NEWS The Michigan Daily - Monday, February 20, 2006 - 3A ON CAMPUS Prof to lecture on essay about connection to past David Caron, a professor in the department of Romance Languages and Literatures, will be presenting a lecture today in the Osterman Com- mon Room of the Rackham Building today from noon to 1 p.m. His essay argues that connectedness with a strange and elusive past may serve as a basis for community in the pres- ent. Admission is free. Impact of tech on youth culture to be subject of speech The second of three talks in the "Digital Life: Virtuality and Pervasive Computing Environments" series will be held today from 4 to 5:30 p.m. For today's talk, Mizuko Ito, a scientist at the University of Southern California, will be speaking on the use of portable devices, including cell phones, on urban youth culture in Japan. Undergrad scribes to read at Shapiro Undergraduate writers will present some of their work at the Shapiro Under- graduate Library tonight from 8:30 to 9:15 p.m. Free coffee will be served. CRIME NOTES Man punched in face in attempted tool theft A man was punched in the face yester- day at the Student Activities Building after another man attempted to steal his tools. No medical assistance was necessary. Tripper injured, rushed to UMER A woman tripped and injured herself on the steps of Yost Ice Arena yesterday. Huron Valley Ambulance transported her to the emergency room. . THIS DAY In Daily History Former prof confirmed as prominent judge Feb. 20, 1980 - University Law School Prof. Harry Edwards was confirmed to the position of judge ffor the Federal District Court of Appeals in the District of Colum- bia. The U.S. Senate confirmed his appointment Wednesday. Edwards will assume the post on March 1. Edwards said he was excited about the appointment. "I'm happy the confirmation pro- cedure is over. It seemed like it took forever," he said. Edwards first joined the Law School faculty in, 1970. President Carter nominated him for the post in December. While Edwards, at 39, will be one of the youngest jurists sitting on a U.S. Appeals Court, he said he is not anxious. "It's an interesting challenge," Edwards said, "no matter what age ... the quality of performance is what counts." Next Wednesday, Edwards takes the oath of office in Washington. Edwards graduated from Cornell University in 1962, and received a law degree from the University in 1965. He taught at Harvard Law School and the Free University of Brussels in Belgium. He also served as chair- man of the board of Amtrak, the National Railroad Passenger Corpo- ration. The D.C. court is commonly con- sidered one of the more important courts in the country. Detroit Zoo might close City Council delivers likely death blow to zoo by denying proposed agreement DETROIT (AP) - City Council has rejected a proposed agreement to transfer daily operations of the Detroit Zoo to the Detroit Zoological Society, a move the mayor's office says means the zoo could close. The 7-2 vote came Saturday night following two days of City Council discussions, the mayor's office said in a statement. The plan was part of an effort by Mayor Kwame Kilpat- rick to narrow a municipal budget deficit. Kilpatrick spokesman James Can- ning said yesterday that the zoo likely will close, though it wouldn't happen immediately. Zoo spokeswoman Patricia Mills said the zoo hadn't received official word from Detroit about what the vote means for the facility. But she said it was up to the city to decide what would happen. Under the agreement, Detroit would have maintained ownership of the zoo, which is located in the suburb of Royal Oak. The mayors office said the deal would have saved the city about $5 million each fiscal year. Power blinks off' in state Thousands remain without power after storm; one death reported (AP) - Crews worked yesterday to restore power to about 17,000 Consumers Energy customers still without electrical service following a storm last week, and at least one death was reported. The body of Dan Hall, 58, was found Saturday morning in the basement of his homein Kent County's Grattan Township, near Grand Rapids, authori- ties said. He apparently was overcome by carbon monoxide from a generator, The Grand Rapids Press reported. His wife, Penny was found uncon- scious but breathing in a first-floor bedroom of the home, the newspaper reported. She was taken to Spectrum Health Butterworth Campus in Grand Rapids for treatment. The hospital said yesterday that her family requested no information be released about her. Ed McNamara dies at age 79 Detroit-area political power broker mentored many of state's top officials DETROIT (AP) - Former Wayne County Executive Edward McNamara, a throwback to the political power brokers of an earlier day and mentor to leading state Democrats including the governor, has died. He was 79. McNamara died early yesterday of heart fail- ure at Harper Hospital, said family spokesman Tim Johnson. "We will miss his kindness, his compas- sion and his wit," McNamara's family said in a statement. "We celebrate his life and his many accomplishments and contributions that he made to Wayne County and the entire region. "He was a great builder of infrastructure and he also believed in investing in people." As chief executive of Michigan's most popu- lous county from 1987-2002, McNamara oversaw a work force of more than 5,000 people and an annual budget of nearly $2 billion. He was mayor of Livonia from 1970-86. He devoted much of his energy to improv- ing Detroit Metropolitan Airport. A $1.6 bil- lion makeover had as its centerpiece the lavish, spacious terminal designed by its main tenant, Northwest Airlines, and formally