Detroit Free Press (Detroit, MI) articles from May 2006

Detroit Free Press (Detroit, MI) archives from May 2006

Navigating technology.
May 31, 2006... Byline: Jewel Gopwani DETROIT _ Do you print out driving directions from Mapquest or Google for trips? If so, there's a good chance the cartoonish-looking maps you pull up on your computer screen come from Tele Atlas NV, a...

Backs to the wall, Pistons force Game 6 in Miami.
May 31, 2006... Byline: Krista Jahnke AUBURN HILLS, Mich. _ If the Detroit Pistons are going to see this odyssey end on their home floor with their fans painfully watching, they'll do it in Game 7. Not Game 5. Not this group. They did not rid...

Pistons rediscover legs of champion.
May 31, 2006... Byline: Drew Sharp AUBURN HILLS, Mich. _ The Detroit Pistons ran as though their lives depended upon it. Desperation can spawn energy, finding a little extra fuel where fatigue had taken up residence. And there's nothing more...

Northwest expects to be on growth route next year.
May 31, 2006... Byline: Jewel Gopwani DETROIT _ Northwest Airlines Inc., which has been shedding costs and cutting flights in Chapter 11 bankruptcy, expects to start growing early next year. That means Northwest won't have to furlough more pilots...

How to thank a teacher: apple-related gifts are nice, but what they really want is a card or thank-you note.
May 31, 2006... Byline: Cassandra Spratling May 31--End of the school year means final exam time. So, parents, take out a No. 2 pencil and circle the correct answer. Question: What gift do teachers appreciate most at the end of the school year? ...

Thanks for the memories, Katie: Today is morning show host's last day.
May 31, 2006... Byline: Erin Chan May 31--Tomorrow, Katie Couric gets to sleep in. But today, we say good-bye as she anchors her last "Today" show. Couric, 49, starts her precedent-setting job as the first female solo anchor of "The CBS Evening News" in...

Sylvia Rrector: word of mouth: a fresh Whistle Stop bakery opens: new owner adds ice cream to goodies.
May 31, 2006... Byline: Sylvia Rector May 31--In Birmingham, the Whistle Stop restaurant's new owner has renovated and reopened its bakery, closed in 2001, so customers can once again stop in for house-baked cakes, pies and other goodies, including its...

Eastpointe profiling case settled: city pays $160,000 to end '98 lawsuit.
May 31, 2006... Byline: Shabina S. Khatri May 31--A federal lawsuit claiming Eastpointe police stopped and searched black youths riding bicycles in the city solely because of the color of their skin ended with an out-of-court settlement last week. The...

More could face charges in boy's death: prosecutor says others gave help to boy's parents.
May 31, 2006... Byline: Jack Kresnak May 31--LANSING -- An Ingham County prosecutor hinted Tuesday that more people could be charged in connection with the death last summer of 7-year-old Ricky Holland, whose body was found in January. The statement...

Daughter of Macomb broker drowns.
May 31, 2006... Byline: Dan Cortez May 31--The 18-year-old daughter of prominent Macomb County real estate broker Ralph Roberts drowned Monday afternoon when she fell off a personal watercraft on Lake St. Clair, police said. Kolleen Roberts of...

Detroit Free Press Susan Tompor column: Move quickly to secure low-rate student loans.
May 31, 2006... Byline: Susan Tompor May 31--Got student loans? Get ready for the last-minute rush to lock in low rates -- or prepare to pay thousands of dollars more in interest. The new higher rates for federally backed, variable-rate student...

Got game? In metro Detroit, pickup ball is more than a pastime, it's a way of life.
May 31, 2006... Byline: Stan Donaldson and Dan Cortez May 31--On a drizzly afternoon on Belle Isle last week, MJ Mohamed dribbled the rock, talked a little trash and worked some magic in the post during a game of one-on-one. But it's easy to talk...

Proof's shooter won't face murder charges: Wayne County prosecutor says it was self-defense.(rap singer Proof)
May 31, 2006... Byline: Ben Schmitt and Naomi R. Patton May 31--The man who shot and killed Detroit rapper Proof acted in self-defense and will not face murder charges, Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said Tuesday. Mario Etheridge, 28, shot Proof...

It's official: Society in charge of Detroit Zoo.
May 31, 2006... Byline: Marisol Bello May 31--The Detroit Zoological Society officially has taken over the daily operations of the Detroit Zoo. On Tuesday, Detroit officials met with the society's board members to hand over operations. Zoo...

