The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
Monday, February 14, 2011- 3A
The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom Monday, February 14, 2011 - 3A
NEWS BRIEFS
LANSING, Mich.
Man accused of
killing 7 year old
taken into custody
Lansing police say they've
arrested one of three men sus-
pected of breaking into a house
and killing a 7-year-old girl.
Police tell the Lansing State
Journal that 31-year-old Deontai
Jordan of Lansing was arraigned
Saturday on charges of murder,
home invasion, attempted armed
robbery and having a firearm
during a felony.
Capt. Ray Hall says police con-
tinue searching for two men ages
23 and 24 in the case.
The three are suspects in the
death of Amaia Edmond. She
died in July 2010 after being shot
in the head at her mother and
stepfather's home.
Authorities say the robbers
targeted the home and were
acquainted with at least one per-
son there.
YOU NGSTOWNOhio
Student killed in
fraternity shooting
honored in service
Mourners remembered a stu-
dent killed during a shooting
near an Ohio college campus as
a peacemaker and a role model.
The Vindicator in Youngstown
reports an estimated 1,800 peo-
ple attended a memorial ser-
vice Saturday for 25-year-old
Youngstown State University
senior Jamail Johnson. He was
killed last weekend in a shooting
at a fraternity house party that
left 11 injured.
Johnson studied business
administration, tutored stu-
dents, worked at a Foot Locker
store and was an usher at his
church and a member of the
Omega Psi Phi fraternity.
YSU President Cynthia Ander-
son said Johnson's bachelor's
degree will be conferred posthu-
mously during spring commence-
ment.
TOLUCA, Mexico
Seven killed, one
injured in Mexican
drug gang shootout
A state security official says a
street shootout possibly between
* local drug gangs has killed seven
people and injured one in subur-
ban Mexico City.
Mexico state security agen-
cy spokesman Edgar Sanchez
says the shooting occurred just
after midnight Saturday in the
northern part of Mexico state
that borders Mexico City. He
said yesterday that the dead, six
men and one woman, all suffered
gunshot wounds, and none have
yet to be claimed by family.
State Attorney General
spokesman Alfredo Albiter said
an investigation it under way
on the cause of the killings, but
he wouldn't discount a dispute
between local street dealers.
* BOGOTA, Colombia
Colombian hostage
released, two more
remain in captivity
The International Red Cross
says Colombian rebels have
released a fourth captive, a
30-year-old police officer held
since December.
A Red Cross spokeswoman said
a humanitarian mission led by
former Sen. Piedad Cordoba was
unable to receive two others that
the Revolutionary Armed Forc-
es of Colombia was to have also
freed. She didn't explain why.
Bad weather had delayed the
departure morning of the Brazil-
ian helicopters involved.
President Juan Manuel Santos
on Saturday criticized what he
termed the "media show" sur-
rounding the FARC rebels' piece-
* meal liberations, which began last
Wednesday.
He called them a "farse"
because the FARC continues to
kidnap people and won't cease
hostilities.
-Compiled from
Daily wire reports
Obama to send 2012
budget to Congress
Budget includes
$1.1 trillion in
deficit reduction
WASHINGTON (AP) -
President Barack Obama will
send Congress today a $3 tril-
lion-plus budget for 2012 that
promises $1.1 trillion in deficit
reduction over the next decade
by freezing many domestic pro-
grams for five years, trimming
military spending and limiting
tax deductions for the wealthy.
Jacob Lew, the president's
budget director, said yester-
day that the new spending plan
for the 2012 would disprove
the notion that "we can do this
painlessly ... we are going to
make tough choices."
Republicans rejected that
appraisal, castigating Obama for
proposals that will boost spend-
ing in such areas as education,
public works and research, and
charging that Obama's cuts are
not deep enough.
They vowed to push ahead
with their own plans to trim
$61 billion in spending from the
seven months left in the current
budget year and then squeeze
Obama's 2012 budget plan for
billions of dollars in additional
savings in response to voters
alarmed at an unprecedented
flood of red ink.
"He's going to present a bud-
get tomorrow that will continue
to destroy jobs by spending too
much, borrowing too much and
taxingtoo much," House Speak-
er John Boehner said on NBC's
"Meet the Press." Boehner
released a statement from 150
economists calling on Obama to
take immediate action to reduce
government spending.
Lew, appearing on CNN's
"State of the Union," rejected
criticism that the $1.1 trillion
deficit-cutting goal fell far short
of the $4 trillion in deficit cuts
outlined by the president's
own deficit commission in a
plan unveiled last December.
That proposal would attack the
biggest causes of the deficits
- spending on the benefit pro-
grams Medicare, Medicaid and
Social Security - and defense
spending.
Obama's budget avoided the
painful choices put forward by
the commission on benefit pro-
grams. Lew said it would be a
mistake to say the report did
not have an impact on the presi-
dent's proposals.
He cited a proposal to pay
for keeping doctors' payments
under Medicare from being cut
sharply. Instead of borrowing
the money to prevent those cuts,
the administration was putting
forward $62 billion in savings
in other areas to prevent those
cuts over the next two years,
Lew said.
Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) and President Barack Obama arriving in Gwinn, Mich. on Thursday Feb.10, 2011.
er election losses, Michigan
Democrats call for change in 2012
Brewer re-elected
as chair of state
party at convention
DETROIT (AP) - After big
losses in the November elections,
Michigan Democratic leaders
pledged to charge - not retreat
- ahead of the 2012 elections as
they rallied activists Saturday
during the party's convention in
Detroit.
The state party's longtime
chairman, Mark Brewer, was
re-elected to his post, but not
before some party activists made
their dissatisfaction clear. Some
blamed Brewer for failing to stop
the Republican takeover of Mich-
igan's top statewide offices, the
state House and the Michigan
Supreme. The GOP also picked
up two more congressional seats
last November.
Detroit television producer
and Democratic activist Ron
Scott said earlier this week
he'd run for the chairmanship,
but decided against paying the
$1,000 fee to be put on the bal-
lot. Still, chants of "Run, Ron,
run?" broke out after Brewer was
nominated for his ninth two-year
term.
Brewer acknowledged the
anger, saying he planned to make
changes.
"I have heard your concerns,
and we are going to change, I
am going to change, in order to
address them," he told the rough-
ly 1,500 people who attended the
convention at the-Cobo Center. "I
can't change the Michigan Dem-
ocratic party by myself. I need
your help."
Brewer, 55, from Clinton
Township, thanked those who
entrusted him with revitalizing
the party before the 2012 elec-
tion, when Michigan Sen. Debbie
Stabenow will be up for re-elec-
tion.
"Our comeback in 2012 starts
now," he said.
Stabenow said the election
will be a tough year but Demo-
crats won't "allow those who use
hate and fear to win."
"It doesn't work if only the
wealthy and well-connected
do well in America," the sena-
tor said. "I'm not giving up until
everyone who wants and needs a
job has one."
U.S. Rep. Dale Kildee told the
crowd that the huge tax cuts
being called for by congressio-
nal Republicans and tea party
activists amounted. to "political
immorality," noting they'll slash
Head Start and programs for the
poor.
The congressman from Flint
said the "political Neanderthals"
needed to be sent "back to their
caves."
Stabenow's counterpart, U.S.
Sen. Carl Levin, listed a litany
of what he said were Democrat-
ic successes over the past two
years, including passing health
care legislation and helping save
the American auto industry.
United Auto Workers Presi-
dent Bob King said Republicans
want to undermine unions' right
to collect dues from all members
and wipe out prevailing wage
laws. In order to win next year,
"we have to demonstrate to the
voters again that the party of the
middle class...is the Democratic
Party," King said. "The Repub-
licans are trying to give more to
the wealthy and take away from
the working'people."
First Lady: Laughter key
to healthy relationships
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taki
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entine'
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fun toy
ama: 'we don't private and personal. But we
keep each other smiling and
e ourselves0too that's good," she added.
It also helps that Obama is
seriously' "very romantic."
"He remembers dates, birth-
SHINGTON (AP) - days," Mrs. Obama said last
Michelle Obama's week on "Live! With Regis
for couples this Val- and Kelly. "He doesn't forget
s Day: laugh with your a thing, even when I think he
r. is.. I'll have a little attitude. I
says it's what she and give him a little attitude, but he
ent Barack Obama do, always comes through."
seems to be working. "Got to keep the romance
marriage, although test- alive, even in the White
oughout the years by his House," she said.
al ambitions - for the As for Valentine's Day today,
s Senate, the U.S. Senate the first lady said her husband
ter president - is going would do right by giving her
ears. jewelry.
hink a lot of laughing," "You can't go wrong," she
st lady said Tuesday at said.
e House luncheon with But Mrs. Obama also said
ers who asked about the they don't fuss too much over
s' union. "I think in our the day that's about celebrat-
we don't take ourselves ing love and affection between
riously, and laughter is couples.
st form of unity, I think, Last year, the Obamas spent
rriage. Valentine's Day at the Camp
we still find ways to have David presidential retreat in
gether, and a lot of it is Maryland.
U-M Computer Showcase0
Michigan Union.- Pierpont Commons
http://showcase.itcs.umich.edu .-www.apple.com/education
U--,O U
Thle Board for Student Publications
seeks New Members
The University of Michigan Board for Student
Publications is recruiting new members for
three year terms beginning in April.
The Board is responsible for three publications: The
Michigan Daily, the Michiganensian yearbook,
and the Gargoyle.
Because the Board is committed to realizing diversity's
benefits for itself and for the publications it oversees,
the Board is particularly interested in recruiting
members of the University community (faculty, staff
and students) or the general public who are members
of underrepresented groups and who have experience
and expertise in journalism, law, finance or fund
raising.
All interested persons are encouraged to apply.
For more information and application forms, please
contact Mark Bealafeld, Student Publications
General Manager at (734) 418-4115 extension 1246 or
mbealafe@umich.edu.
The deadline for applications is
Monday, February 14th.