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The Michigan Messenger going forward

By Staff Report | 11.16.11

I am writing today to announce the closure of the Michigan Messenger. After four years of operation in Michigan, the board of the American Independent News Network, has decided to shift publication of its news into a single site, The American Independent at Americanindependent.com. This is part of a shift in strategy, towards new forms [...]

Colorado-based abstinence program provided false and misleading information to Michigan students

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By Todd A. Heywood | 11.16.11

An abstinence-only presentation provided to numerous school districts in Calhoun and Eaton Counties in October of this year provided false and misleading information to students about HIV, experts allege.

Class action lawsuit filed against MERS over unpaid taxes

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By Todd A. Heywood | 11.15.11

Two county registers of deeds filed a class action lawsuit Monday on behalf of Michigan’s 83 counties alleging that the Mortgage Electronic Registration Services owes millions of dollars in property title transfer taxes.

Schuette fights important mercury regulations

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By Eartha Jane Melzer | 11.14.11

Despite evidence of the impact of mercury on children and public health, Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette last month joined with 24 other state attorneys general in filing a lawsuit to scuttle new EPA regulations that would reduce mercury emissions from power plants.

Judge delays decision on fight between Detroit City Council, Mayor Cockrel over control of Cobo

By Justin Miller | 03.26.09 | 3:56 pm

Detroit will have to wait to see who will control the Cobo convention center after a Wayne County Circuit Court judge delayed a decision on the matter on Thursday.

According to The Detroit News, Judge Isodore Torres said he will make a decision before the April 20 deadline on whether to grant an injunction against interim Mayor Kenneth Cockrel Jr.’s veto of the Detroit City Council’s attempt to block a Lansing-brokered plan to transfer authority of Cobo from the city of Detroit to a regional authority with voting members from Detroit, the governor’s office and Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties.

If an injunction isn’t issued and Cockrel’s veto stands, the state will relieve Detroit of the convention center’s operating deficit, give the city $20 million and spend $288 million renovating and expanding Cobo, home of the North American International Auto Show. If Torres grants an injunction, then the plan cannot carry forward, and may be set back entirely.

During Wednesday night’s mayoral debate, Cockrel defended his the plan by saying it was imperfect but still good for the city. Cockrel’s opponent, businessman Dave Bing, said Cockrel didn’t provide leadership on the issue, but he neglected to say that he agreed with council members who voted against the state’s plan.

Justin Miller is a political journalist based in Wayne County who has worked for Real Clear Politics, blogged for The Atlantic and covered the 2008 elections in Ohio for The New York Observer’s Politicker.com network of state politics news sites.

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