Kurt Metzger, research director in CULMA's Center for Urban Studies, comments about the increase of new homes in Wayne County. "During the last year, Wayne County really picked up the pace," he says. "That's attributable to the renaissance in Detroit."

Michigan's state government leaders, having pledged to be players in the biotech industry in 1999, have since funded biotech research efforts at Wayne State University, and other institutions.

Michael Belzer of the College of Urban, Labor and Metropolitan Affairs, is quoted in a story about use of GPS technology by truck fleet owners to track their drivers. In his book "Sweatshops on Wheels," he talks about the low wages, long hours and unsafe and unsanitary conditions that many truckers work under. "New methods make it easier but do they make more money at it," he asks.

Robin Boyle, professor of urban development in the College of Urban, Labor and Metropolitan Affairs, says the proposed "Africa Town" project in Detroit is born out of frustration. According to the proposal, a fund would be established that would lend city money to entrepreneurs, but only if they are black. "But this idea is quite unreal. There's a lot of posturing here." Boyle says such a fund would be not only bad policy but illegal.

David Bonior, a former Democratic congressman who teaches labor issues at Wayne State's College of Urban, Labor and Metropolitan Affairs, commented on John Kerry's campaign promises for increases in employment numbers. "Kerry has to pound away on the economy and the loss of manufacturing jobs and the 5 million people who have lost health care in this administration," Bonior said.

Columnist Tom Walsh notes in a story about WTVS's (Channel 56) decision to move to Wixom that one locally produced show is "Leaders on Leadership," in partnership with Wayne State University's business school.

Professor Bonior also was a guest on the "Lynn Cullen Show" speaking about worker's rights.

Professor Frederic Pearson, director of CULMA's Center for Peace and Conflict Studies, recently addressed an audience of about 200 at Northwestern Michigan College in Traverse City about the chances for the democratization of Iraq. "There is some hope, if we get the right balance" of U.S. and Iraqi leaders in the security forces there, Pearson said. He added, however, that "Americans are perplexed that we're seen not as liberators but as occupiers. We're going into one of the most anti-colonial places in the world." A photo of Pearson is included.

Columnist Karen Dumas, writing about a controversy involving WDET-FM manager Michael Coleman when he was at another station, says she is impressed that Wayne State and WDET are "standing behind Coleman. . . . More than all, we should recognize the integrity of the Wayne State University for standing behind their employee and for showing us all the importance and principles of teamwork and true leadership; a class in which we should all enroll." Dumas points out that many people jump to conclusions before they know all the facts.

Wayne State won its first GLIAC men's basketball tournament championship since 1999 with 73-71 win over Ferris State in Big Rapids on Sunday. Wayne State is 22-7 and will learn later Sunday know where it will play in the NCAA Division II tournament's Midwest Regional. http://www.detnews.com/article/20110306/SPORTS0203/103060332/1133/sports0203/Wayne-State-men-win-GLIAC-basketball-tournament http://www.freep.com/article/20110306/SPORTS08/110306010/1056/SPORTS08/Wayne-State-73-Ferris-State-71-Warriors-win-GLIAC-title http://mms.tveyes.com/Transcript.asp?StationID=999&DateTime=3%2F6%2F2011+11%3A58%3A10+PM&LineNumber=&MediaStationID=999&playclip=True&RefPage= http://mms.tveyes.com/Transcript.asp?StationID=1004&DateTime=3%2F6%2F2011+11%3A27%3A52+PM&LineNumber=&MediaStationID=1004&playclip=True&RefPage= http://mms.tveyes.com/Transcript.asp?StationID=2785&DateTime=3%2F6%2F2011+5%3A48%3A16+PM&LineNumber=&MediaStationID=2785&playclip=True&RefPage= http://mms.tveyes.com/Transcript.asp?StationID=2790&DateTime=3%2F7%2F2011+7%3A45%3A43+AM&LineNumber=&MediaStationID=2790&playclip=True&RefPage=

Al Hermsen, director of the Office of Student Financial Aid, was interviewed in a story about the state possibly pulling the Michigan Promise scholarship, which would affect 96,000 students statewide. Wayne State University will credit student accounts with hopes that the state will follow through. "To lose a $1,000 scholarship at this date could be devastating and could change students enrollment plans," said Hermsen.

