Vanguard Health to buy Detroit Medical Center

The Detroit Medical Center is expected to announce today it will be acquired by a private Nashville-based health system that is to invest $850 million in improvements, The Detroit News has learned.The nonprofit DMC, with nine general and specialty hospitals in Metro Detroit, will be acquired by Vanguard Health Systems, which has 15 hospitals in four states, several sources said. - 03/19/2010

• Vanguard, DMC release further sale details

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• Web site: Vanguard and DMC announce partnership

China tells Washington to cool yuan pressure

Beijing -- China is sending a Cabinet official to Washington in a bid to defuse trade tensions, the government said Friday, as it called on U.S. leaders to cool the "politicization and emotionalization" of a currency dispute. - 03/19/2010

Nintendo aims to get consoles in schools

Could Nintendo's Mario be swapping power blocks for the chalkboard? The man behind the massively popular videogame franchise and the best-selling Wii console says he's devoting most of his energy to turning Nintendo's DS handheld consoles into tour guides and educational aids. - 03/19/2010

Obama signs jobs bill, says more needed

Washington -- President Barack Obama on Thursday signed into law a package of tax breaks and spending designed to give the nation a jobs boost by encouraging the private sector to start hiring again. - 03/19/2010

Business briefs

The Canadian postal service, Canada Post , has selected Ford Motor Co. 's Transit Connect compact van to replace its aging light vehicle fleet. The Dearborn automaker said Thursday that Canada Post has placed an initial order of 1,175 of the Turkish-made commercial vans after concluding that they best met its modernization requirements. - 03/19/2010

House OKs Pure Michigan money, but hurdles remain

Lansing -- The Michigan House has passed legislation that would add a $2.50 daily charge on vehicles rented at airports to help pay for a tourism advertising campaign. - 03/18/2010

One-year anniversary

Henry Ford's newest hospital meeting targets

Despite opening in a deepening recession, Henry Ford Health System's West Bloomfield hospital met many of its performance targets and exceeded hiring expectations. - 03/18/2010

Study: Mich. last in economic performance

Michigan's struggling economy pushed the state to last in the country for economic performance, according to an annual study released Wednesday by a statewide business group. - 03/18/2010

Small business spotlight

Vanity phone numbers ring up sales

As a relatively new business owner, Torya Blanchard wanted her crepe restaurant to look très professional. So she got hooked up with a cool, custom toll-free telephone number. Customers of Detroit-based Good Girls Go to Paris can call (877) PARIS-CREPES to order one of Blanchard's sweet or savory dishes. - 03/18/2010

Deal closer on area 'aerotropolis'

Wayne County and Oakland County executives Robert Ficano and L. Brooks Patterson have reached an agreement in principle and are close to finalizing state legislative language for an "aerotropolis," or airport city area, to be developed near Detroit Metro and Willow Run airports. - 03/18/2010

Business Insider: Quicken's Gilbert may be privy to inside info

Ilitch-watchers got a new reason for near-groundless speculation about the future of Joe Louis Arena, development of Ilitch Holdings' downtown properties and a possible bid for the Pistons basketball team during a Detroit Economic Club luncheon last week. - 03/18/2010

State farm industry touts its $71B impact

Lansing -- Michigan farmers are widely recognized for the high quality fruits, vegetables, meats and other foods they produce, but they're not often acknowledged for their economic contributions to the state. - 03/18/2010

Wind project developer has $4B plan

Muskegon -- A wind project developer has floated a $4 billion plan that includes offshore wind farms in Lake Michigan and luring a wind turbine manufacturer to western Michigan. - 03/18/2010

Use of temps no longer sign of hiring

It's not the signal it used to be. When employers hire temporary staff after a recession, it's long been seen as a sign they'll soon hire permanent workers. Not these days. - 03/18/2010

Hack-proof personal info this tax season

Whether you're filing your tax return electronically, downloading forms or e-mailing your accountant, identity thieves are ready to pounce on any Social Security numbers, addresses and bank account numbers you may unknowingly divulge. - 03/18/2010

Some Michigan cities bet casinos would boost economy

Jobs are hard to come by in Benton Harbor, a recession-ravaged town of 10,800 on the Lake Michigan shoreline. The city has lost more than 15 percent of its population in the last two decades. The local government's budget situation is so bad the state might appoint an emergency financial manager. - 03/18/2010

Business briefs

Shares of Ford Motor Co. surged to a five-year high of $14.10 per share Wednesday, up 4.5 percent, after a ratings agency upgraded the automaker's debt and said Ford has the potential to improve its finances even further. - 03/18/2010