DETROIT (WWJ) – With Hurricane Sandy headed for the East Coast, there are a number of uncertainties in regards to the storm’s impact at the pump … both out east and here at home.

Senior Petroleum Analyst Patrick DeHaan with GasBuddy.com said Michigan is sourced from a number of different areas like Detroit, Toledo, and Chicago, so Michigan may not feel the pinch at the pump like other areas in the county.

“The biggest story is how long these refineries remain off-line,” DeHaan said. “That could have a longer term impact on prices in the Northeast. But here in the Great Lakes, if gas prices go up it’s not really going to have much to do with Hurricane Sandy at all.”

“The Northeast isn’t really a significant refining hub … a few of them are closing but by no means are all of them closing,” said DeHaan. “The other news, to mitigate the drop in supply from those refineries shutting down, it’s going to be a massive drop in demand, what we call demand destruction.”

As for gas prices here in the Metro Detroit area, DeHaan says there should be no impact from the hurricane conditions out east given the state is supplied by refinery operations well out of the reach of “Sandy”.

DeHaan says if all goes relatively well over the next 24-to-48 hours, any disruptions in gasoline supply along the Atlantic seaboard may actually be offset by the area-wide shutdowns of business leading up to the storm curtailing demand for fuel.

http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2012/10/29/hurricane-sandy-may-not-have-a-big-impact-at-michigan-pumps/

While Detroit and other urban centers in Michigan are targets of national and local criticism for financial instability, there are not enough positive discussions devoted to developing real solutions.

That’s what one public policy group aims to fix with a long-term national initiative to educate citizens on the economic benefit of free market policies.

Saturday marked the launch of the Fredrick Douglass Society’s (FDS) Urban Economic Solutions initiative with a 6-hour conference at the Wayne County Community College downtown campus.

Notable speakers at the conference included Stacey Swimp, President of the Fredrick Douglas Society, Rev. CL Bryant, political activist and public speaker, Hansen Clarke, U.S. Congressman (D-13), Clarke Durant, Co-founder and former CEO of Cornerstone schools, Tim Bos, founding organizer of the Michigan Freedom To Work Coalition, and James Muffet, President of Citizens for Traditional Values.

Swimp said a major goal of the FDS is to offer a better life to people in cities like Detroit through policies that open a free market for businesses competition, including right-to-work legislation and school choice.

“When people share solutions it’s always something that seems to be centralized on government,” Swimp said. “We promote a full repeal of the Davis-Bacon Act and the State prevailing wage. These have genesis in Jim Crow laws. Most people don’t know that.”

Swimp said his policy group aims to ban union-only project labor agreements because they stall economic growth and screen out small, minority-owned businesses that are not unionized.

Through its Urban Economic Solutions initiative, the FDS plans to educate, inform and empower people on these policies through localized workshops, seminars and town hall meetings asking citizens to look for less help from the government and offer up with new, independent ideas.  The initiative is funded through private companies and fundraisers, he said.

Swimp said his passion to empower people to demand a free market system is a personal goal. As a Detroit native and a product of the inner city, he overcame great hardship before he set higher expectations for himself. “We can’t pull up the ladder behind ourselves,” he said.

Throughout the conference, speakers brought ideas and solutions on how to revitalize Detroit and other Michigan cities going through financial hardship.

The keynote speaker at the conference was Rev. CL Bryant, a political activist and public speaker who is leading a national movement to empower people through free market solutions and Christian values.

His advice to Detroiters was to collaborate with trustworthy people and set up collective investment groups to help rebuild the city.

“What has happened is we have become so suspicious of each other that we can’t work together,” Bryant told the audience. “Bring men of good report together and say, ‘let us reason together’”.

Bryant compared government aid programs such as food stamps and Section 8 housing to modern-day slavery.

“In order to run away, the salve had to say to the master, ‘I don’t want your food, I don’t want your housing. The spirit of the runaway slave is the same spirit of those who came here on the Mayflower. Whether your relatives came here on the mayflower or came here in chains on a slave ship, they risked their lives for liberty.”

Bryant said he is part of a group of 20 men who pledge to bring $3,000 to a meeting every three months. “Through the power to work together we have bought apartment complexes and put people to work revitalizing them and used them to house the elderly,” he said. “If you don’t have $3,000, bring $300. It adds up.”

His message to Detroiters is to be honest with themselves about the poor quality of life in the city and then work with purpose for a change. “If Detroit is honest about sloth and misuse of funds Detroit can begin to clean up and revitalize a once magnificent city,” Bryant said.

