Notes from the Editor

Dan Rather Gives Message to Journalists: 'Don't be Afraid to Ask the Hard Questions'

The former CBS News anchorman spoke at the Michigan Theatre in Ann Arbor on Monday to promote his new book.

It's said you are not supposed to meet your heroes. But in the case of Dan Rather, I decided to chance it. After all, how often do you have the opportunity to shake hands with one of American journalism's iconic reporters? Monday night I did just that, as Rather, the former anchor and managing editor for CBS News for more than 20 years, gave a talk at the Michigan Theatre in Ann Arbor to promote his new book, "Rather Outspoken." It was no surprise that Rather spent the better half of his hour and a half presentation retelling stories about his career highlights at CBS, much of which are detailed in the book. From the battlefields of the Vietnam War to aggressively pursuing the Nixon administration during the Watergate scandal in the 1970s…

• Photos (2)

Congress Has Not Addressed its Addiction to Spending

Big spenders in Washington don't seem to realize that we can’t simply tax our way out of this our current economic downturn.

For about a month now, the American people and businesses of this country have been working for themselves. Because our government is addicted to spending more than it should, resulting in a debt of more than $15.5 trillion, it took workers until April 16 just to make enough money to cover their state, local and federal taxes. For the remaining 258 days of 2012, all those hours at the office can pay for everything else besides taxes — including food, clothing and shelter — even though it’s now estimated that Americans will spend more on taxes this year than those listed necessities combined. While believing there are necessary taxes needed to run an orderly society, I still contend that Americans are taxed too much. Taxes support vital …

• Photos (1)

Want Cheaper Gas Prices? Drill Domestically

American oil, gas and coal are viable solutions to the energy crisis in the United States.

We've all had to dig a little deeper in our pockets when visiting the gas station lately. The national average is fast approaching $4 per gallon. A weak economy, coupled with higher gas prices, is another burden placed on struggling families and businesses across Michigan and the country. The pain at the pump has again sparked conversations about domestic energy development. It's time we realize that American oil, gas and coal are viable solutions to our energy crisis. It's hard to believe that not long ago a gallon of gas was around $1.85. Today, it's more than doubled. While President Barack Obama's speeches often reflect a pro-domestic energy mentality, his actions say otherwise. One of the first initiatives he took as president was to …

•  6 Comments
• Photos (1)

M Druckmiller

12:24 am on Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Amy, during Walberg's last round in Congress (2006-2008), he'd hold town hall meetings, but mostly during the daytime at local diners and other places where the senior crowd (more likely to be conservative) hang out. So they'd be held during the middle of a weekday where younger working folks would have NO CHANCE to being able to meet Walberg and give him an earful.   more ›

Letter to the Editor: Come to the Dexter Garden Club Plant Sale

The plant sale will take place on Saturday at Monument Park in Dexter. Proceeds benefit beautification projects in the community.

Submitted by Jeremy G. Heiken Every fall and spring Dexter Garden Club members peruse their gardens looking for perennial plants that need to be divided, culled or transplanted as part of regular garden maintenance. The end result is that each year our club members have a wonderful bounty of plant material in need of a new home. And best of all, these varietals are already proven to do well under our local growing conditions. So what do the members do with all these extra plants? The Dexter Garden Club hosts an annual plant sale. This is an ideal solution to this dilemma for our membership, and it also represents an opportunity for all gardeners within the community. In addition to the plants from our members’ gardens, we are including in …

• Photos (1)

Enter to Win a Ticket to the Coney Bus Tour Saturday

We have some seats on the tour of Metro Detroit Coney Island Restaurants to give away. The contest closes at noon Friday, May 11, so enter now!

What's your favorite coney island restaurant? Tell us below in comments and you could win a ticket to a coney island bus tour Saturday, May 12. You can join authors of the new book Coney Detroit — Joe Grimm of Bloomfield Township and Katherine Yung of Brighton — on a bus tour by D:Hive Detroit of Metro Detroit for a tasting of their favorite coney island hot dogs. Patch is also sponsoring the tour. The tour runs 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday and includes samplings of coneys at the restaurants where the bus stops. The tour will visit some coney local treasures – including a stop at Dearborn restaurant Joe's Top Dog Coney Island – home of the Jim Padilla Special, named for the former Ford Motor Co. president. Also included is a stop at a Greek …

•  42 Comments
• Photos (1)

Reform Bill an Important Step in Preserving U.S. Postal Service

Sen. Carl Levin says U.S. Postal Service faces "an extraordinary financial challenge" in the future.

In late April, the U.S. Senate approved an important bill to reform the U.S. Postal Service. Though the bill was not perfect, it makes important changes to help the Postal Service adapt and thrive in the 21st century. And it includes an amendment that I helped write that I believe will help protect postal facilities in Michigan and across the nation from unjustified closures. There is little doubt that change is necessary; the Postal Service faces an extraordinary financial challenge, and it must make changes to take into account a new reality in which physical mail has in many cases been replaced by electronic communication. But in making these necessary reforms, we must ensure that all the American people can continue to rely on the U.S…

•  12 Comments
• Photos (1)

John

7:41 am on Tuesday, May 8, 2012

stop lying the postal service does not misdeliver mail   more ›

'The Avengers' Brings Its A-Game

Patch movie critic takes a look at the first of the summer blockbusters, "The Avengers."

The first big entry in the blockbuster sweepstakes this summer is setting a very high bar indeed. For lovers of comic book heroes, watching this Marvel team of a lifetime suit up, bicker, beat each other up and save the world is akin to geek nirvana. It is the very definition of BIGGER, BETTER, MORE! It is an explosion of egos, to be sure. They're like the dysfunctional family of superheroes, with one black sheep causing most of the trouble. Thor and Iron Man. Cap and Iron Man. Thor, Cap and Iron Man. How do they have the time and energy to fight anyone else when they keep beating each other to a pulp? It's as fun to see if they'll get along long enough to formulate a plan or find a way to work together as it is to watch the many and …

• Photos (2)