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Detroit voters hope Tues. election brings political stability to City Council, mayor’s office

Detroit seeks political stability with election

Detroit mayor gives support to $500.5M bond issue to build 8 new schools, modernize others

DETROIT — The financial manager for Detroit’s public schools has enlisted — and received — the support of the city’s mayor on an ambitious $500.5 million building plan expected to extend taxes for district capital projects through 2039.

Foreclosed homes heighten concerns as Detroit confronts ‘devil’ in Halloween arson battle

DETROIT — For the five years that the wood bungalow next door has been empty, Darlene Banks has kept an eye on it as Halloween approaches. She wasn’t expecting anyone to burn it weeks sooner.

Scuffles break out as thousands mob Detroit center to apply for federal homeless assistance

DETROIT — Scuffles erupted as several thousand Detroit residents jockeyed, pushed and shoved Wednesday to get free money being offered to only 3,500 of the city’s recently or soon to be homeless.

Senate Finance Committee votes down creation of public insurance plan

WASHINGTON — The Senate Finance Committee has voted against creating a new government health insurance plan to compete with the private market. The 15-to-8 vote could forecast the fate of the public option in the Senate as a whole. The outcome was expected but still a defeat for liberals who view government-sponsored insurance for the middle class as a key component of President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul.

Public plan debate to take center stage as Senate Finance goes back to work on health care

WASHINGTON — Democrats sought to give government the right to sell insurance in competition with private industry Tuesday as the Senate Finance Committee opened a second week of debate over massive health care legislation.

Detroit’s Cobo Center officially changes hands, but expansion to come after 2010 auto show

DETROIT — A regional board officially takes control of Detroit’s aging Cobo Center on Tuesday after months of political haggling and court battles over the venue, which each year hosts the nation’s premier auto show.

Paintings Worth Millions Stolen From Richard Weisman’s House

According to the sources, a valuable set of paintings by artist Andy Warhol, has reportedly been stolen from a house in Los Angeles. This masterpiece of work contained illustrations of famous sports stars which included Muhammad Ali, Pele, O J Simpson and Chris Evert. The eleven colored screen paintings which is said to be worth millions of pounds were taken from businessman Richard Weisman’s house between September 2 and 3.
Ten of the aforementioned pictures comprises the illustrations of famous sports personalities, and the eleventh one bing that of Weisman. Sources reveal that a whooping $1 million dollar reward has been offered to whomsoever comes up with the information that may lead to the recovery of the artwork. The original prints were placed in Mr. Weisman’s dining room and the house was reportedly locked from inside. It is still unknown that exactly how the prints were stolen or how the thieves broke inside the house of Mr. Weisman.
The investigating officers have revealed that there was no signs of forced entry. Even the other valuable utensils were kept intact. The alleged incident was first noticed by the family nanny who arrived at home only to find the paintings worth of millions were missing from the walls. She immediately went to the neighbor’s house in order to inform the police, said detective Mark Sommer of the Los Angeles Police Department’s art theft unit. “This was a very clean crime. The home wasn’t ransacked. Weisman, the owner of the paintings said, “The theft of ‘Warhol’s Athlete Series‘ has caused great loss to me and my family.” Investigations are going on to revive the stolen paintings.

Analysis: At new crossroad in Afghan war, administration weighs adding troops, war’s length

WASHINGTON — As President Barack Obama weighs thrusting America deeper into the conflict in Afghanistan with perhaps thousands more combat troops, his administration has yet to answer a question at the core of his strategy for turning around the deteriorating war: How long will it last?

AP IMPACT: Independent East Timor flooded with aid, yet most are worse off a decade later

DILI, East Timor — A decade after tiny East Timor broke from Indonesia and prompted one of the most expensive U.N.-led nation-building projects in history, there is little to show for the billions spent.

Fire rages at fuel storage plant near Detroit; nearby residents evacuated, no injuries

HAMTRAMCK, Mich. — A fire that started Thursday near a rail tanker car at a chemical plant spread quickly to silos holding gasoline, causing an inferno that sent huge plumes of black smoke billowing into the sky above Detroit and forcing the evacuation of hundreds of people from the area.

