Kevyn Orr, Director of emergency of Detroit, Governor Rick Snyder defend bankruptcy Sunday Talk Shows

DETROIT - it was not easy to make Detroit the largest city in United States to apply for bankruptcy protection, but it was the right decision, said Sunday as the Rick Snyder Michigan Governor, Mayor of the city and his emergency Manager made the rounds of talk television show.

Snyder, a Republican, gave his blessing to the decision of the Manager emergency Kevyn Orr in bankruptcy for Detroit on Thursday.

"We review every other viable option," Snyder said on the CBS "face the nation".

"The debt issue needs to be addressed. But more important still is accountability to the citizens of Detroit, "said Snyder. "That you are not getting the services that they deserve and have not done so for a very long time. Thus this may has been cast down the road for decades. It is already enough and now is the time to give it back. "

On NBC's "Meet the Press," Snyder said that if Detroit restructuring is successful, the city could roar back stronger than before.

"We will now in the improvement of Detroit," he added.

The State hired Orr in March to arrange debt ballooning of Detroit and more than $300 million budget deficit. He is a specialist of twist and automotive Chrysler LLC during its successful restructuring.

Orr outlined its plans at a June meeting with the holders of the debt, in which his team warned there was present a 50% chance of a bankruptcy. The city then stopped paying $2.5 billion in unsecured debt to "preserve cash" for the police, fire and other services.

Orr said of Detroit's long-term debt could be as much as $20 billion.

In the last six decades, the population of Detroit has dropped from 1.8 million to about 700,000. The city boasts some 10,000 public workers active and retired 18,000 still owing to pension and health benefits.

The costs of health care and pension contributions over the years have exceeded revenues that Detroit was bringing property and business taxes and other sources. The city has been unable to make these contributions and pay current payroll and other accounts.

Funds that cover health coverage for retirees are underfunded by about $5.7 billion. To cover pension obligations are underfunded by $3.5 billion.

"We will have a dialogue with the pension funds on what we can do," said Orr to "Fox News Sunday."

"And all we are talking about in this restructuring is the non-consolidated component of pension funds", said. "There must be concessions."

Bing, a first mayor mandate that announced earlier this year that he would not seek re-election in the fall, has been opposed to bankruptcy and State supervision. On Sunday, he told ABC "This Week" that expected that the presentation can be a new beginning for the city.

"Detroit is very, very resilient people," said Bing, a professional Basketball Hall of Fame who spent most of his career with the Detroit Pistons of the NBA. "Detroit is a very iconic city in the world. His people will fight for this and we will return."

But he does not expect much, if any, support in the way of the money from the bailout from the federal Government.

"Now that the (bankruptcy) is made, we need to step back and see what follows," said Bing. "The President has a lot on his plate. More than 100 urban cities are struggling and going through this. That we might be the first and one of the largest, but it won't be the last. "

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Martin Luther King Jr Detroit 1963 March Commemorates 50 years later with ride by Woodward

DETROIT - thousands took part in a March from Detroit that commemorates the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr. led in 1963.

The walk along the Woodward Avenue on Saturday morning culminated in a Riverfront rally in the Hart Plaza.

Civil rights icon visited Detroit on June 23, 1963, tens of thousands in a walk of freedom of driving and also get a preview of his "I Have a Dream" speech.

Martin Luther King III, Detroit Mayor Dave Bing and revolutions. Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton participate in the March and rally on Saturday.

President of NAACP's Detroit Wendell Anthony said that the work for freedom and justice must continue the March "means" in Detroit and around the world.

Sharpton said it is important to continue to fight for Justice and protesters not only take "a journey of nostalgia for Woodward."

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Detroit perdió el cheque de $1 millón en un cajón del escritorio durante un mes, sólo un ejemplo de las ineficiencias de la ciudad

Detroit, which declared bankruptcy last month and has debts estimated long-term more $18 billion, needs every penny that can be achieved. That a report to the lost city is why a check for $1 million in a desk drawer is not only an absurd example of bureaucratic inefficiency, but alarming.

Bloomberg News reports that payment of the routine of the Detroit public schools was lost in a drawer in the town hall for a month, last February.

Cable Atlantic points out that the biggest concern is not the $1 million, which is less than one percent of the annual budget of the city, but that is still receiving paper checks:

It is as if you, a person earning $50,000 a year, lost twenty dollars. You wish you had not lost twenty and was a stupidity that you did, but you're not going to go bankrupt because of this. ... In summary: It is as if you lost 20 dollar bills all the time because you never got to learn how to use the pockets.

