URC reports energy gains, announces joint events

Michigan\'s University Research Corridor (URC) Thursday announced steady progress on recent energy research grants, according to URC executive director Jeff Mason. A URC-supported collaboration between researchers at Wayne State University, University of Michigan and Michigan State University began with a $523,282 seed grant that helped the researchers win a $12.5 million federal grant less than a year later, leading to scientific progress and several new partnerships and publications.

June 3, 2010

Challenges for BP

Law professor Noah Hall discussed the financial challenges that lie ahead for BP as they begin to face mounting lawsuits resulting from the oil spill.

June 3, 2010

Making the Grade: Detroit Garden Classroom

Theater professor Mary Anderson was interviewed on a "Making the Grade" segment about her "Detroit Garden Classroom: A Healthy Kids Advocacy and Media Project," which offers Detroit Public Schools students an opportunity to educate peers about nutrition through public service announcements they write, perform and produce.

June 3, 2010

Perfect Game Robbery

Roger Weber reported live from the WSU Baseball Field to discuss the controversial call from MLB umpire Jim Joyce that nullified Detroit Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga's bid for a perfect game Wednesday night.

June 3, 2010

Metro Detroit produce guide

Wayne State's Farmers Market is included in a listing of local markets, many of which support area growers. WSU's Farmers Market features goods from area farmers and Detroit growers including the Grown in Detroit Cooperative, Vandalia Gardens, Earthworks Urban Farm and the D-Town Farm. Local vendors include Avalon International Breads and Russell Street Deli. Location and contact information are provided.

June 3, 2010

Michigan's business assets can fuel renewal

A Detroit News column highlighting Michigan's business assets touts the University Research Corridor as "a rich matrix of capability in technology, life sciences and research and development that could legitimately rival North Carolina\'s Research Triangle."

June 3, 2010

Wayne State University hosts Journalism That Matters: Create or Die - Innovate, Incubate, Initiate media conference

Wayne State will host the \"Journalism That Matters: Create or Die - Innovate, Incubate, Initiate\" media conference today through Sunday. The conference kicks off a one-year effort to broaden journalism\'s role in the nation\'s underserved communities.

June 3, 2010

Twenty corner stores selling produce in Detroit

A new Wayne State program is supplying corner stores throughout Detroit with fresh fruits and vegetables. Detroit Fresh: The Healthy Corner Store Project was created by urban planning professor Kami Pothukuchi in 2008. "Our objective is to connect smaller stores with wholesale produce distributors so they can buy fresh produce at wholesale prices," she said.

June 3, 2010

New Lawyer aims to free Kilpatrick, appeal conviction

Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick\'s new attorney said Tuesday he will immediately file a motion asking that his client be released from prison while appealing his probation violation conviction. But Wayne State University law professor Peter Henning says such motions are rarely granted. "It's the trial judge's initial decision as to whether the defendant should be incarcerated, and absent extraordinary circumstances, the appeals court normally wouldn't grant that kind of motion."

June 2, 2010

Healthy eating promoted

The state, local governments and community groups are ramping up efforts to make fresh, healthy produce more widely available -- especially in urban areas -- with a mix of programs targeting shoppers and sellers alike. This spring, Detroit launched a new effort to improve its grocery stores. And a food bank that serves tens of thousands of families in western Michigan and the Upper Peninsula is among agencies expanding fresh food delivery. Kami Pothukuchi, associate professor of urban planning at Wayne State, comments in the story.

June 2, 2010

New book offers glimpse of Hemingway's boyhood

"Picturing Hemingway's Michigan," written by Michael Federspiel of Midland, is a compilation of Hemingway family photos and other glimpses into what northern Michigan was like in the early 1900's. Published by Wayne State University Press, the 200-page hardcover book was released in May. http://www.pressherald.com/life/new-book-offers-glimpse-of-writers-boyhood_2010-06-02.html

June 2, 2010

This week: Digital Justice and the Allied Media Conference

The Detroit Justice Coalition will be participating in the 12th annual Allied Media Conference being held June 17-20, in the McGregor Conference Center on the campus of Wayne State. The event will feature more than 100 workshops, panels, film screenings, art and music events, strategy sessions, the AMC Media Lab and bowling.