Bryant urged Detroiters who have lived in the city all of their life to spend time somewhere more economically prosperous and “smell something fresh” in order to come back and recognize the “odor” they have lived with in Detroit for so long. Only then, he said, will people be dissatisfied enough to act.

Other speakers offered varying solutions. Muffet spoke to the importance of Christian family values and said collective ownership is not the answer. “When everyone is responsible, no one is responsible,” he said. “What belongs to you, you take care of.”

Muffet slammed the government welfare programs for funding single-parent homes. “If you reward people for having children out of wedlock, you condone horrific unintended consequences,” he said. Muffet laid out drastic statistics showing children from two-parent homes have less likelihood to fall to violence and poverty.

In another speech, Congressman Clarke promoted his Ban the Box legislation proposal, which would make it illegal for a company to require a job applicant to disclose their criminal history before the interview process. Clarke touted the legislation as an economic boon citing statistics that one in four Michiganders have a criminal record that prevents them from getting a fair chance at employment. 

“I want everybody to get a second change because it’s one of the most politically effective ways we can stimulate our economy,” Clarke said. “ For returning citizens, if we give them the opportunity to work, to demonstrate their ability, they’re going to be gainfully employed, they’re going to buy more things, employers are going to have to hire more people to be able to sell those products and services.”

Tim Bos, of the Freedom to Work Coalition, said a large part of Detroit’s and Michigan’s economic resurgence could come form Right To Work laws that would make unions compete with non-unionized labor to better serve the public, especially in Detroit where public education has failed children, he said.

“It’s unfortunate because unions have not fulfilled their purpose to protect the rights of children. There are teachers who are worth their weight in gold but there are some flat out lousy teachers and the unions do a great job of protecting them as well,” Bos said. “We don’t want to bust unions. I love unions because their goal is to go to work for their members. But I don’t want to be forced to hire someone if I don’t feel I need them. It all boils down to freedom.”

Another notable speaker was Clark Durant. As co-founder of Cornerstone Schools, a successful group of Detroit charters, Durant spoke to how school choice, limited government standards and competition improve the quality of education.

Durant said Detroit’s revitalization would have to come from the bottom up, not from the top down. “It’s something the people have to want and work for,” Durant said.

He said three things have to happen in Detroit before it sees real economic turnaround. First, public safety needs to improve for people to feel safe in the city. Second, Detroit needs to remove economic barriers that discourage businesses from locating in Detroit. These barriers include high city taxes, costly business operation permits that often take months to acquire, and high insurance rates.

Thirdly, he said Detroiters must take ownership of the land in order to maximize resident’s abilities. “We need a Homestead Act in Detroit,” he said, referring to federal legislation enacted in 1862 that allowed Americans to become owners of undeveloped government land if they showed they could improve and develop the space. “We need to unleash human capital.”

Saturday’s conference was sparsely attended, drawing in approximately 15 attendees throughout the day.

“People don’t get excited about new ideas sometimes. It takes time,” said Swimp. “We’re in it for the long haul.”

HAMTRAMCK, Mich. (WWJ) – A Hamtramck firefighter was injured overnight as crews battled flames at two burning homes.

The fires broke out overnight at neighboring houses on Lumpkin, near I-75 and Holbrook. Fire officials say the first fire broke out in a vacant house, then spread to the other house — a multi-family unit.

The injured firefighter suffered smoke inhalation and was treated at the hospital and released. However, he won’t be returning to work right away.

No one else was injured. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2012/10/29/hamtramck-firefighter-injured-fighting-two-housefires/

DETROIT (WWJ) – Tigers fans are dealing with their disappointment Monday morning after their team is swept out of the World Series.

Some fans leaving Comerica Park were downright mad! “They can’t hit,” said one fan. “Choke under pressure.”

Scott Young has been a Tigers fan since 1984 and he stayed at the ballpark with his son until the final out.

“It’s a little devastating, I bought my almost two-year-old son to his first World Series game and when I bought the tickets for the game, the fourth game sounded like it was going to be great and it turns out not to be,” Young said.

“I’m always hoping for next year,” lamented one man as he left the park. “That’s the story of the Tiger fan.”

http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2012/10/29/tiger-fans-deal-with-the-disappointing-loss/

(Photo Credit: WWJ Photo: Ron Dewey)

ROMULUS, Mich. (WWJ) – Transit systems in New York and Washington are shut down, airlines are grounded and many East Coast workers have been told to stay home ahead of Hurricane Sandy’s arrival.