No deaths, but no relaxing: Wayne Co. officials: lethal drug mix could still be out there.
May 31, 2006... Byline: Ben Schmitt May 31--For the first time in 13 days, Wayne County officials reported no drug-related deaths Tuesday -- possibly signaling that the circulation of a lethal cocktail of illicit drugs and a powerful painkiller is on...

Wayne County Commission, Ficano at odds over land bank: makeup of board is center of dispute.(County Executive Robert Ficano)
May 31, 2006... Byline: Zachary Gorchow May 31--A plan designed to expedite the sale of properties held by Wayne County due to delinquent property taxes moved forward Tuesday, but sharp differences remain between county commissioners from Detroit and...

Ft. Wayne gets an upgrade: more renovations needed, but city hopes work will draw more visitors.
May 31, 2006... Byline: Zachary Gorchow May 31--Historic Ft. Wayne's barracks reveal the promise and challenge of restoring the 1840s facility to its former luster. Renovations over the winter and spring totaling $2 million resulted in updated rooms...

New surprise alibi stirs up Pointe killing case.
May 31, 2006... Byline: John Masson May 31--The late introduction of a possible alibi for one of two defendants in a convoluted Grosse Pointe murder-for-hire case outraged prosecutors and likely delayed the start of the men's trial until next week. ...

FBI calls off Milford search: Hoffa dig: no trace: prisoner still likely to get reward for his tip.(former Teamsters leader Jimmy Hoffa)
May 31, 2006... Byline: David Ashenfelter, Frank Witsil and Joe Swickard May 31--The FBI came up empty-handed in its latest search for Jimmy Hoffa, but a 75-year-old convict whose tip sent agents to a Milford Township horse farm probably won't. As...

Huron Valley Schools weighs cuts to budget.
May 31, 2006... Byline: Maryanne George May 31--Altered bus routes, teacher layoffs, higher fees for athletics and reduced hours at school media centers are among the tough choices facing officials in Huron Valley Schools as they try to close a...

Macomb County parole probe ensnares an off-duty official.
May 31, 2006... Byline: Dawson Bell May 31--A Macomb County parole officer suspended by the Department of Corrections last week for -- among other things -- allegedly visiting a tavern to drink beer while on duty, was accompanied to the bar by a...

Legislators to craft business tax change.
May 31, 2006... Byline: Chris Christoff and Dawson Bell May 31--LANSING -- Top Republican lawmakers announced Tuesday a special House-Senate committee to recommend a replacement for the state's Single Business Tax by Dec. 1, as it appeared more likely...

Editorial: parole fix excess.(Editorial)
May 31, 2006... May 31--Lawmakers last week passed the most irrational and fiscally irresponsible proposal to come out of the state House in a long time. An amendment to the Corrections appropriations budget, approved 85-21, would arbitrarily create the need...

Yes, auto giants wear heels: businesswoman plans to bring 2 dealerships to Macomb County.
May 31, 2006... Byline: Steve Neavling May 31--Irma Elder has no time for stereotypes. Born in Xicotencatl, Mexico, Elder was a teenager who spoke no English when she and her family moved to Florida. Now, Elder, 75, is an auto industry icon. She...

Local deaths: C. R. (Bob) Coy: longtime Teamster fought for rights.(Obituary)
May 31, 2006... Byline: Joe Rossiter May 31--C. R. (Bob) Coy had a reputation as a tough-talking, no-nonsense man. The ex-Marine and retired truck driver often used that to his advantage when representing the interests of union members as a...

Rollovers found less likely: SUVs, pickups safer, but some critics question methodology of crash test.(Sport Utility Vehicles)
May 31, 2006... Byline: Justin Hyde May 31--New sport-utility vehicles and pickups are less likely to roll over in a crash than ever before, according to federal tests released Tuesday, but safety advocates question how much the tests can do to reduce...

Metro Detroit's leaders face new reality.
May 31, 2006... Byline: Kathleen Gray and Marisol Bello May 31--Think of the big metro Detroit projects of the 1990s -- Comerica Park, Ford Field, Metro Airport's new terminal, three casinos and Campus Martius. The projects, which brought jobs,...