called the Edward H. McNamara Terminal at Northwest World GateWay. McNamara, a Democrat, also mentored mem- bers of the party in the state, including Jenni- fer Granholm, the one-time county corporation counsel who went on to become state attorney general and now is governor; former Wayne County Prosecutor Mike Duggan, now CEO of the Detroit Medical Center; and former U.S. Attorney Saul Green. "To those of us who had the privilege of working for him, he gave a sense of possibility, toughness and duty to serve others," Granholm said in a statement. McNamara's organization also played a signifi- cant role in Kwame Kilpatrick's election as mayor of Detroit in 2001. "Politicians of today, from me to Governor Gra- nholm, have taken a page out of the McNamara political play book from time to time, and his influence on Michigan politics is etched in stone," Kilpatrick said. McNamara eliminated the $135 million deficit he faced upon taking office, restored the county's bond rating on Wall Street to investment grade and started construction on a new juvenile detention facility in Detroit. McNamara also helped negotiate deals for new baseball and football stadiums in downtown Detroit and launched an environmental initiative to clean and preserve the Rouge River and other waterways. Following his death, Democrats weren't alone in sharing memories of McNamara. L. Brooks Patter- son, a Republican and county executive for Oakland County, which borders Wayne County, said: "I loved Ed McNamara. We never let politics get in the way of our friendship. He was truly a mentor to me." In McNamara's honor, flags were to be flown at half-staff on the Wayne County building in down- town Detroit, said current Wayne County Execu- tive Robert Ficano. "Mr. McNamara spearheaded economic devel- opment investments that continue to expand and grow the region and the state," Ficano said. "His legacy is far reaching and leaves an unsurpassed imprint on Wayne County and the state of Mich- igan." McNamara's 40 years in politics, however, ended under a cloud of suspicion. FBI agents and state police raided his office in November 2002, seeking evidence for a fed- eral grand jury investigating alleged corruption in airport contracts and campaign fundraising by his administration. McNamara was never charged. McNamara said he learned Dec. 31,2002 - his last day in office as county executive - that he had been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer of the infection- fighting lymphatic system. He received experimental radiation treatments followed by chemotherapy. Bush to stop at Auburn plant President to highlight alternative energy efforts during stop at Energy Conversion Devices DETROIT (AP) - The thin solar energy panels being made across the street from the home of the Detroit Pistons are a booming part of Energy Conversion Devices Inc.'s alternative energy business. The company's United Solar Ovonic plant in Auburn Hills will get a visit from President Bush today as part of his two-day, three- state trip to discuss a package of energy initiatives highlighted in last month's State of the Union address. Bush's top Cabinet officials also plan to crisscross the country this week to tout the initiatives. "We're investing in technologies like solar and wind power and clean coal to power our homes and busi- nesses. We're also investing in new car technologies like plug-in hybrid cars and in alternative fuels for automo- biles like ethanol and biodiesel," Bush said Saturday in his weekly radio address. In his 2007 budget proposal for motive industry, companies like Energy Conversion Devices have worked to bring innovation inside and outside of the carmaking busi- ness. "They're really a prime example in the state of what can happen when you do utilize the manufac- turing talent and the R&D and engi- neering talent," said James Croce, chief executive of NextEnergy, a nonprofit that was founded to bol- ster the state's alternative energy technology industry. "It shows that we're a high-tech region and not just a high-tech auto region," Croce added. The solar panel plant is about 30 miles north of Detroit in the same city that is home to DaimlerChrys- ler AG's Chrysler Group. Today's visit isn't the first time United Solar Ovonic - also known as Uni-Solar - has drawn the atten- tion of the Bush administration. "Companies like Uni-Solar are showing how we can harness sci- ence and technology in innovative ways to become global leaders in a new and growing industry," Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman said at a July groundbreaking for an expan- sion that will double Uni-Solar's production capacity. last week that it planned a further increase in capacity to 300 mega- watts by 2010. Unlike conventional solar panels that use heavy, stiff glass, the sheets made at the plant are thin, light and pliable. They can be used to replace nor- mal roof shingles and generate elec- tric power from the sun. In addition to alternative energy, Rochester Hills-based Energy Con- version Devices also is working on information technology applica- tions. "Transforming our energy supply will demand creativity and deter- mination, and America has these qualities in abundance," Bush said Saturday. "Our nation will continue to lead the world in innovation and technology." The visit is Bush's fourth to the state since the 2004 election. Early last year, Bush presented his second-term plans for the economy and Social Security during a speech to the Detroit Economic Club and advocated asbestos lawsuit reform in a visit to Macomb County's Clin- ton Township. In May, he gave the commence- ment speech at Calvin College in Grand Rapids.