Fire rages at chemcial plant near Detroit; evacuation of nearby area reported

HAMTRAMCK, Mich. — A fire broke out Thursday at a chemical plant near Detroit, sending flames and black smoke hundreds of feet into the air and forcing a nearby expressway to be closed.

Pa. man pleads guilty to buying $2 million of contraband cigarettes in undercover case

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — A Pennsylvania man has pleaded guilty in federal court to buying more than $2 million of contraband cigarettes.

Battling $300M deficit keeps ex-NBA star Dave Bing busy in 1st 100 days as Detroit mayor

DETROIT — Dave Bing is aware of what waits for him each morning as he strolls into Detroit City Hall.

Tributes pour in for guitar player and rock innovator Les Paul after death at age 94

NEW YORK — Musicians worldwide are paying tribute to Les Paul, the music icon whose solid-body electric guitar paved the way for rock ‘n’ roll.

Les Paul, guitar player and innovator who paved the way for rock ‘n’ roll, dead at age 94

NEW YORK — Musicians worldwide are paying tribute to Les Paul, the music icon whose solid-body electric guitar paved the way for rock ‘n’ roll. He died this week at age 94.

Former sheriff pledges to restore order to Detroit streets as new police chief

DETROIT —Warren Evans once thought he might tame scandal-plagued Detroit City Hall as mayor. As the new police chief, he’s focused on bringing order to streets he has called the “wild, wild West.”

Clinton’s financial, political clout takes center stage following journalists release

WASHINGTON - Bill Clinton’s central role in facilitating the return of two female American journalists detained by North Korea has once again cast a spotlight on his vast web of financial and political contacts, a network that has troubled senators in the recent past.

‘Home and free,’ US journalists tearfully reunite with families after N. Korea grants pardon

BURBANK, Calif. — After months of being left to live alone in fear and hunger, wondering if they might ever be allowed to return to their families, two American journalists held captive in Korea learned in just a heartbeat that they would be going home.

Wealthy Hollywood producer, major Clinton donor, footed bill for journalist rescue from NKorea

WASHINGTON — A wealthy Hollywood producer and a major corporation were instrumental in bringing former President Bill Clinton and two American journalists home from North Korea, prompting words of thanks Wednesday from former Vice President Al Gore and the freed reporters during an emotional airport reunion.

Huge crowds honor Aquino’s cortege, conjuring memories of Philippines ‘people power’

MANILA, Philippines — Huge crowds reminiscent of the 1986 “people power” demonstration took to Manila’s streets Monday to honor the passing of former President Corazon Aquino, who captured the hearts of Filipinos by ousting a brutal dictator and keeping democracy alive in the Philippines.

Web addresses exceed world’s population

MELBOURNE - Internet is growing in dimensions every second, so much so that there are more addresses than there are people on Earth, claims the team behind Microsoft’s new search engine Bing.

Correction: Detroit police chief story

DETROIT — In a July 3 story about Mayor Dave Bing firing Detroit’s police chief, The Associated Press erroneously reported Chief James Barren’s history in the department. Barren had been a deputy chief there, but was not when then-Mayor Ken Cockrel Jr. hired him in September.

Detroit mayor taps former political rival, a county sheriff, as city’s new police chief

DETROIT — Mayor Dave Bing appointed a county sheriff as the city’s third police chief in less than a year on Monday, saying his one-time political rival is just the person to help rein in Detroit’s high crime rate and lead the department out from under federal oversight.

Person familiar with situation: Detroit police chief says mayor has told him he’s being fired

DETROIT — The mayor of Detroit is firing the city’s police chief, a person familiar with the situation said Friday.

Go ask Alice.com for free shipping of necessities like toilet paper, toothpaste

NEW YORK — If shopping for household essentials like toilet paper and soap isn’t your favorite activity, a new Web site might eliminate the task — while saving you cash.