MITCH ALBOM

Marinelli decision obvious, but Ford fumbles bigger call

There is a time when firing the coach is enough. This is not that time. There is a case where promoting from within works. This is not that case. There is a team where modest changes can bring a winning season. This is not that team.

• Mitch Albom's homepage

ROCHELLE RILEY

War on violence needs troops

The staff and supporters of Ford High School in Detroit are to be commended for their increased efforts to reduce violence at the school, site of the first killing at a Michigan school in eight years.

FREE PRESS CARTOONIST MIKE THOMPSON

Auto sales slump

Move over GM, Ford and Chrysler, here comes Toyota.

SUSAN TOMPOR

Tax credits, tips for filing season

Douglas Shulman, the IRS commissioner, said today that the IRS wants taxpayers who are facing financial difficulties to understand all the available tax credits, as well as some additional breaks for those facing extreme hardships.

TOM WALSH

Car czar should be named now

This may sound pushy, or even panicky, but President-elect Barack Obama needs to name a car czar immediately to clear the air about the terms and conditions of federal aid to our quasi-nationalized automobile industry.

BILL MCGRAW

Ritzy yacht club offers coupons

"Complimentary dockage" seems like an unusual come-on in a mass-mailed flyer. But then you see who is making the offer: the venerable Grosse Pointe Yacht Club. The Grosse Pointe Yacht Club?

MICHAEL ROSENBERG

Tighten that belt! Erk! Not that tight!

Leading economists believe that, with a well-designed stimulus package, things should get better by the spring of 2027.

DREW SHARP

Millen hides behind camera

Millen will turn his Detroit experiences into a joke. He’ll smile through his misery knowing that he already has collected $38 million for those 31 wins and is still owed $12 million from William Clay Ford Sr. for the final 2 1/2 years on that five-year contract extension. Laugh, clown, laugh.

FREE PRESS CARTOONIST MIKE THOMPSON

Is change possible?

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict

STEPHEN HENDERSON

Next Detroit mayor should try doing more in a lot less space

We need someone who's willing to do some shattering of his or her own, particularly when it comes to the size, structure and reach of city government.

DREW SHARP

Big Ten's play not worthy of BCS

Is it possible to place the Big Ten on double-secret BCS probation?

MARK PHELAN

Plenty of uncertainty ahead for automakers

You can't solve an equation with this many unknowns, but you can figure out where the unknowns are. With that in mind, here are some of the big questions the new year will bring.

• More columns

MIKE THOMPSON'S BLOG

Auto sales slump

HELENE ST. JAMES' BLOG

Chelios, Lebda will be in lineup tonight vs. Columbus

Update from the Red Wings' morning skate Tuesday: Mike Babcock said Chris Chelios and Brett Lebda will play tonight against the Blue Jackets.

RON DZWONKOWSKI

Safe and secure:are we?

Are we truly safer?

MATT HELMS

Driven crazy by roadway madness

In a perfect world, these behaviors wouldn’t happen. But they do, much to my daily driving dismay.

MIKE WENDLAND

Low-key CES, Macworld trade shows reflect economic tough times

The tech industry's two big winter gatherings open this week amid signs the recession and diminished demand for new gadgets are resulting in much lower-key affairs with fewer attendees and less glitz and glamor.

FREE PRESS EDITORIAL BOARD

Michigan's next best hope?

Perhaps Michigan's talk about becoming the epicenter of renewable energy is more than wishful thinking.

MARK SNYDER'S BLOG

John Beilein won't stress one game over another

Michigan coach John Beilein has spent his career living in the moment, focusing on the game at hand. And, despite the importance of Sunday’s win over Illinois and not starting 0-2 in the Big Ten, it was a philosophy he tries to preach to his team.

NICHOLE CHRISTIAN

Doesn't the U.S. Senate have bigger battles?

The writers of Saturday Night Live would have a hard time topping the comedy set to take place in the U.S. Senate this week between Majority Leader Harry Reid and Roland Burris.

JEFF GERRITT

Paying by the mile -- another way to go?

Gov. Jennifer Granholm has ruled out a gas tax increase for 2009, even though a state transportation task force has recommended double the spending on Michigan’s transportation system to $7 billion.

MIKE WENDLAND

Scams hit Facebook, Twitter

There are new scams multiplying fast on the popular Twitter and Facebook social networking sites. The scams have slightly different messages but are aimed at stealing your login information.

NICHOLAS J. COTSONIKA'S BLOG

Report: Scot Loeffler to become Florida QB coach

Scot Loeffler is expected to be named Florida’s new quarterbacks coach, the Gainesville Sun reports today.

• More blogs