShawn Fowler, 39, of Canton, Mich., is seeking $60 million from Zondervan and another $10 million from Thomas Nelson Publishing in lawsuits filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, the Grand Rapids Press reported. Fowler filed his claim against Grand Rapids-based Zondervan Monday, alleging its Bibles' references to homosexuality as a sin have made him an outcast from his family and contributed to physical discomfort and... WorldNetDaily http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2042980/posts#comment Wed, 9 Jul 2008 17:14:10 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2043015/posts The Grand Rapids PressCASCADE TOWNSHIP -- A Canton man is suing Zondervan Publishing and a Tennessee-based publisher, claiming their versions of the Bible that refer to homosexuality as a sin violate his constitutional rights and have caused him emotional pain and mental instability. Bradley LaShawn Fowler, 39, is seeking $60 million from Zondervan, based in Cascade Township, and $10 million from Thomas Nelson Publishing in the lawsuits filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. Fowler filed the suit against Zondervan on Monday, the same day U.S. District Judge Julian Abele Cook Jr. refused to appoint an... Mlive.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2043015/posts#comment Wed, 9 Jul 2008 18:38:36 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2042924/posts A homosexual man is suing a major Christian publisher for violating his constitutional rights and causing emotional pain, because its Bible versions refer to homosexuality as a sin. Bradley LaShawn Fowler, 39, of Canton, Mich., is seeking $60 million from Zondervan and another $10 million from Thomas Nelson Publishing in lawsuits filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, the Grand Rapids Press reported. Fowler filed his claim against Grand Rapids-based Zondervan yesterday, alleging its Bibles' references to homosexuality as a sin have made him an outcast from his family and contributed to physical discomfort and periods... WND http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2042924/posts#comment Wed, 9 Jul 2008 15:04:41 GMT