Detroit Free Press from Detroit, Michigan • 1

'MlWA U.S. doubted state, city would be able to pay operating costs By Matt Helms, Paul Egan and John Gallagher Free Press Staff Writers The ambitious plan for a light-rail line on Woodward Avenue between downtown Detroit and 8 Mile has been scrapped in favor of a system of high-speed city and suburban buses, several officials briefed on the decision told the Free Press on Tuesday. U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray La-Hood told Detroit Mayor Dave Bing that doubts that Detroit could -v, 1 pay operating costs over the long term for the light-rail line because of its and the state's financial problems swayed him against the plan. The decision came despite earlier public support that included LaHood's 2010 visit to Detroit to award a $25-million grant to get the project moving.

LaHood, President Ba-rack Obama's top transportation official, met last week with Bing and Snyder, and the sides agreed that the bet i Til 1 Detroit Mayor Dave Bing said the city would be better served by buses. PATRICIA BECKDETROIT FREE PRESS In Detroit, volunteers look for any sign of the child. BIANCA JONES Detroit police seek warrant in disappearance of 2-year-old METRO, 3A TEAMWORK Keep peace as grandparents care for kids LIFE, 1D mm mmmr Vi A -A ter option is a system of rapid-transit buses operating in dedicated lanes on routes from downtown to and through the suburbs along Gratiot, Woodward and Michigan avenues and along M-S9, the of icials said. The death of the light-rail plan, first reported on freep.com Tuesday evening, brings an end to about four years of intensive effort by the city, private developers and nonprofit groups to create what was widely viewed as the most promising attempt in decades for a light-rail system to Detroit. Bing's office wouldn't release details of See TRANSIT, PAGE 6A AFTERNOON THUNDERSTORMS Gusts to approach 20 m.p.h.

FORECAST, 2A Small Mich, firms say state is shutting them out of $40M contract By Paul Egan Free Press Lansing Bureau LANSING The State of Michigan tossed out bids for a $40-million office supply contract this year because the state's top purchasing official quit during the bidding to lobby for the company fighting to keep the contract. But rebidding hasn't quelled the controversy. The state is now on its third try to award the contract, and two Michigan-based suppliers said they've been unfairly shut out because of an unnecessary new bidding requirement. "They shaped the requirements to shake us out," said Bradley Lott, a retired Marine Corps major general who is president of True North Global Office Solutions, one of the original bidders. "I'm offended by that." Lott said his first bid offered lower-priced printer toner, but the state rejected it in favor of a pricier toner made by the printer manufacturer.

In the latest round of bidding, the state reversed itself and said that it's OK with the cheaper toner but added a requirement that any bidder have retail outlets all around Michigan. Officials deny allegations that they tailored the contract for OfficeMax, which held the contract, or for the other two national giants, Office Depot and Staples. A trade group, the National Office Products Alliance, wants an investigation by Gov. Rick Snyder and the Legislature. I BIG CHAINS BENEFIT IN RULE CHANGE.

2A INDEX Bridge 4D Business 1C Comics 2D Corrections 2A Deaths 9A Editorials Horoscope Life ID Lottery 2A Metro 3A Movies 3D Puzzles Sports 1B CONTACT US Delivery questions: 800-395-3300 News tip hotline: 313 222 6600 Classified; 586-977-7500; 800 926-8237 Vol. 181, Number 2011 Detroit free Ptns Printed In the U.S. Editorial MUSLIM TV SHOW IS WORTH WATCHING "All-American Muslim" is worth watching if only to help us learn and understand and make decisions for ourselves. 2A IlllIIIIIll 6" 40788 11 11000 5 $1.00 The price of appeasing bigots Wittingly or not, Lowe's has aligned itself with an ugly strain of intolerance, 10A LETTERS TO THE EDITOR. 10-11A.