A former aide to Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano is the latest person charged in a federal corruption probe of county government. David Edwards, 41, of Detroit, who resigned last month from his $110,000-a-year job in the department of technology, was charged Tuesday with one count of bribery for allegedly taking $13,000 from a county contractor. Peter Henning, a former federal prosecutor who now teaches law at Wayne State University, said in the Free Press story that the most recent charge coming against a former county official marks a turning point in the case. He said public corruption prosecutors typically start outside of the government and work their way inside. "You start with the lower-level employees and work your way up," Henning said. The information against Edwards, as opposed to an indictment, likely means he plans to cooperate "in exchange for an expectation of a reduced sentence," Henning said. He added that the pace of charges coming "does signal that there was probably a lot more corruption than anyone expected. Or they are finding it faster."

Efforts to understand how the aging process affects the brain and cognition have expanded beyond simply comparing younger and older adults. "Everybody ages differently. By looking at genetic variations and individual differences in markers of vascular health, we begin to understand that preventable factors may affect our chances for successful aging," said Wayne State University psychology doctoral student Andrew Bender, lead author of a study supported by the National Institute on Aging of the National Institutes of Health and now in press in the journal Neuropsychologia. The study focuses on carriers of the e4 variant of the apolipoprotein (APOE) gene, present in roughly 25 percent of the population. Compared to those who possess other forms of the APOE gene, carriers of the e4 allele are at significantly greater risk for Alzheimer's, dementia and cardiovascular disease. The research project, led by Naftali Raz, professor of psychology and director of the Lifespan Cognitive Neuroscience Research Program at WSU's Institute of Gerontology, tested different cognitive abilities known for their sensitivity to aging and the effects of the APOE e4 variant.

Wayne State University's Forum On Contemporary Issues in Society (FOCIS) and CitizenDetroit are hosting a civic engagement project this evening which will explore ideas to solve the city's financial problems. Detroit residents will be participating in a series of workshops where they will receive an actual budget to work through, money to save or spend and assigned roles such as mayor and city council members. Participants will be asked to make the same tough choices as elected officials. The CitizenDetroit initiative was created by former City Councilwoman Sheila Cockrel and former Wayne State University President Irvin D. Reid.

Michigan's University Research Corridor (URC) institutions continue to rank among the top research innovation clusters in the nation in producing the high-tech, high-demand talent required for the 21st century, according to a recent benchmarking report. Wayne State University President Allan Gilmour said the report highlights that the three universities are on the right path. "Our URC institutions have a lot to be proud of," he said. "Our combined research and economic impact continue to help Michigan move in the right direction. We must continue to work and innovate for the long term success of our state." Major findings from the report include: URC institutions conferred more high-tech and high-demand degrees (18,277) than any other university cluster except for Pennsylvania. Total research and development expenditures by the seven university clusters totaled approximately $13.7 billion in 2010, making up about 22 percent of R&D expenditures by all U.S. universities. The URC ranked fourth in U.S. patents granted, and fifth in invention disclosures, licenses and options granted, and licensing revenue ($37 million), when comparing its 2006-2010 average annual technology transfer activities to the peer university clusters. The URC has a net economic impact on Michigan's economy of $15.2 billion.

A feature story chronicles the road to commencement for Wayne State University students Sherry Kahari and Darcia Miller. The mother and daughter duo earned degrees in Social Work - Kahari received her master's and Miller a bachelor's. Kahari hopes to work in a hospital. Miller would like to land at a nonprofit, working with victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. "I'm excited," Miller said. "I think I'm more excited for her than for me. She's done a great job of giving me advice in life and helping me out. She's been through so much. It's going to be a very exciting moment." A photo gallery of Kahari and Miller is included.

Astronaut Jerry Linenger delivered the keynote address last night during Wayne State University's graduation ceremony at Ford Field. Linenger is an alumnus of Wayne State's medical school and a winner of the Distinguished Service Medal - the highest honor given by NASA. Linenger says he hopes his experiences in space inspire students. "One of the mottos of Wayne State is to aim higher. And I think my occupation - you know I went beyond the sky, if you will, into space - and commencement is a launch time." He adds that emphasizing advanced degrees in math and science is crucial to America's ability to compete globally.

A Wayne State University researcher believes a better understanding of risk factors for excessive alcohol use may one day help at-risk adolescents transition more quickly to healthier and more productive behavior patterns in young adulthood. To further that understanding, Tim Bogg, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychology in WSU's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, has received a three-year, $731,000 grant from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, part of the National Institutes of Health. Through "A Longitudinal Study of Alcohol Dependence in Late Adolescence" he will investigate the influences of conscientiousness-related personality traits, cognitive ability and social investment on patterns of excessive alcohol use over time. He also will examine how specific brain regions might play a role in reward-seeking behaviors.

Dorothy Dunne, 78, and her husband Harold, 82, will be graduating tonight during Wayne State University's commencement ceremonies. She is getting her first bachelor's degree in theater, and her husband will be receiving his third bachelor's degree - in Spanish.