Computer systems of the city for decades do not help at all. In Detroit, each Department uses its own system, and the information spreads even within some departments, as in the Police Department, where neighborhoods and districts "you cannot share information across their systems."

In a July report to show the depths of Detroit insolvency creditors, Manager of emergency Kevyn Orr noted that the losses of constant cash due to old operating systems. Administration of payroll costs $62 per cheque for a total of $19.2 million a year, compared with an average $18 per-check for the public sector.

"The city urgently needs to update or replace the following systems, among others: Payroll;" financial; development of the budget; information on the property and assessment; tax on income; and operating system DPD, "wrote.

Orr spokesman Bill Nowling told The Huffington Post that the city is working to improve the compilation and accounting.

"Our new Chief Financial Officer, Jim Bonsall, is working with his staff to new and most modern of all accounting procedures best business city so no problems arise as it lost control", said.

Bloomberg said other examples of operational failures and outdated systems, but not all: head-scratching inefficiencies plagued other departments where there is more at stake than dollars. On Thursday, newly appointed Chief of police James Craig called a press conference to highlight some of the frustrations with the way in which the Department had been led. He asked why more than 50 new cars sentaren unused in a warehouse while the funds are available to equip them as patrol, according to MLive. Meanwhile, a majority of the fleet of DPD has reached the age of replacement.

Craig also told the Department recently leaving a grant for the period that would have allowed them to buy an armored vehicle and how official juries had been working in administrative positions and mechanics.

Last month, the city emergency system fell for two hours, while dispatchers officers, firefighters and EMS technicians by phone, according to the reached Detroit News. The closure had delayed response to 17 priority calls one and more than 100 non-priority calls. Had never been tested backup system.

From obsolete computers broken systems, there are many things to fix before Detroit functions effectively and efficiently.

"Hopefully could invent these things", said Craig, according to MLive. "You can detect a little frustration in my voice, but again to... accountability, status quo, has no sense of urgency".

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Matt Scherzer, Detroit Tigers Pitcher, Improves To 10-0 Start, Tigers Beat Baltimore Orioles 5-1

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DETROIT — Max Scherzer has shrugged off the significance of his undefeated start, saying records are fluky statistics for pitchers and that he's simply playing for a good team.

When the Detroit Tigers right-hander found out he is the first to accomplish a couple feats since Rogers Clemens and Pedro Martinez, though, it knocked Scherzer off his humble script.

"That tickles me when you say those type of names," he said.

Scherzer improved to 10-0 and struck out 10, Miguel Cabrera hit a two-run homer and Detroit beat the Baltimore Orioles 5-1 on Monday night.

He became the first pitcher to begin a season 10-0 – with all decisions coming in starts – since Clemens went 11-0 for Toronto in 1997, according to STATS. And Scherzer is the first to have at least six strikeouts in his first 14 starts in a season since Martinez did it in 2001 with Boston, STATS said.

"He's at the top of his game pretty much," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said.

Scherzer allowed one run and seven hits in six innings. Chris Davis hit his major league-leading 24th homer in the second, but struck out with the bases loaded in the fifth and the Orioles down by two runs.

"He was just coming after me," Davis said. "Of course, when you're throwing 96, 97, 98, that helps."

Jake Arrieta (1-2) allowed five hits on 10 hits in 4 2-3 innings, and was sent to Triple-A Norfolk after the game with a 7.23 ERA.

"Stuff has never been an issue with Jake, it's just command," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said.

With two on and none out in the fifth, Arrieta struck out Cabrera on a wild pitch that allowed two runners to get into scoring position. Victor Martinez hit a sacrifice fly and Jhonny Peralta's RBI single to give Detroit a four-run cushion in the fifth, chasing Arrieta.

Scherzer's start ended after finishing off the sixth inning with two strikeouts, giving him at least 10 in a game for the fifth time this year.

Scherzer lowered his ERA to 3.08 this season for the AL Central leaders. He is the second pitcher in Detroit history to start this strong since 1909, when George Mullin was 11-0 with one victory as a reliever, the Elias Sports Bureau said in information provided by the Tigers.

Drew Smyly followed with three hitless innings for his second save.

"We got (Scherzer's) pitch count up and got him out of there," Showalter said. "But Smyly is a good one, you can see why they're so high on him."