Editorial: no fudging at Mackinac: state needs plans, promises and action.(Editorial)
May 31, 2006... May 31--The 1,700 political and business leaders who will gather beginning today for the Detroit Regional Chamber's annual policy conference on Mackinac Island ought to come home with something more than fudge in their luggage and horse...

New golf ball adds ease to difficult game.
May 31, 2006... Byline: Carlos Monarrez DETROIT _ Psst. Yeah, you. Come here. I've got a secret. I have discovered the secret of golf. Last week I played a ball that goes really straight. It's called the Polara. It works. It plays just like a...

Spelling bee generating more buzz.
May 30, 2006... Byline: Chastity Pratt May 30--It's not pretty or flashy and it doesn't have the awe factor of a Chauncey Billups big shot. But it has little kids, big words and enough drama that this year, millions of viewers are expected to tune...

Accent reduction course helps eliminate a career hurdle.
May 30, 2006... Byline: Margarita Bauza DETROIT _ When Xiaoyun Shen's boss asked her to take an accent reduction class, she was a little flustered. "I didn't know I had a problem," said Shen, a 43-year-old senior scientist at the biotech company...

What's new in music racks.(Opera review)
May 30, 2006... OSVALDO GOLIJOV "Ainadamar" Cast includes Dawn Upshaw, Kelley O'Connor and Jessica Rivera. Atlanta Symphony, Robert Spano, conductor. (Deutsche Grammophon) 4 stars No composer has made a bigger recent splash than Osvaldo Golijov...

Marvelous Mutants: Wolverine, Iceman and Nightcrawler lead `X-Men' action.
May 30, 2006... Byline: Jim Schaefer 'X-Men: The Official Game.' Price: $59.99. Players: 1. Web site: www.activision.com. Format: Xbox 360 (also available on Xbox, PC, PS2, Nintendo GameCube, DS and GameBoy Advance). Category: Action-adventure....

Short course on men's trunks.
May 30, 2006... Byline: Georgea Kovanis Summer is finally here. That makes David Malhalab's problem so timely. The 55-year-old retired police sergeant from Detroit wants shorts. But he doesn't like the knee-skimming shorts or swim trunks...

Five box sets for Father's Day.(Video recording review)
May 30, 2006... Byline: Terry Lawson Here's what men like: war, the West, crime, baseball and boobs _ the comic kind. That at least would be the conclusion drawn by what has become for DVD marketers a holiday on par with Christmas: Father's Day....

New video game releases.
May 30, 2006... Most-ordered games going on sale this week at Amazon.com, including title, platform and ESRB rating: 1. "Half-Life 2: Episode 1," Windows XP, Mature 2. "Hitman: Blood Money," Xbox 360, Mature 3. "Hitman: Blood Money," Windows XP,...

Federal tests find rollovers less likely in new SUVs, pickups.(Sport Utility Vehicles)
May 30, 2006... Byline: Justin Hyde WASHINGTON _ New sport utility vehicles and pickups are less likely to roll over in a crash than ever before, according to federal tests released Tuesday, but safety advocates question how much the tests can do to...

Tigers fall to Yankees in extra innings.
May 30, 2006... Byline: Mark Snyder DETROIT _ Even after a crushing loss, there can be positive signs. In past years, a game like Tuesday night's would sting the Tigers for weeks. Losing, 11-6, in 11 innings to the New York Yankees, letting...

Perhaps Heat is just better than Pistons.
May 30, 2006... Byline: Mitch Albom DETROIT _ Here's a new idea: The Miami Heat is the better team. Dwyane Wade tops anyone on the Detroit roster. Shaquille O'Neal is unstoppable. The Heat plays smarter offense, more timely defense, it is better coached...

Pistons' McDyess faces heartbreak.(basketball player Antonio McDyess)
May 30, 2006... Byline: Shawn Windsor DETROIT _ He sat on the bench and stared into nothing. His teammates were gone. The crowd had mostly left. But Antonio McDyess didn't move. He didn't frown. He didn't curse. He didn't say a word. He...

Saunders scrambles to help his team find the 'real' Pistons.(basketball coach Flip Saunders)
May 30, 2006... Byline: Jon Paul Morosi DETROIT _ The crowds will come to the Palace once more Wednesday night, for Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals. They will inch along Lapeer Road, park in the vast lot, hand over a pricey ticket and yell for...

Diva-like Pistons missing the fire.
May 30, 2006... Byline: Drew Sharp DETROIT _ The ultimate team has fallen victim to the ultimate tease. Hubris run amok has pushed the Pistons to the edge of a collapse considered unthinkable barely three weeks ago. They believed there wasn't a...

