News roundup: Tuesday, August 31st

Court Rejects Tea Party

The Michigan Court of Appeals ruled yesterday that a political organization calling itself The Tea Party cannot appear on the November ballot. As Rick Pluta reports, "Republicans and many Tea Party activists say this is a fake tea party trying to siphon votes from conservative candidates in competitive races." The Court said the Tea Party did not comply with state election laws. The case will most likely be appealed to the state Supreme Court.

Suspicious Luggage Sparks Airline Questions

Officials say two men on a flight from Chicago to Amsterdam have been questioned by authorities after suspicious items were found in luggage belonging to one of the men. The suspicious items included a cell phone taped to a Pepto Bismol bottle, a knife, and a box-cutter. The luggage belonged to Ahmed Mohamed Nasser al Soofi. It's reported that Soofi has a Michigan address although it's still unknown where either of the two men are from.

Enbridge Energy May Ask to Restart Ruptured Pipeline

The ruptured pipeline that spilled hundreds of thousands of gallons of oil into the Kalamazoo River last month underwent a pressure test yesterday. Enbridge Energy, the company that owns the pipeline, pumped water into the line to see if it could withstand the pressure. Depending on the test results, Enbridge could soon ask to restart pumping oil through the line.