Detroit Free Press News

Detroit Coast Guard members are participating in a Southeast Michigan Area Maritime Security Committee multi-agency table-top exercise Wednesday at the Detroit Fire Department Regional Training Center. The purpose of this exercise is to test plans and policies of federal, provincial, state and local area agencies in response to a transportation security incident. In accordance with the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program, a table-top exercise is a discussion based exercise. There will not be any resources deployed directly as a result of this exercise. More than 150 participants from 50 agencies are expected to participate in the exercise.

As many as seven tugboats finally freed a huge coal barge stuck aground for days near , the U.S. Coast Guard said, as reported by UPI The 780-ft. vessel McKee Sons was reportedly carrying nearly 12,000 tons of coal and was stuck about 100 yards offshore in a channel south of , the Detroit Free Press reported. Coast Guard spokesman Lt. Justin Westmiller said there were 17 people on board, including the captain. They enjoyed a Christmas dinner aboard the barge.  (Source: UPI)