Unofficially, Tiger has an Open date on his schedule.(golfer Tiger Woods)
May 30, 2006... Byline: Carlos Monarrez DETROIT _ It appears Tiger Woods is going to play the U.S. Open in two weeks. Woods all but confirmed his participation in the Open during a clinic Tuesday at Roland, Ark., where he made his first public...

FBI calls off Hoffa search.(former Teamsters leader Jimmy Hoffa)
May 30, 2006... Byline: David Ashenfelter, Frank Witsil and Joe Swickard DETROIT _ The FBI came up empty-handed in its latest search for Jimmy Hoffa, but a 75-year-old convict whose tip sent agents to a Milford Township, Mich., horse farm probably won't....

Method to the Movement: The heat doesn't stop the beat at this year's well-managed electronic music festival.
May 30, 2006... Byline: Brian Mccollum May 30--Get a little, lose a little. Detroit's techno festival moved forward on a few fronts this holiday weekend, even if that meant stepping back. Movement: Detroit's Electronic Music Festival wrapped up the...

Detroit Free Press Mike Duffy TV and radio column: all fired up for return of 'Rescue Me'.(Television program review)
May 30, 2006... Byline: Mike Duffy May 30--Tommy Gavin is a New York firefighter who's always getting burned. Not in the infernos that he and his rowdy mates battle with scary regularity. He's a courageous master of that danger-fraught domain. ...

Open-air market an eye-opener: Grosse Pointe Park businesses benefit.
May 30, 2006... Byline: John Masson May 30--Look no further for signs of summer than West Park Farmers Market, the Grosse Pointe Park open-air market that started its third season over the weekend. Beyond the expected farm-fresh produce, shoppers can...

Man faces charges in wife's killing.
May 30, 2006... Byline: Naomi Patton May 30--A New Haven man is expected to be charged today in the slaying of his wife, village of New Haven police said Monday. The man, 56, is to face charges in 42nd District Court in Mt.Clemens in the shooting...

Crashes kill 4 over long weekend.
May 30, 2006... Byline: Steve Neavling and Kathleen Gray May 30--At least four people died in accidents in metro Detroit over the Memorial Day weekend. A car crash in Troy on Monday afternoon killed two people and sent a driver to Beaumont Hospital in...

Smokers may prefer to gamble in the U.S.: American casinos allow cigarettes.
May 30, 2006... Byline: Greta Guest May 30--More signs seem to point metro Detroiters away from Casino Windsor -- the strong Canadian dollar means our dollar doesn't stretch as far in the slot machines, and a new smoking ban that kicks in at midnight...

Editorial: moment of tribute is not enough.(Editorial)
May 30, 2006... May 30--It is a sorry reflection on Memorial Day that on Web sites explaining the origins of the holiday you also will find advertising for steaks, chops and other barbecue grill goodies. When Congress moved the observance 36 years ago...

New approach to health care: Plans with higher deductibles and a savings account on rise.
May 30, 2006... Byline: Katie Merx May 30--So you thought those $20 doctor's office co-pays and your $250 deductible threw you off budget fast? That was nothing. Get ready for the world of consumer-directed health care, where you'll pay $1,050 to...

Canton temple's plans fought: neighbors balk at expansion request.
May 30, 2006... Byline: Naomi R. Patton May 30--Residents in the Glengarry Village subdivision are concerned about a Canton temple's plans to expand its building and parking lot and have hired a lawyer to block the expansion. But Canton officials say...

Few take advantage of chance to talk to troops.
May 30, 2006... Byline: Gina Damron May 30--It was billed as a way for soldiers stationed in war zones to have face-to-face communication with their loved ones in Oakland County and across Michigan. But the county's video teleconferencing system...

Heavy rains bring a sewage surprise: storm water backups in May hit Farmington Hills hardest.
May 30, 2006... Byline: Emilia Askari May 30--The downpours of mid-May brought something stinky to neighborhoods in Oakland County. The most recent torrential rains in metro Detroit caused a large overflow of undiluted sewage. The worst occurred...

A new death takes toll to 48 in Wayne Co.: residents warned of lethal drug mix.
May 30, 2006... Byline: Kathleen Gray May 30--Another person died from a probable drug overdose, Wayne County health officials reported Monday, bringing the toll to 48 people who have died since May 19. Even though the number was dropping from the...