In February 2000, the WSU dance department was renamed the Maggie Allesee Department of Dance after a generous gift of $2 million from Allesee, a longtime Metro Detroit dance and cultural arts advocate and philanthropist. Guests at the Fifth Annual Spring Gala dinner, held at The Whitney, enjoyed a full evening of cocktails and elaborate meals. Following the dinner party, a concert \"Dancing the Legacy\" was held at Wayne State\'s Bonstelle Theatre. Allesee\'s gift is the largest of its kind to any university dance program in the country and created the first individually named department at WSU.

King H. Yang, a professor of biomedical and mechanical engineering at WSU, has studied computer modeling as it relates to vehicle crashworthiness and occupant injuries for over 27 years. Yang believes that numerical simulations will eventually replace conventional crash testing. "There is a lot of information about injuries that we cannot get from using crash dummies, but is readily available from the computer simulations." Yang believes that as engineers continue to develop computer models, they will one day be able to pinpoint the type of injuries that will occur as a result of a given crash.

400 show up in Charles Pugh's forum to help Detroit, Detroiters Detroit City Council President Charles Pugh said he was elated at the turnout of about 400 people last night at Wayne State University's Community Arts Auditorium for a forum on volunteering to help Detroit and Detroiters. He hosted the meeting with WDET-FM (101.9) radio talk-show host Craig Fahle, who has held a series of "Call for Action" shows on how people in the region can help to transform Detroit. Pugh and Fahle plan another meeting for 5-8 p.m. Thursday at the Community House, 380 S. Bates in Birmingham. The second meeting will also promote volunteering in Detroit but it will be a chance for suburbanites to meet Pugh and give him suggestions for improving Detroit and making it more appealing to outsiders, he said. http://www.freep.com/article/20120222/NEWS01/120222081/400-show-up-Charles-Pugh-s-forum-help-Detroit-Detroiters http://mms.tveyes.com/Transcript.asp?StationID=1004&DateTime=2%2F23%2F2012+6%3A46%3A09+AM&LineNumber=&MediaStationID=1004&playclip=True&RefPage=

A new study suggests that rising tuition costs, higher borrowing limits on government loans and new wave of low-income students have pushed average debt burden of college graduates higher as more students borrow. Undergraduate students borrowed, on average $19,300 which is up from $12,100 a decade earlier. More students, even from the nation's wealthiest families, took on debt to pay for college. The volume of federal government loans alone rose 137 percent from 1992 to 2002, to $20.7 billion.

Sean McAlinden, senior economist for the Center for Auto Research, talked about Michigan's recovery from the worst automotive industry downturn in 70 years and the auto industry's ongoing fortunes during a lecture at Wayne State University last week. During a Q&A session following the lecture, McAlinden tackled the persistent question about why the U.S. auto market has never embraced passenger car diesels with quite the same fervor that the Europeans have. "Direct fuel-injected, modern diesels give the French, already, 46 mpg for their fleet average," he said in pointing out the advantages of using diesel. "But many cars are 60 mpg in the B class, Fiats and Peugeots and the like. (print edition only)

Law professor Peter Henning comments in a story about the lack of public scrutiny for the subprime mortgage executives guilty of mortgage fraud and other financial crimes.

Professor Peter Henning commented in a story about a reversal from the Michigan Supreme Court to consider if a major drug trafficker should have faced a second trial after his first conviction was overturned because of perjured testimony used by the prosecution.

A Detroit News editorial says Gov. Rick Snyder was right to say he hopes to boost immigration as part of his economic revitalization program for the state. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, via teleconference, also told the audience at the Wayne State University immigration conference that New York City lost only 1 percent of its jobs in the recent recession, compared to a national average of 6 percent. He attributed this fact to the many immigrants to his city. As he noted, \"Immigrants make jobs rather than take them.\"

Wayne State University has extended for two months the eligibility deadline for a temporary financial aid package designed to help students especially impacted from the down economy. The plan, announced in March and now with a deadline of June 30, instituted a one-time doubling of university financial aid to qualified full-time freshmen. Additionally, WSU announced this week that it is offering a 50% reduction in tuition for up to two classes per semester for two semesters to alumni or spouses of alumni who have lost a full-time job within six months of the time they enroll for classes.