June 2, 2010

People making news - Barry Franklin

Dr. Barry Franklin, professor of physiology at Wayne State's School of Medicine, was appointed to the American Heart Association board of directors for a two-year term. Franklin will serve as a science representative contributing to the association\'s mission to build healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke, through oversight of revenue generation and health impact activities.

June 2, 2010

Spill Draws Criminal Probe

The U.S. has launched criminal and civil investigations into the Gulf of Mexico oil spill - the latest move by the Obama administration to show it is taking aggressive action amid bipartisan criticism of its response to the disaster. Legal experts said bringing a civil case against BP for violating the federal Clean Water Act could be relatively straight-forward. But to bring a successful criminal case, the government must generally show the defendant knowingly flouted the law or that the pollution was the result of negligence. Any criminal fraud case could also be complicated by the notion that it appears the government signed off on many of the moves that may have led to the spill, said Noah Hall, law professor at Wayne State University, who has worked on behalf of environmental groups in the past.

June 1, 2010

Spill Draws Criminal Probe

The U.S. has launched criminal and civil investigations into the Gulf of Mexico oil spill - the latest move by the Obama administration to show it is taking aggressive action amid bipartisan criticism of its response to the disaster. Legal experts said bringing a civil case against BP for violating the federal Clean Water Act could be relatively straight-forward. But to bring a successful criminal case, the government must generally show the defendant knowingly flouted the law or that the pollution was the result of negligence. Any criminal fraud case could also be complicated by the notion that it appears the government signed off on many of the moves that may have led to the spill, said Noah Hall, law professor at Wayne State University, who has worked on behalf of environmental groups in the past.

June 1, 2010

Canadian lakes turbine plans draws fire

Nick Schroeck, adjunct professor at Wayne State, comments in a story about a Canadian company\'s plans for more than 165 wind turbines in Lake St. Clair and Lake Erie. Opponents of the plan say it would interfere with boating and wildlife. SouthPoint Wind, based in Leamington, Ontario, plans to build the energy-generating, 400-foot-tall turbines in Canadian waters. \"A U.S. citizen who doesn\'t like the way the wind farm looks across the lake can\'t just go into Canadian court and sue to try and stop it,\" Schroeck told the Detroit News. http://www.upi.com/Top_News/International/2010/06/01/Canadian-lakes-turbine-plans-draws-fire/UPI-75881275441358/

June 1, 2010

Capitol Focus: Mich. ramps up efforts to promote healthy eating

An article on efforts to make fresh, healthy foods more readily available in Michigan mentions Wayne State's Detroit FRESH project. The project supplies fresh fruits and vegetables to small corner stores throughout Detroit. Kami Pothukuchi, director of WSU's SEED Wayne program comments. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-mi-freshfood,0,7578021.story http://www.wwj.com/Michigan-Promotes-Healthy-Eating/7352655 http://www.mlive.com/newsflash/michigan/index.ssf?/base/national-127/1275208883132730.xml&storylist=newsmichigan http://www.battlecreekenquirer.com/article/20100531/NEWS01/305310008/CAPITOL-FOCUS--Mich.-ramps-up-efforts-to-promote-healthy-eating http://www.wsbt.com/news/regional/95212269.html

May 31, 2010

Judge Damon J. Keith Groundbreaking

A photo gallery and podcast interview recount the May 17 groundbreaking for the Damon J. Keith Center for Civil Rights at the Wayne State University Law School. http://www.dbusiness.com/DBusiness/May-June-2010/Judge-Damon-Keith/

May 17, 2010

Macomb Comm. College, Wayne State split $5M federal stimulus grant

Wayne State University and Macomb Community College are splitting a $5 million federal stimulus grant to help further research and development of electrical vehicles. The new electric drive vehicle engineering program known as E3 - Electrifying the Economy, Educating the Workforce - is in accordance with President Obama\'s goal of putting 1 million plug-in electric vehicles on the road by 2015.

March 25, 2010

WSU to host city rebuilding summit

Rebuilding Detroit will be the topic of Wayne State University Law School\'s annual academic symposium from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Friday, March 26, in the Spencer M. Partrich Auditorium. The event will look at the complex issues facing Detroit and attempt to generate solutions in panels of community leaders, government officials and academics. http://www.freep.com/article/20100325/NEWS01/100325022/1322/WSU-conference-to-explore-rebuilding-post-industrial-cities

March 25, 2010