Detroit began the game leading baseball with an average of 5.72 runs per game at home and almost scored that much through five innings.

Austin Jackson led off with a single and scored on Cabrera's seemingly effortless swing, an opposite-field drive that cleared a high wall in right-center for his 19th homer to make it 2-0.

"I watched the replay on video a couple times and by his swing, you think it might be a fly ball to right field," Arrieta said. "But with the strength he has in his swing, a swing like that on that ball ends up in the seats."

NOTES: Detroit put RHP Anibal Sanchez (shoulder) and C Alex Avila (left forearm) on the 15-day DL and recalled OF Avisail Garcia and C Bryan Holaday from Triple-A Toledo to take their roster spots. The Tigers plan to call up LHP Jose Alvarez to start in place of Sanchez on Thursday at home against the Boston Red Sox. ... The Orioles are planning to start LHP Zach Britton in place of ailing RHP Jason Hammel on Tuesday night against Detroit and RHP Justin Verlander. ... Orioles Miguel Gonzalez left the team Monday to be with his wife, who is expecting their first child, but Showalter said the team might not put him on paternity leave.

Jet's Plans New Delivery To Detroit: Chicago-Style Pie | The Detroit News

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This October, Jet's Pizza will introduce Metro Detroit to something it may not have known it wanted: a Chicago-style pie.

Granted, the Sterling Heights-based chain is best known for what foodies call a Detroit pizza, a square pie with thick crust and crispy, cheesy corners.

Flickr photo by super-structure.

Read the whole story at Detroit News

Bill Schuette, Attorney General of Michigan, sides with retirees in Detroit bankruptcy fight

Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette says it will join the Detroit bankruptcy on behalf of pensioners case. Photo AP.

LANSING, Mich. - Michigan attorney says it will join the Detroit bankruptcy on behalf of pensioners case.

According to a statement released Saturday by his Office, Bill Schuette will present an apparition in federal bankruptcy court on Monday.

Pension benefits are constitutionally protected in the State, and Schuette says that it will work to defend to "Michigan Seniors living on fixed incomes and anticipating a secure retirement after a lifetime of work."

Manager of emergency Detroit Kevyn Orr led to Detroit for Chapter 9 bankruptcy earlier this month with the blessing of the Governor Rick Snyder. It is the largest bankruptcy by a local government in the history of United States.

The State of pensions for employees is expected to be a key issue in the bankruptcy. Orr said that it could reduce the Pension along with other debts.

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MLB Might Transform Tiger Stadium Into Youth Baseball Facility | The Detroit News

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Detroit -- Major League Baseball is considering the old Tiger Stadium as a site to build a state-of-the-art facility to provide baseball activities to youths.

But one high-level Detroit official says the "offer is a scam" that doesn't have the money to make it happen.

Read the whole story at Detroit News

Maurice Cheeks Hired By Detroit Pistons As New Coach

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DETROIT -- Maurice Cheeks is getting a third shot to be an NBA head coach.

The Detroit Pistons are desperately hoping he makes the most of the opportunity he was given Monday.

Cheeks was 284-286 in the regular season and 5-11 during three postseasons while leading the Portland Trail Blazers and Philadelphia 76ers, a team he helped win an NBA title as a point guard.

"After spending some time with Maurice, I was very impressed not only with his basketball knowledge but his communication and leadership skills," Pistons owner Tom Gores said in a statement. "We are very excited to have someone of his experience and talent help take this franchise into the future."

Detroit fired Lawrence Frank in April, a day after finishing 29-53. Frank was 54-94 in two seasons with the Pistons.

Cheeks becomes the franchise's fourth coach in six seasons – following Frank, John Kuester and Michael Curry – and ninth since the 1999-2000 season.

The once-proud Pistons are hoping Cheeks can help them snap a four-season postseason drought.

Since Detroit won an NBA title in 2004, it has slipped in the standings and with bodies in seats.

The Pistons made their sixth straight Eastern Conference finals appearance in 2008, had a first-round exit the following year against the LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers and have lost an average of 50-plus games the last four years.

After Flip Saunders was fired in 2008, Michael Curry lasted only one season as coach and John Kuester made it through two years, as did Frank.

Gores has stressed the importance of this offseason, which has the potential to push the Pistons in a positive direction.

