2008 in Michigan

Top stories

• Auto bailout. As a result of the 2008 financial crisis, the Great Recession, and substantial increases in the price of gasoline, Detroit's Big Three automakers saw substantial declines in their sales, particularly of sports utility vehicles and pickup trucks. In September 2008, the Big Three asked for $50 billion to pay for health care expenses and avoid bankruptcy and ensuing layoffs, and Congress approved a $25 billion loan. By December, President Bush agreed to an emergency bailout of $17.4 billion to be distributed by the next administration in January and February.
• Kwame Kilpatrick. On September 4, following months of controversy, Detroit mayor Kwame Kilpatrick announced his resignation as mayor, effective September 18, and pleaded guilty to two felony counts of obstruction of justice. In a separate assault case, he pleaded no contest to one felony count of assaulting and obstructing a police officer in exchange for a second assault charge being dropped. The plea deal also required his resignation as mayor. Kilpatrick was sentenced on October 28, 2008, to 120 days in jail. Detroit City Council President Kenneth Cockrel, Jr. replaced Kilpatrick as mayor on September 19.
• Democratic election victories. Democratic candidates achieved significant victories in the November 6 elections, including Barack Obama receiving 57% of the votes in the 2008 [United States presidential election in Michigan|presidential election]; Carl Levin's reelection to the U.S. Senate with 62.66% of the votes; Democratic candidates, Gary Peters and Mark Schauer, 2008 [United States House of Representatives elections in Michigan|flipping U.S. House seats] previously held by Republicans; and Democrats flipping 10 seats in the 2008 [Michigan House of Representatives election|Michigan House of Representatives election].
• 2008 Michigan Proposal 1. Also on November 6, Michigan voters approved a ballot initiative allowing the medical use of marijuana for seriously ill patients. The initiative passed by a margin of 3,006,820 votes to 1,790,889.
• Film industry in Michigan. The Michigan Film and Digital Media Incentive was signed into law on April 7, 2008, by Governor Jennifer M. Granholm. The program offered nationally competitive film incentives that coincided with the automotive industry crisis. Projects drawn to Michigan included Gran Torino, Motor City Motors, Hung, Conviction, and Kill the Irishman.

• The Detroit Red Wings season|Detroit Red Wings] compiled a 54–21–7 record and won the Stanley Cup as NHL champion for the fourth time in eleven years.
• The 2008 [Detroit Lions season|Detroit Lions] went 0–16, the first team in NFL history to reach 16 losses in a season.
• The Detroit Pistons season|Detroit Pistons] compiled a 59–23 record and lost to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals.
• The Detroit Shock season|Detroit Shock] won the WNBA Finals.
• The 2008 PGA Championship was held at Oakland Hills in Bloomfield Hills. Pádraig Harrington won the championship.

Office holders

State office holders

• Governor of Michigan - Jennifer Granholm
• Lieutenant Governor of Michigan: John D. Cherry
• Michigan Attorney General - Mike Cox
• Michigan Secretary of State - Terri Lynn Land
• Speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives: Andy Dillon
• Majority Leader of the Michigan Senate: Mike Bishop
• Chief Justice, Michigan Supreme Court: Clifford Taylor

  Federal office holders

• U.S. Senator from Michigan - Carl Levin
• U.S. Senator from Michigan - Debbie Stabenow
• House District 1: Bart Stupak
• House District 2: Pete Hoekstra
• House District 3: Vern Ehlers
• House District 4: Dave Camp
• House District 5: Dale Kildee
• House District 6: Fred Upton
• House District 7: Tim Walberg
• House District 8: Mike Rogers
• House District 9: Joe Knollenberg
• House District 10: Candice Miller
• House District 11: Thaddeus McCotter
• House District 12: Sander Levin
• House District 13: Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick
• House District 14: John Conyers
• House District 15: John Dingell

  Mayors of major cities

• Mayor of Detroit: - Kwame Kilpatrick / [Kenneth Cockrel, Jr.]
• Mayor of Grand Rapids: - George Heartwell
• Mayor of Ann Arbor: John Hieftje
• Mayor of Lansing: Virgil Bernero
• Mayor of Flint: Don Williamson
• Mayor of Saginaw: Joyce J. Seals

  Sports

Baseball

• 2008 [Detroit Tigers season] - In their third year under manager Jim Leyland, the Tigers compiled a 74–88 record. Miguel Cabrera led the team with 37 home runs and 127 RBIs, while Magglio Ordóñez led in batting average at.317. Armando Galarraga led the pitching staff with a 13–7 record. Justin Verlander led the team with 161 strikeouts.