Grosse Pointe Farms marina improved.
May 30, 2006... Byline: John Masson May 30--All but a handful of the 333 slips in the newly rebuilt harbor at Pier Park are open for business, and the few that aren't ready will be soon. A $4.5-million project that began in September at the Grosse...

Detroit Free Press Mark Phelan column.(Column)
May 30, 2006... Byline: Mark Phelan May 30--Vacation season has arrived, and families are planning their summer trips. With gasoline prices high, alternative fuel vehicles like hybrids and diesels may look particularly attractive. But which one makes...

Scorcher! sizzling temperatures send dozens to hospitals.
May 30, 2006... Byline: Ben Schmitt and Kathleen Gray May 30--Memorial Day 2006 was a day to remember, all right. Not only because of the ceremonies honoring the nation's veterans, but because of the stifling heat that had parade marchers fainting,...

Detroit Free Press Mike Wendland Lifestyles column: MIKE WENDLAND: What to buy in June.
May 29, 2006... Byline: Mike Wendland May 29--It's time to do our annual shopping for Dads and Grads and -- as usual -- high-tech gizmos and gadgets are at the top of everyone's wish lists. Here are my suggestions for this year: 1. Apple's MacBook:...

MOVEMENT / DETROIT'S ELECTRONIC MUSIC FESTIVAL: Young parents bring the kids, and they dance.
May 29, 2006... Byline: Tim Pratt May 29--Music is known for creating -- or exposing -- generation gaps. But that doesn't seem to be the case this year at the Movement techno festival. As the annual Memorial Day weekend electronic music event enters...

Audience grows and water flows.
May 29, 2006... Byline: Brian Mccollum May 29--A late-arriving crowd pushed Saturday's Movement attendance past the 16,000 mark, festival organizers said. Precise audience figures won't be available until after the event's finish tonight, producer...

Remembering the military: a day of care and freedom: new national cemetery honors vets.
May 29, 2006... Byline: Zlati Meyer May 29--Eric Francis' once-strong back now stoops and the legs he's relied on for 90 years rest in a wheelchair, but Sunday afternoon, he was a soldier again. Visiting the grave of his wife, Mary, after the Great...

Five things: about moving.
May 29, 2006... Byline: Emiliana Sandoval and Dan Austin May 29--It's stressful. It's physically demanding. It always takes longer than you think it will. BIG NUMBERS According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the average American will move 12 times...

More deaths bring county tally to 47.
May 29, 2006... Byline: Amber Hunt May 29--Three more people have died of suspected drug overdoses, Wayne County officials reported Sunday, bringing the overdose death tally in the county to 47 in less than two weeks. The latest deaths occurred...

Official asks if Wayne County needs new home.
May 29, 2006... Byline: Zachary Gorchow May 29--With talks stalled on a new lease between Wayne County and the company that owns the historic building that houses county headquarters, the leader of the County Commission says it's time to decide whether...

Whitefish spawning shows river's health: a 90-year comeback for Detroit waterway.
May 29, 2006... Byline: Eric Sharp May 29--Biologists have found evidence this spring that whitefish are spawning in the Detroit River for perhaps the first time in 90 years -- excellent news for the health of the international border waters. Until...

EDITORIAL: Moment of tribute is not enough.(Editorial)
May 29, 2006... May 29--It is a sorry reflection on Memorial Day that on Web sites explaining the origins of the holiday you also will find advertising for steaks, chops and other barbecue grill goodies. When Congress moved the observance 36 years ago...

Governor ready to fight for her job: She'll share economic plan at Mackinac.
May 29, 2006... Byline: Chris Christoff May 29--In May 1998, Jennifer Granholm captivated business VIPs on Mackinac Island as a political ingenue running for attorney general, a race she would win that fall. This week, as governor she'll hold court...

Johnson melts Tigers' bats in 4-0 shutout victory.(baseball player Randy Johnson)
May 29, 2006... Byline: John Lowe DETROIT _ On a day of record Detroit heat, the Tigers saw loom before them a tall drink of water. They couldn't touch him. And now they are thirsting for a run. Randy Johnson entered Comerica Park with no...

Wade leads heat past Pistons in Game 4.
May 29, 2006... Byline: Jon Paul Morosi MIAMI _ It ended with Flip Saunders, the head coach who expected so much from his team Monday night, standing on the sideline as the seconds wound down. His hands were in his pockets. His expression was blank. He...