Detroit is building around Andre Drummond, Greg Monroe and Brandon Knight. It plans to build around that nucleus of young talent with the No. 8 pick overall in the NBA draft this month and space under the salary cap that was created by trading away Ben Gordon last offseason and Tayshaun Prince during the regular season.

The Pistons are counting on Cheeks to provide stability after he was fired by two franchises following three-plus seasons.

Philadelphia let him go early in the 2008-09 season with a 9-14 record and Portland sent him away more than midway through the 2004-05 with a 22-33 record. He was 122-147 with the 76ers and 162-139 with the Trail Blazers over six full seasons and parts of two seasons.

The 56-year-old Cheeks spent the past four seasons as an Oklahoma City Thunder assistant coach. The Chicago native was a four-time All-Star over 15 seasons in the NBA, helping the Sixers win a championship in 1983. He started his post-playing career with the Quad City Thunder, helping the team win the CBA title in 1994, and later went on to be a Sixers assistant for John Lucas, Johnny Davis and Larry Brown – one of Detroit's many coaches in recent years.

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Follow Larry Lage on Twitter at http://www.Twitter.com/larrylage

Fake Ryan Gosling Prank From Mojo In The Morning Confuses Fans All Over Detroit (VIDEO, PHOTO)

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Ryan Gosling or a fake? Scores of excited fans had trouble telling the difference when the "Mojo in the Morning" radio show crew in Detroit pulled a pretty convincing prank with a lookalike.

"OMG, it's Ryan Gosling!"

Or so thought scores of dreamy-eyed fans who stumbled upon the scruffily handsome, blonde man followed by body guards and a video crew in Detroit Thursday.

Only problem: it was a fake. Ryan Gosling is in Detroit filming his directorial debut, "How to Catch a Monster." But the man who caused swooning, sighing and copious picture taking? That's just your average guy in Gosling's de facto uniform of a hoodie and sunglasses who happens to bear an uncanny resemblance to the Hollywood star.

So who is "Lyin' Ryan?" He's a local tax accountant named Doug ... but given the resemblance, we won't be surprised if he tries to make "Lyin' Ryan" the start to a new career as a body double in a sequel to "The Notebook."

While Doug says he's mistaken for Gosling every single day, he said he's never incited the pandemonium that happened during the "Lyin' Ryan" prank. People were FREAKING OUT:

To be fair, he had a pretty legit looking crew with him.

(Sorry ladies, Doug says he's engaged to a "very beautiful girl.")

Watch the Lyin' Gosling prank above from 95.5 FM's "Mojo in the Morning" show and check out even more photos of fooled fans losing their cool. And, be honest: Would you be fooled?

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Chicago Blackhawks Win Game 7: Brent Seabrook Overtime Goal Eliminates Detroit Red Wings (VIDEO/PHOTOS)

The Chicago Blackhawks' Brent Seabrook (7) celebratea his overtime goal to beat the Detroit Red Wings, 2-1, in Game 7 of the Western Conference semifinals at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, on Wednesday, May 29, 2013. (Scott Strazzante/Chicago Tribune/MCT via Getty Images)

CHICAGO -- Brent Seabrook sent a wrist shot past goalie Jimmy Howard's glove 3:35 into overtime to give the Chicago Blackhawks a 2-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings in Game 7 of their second-round playoff series on Wednesday night.

The Blackhawks, who had the best record in the NHL regular season, rallied from a 3-1 series deficit to reach the Western Conference finals against the defending Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings.

For just the second time in NHL history, the final four teams remaining in the playoffs are the four most recent Stanley Cup winners. Chicago captured the Cup in 2010.

Seabrook picked up a loose puck and skated in on Howard through the middle of the ice, with Detroit defenseman Niklas Kronwall in front of him. His shot hit Kronwall's leg before it sailed into the left side of the net for the defenseman's first goal of the postseason.

"I don't know if I saw it go in to be honest," Seabrook said. "I just heard the horn going and the boys jumping out. It was a pretty exhausting game, but I think I was more tired during the celebration with guys jumping and pushing me in the face and dragging me down.

"It's exciting. You don't get to do that too many times."

The sellout crowd of 22,103 roared as Seabrook skated over to the boards and was mobbed by his delirious teammates.

Howard put his arm around Kronwall, who was down on one knee, and tried to console him while the Blackhawks celebrated.