Sandy is expected to merge with two other systems creating the potential for havoc over 800 miles from the East Coast to the Great Lakes. New York City could face an 11-foot tidal surge.

WWJ’s Ron Dewey reports from Metro Airport that a number of flights to the northeast have been scrapped. On Delta’s board at the McNamara Terminal, Dewey says there are 23 outbound flights that have been canceled; nine inbound were also scratched — all from the New England area — basically an area east of Pittsburgh and north of Raleigh.

Louis Deguirre and Amy Wilborn were among the travelers at Metro Airport who found themselves making alternate plans.

The couple was heading to Norfolk, Virginia — one of the areas scratched off Delta’s board.

“So we got stuck over here last night in Detroit,” Degare said. Their Plan B?
“To go to Raleigh-Durham and then drive to Norfolk.”

Once there, they say they have to be concerned about whether there would be a rental car available to complete the final leg of their longer-than-expected journey.

If you have a flight out of Metro today, you’re advised to double check with your air carrier before heading to the airport to make sure that you’ll be able to catch your flight on time.
 

http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2012/10/29/flights-canceled-due-to-hurricane-sandy/

In Detroit last week, Lions players were declaring the game against the Seahawks a must-win. So it’s a good thing they won.

But as usual for the Lions, they didn’t make it look easy, starting slowly and needing a fourth-quarter comeback to win 28-24. This was a win that saved the Lions’ season, improving their record to 3-4 and allowing them to cling to playoff hopes. The Seahawks fall to 4-4, and their own playoff hopes have taken a hit.

The best news for the Lions is that after losing receiver Nate Burleson for the season to a broken leg, the two young receivers Detroit needs to step up — Titus Young and Ryan Broyles — both stepped up. Young led the way with nine catches for 100 yards and two touchdowns, including the game winner with 20 seconds to play. Broyles had three catches for 37 yards and scored the Lions’ first touchdown.

For Seattle, a good start on offense fizzled: Marshawn Lynch had a 77-yard touchdown run on the first play of the second quarter, but Seattle surprisingly gave him just 12 carries, and he finished with 105 yards on a day when it looked like he’d gain a lot more than that. And Russell Wilson had some good moments, completing 24 of 34 passes for 217 yards and two touchdowns, but he also had a costly late interception.

Seattle’s chances of getting to the NFC playoffs are probably still better than Detroit’s. But on this day, the Lions were the ones who gave their hopes of making the postseason a boost.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/10/28/lions-come-back-save-season-by-beating-seahawks/

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The beauty of being a president and a candidate is that when a monster storm stalks up the East Coast you can run over to the Federal Emergency Management Agency and be seen as a president on the job.

Which also works if you are reapplying.

"It's so important for us to respond big and respond fast as local information starts coming in," President Barack Obama said at FEMA.

The president canceled his campaign trips Monday and Tuesday to the swing states of Florida and Colorado, far beyond the reach of Hurricane Sandy. His people say the president needs to stay home and monitor things, which one Republican found interesting.

"You notice that he's canceling his trips over the hurricane. He didn't cancel his trips over Benghazi," former GOP presidential candidate and ex-House Speaker Newt Gingrich said on ABC's "This Week."

Both the president and Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney canceled appearances in the weather-threatened swing state of Virginia so as not to chew up resources and otherwise get in the way of storm preparations.

But suppose they held an election and the electricity was out. Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell is supposing.

"The state board of elections is already planning for extended hours in advance for absentee voting, and it's now a priority, moved up to the same level as hospitals and police stations to have power restored," McDonnell said on "State of the Union."

And what about states where the polls are already open to one degree or another? Maryland has already canceled early voting Monday.

What these storm-driven timeouts will mean for the election stumps even master politicos:

"Obviously we want unfettered access to the polls because we believe that the more people come out, the better we're going to do, and so to the extent that it makes it harder, you know, that's a source of concern," Obama senior adviser David Axelrod told me. "But I don't know how all the politics will sort out."

That brings us to the Romney-Ryan ticket: They are not in power, can't really do much, but still have to pay attention.

"I know that right now some people in the country are a little nervous about a storm about to hit the coast," Romney said. "And our thoughts and prayers are with the people who will find themselves in harm's way."

