Veterans protest foreign oil dependence

Berkley -- A small group of veterans gathered at a VFW Hall in Berkley on Sunday to protest U.S. dependence on foreign oil, arguing Americans are actually funding both sides of the war on terror.

"Right now, we're sending $1 billion a day overseas for oil, and Saudi Arabia is the largest contributor to the Taliban, al-Qaida" and other terrorist groups, said Aaron Bailey, a West Point graduate and veteran of the war in Afghanistan, who grew up in Pontiac and now lives in Royal Oak.

The protest was part of a 21-state bus tour sponsored by Operation Free, a coalition of veteran and national security groups, to raise public awareness about national security threats posed by climate change and the importance of building a clean-energy economy not dependent on fossil fuels. The group is urging Americans to press their senators to pass a bill called the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act that would limit carbon emissions and create clean energy jobs.

Panel to decide if attorney faces perjury

Detroit -- Briefs are due today to the state Attorney Discipline Board panel considering whether attorney Michael Stefani should face new perjury charges as a result of testimony in which he may have denied giving former Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick's revealing text messages to a newspaper reporter.

Stefani revealed to the panel earlier this month that he was the secret source of the damaging text messages the Free Press published when he testified before the panel considering charges of misconduct against him.

He is accused of violating a judge's orders that any messages obtained from the city's text message provider should first be reviewed by the judge.

Energy, water bill to send $88.6M to Mich.

Michigan is expected to receive $88.6 million in the 2010 Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act.

The Senate and House passed conference reports for the funding bill, and it now goes to the president for his signature.

The legislation includes $12 million for research and development, conceptual design and engineering for the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams to be built at Michigan State University. The U.S. Department of Energy plans call forconstruction to begin in 2013.

The funding for Michigan also includes more than $24 million for energy research and advanced technology development as well as more than $64 million in water infrastructure projects.

Detroit News and wire reports