It was quite a change from the end of the third period, when the Blackhawks thought they had scored the go-ahead goal. But it was waved off with less than 2 minutes remaining by referee Stephen Walkom, who called a pair of penalties behind the play.

Patrick Sharp had given Chicago a 1-0 lead in the second period.

Henrik Zetterberg tied it in the third for No. 7 Detroit, which beat second-seeded Anaheim in seven games in the first round. Howard finished with 33 saves.

Red Wings forward Pavel Datsyuk was held without a point, closing out an ineffective series for the Russian star.

Chicago made it to the conference finals for the first time since it won the title three years ago and will host Los Angeles in Game 1 on Saturday night. The Kings advanced with a 2-1 victory over San Jose in Game 7 on Tuesday night.

Pittsburgh will host Boston in the opener of the Eastern finals on Saturday.

Chicago was one of the favorites to win the Stanley Cup when the playoffs began, storming to the Presidents' Trophy during the lockout-shortened season. The Blackhawks then boosted their credentials with a five-game win over Minnesota in the first round and a convincing 4-1 victory against the Red Wings in the series opener.

But Howard and Detroit responded with three straight victories, pushing Chicago to the edge of elimination. The frustrated Blackhawks held a team meeting the day after Game 4, where the seeds were planted for their improbable comeback.

They felt one win would turn it around, and they were right.

Three victories later – in which the Blackhawks outscored the Red Wings 10-5 after managing just two goals in Games 2-4 – they became the 25th team to win a series after trailing 3-1.

It was the first time in franchise history Chicago has made such a comeback.

Crawford finished with 26 saves, continuing his strong performance after allowing a soft goal that nearly proved costly in Game 6. He was especially tough after Detroit turned up the pressure early in the third.

The Blackhawks celebrated wildly when Niklas Hjalmarsson blasted a slap shot by Howard with 1:47 left in regulation, prompting cheers from the raucous crowd.

But Chicago forward Brandon Saad and Detroit defenseman Kyle Quincey got tangled up in front of the Red Wings bench. Walkom stopped play to give roughing penalties to both players as the Blackhawks went in for what appeared to be the go-ahead goal.

Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews had a long discussion with one of the officials while the cheers turned to boos as the crowd realized the goal was waved off. The Red Wings then rushed down the ice, and Johan Franzen's shot was blocked by defenseman Duncan Keith.

After a seesaw series with all sorts of twists and turns, Chicago and Detroit faced off one more time in a Western Conference playoff game.

The Red Wings will move to the East after this season as part of NHL realignment while the Blackhawks remain in the West.

Playing on soft ice due in part to The Rolling Stones concert on Tuesday night, the Original Six teams provided a fitting conclusion to a compelling series.

Each side made the safe play for most of the game, clearing the puck away if there was any danger and patiently waiting for the other team to make a mistake.

Crawford and Howard were there when anyone got open.

The Blackhawks got an opening at the start of the second period when Sharp got Kronwall to turn the puck over while the Red Wings changed lines.

Sharp then skated in with Michal Handzus and Marian Hossa and finished a pretty passing sequence with his seventh goal of the playoffs at 1:08.

Detroit and Chicago each killed off a power play in the period while they jockeyed for control, and the Red Wings finally got even at the beginning of the third.

Gustav Nyquist made a nice move to get open along the boards and found a streaking Zetterberg on the left side for the captain's first goal since the Red Wings' 3-2 victory at Anaheim in Game 7 of the first round.

The Red Wings looked ready to duplicate the Blackhawks' three-goal flurry in the final period of Game 6, dominating the action after tying it up. But Crawford stood tall, turning away every Detroit rush.

"To go all the way, you need a lot of luck," Detroit forward Daniel Cleary said. "You need to be healthy to win. The last five teams that won Cups were still alive. There's probably a reason for that. They're a good team. I mean, tip your hat to them. They played well."

NOTES: Detroit C Valtteri Filppula didn't return after leaving in the first period with an undisclosed lower body injury. ... It was the third Game 7 between the Red Wings and Blackhawks. Detroit won 4-2 in 1964, and Chicago returned the favor by the same score a year later. ... White Sox 1B Paul Konerko won his matchup with Cubs RHP Jeff Samardzija in shoot the puck after the second period. Former Bulls star Scottie Pippen and Chicago Bears cornerback Charles Tillman both received warm ovations when they were shown on the video board. ... Chicago went 4-0 against Detroit during the regular season.

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Jay Cohen can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/jcohenap

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