It's time for IRL, Champ to unite.
May 29, 2006... Byline: Mike Brudenell INDIANAPOLIS _ The racing landscape may be different at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway next year with the chance the Indy Racing League and Champ Car will kiss and make up, opening the way for many more teams and...

MOVEMENT: DETROIT'S ELECTRONIC MUSIC FESTIVAL: Manager has audience's ear.
May 28, 2006... Byline: Brian Mccollum May 28--Hear something good at Movement on Saturday? More to the point: Did you hear something well? You can thank Michael Fotias. As production manager of this year's electronic music festival at Hart Plaza,...

An opera for the ages: Osvaldo Golijov's rhythmic 'Ainadamar' captures the heart and soul of Spain.(Opera review)
May 28, 2006... Byline: Mark Stryker May 28--No composer has made a bigger recent splash than Osvaldo Golijov (GO-lee-off). In less than six years, he has managed to earn the nearly universal respect of critics and the kind of adulation from audiences...

MARVELOUS MUTANTS: Wolverine, Iceman and Nightcrawler lead X-Men action.
May 28, 2006... Byline: Jim Schaefer May 28--I remember playing an X-Men game years ago on an old Nintendo game console. Cyclops was my man. He shot a paralyzing blast of energy right out of his big ole mitt. Imagine my disappointment to find out you...

A summer state of mind: secondhand Sid.
May 28, 2006... Byline: Jeff Seidel May 28--Sid Adkins hobbles across the grass, shuffling his feet, taking deep breaths, trying to block out the pain shooting through his knees. "They're just worn out," he says. If they get any worse, he will...

Detroit Free Press Susan Ager Lifestyles column: Susan Ager: one family; three military stories.(Column)
May 28, 2006... Byline: Susan Ager May 28--Within two miles of each other, in the village of Northport, Mich., live three generations of soldiers. None fought, but father, son and grandson all wore uniforms for their country. They share DNA, but...

Short course on men's trunks; sun damage.
May 28, 2006... Byline: Georgea Kovanis May 28--We are in the midst of the first three-day shopping weekend of the summer season. That makes David Malhalab's problem so timely. The 55-year-old retired police sergeant from Detroit wants shorts....

Detroit Free Press Susan Tompor column: Don't rush to grab a buyout.
May 28, 2006... Byline: Susan Tompor May 28--At first, Alfred McLean wanted to jump at the onetime $140,000 buyout that General Motors Corp. has on the table. Who could turn that kind of money down, even after taxes? McLean, 64 and divorced, could...

Growth in Farmington Hills: hopes soar as school for gifted gets a larger home: steppingstone adapts to pupils.
May 28, 2006... Byline: Lori Higgins May 28--At first, the fun activities drew Matthew Daniels to the Steppingstone School for Gifted Education. "Now I'm glad I came because it has helped me academically. Being with other gifted students helps me...

EDITORIAL: FREE PRESS EDITORIAL: Back on line with nuclear: Nation should not rule out new plants in the mix of energy-producing options.(Editorial)
May 28, 2006... May 28--President George W. Bush is right: America needs to take nuclear power seriously again. After decades of living with the plants, most of them built before 1979, surely Americans can have more confidence in their safety. Another...

House calls, strict rules make teacher a standout: Detroit woman, 5 others honored.
May 28, 2006... Byline: Chastity Pratt May 28--Nina Hawkins had a nervous-looking boy in front of her last week at Ralph Bunche Elementary School in Detroit. She gave the fifth-grader "the look" and asked him why he didn't bring his copy of a novel,...

ROUGE RESCUE: Friends of the river to take out trash: Annual cleanup to focus on litter and abandoned cars.
May 28, 2006... Byline: Joel Thurtell May 28--Kenneth Patterson stood under the Rouge River bridge over Fenkell Road this week, pondering a car nearly buried in silt with only its mud-encrusted engine exposed. A few yards north, another old hulk, its...

HEAD OF THE CLASS: House calls, strict rules make teacher a standout: Detroit teacher, 5 others get awards.
May 28, 2006... Byline: Chastity Pratt May 28--Nina Hawkins had a nervous-looking boy in front of her last week at Ralph Bunche Elementary School in Detroit. She gave the fifth-grader "the look" and asked him why he didn't bring his copy of a novel,...