  American football

• 2008 Detroit Lions season - In their third and final season under head coach Rod Marinelli, the Lions compiled a 0–16 record, the first team in NFL history to reach 16 losses in a season. General manager Matt Millen was fired in the fourth week of the season. The team's statistical leaders included quarterback Dan Orlovsky, Kevin Smith, and Calvin Johnson.
• 2008 [Michigan State Spartans football team] - In their second season under head coach Mark Dantonio, the Spartans compiled a 9–4 record and lost to Georgia in the Capital One Bowl. The team's statistical leaders included Brian Hoyer, Javon Ringer, and Mark Dell.
• 2008 Michigan Wolverines football team - In their first season under head coach Rich Rodriguez, the Wolverines compiled a 3–9 record and tied with Indiana for last place in the Big Ten. The team's statistical leaders included Steven Threet, Brandon Minor, and Martavious Odoms.

  Basketball

• 2007–08 Detroit Pistons season - Led by head coach Flip Saunders, the Pistons compiled a 59–23 record and lost to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals. The team's statistical leaders included Chauncey Billups and Antonio McDyess.
• 2008 Detroit Shock season - Led by coach Bill Laimbeer, the Shock compiled a 22–12 and won the WNBA Finals. The team's statistical leaders included Deanna Nolan and Cheryl Ford.
• 2007–08 [Michigan State Spartans men's basketball team] - In their 13th season under head coach Tom Izzo, the Spartans compiled a 27–9 record. The team's statistical leaders included Raymar Morgan, Travis Walton, and Goran Suton.
• 2007–08 [Michigan Wolverines men's basketball team] - In their first season under head coach John Beilein, the Wolverines compiled a 10–22 record. The team's statistical leaders included Manny Harris, DeShawn Sims, and Kelvin Grady.

  Ice hockey

• 2007–08 Detroit Red Wings season - In their third season under head coach Mike Babcock, the Red Wings compiled a 54–21–7 record and won the Stanley Cup as NHL champion for the fourth time in eleven years. The team's statistical leaders included Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg. Chris Osgood and Dominik Hašek each won 27 games.

  Other

• 2008 PGA Championship
• 2008 3M Performance 400
• 2008 LifeLock 400

  Chronology of events

January

• January 28 - Kwame Kipatrick's chief of staff Christine Beatty resigned after the release of thousands of text messages showing she was having an affair with Kilpatrick.

  February

March

• March 24 - Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy announced an indictment against Kwame Kilpatrick and his former chief of staff, including charges of perjury, misconduct in office, and obstruction of justice.

  April

May

• May 16 - The Detroit Free Press reported that 29 of Kwame Kilpatrick's closest friends and family had been put on the city payroll.

  June

July

• July 3 - The first Rothbury Music Festival was held in Rothbury, Michigan. The festival war later renamed Electric Forest.
• July 24 - Kwame Kilpatrik assaulted a Wayne County sheriff's deputy who was trying to serve a subpoena at the home of Kipatrick's sister.
• July 25 - WXYZ TV reported that Kwame Kilpatrick and others used their positions to help an influential minister who had been arrested for soliciting a prostitute.

  August

• August 7 - Kwame Kipatrick was jailed for a day after violating the terms of his bail by traveling to Windsor, Ontario, to meet with that city's mayor.

  September

• September 4 - Kwame Kilpatrick announced his resignation as mayor and pleaded guilty to two counts of obstruction of justice and no contest to assaulting a deputy.
• September 19 - Detroit City Council President Kenneth Cockrel, Jr. replaced Kilpatrick as mayor at 12:01 a.m.

  October

November

• November 8: election day in Michigan

  December

Births

Deaths

• January 17 - John McHale, Detroit Tigers player and baseball executive, at age 86
• February 8 - Paul Kromer, one of U-M's "Touchdown Twins" in 1938 with Tom Harmon, at age 90
• February 23 - Douglas Fraser, president of the UAW, at age 91
• March 5 - John C. Mackie, US Congress, at age 87
• March 22 - Robert J. McIntosh, attorney, pilot and politician, at age 85
• April 25 - Sonny Grandelius, Michigan State halfback, head coach Colorado, Detroit Wheels general manager, at age 79
• April 25 - George Puscas, Detroit Free Press sports writer, at age 81
• May 24 - Dick Martin, comedian and director, native of Battle Creek, at age 86
• July 9 - Don Eaddy, three-sport athlete at Michigan, at age 74
• July 22 - Vincent Mroz, Michigan and Michigan State football player, Secret Service agent stopped the 1950 attempted assassination of Harry S. Truman by Puerto Rican nationalists, at age 86
• August 23 - Thomas Huckle Weller, Nobel Prize winning urologist, at age 93
• September 19 - Ned Harkness, Detroit Red Wings head coach, GM, at age 89
• September 23 - Wally Hilgenberg, Detroit Lions, at age 66
• September 30 - Ed Brinkman, Detroit shortstop, at age 66
• October 15 - Tom Tresh, baseball player from Detroit, at age 70
• October 17 - Levi Stubbs, lead vocalist of the Four Tops, at age 72
• October 31 - Leroy Bolden, Michigan State halfback, at age 76
• November 26 - Julius Franks, the first African-American All-American at U-M, at age 86
• November 30 - Pit Martin, Detroit Red Wings center, at age 64