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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.

Posts Tagged council by districts

District-based Detroit City Council now in charter commission’s hands

By Minehaha Forman | 11.11.09 | 10:19 am

DETROIT — Thousands of hours collecting signatures, months of fundraising and battling a last-minute legal roadblock finally paid off for those who believe residents would be better served by a city council elected from districts when the results came in from the election last week.

District-based city council could affect Detroit mayoral power balance

By Minehaha Forman | 09.29.09 | 6:27 am

DETROIT — When the Michigan Court of Appeals ruled last week that a proposal to have Detroit City Council members elected from specific districts instead of at-large citywide must be put before voters on the Nov. 3 ballot, the role of the city’s authorized, but not yet assembled Charter Revision Commission in the process of creating district-based representation shifted significantly. And it could eventually change the balance of power between the mayor and the city council.

Judge rules ‘districts’ ballot language insufficient

By Minehaha Forman | 09.21.09 | 7:36 am

DETROIT—A judge ruled against a ballot initiative to have city council members elected by districts instead of at-large on Friday, calling the language of the amendment “insufficient” according to the Detroit Free Press. The community coalition Detroiters for Council by Districts filed the lawsuit with City Clerk Janice Winfrey for holding the proposal from the [...]

Detroit council members say proposal to institute member districts violates charter

By Minehaha Forman | 09.16.09 | 4:19 pm

DETROIT — In August, city voters approved a ballot proposal that would require a majority of Detroit City Council members be elected from specific districts. But this week, the council voted to send legal questions about the ballot language back to the attorney general for review, raising questions about whether the city council is trying to kill the proposal.

One way or another, district-based representation for Detroit’s city council gains steam

By Minehaha Forman | 06.10.09 | 5:24 pm

DETROIT — While many candidates running for the City Charter Revision Commission support a measure that would mandate city council candidates be elected by district instead of the current all at-large representative structure, members of the coalition trying to get that proposal on the November ballot aren’t abandoning their current plans.