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 [...]
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.
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.
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.
Former Detroit Mayor Dennis Archer has been retained by Enbridge Energy Partners to review the claims process the oil company has created for residents impacted by the late July oil spill.
Archer is a former Michigan Supreme Court Justice as well as the former head of the Michigan Bar Association.
Enbridge declined to say how much it was paying Archer for his expertise.
“I don’t have that number and it is probably a private matter between Mr. Archer and us,” Enbridge CEO Patrick Daniel told an afternoon press call.
The company has said it has completed 500 claims, and is currently reviewing an additional 500 claims, ranging from “relatively small to relatively large” in monetary value. The company also said it has purchased four houses since it announced it would purchase houses in a particularly affected area, and it is currently finalizing sales on an additional 12 homes. It also says it is appraising an additional 50 homes for possible purchase.
The move to hire Archer comes after Congressmen Mark Schauer (D-Bedford Township) and James Oberstar (D-MN) sent letters to the U.S. Department of Justice and other federal agencies asking them to review the claims process. The Congressmen claimed residents were signing away their rights for compensation, in some cases for hotel reimbursements of for air purifiers, which would have no impact on the toxic fumes produced by the oil spill.
After the letters were released, an Enbridge spokesperson said people could return the money or products given to them and tear up their agreements, freeing them to sue the company.
“Enbridge’s hiring of Mayor Archer to review their claims process exposes the company’s recognition of their own shortcomings,” said Schauer. “I am hopeful that Mayor Archer’s legal expertise will bring light to Enbridge’s less than ethical practices and help the company make things right with the people they have hurt.”
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