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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.

Bing protégé Coleman to lead Detroit school athletics, will be paid $40K more than predecessor

By Minehaha Forman | 10.15.09 | 5:17 pm

DETROIT — Former NBA star Derrick Coleman, who was named as the replacement for Detroit Public School League Athletics Commissioner Lafayette Evans on Wednesday afternoon, will be paid $40,000 more than his predecessor did, the Detroit Free Press reports.

Coleman has been Mayor Dave Bing’s longtime protégé and the move to name him leader of the district’s athletics came as a surprise to some. Coleman has no administrative experience but some believe his clout as a respected pro athlete may get the athletic league more funding.

Derrick Coleman celebrating Dave Bing's victory in the mayoral primary. (Photo by Minehaha Forman/Michigan Messenger)

Over the past few years, cuts to school athletics left Evans with a lot more work. He retired in September and told the Detroit Free Press that he had been “doing the work six or seven people used to do.”

Coleman will make $135,000 a year. Evans’ annual salary was $95,000, according to the Detroit Free Press.

In February, Coleman’s Detroit fine dining restaurant, Sweet Georgia Brown, was evicted from its location Greektown for nonpayment of rent. Coleman now owes owes $125,000 in rent and utilities and rent to the Greektown Casino and DTE Energy according to a report on Channel 7/WXYZ in Detroit.

Coleman said the economic downturn was responsible for the restaurant’s decline.

In 2007 Bing made Coleman a major investor in his $60 million luxury residential development on Detroit’s east riverfront.

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