Biden expected in Detroit at Dem fundraiser

Washington — Vice President Joe Biden is expected to visit Detroit next month to headline the annual Jefferson-Jackson dinner at Cobo Center.

Biden will attend the annual fundraising dinner for the Michigan Democratic Party on April 20, a person briefed on the matter said.

Liz Allen, a spokeswoman for Biden, said she couldn't confirm the trip, Biden's first to Michigan since winning re-election.

Biden visited Detroit three times during the campaign last year, including speaking at the Labor Day rally. He visited Michigan 10 times during his first term.

Michigan offering 200 child care scholarships

Two hundred low-income infants and toddlers in Michigan can qualify for a new scholarship program to offset the cost of child care.

The "Early Start" scholarship program is being announced today in East Lansing. A family of four must make between $28,400 and $41,000 a year to qualify.

A family can receive 40 percent of the annual cost of child care and early education for one child, up to a maximum $2,880 a year. The program is for children 2 and younger.

For an application, go to www.womenscaringprogram.org.

U-M announces $50M gift to health system

Ann Arbor — Samuel and Jean Frankel's foundation made an anonymous gift of $25 million in 2007 to support the Cardiovascular Center at the University of Michigan.

This year, the former U-M students' foundation gave another $25 million to the Cardiovascular Center, making the late couple among the most generous philanthropists to advance health care at U-M.

On Thursday, the U-M board of regents approved designating the center the Samuel and Jean Frankel Cardiovascular Center after the 2007 donors were named publicly for the first time.

"If there was a Stanley Cup in philanthropy, I would present it to you," Regent Denise Ilitch said.

The first gift helped with a new way of diagnosing patients with cardiovascular disease through a model of patient- and family-centered care in clinical care, research and education.

The second gift came after the university met goals agreed upon by leaders of the university and the donors. Areas measured included patient satisfaction, joint departmental appointments and clinical results.

$100K verdict over home demolition thrown out

The Michigan Supreme Court has thrown out a $100,000 verdict for a woman whose home had to be demolished after the basement was mistakenly filled with heating oil.

In a 4-0 decision Thursday, the court said Beckie Price of DeWitt can't be awarded money for mental anguish for the destruction of property. The court said there's no precedent for it.

In 2007, a deliveryman mistakenly pumped about 400 gallons of heating oil into a pipe that was no longer attached to a tank in Price's basement in Clinton County. Price got about $260,000 from insurance companies.

Staff and wire reports