As Beatty sentenced to 120 days in jail, a grim chapter in Detroit ends

Christine Beatty went off to jail quietly with a blank expression, saying nothing to the dozen or so supporters as she left to start serving her sentence in the text message scandal.

WITH VIDEOS

Worthy: Kilpatrick defense wanted text messages destroyed

Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy holds a news conference following the sentencing of Christine Beatty at the Frank Murphy Hall of Justice in Detroit.

Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said she was outraged at the request from lawyers Dan Webb and James Thomas.

VIDEO: Beatty sentencing highlights

ROCHELLE RILEY

Burris shouldn't have been put in limbo over Senate appointment

No U.S. senator should be treated this way. Yes, Roland Burris asked for trouble when he accepted a U.S. Senate appointment from an arrogant governor under investigation for trying to sell the seat to the highest bidder before giving it to Burris.

BRIAN DICKERSON

More than one way to sell a seat

If Chicago politicians have taught us anything, it’s that there’s a right way to sell a U.S. Senate seat and a wrong way. Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich unwittingly demonstrated the wrong way.

UAW members headed to Detroit to discuss contracts

UAW negotiators will begin arriving in Detroit on Wednesday to begin preparing for negotiations with Detroit's automakers, which are under pressure to bring their labor costs in line with those of foreign automakers.

Icy roads cause hundreds of accidents

UPDATED AT 11:21 P.M.: Slick roads caused hundreds of accidents throughout southeastern Michigan Tuesday night, the Michigan State Police said. The crashes caused property damage, but no fatalities.

Allen Park hopes to land $100-million movie studio, bring 3,500 jobs

Wayne County may be on the verge of landing a $100-million film studio in Allen Park that would create 3,500 direct jobs and give a badly needed boost to metro Detroit’s ailing economy, Allen Park city officials announced today.

Detroit could be forced to pay millions for bonds after credit rating drops

“We are resolved to ensure that Detroit is financially stable,” said Mayor Ken Cockrel.

Standard and Poor’s, a leading credit rating agency, has downgraded the City of Detroit’s rating to junk bond status, a move that could cost the city $400 million. The downgrade by was announced by Mayor Ken Cockrel Jr.

Detroit News columnist Rob Parker resigns following Marinelli controversy

Detroit News sports columnist Rob Parker has left the paper, two weeks after he was criticized for asking Lions coach Rod Marinelli if he had wished his daughter had married a better defensive coordinator.

MITCH ALBOM

Marinelli decision obvious, but Ford fumbles bigger call

There is a time when firing the coach is enough. This is not that time. There is a case where promoting from within works. This is not that case. There is a team where modest changes can bring a winning season. This is not that team.

• Mitch Albom's homepage

ROCHELLE RILEY

Burris shouldn't have been put in limbo over Senate appointment

Book Building closure stirs memories

The Book Building -- for more than 90 years a Washington Boulevard landmark -- is empty and essentially shut down. The final tenant, the popular Bookies Downtown Tavern, had its last call Monday at 2 a.m. It was crowded, and some people got emotional.

FREE PRESS CARTOONIST MIKE THOMPSON

Auto sales slump

Move over GM, Ford and Chrysler, here comes Toyota.

SUSAN TOMPOR

Tax credits, tips for filing season

Douglas Shulman, the IRS commissioner, said today that the IRS wants taxpayers who are facing financial difficulties to understand all the available tax credits, as well as some additional breaks for those facing extreme hardships.

TOM WALSH

Car czar should be named now

This may sound pushy, or even panicky, but President-elect Barack Obama needs to name a car czar immediately to clear the air about the terms and conditions of federal aid to our quasi-nationalized automobile industry.

ROCHELLE RILEY

War on violence needs troops

The staff and supporters of Ford High School in Detroit are to be commended for their increased efforts to reduce violence at the school, site of the first killing at a Michigan school in eight years.

BILL MCGRAW

Ritzy yacht club offers coupons

"Complimentary dockage" seems like an unusual come-on in a mass-mailed flyer. But then you see who is making the offer: the venerable Grosse Pointe Yacht Club. The Grosse Pointe Yacht Club?

MICHAEL ROSENBERG

Tighten that belt! Erk! Not that tight!

Leading economists believe that, with a well-designed stimulus package, things should get better by the spring of 2027.

DREW SHARP

Millen hides behind camera

Millen will turn his Detroit experiences into a joke. He’ll smile through his misery knowing that he already has collected $38 million for those 31 wins and is still owed $12 million from William Clay Ford Sr. for the final 2 1/2 years on that five-year contract extension. Laugh, clown, laugh.