Just the forecast of a potential disaster can make politics look small. So far, the Romney campaign has stopped fund-raising e-mails into affected states, made a campaign bus available for relief efforts, started taking up collections in campaign offices and put up a blog with weather-related advice.

And the itinerary may change.

Optics are tricky, said one top Republican who added the schedule may change depending on what the storm does. A disaster somewhere would make campaigning anywhere difficult.

Mixing politics and weather is to double-down on the unknown.

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(CNN) -- Don't mess with San Francisco when it comes to the World Series.

For the second time in three years, the Giants claimed Major League Baseball's top prize.

Completing their sweep of the Tigers took extra innings, but the Giants prevailed 4-3 Sunday night.

"It's amazing what they accomplished," San Francisco skipper Bruce Bochy said after the 10-inning win. "I think when you look at this club ... They set aside their own agenda and asked what's best for the club."

San Francisco struggled mightily to get to the championship set.

Down 2-0 in the divisional series, the Giants took three straight to advance. Then trailing defending champs St. Louis three games to one in the National League series, San Francisco won the next three games from the Cardinals to punch their ticket to the World Series.

Detroit came into the series seemingly with the upper hand. They had plenty of rest and were riding high after a 4-0 sweep of the New York Yankees in the American League Championship Series.

Giants ace Matt Cain said he couldn't have imagined a sweep.

"With that Tigers lineup and what they've done already in the postseason, I definitely thought it was going to be down to the wire," Cain said. "It just so happened that we got kind of hot, and scored some right runs at the right time, and ended up pulling off some close games."

A party is waiting for the Giants when the return home.

San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee announced on his official Twitter page that the city will coat the streets in black and orange during a ticker tape parade at 11 a.m. PT (2 p.m. ET) Wednesday.

Some Bay Area residents got an early start on the revelry, starting a handful of bonfires late Sunday. Firefighters, backed by police, moved from fire to fire to douse the flames. It was not immediately known if authorities made arrests.

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™ & © 2012 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.

The NHL made it official on Friday and did what had been expected for several days now.

The league canceled the entire schedule for the month of number, bringing the total number of games missed in the NHL lockout to 326.

This also eliminates any hope of the league playing a full 82-game schedule during the 2012-13 season. According to the league the deadline for salvaging the full season was Thursday, and that deadline passed without any new talks. The NHLPA attempted to meet with the league on Wednesday but was turned away because in the NHL’s view there was nothing to talk about at that point.

This latest round of cancelations does not include the Jan. 1 Winter Classic in Ann Arbor, Michigan, or the NHL All-Star game on Jan. 27 in Columbus, Ohio, but those games appear to be hanging by a thread. Deputy commissioner Bill Daly did however refute a report that the cancelation could come as early as Monday.

http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2012/10/26/nhl-cancels-regular-season-schedule-through-november/

DETROIT (CBS Detroit) As the Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau urges downtown business owners to “light up” the city for the World Series, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network is going beyond the call of duty.

They’re turning on a nine-story Olde English D at their headquarters building on Lafayette Avenue near I-375 in downtown Detroit. The lighting display is visible at dusk.

But it’s not just a tribute, it’s an energy efficient tribute.

The “D” has upgraded lighting fixtures from traditional incandescent bulbs to new LED technology. The new fixtures reduce energy consumption from 600 watts per fixture down to 25 watts per fixture. The “D” is composed of 39 total fixtures, all made in Michigan.

According to Michael Schneider, facilities manager for the Blues, the new LED lights also serve as a cost savings. “In the past, we had to stockeach different color light bulb, and this year, we’ve installed a cost-effective way to show the nation we’re proud of the D,” Schneider said. “The new technology allows the LED lighting to change colors through a programmed remote control, saving time while reducing cost.”

The Blue Cross headquarters is known to downtown workers and helicopter pilots for its light displays. For more than 30 years, the building has had a huge holiday tree in green lights in November and December. The building also has displayed a red heart in February to support National Heart Month.

The classic Olde English D will remain into November, when it will be replaced with the all holiday tree display. The 2012 holiday tree will feature updated LED lights, with the ability to be programmed to flash and fade from each color, allowing the tree to actually twinkle.

Tigers fans traveling southbound on I-375 might have already seen another tribute to the team. A billboard along Jefferson Avenue at the foot of I-375 has featured an Olde English D and two words: We Believe. The billboard was installed Oct. 5 before the division playoffs.

http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2012/10/26/blue-cross-will-light-up-olde-english-d-for-world-series/