Sandy Turin will be receiving her bachelor's degree in business administration following 30 years of taking one class per semester. Turin, who is a full-time working mother, has maintained a family tradition of Wayne State University graduates - her three sisters and her son also are WSU grads.

Wayne State University to hold commencement tonight at Ford Field These radio and television media outlets noted that Wayne State University will be holding its commencement ceremonies this evening. (CW50 video not available)

The local economy in the Detroit area continues to show signs of improvement. The Southeast Michigan Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) registered 62.6 in April, dipping slightly from 66.1 in March. However, values above 50 generally indicated an expanding economy, even though the local economy grew at a slower rate in April than in March, said Timothy Butler, associate professor of supply chain management at Wayne State's business school. "Every one of the eight individual indexes and three-month averages is at or above 50, and many are above 60," Butler noted. "This tells us that the economy continues a healthy expansion," he said. Ken Doherty, a member of the Institute for Supply Management and assistant vice president for procurement and strategic sourcing at Wayne State University, also commented in the story.

An investigative report examining expensive vehicle leases being paid by the Detroit Police Department includes commentary and analysis from Alan Reinstein, George Husband Professor of Accounting at Wayne State University. The report found that the department is paying $608 a month to lease an eight-year-old car. He said if true, this lease arrangement is a huge waste of taxpayer's money. "The difference between buying a car and leasing a car for 110 cars is over $4 million," Reinstein said.

WWJ reporter Stephanie Davis talked to twin brothers Richard and Raymond Diggs who will graduate next week with honors from Wayne State University with degrees in political science. Both have been accepted to the Teach for America program and have vowed to live work and give back to Detroit. Raymond says after two years of teaching in Detroit, both plan to pursue law.

A column highlighting work being done at Wayne State University and the Detroit Medical Center's Hutzel Woman's Hospital to save the lives of at-risk babies, includes a testimonial from Detroiter Kai Paul, who found out she was at a high risk for her baby being born prematurely and possibly with severe health problems. Fortunately, she became part of a groundbreaking clinical trial at WSU and the Perinatology Research Branch that enabled her to deliver a full-term, healthy baby boy who celebrated his second birthday this past February. Paul credits the PRB with saving the life of her son. Dr. Sonia Hassan, associate dean for maternal, perinatal and child health in Wayne State University's School of Medicine, said so far the team has cared for more than 20,000 mothers and plans to continue to serve the population of Metro Detroit and beyond. A photo of Hassan is included.

Up to one in five of soldiers suffer severe post-traumatic stress disorder and could be monitored for signs to prevent aggressive outbursts. The only treatments available are antidepressants and psychotherapies -- neither of which always work -- which reach just one in five veterans in need. "There are almost always warning signs in such people," says Bengt Arnetz, of Wayne State University, but no one watches for them. Existing tools to track stress, depression and irritability, he says, could spot soldiers "close to critical levels" before they snap.

Linda Burghardt, executive director of the Michigan chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, cites a Wayne State University study in her opinion piece about the federal government's attempt to stop runaway Medicare spending. She writes that the study, conducted by lead author Thomas Jankowski, associate director of research at WSU's Institute of Gerontology, found that a third of the state's older-than-65 population doesn't have enough income to cover their basic needs. "This invisible poverty is all around us," says Jankowski.

A feature story examines Wayne State University's Math Corps, a combined academic enrichment and mentoring program envisioned by WSU professors Steve Kahn and Leonard Boehm in 1992. Math Corps is an intensive six-week summer program that serves 400 Detroit Public Schools students in grades 6-12. "It's never been about math. It was always about a greater thing to help the children of Detroit," said Kahn. "Math Corps has developed a powerful philosophy where the students can thrive in a culture built around kindness and support for each other, and the courage and willingness to do the right thing," Kahn said. "It's about intervention, urgency and transforming lives." Since 1995, estimates have placed the high school graduation rate for Math Corps students at over 90 percent with about 90 percent of those students going to college.

In a guest column, Wayne State University President Emeritus Irvin D. Reid opined about the City of Detroit's financial crisis and announced the launch of CitizenDetroit, which will be a major component of the university's upcoming Forum on Contemporary Issues in Society. "In a series of invitation-only discussions with residents from various parts of town, we are asking Detroiters to assume the roles of mayor, council members and other key players who have the responsibility to get the city beyond being broke," he wrote. Reid served on the Detroit Financial Review Team and is the Eugene Applebaum Chair in Community Engagement. A photo of Reid is included.

The Meijer Foundation is giving $500,000 to support the Made in Michigan writers' series, which was started by Wayne State University Press in 2006. Senior Acquisitions Editor Annie Martin says it's the biggest grant the organization has ever gotten. The University Press will get the grant over five years. Martin says the bulk will go into an endowment fund so that it lasts for years.

A brief notes that Jazz guitarist Kenny Burrell and operatic tenor George Shirley will receive honorary degrees from Wayne State University at its commencement Monday at Ford Field in Detroit. Both are music educators and alumni of the university.