FREE PRESS CARTOONIST MIKE THOMPSON

Is change possible?

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict

STEPHEN HENDERSON

Next Detroit mayor should try doing more in a lot less space

We need someone who's willing to do some shattering of his or her own, particularly when it comes to the size, structure and reach of city government.

• More columns

MIKE THOMPSON'S BLOG

Auto sales slump

HELENE ST. JAMES' BLOG

Chelios, Lebda will be in lineup tonight vs. Columbus

Update from the Red Wings' morning skate Tuesday: Mike Babcock said Chris Chelios and Brett Lebda will play tonight against the Blue Jackets.

RON DZWONKOWSKI

Michigan's great water debate

Did you know that Los Angeles, in the middle of a two-year water shortage, has 15 “drought busters” who patrol the city in white Toyota Priuses and can write tickets carrying fines of up to $1000 if they see people violating water rules? That could include anything from watering the lawn between...

RON DZWONKOWSKI

Safe and secure:are we?

Are we truly safer?

MATT HELMS

Driven crazy by roadway madness

In a perfect world, these behaviors wouldn’t happen. But they do, much to my daily driving dismay.

MIKE WENDLAND

Low-key CES, Macworld trade shows reflect economic tough times

The tech industry's two big winter gatherings open this week amid signs the recession and diminished demand for new gadgets are resulting in much lower-key affairs with fewer attendees and less glitz and glamor.

VINCE ELLIS' BLOG

Hamilton likely out vs. Blazers, Wallace may play

Shooting guard Rip Hamilton will likely miss his sixth game with a slight tear in his left groin when the Pistons face the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday night.

FREE PRESS EDITORIAL BOARD

Michigan's next best hope?

Perhaps Michigan's talk about becoming the epicenter of renewable energy is more than wishful thinking.

MARK SNYDER'S BLOG

John Beilein won't stress one game over another

Michigan coach John Beilein has spent his career living in the moment, focusing on the game at hand. And, despite the importance of Sunday’s win over Illinois and not starting 0-2 in the Big Ten, it was a philosophy he tries to preach to his team.

NICHOLE CHRISTIAN

Doesn't the U.S. Senate have bigger battles?

The writers of Saturday Night Live would have a hard time topping the comedy set to take place in the U.S. Senate this week between Majority Leader Harry Reid and Roland Burris.

JEFF GERRITT

Paying by the mile -- another way to go?

Gov. Jennifer Granholm has ruled out a gas tax increase for 2009, even though a state transportation task force has recommended double the spending on Michigan’s transportation system to $7 billion.

• More blogs

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	Israel strike kills up to 60 members of one family By XZionist: From: freep.com 1/6/2009 8:41 PM EST
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Conyers introduces mortgage legislation

One of the first bills to drop in the 111th Congress comes from Detroit Democrat John Conyers, who with some other members of the House Judiciary Committee wants to loosen bankruptcy rules so that judges can modify mortgage terms to help people keep their homes.

LOCAL NEWS

SPECIAL REPORT | CHAPTER 3 | WITH VIDEO

Female inmate described rapes in suit against state

It was the third week of January last year. Toni Bunton was the first of 10 prisoners to testify in a civil lawsuit against the Michigan Department of Corrections. They were among female prisoners who said they were raped and molested by male guards.

NATION/WORLD

Obama: Plan could cost $775 billion

As he continues to craft an economic recovery plan that could cost upwards of $775 billion, President-elect Barack Obama said today he expects the budget deficit to near $1 trillion.

AUTOS/BUSINESS

Treasury to give GM second loan of $5.4 billion Jan. 16

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Treasury said Monday it will grant General Motors Corp. a second loan totaling $5.4 billion on Jan. 16 as part of the $13.4-billion rescue of the ailing automaker.

OPINION

Cash for clunkers

Refuel economy with cash for old cars

Offering cash vouchers to clunker owners in exchange for their old, polluting cars should be getting more attention. With new car sales plunging, the stimulated demand for new cars would pep the auto industry and assembly lines.

ENTERTAINMENT

Guarneri String Quartet call it quits after 45 years

Considering that the Guarneri String Quartet formed casually one day after lunch in 1963 at the Marlboro Festival in Vermont, it's not surprising that the quartet decided to call it quits backstage right before a concert in May 2007.

LIFE

Bad, bad belly fat susceptible to exercise

In the annals of exercise research, increasingly the answer is "brisk walking." What's the question? Most people think it has to do with exercising the heart or getting rid of love handles and saddlebags.