The Monroe Evening News

Only five Consumers Energy customers in the south Monroe area remained without power this morning from high winds that had knocked out electricity to more than 3,000 homes and businesses Wednesday. Full Story »

— Courtesy photo U.S. Fleet Forces Command Fleet Master Chief Tom Howard greets Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Ashley Leslie while in an Afghan airport. While talking, the two discovered they both were from Newport. Full Story »

Funding for four major road improvement projects in Monroe County has vanished from the state’s long-range transportation plan. The Michigan Department of Transportation says hundreds of road and bridge projects scheduled to be done between 2010 and 2014 across the state have been delayed. Full Story »

The Monroe County Fair had another exceptional year financially in 2009 despite a horrible local economy and zero state aid. Full Story »

— Evening News photo by BRYAN BOSCH Todd Mitchell of Dovetail Solar & Wind (left) and subcontractor Mark Reutter check some of the wiring as they install solar panels on the roof of Bill Decker’s horse barn on Erie Rd. in Temperance. Full Story »

Howdy Holmes, the oldest of five children, is happy to be a fourth-generation owner of Chelsea Milling Co., producer of 23 Jiffy mix products and the market-share leader in the retail prepared baking mix business. Full Story »

Police are close to completing a months-long investigation into allegations that a former Airport Community Schools employee stole as much as $75,000 from the district and two Boy Scout troops. Full Story »

Monroe County is taking steps to make lower-cost federally subsidized financing available for certain commercial, industrial and governmental projects. Full Story »

Nearly 2,900 homes and businesses in the Monroe County region were still without power this morning due mostly to high winds as bitter cold and snow squalls continued today. Full Story »

— Evening News photo by KIM BRENT Ignazio Cuccia holds the door for Sara Waldecker as they carry out donations of baby items that members of the Kiwanis Club gathered at their meeting Wednesday for a “world’s largest baby shower” to benefit Heartbeat of Monroe. Full Story »

Strong winds this afternoon are creating scattered power outages across Monroe County. A high-wind advisory remains in effect until 4 a.m. Thursday across much of southeastern Michigan. Full Story »

The northbound lane of US-23 was closed earlier today due to a car accident. According to the Monroe County Sheriff's office, a car crash took place just north of the Ohio-Michigan state line. Full Story »

Robert “Hot Dog” Fleming, age 74, of Monroe formerly of Newport, passed away in his home December 7, 2009 of Arteriosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease. Robert was born August 16, 1935 in Detroit, Michigan to George and Helen (Eder) Fleming. Full Story »

— Courtesy photo Sen. Randy Richardville (left) speaks with Keenan Wetzel. High school student Keenan Wetzel is against the concealed pistol bill that would allow some students the legal right to possess handguns on college campuses in Michigan. Full Story »

Margaret M. (Maggie) Dusseau, the first female supervisor for Erie Township, known for being an innovative, hard-working public servant and for her creativity, banjo playing and humor, died Tuesday morning at home after a two-year battle with cancer. Full Story »

It was clear at Tuesday's Monroe County Board of Commissioners meeting that the board believes Royce Maniko is the person to lead the county. The panel voted unanimously to hire Mr. Maniko as the county administrator/chief financial officer for one year and pay him $105,000 for the duty. Full Story »

The Monroe County Board of Commissioners Tuesday unanimously adopted a tentative — and balanced — 2010 budget, but not without the complete understanding that the document will be amended as early as January. Full Story »

DTE Energy said Tuesday it will start work early next year on a $600 million project to further cut pollution from its Monroe Power Plant, creating about 600 jobs over the next few years. Full Story »

OTTAWA LAKE — The Whiteford Township Board tonight will consider asking taxpayers to approve a five-year, 1-mill levy to help pay for a township hall. Full Story »

The Monroe City Council Monday agreed to donate nearly one acre of land for a playground near the Greenwood Townhouse complex on Greenwood Ave. Full Story »

Monroe’s trial downtown parking pass program has the unanimous support of the Monroe City Council. The matter has been discussed for years but was approved without discussion Monday night as part of the council’s consent agenda. Full Story »

Various emergency vehicles and other unusual activity might be observed near DTE Energy’s Fermi 2 nuclear plant Wednesday as utility officials and community agencies test their abilities to respond to an unauthorized intrusion onto the plant’s grounds. Full Story »

— Photo courtesy of Monroe Police Department A chain-reaction crash on Telegraph Rd. heavily damaged the front end of a Dodge Durango Monday. Full Story »

IDA – Officials believe the Christmas in Ida Parade of Lights drew a record crowd Saturday night with an estimated 35,000 people arriving to view the 120 shimmering entries. Full Story »

Former "American Idol" winner Ruben Studdard will headline a benefit called "A Cure for Cancer Concert." Hosted by Soul Lyfe Entertainment, the event will be held at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 12 at River Raisin Centre for the Arts, 114 S. Monroe St. Full Story »