HIRE AND DESTROYED WORK.

Mafia groups in the United States first became influential in the New York City area, gradually progressing from small neighborhood operations to citywide and eventually international organizations. The mafia started with the "The Black Hand", extorting Italians (and other immigrants) around New York city. Black Hand gangsters would threaten them by mail if their extortion demands were not met. They might "decorate" the threats with a hand covered in black ink at the bottom of the page. As more Sicilian gangsters immigrated to the U.S., they expanded their criminal activities from extortion to loan-sharking, prostitution, drugs and alcohol, robbery, kidnapping, and murder

A Muslim leader from Ohio who was convicted of lying about his ties to a group the State Department labeled as terrorist has been deported to his native Palestinian territories, immigration authorities in Detroit said today.
Fawaz Damra, 46, served as imam at Ohio's largest mosque, the Islamic Center of Cleveland in Parma.

CHICAGO -- The Pistons endured a harrowing 90-minute plane ride from Oklahoma City to Chicago Thursday night. Storm conditions caused the plane to fly through turbulent air, with violent dips in altitude, for most of the trip.
"It was the worst flight of my life," coach Flip Saunders said.
Had the players and coaches not been wearing seat belts, the dips would have tossed them up out of their seats. Of course, not everybody hated the ride.
"Rasheed," said Saunders, shaking his head.
Wallace was throwing up his hands as if he was on an amusement park ride, hollering, "Do it again, do it again."

Bankrupt Collins & Aikman to close five factories; cut 1,100 jobs

Bankrupt auto-parts maker Collins & Aikman Corp. said it will close five factories and cut more than 1,100 jobs as it liquidates assets.
Plants in Americus, Georgia; Dover and Farmington, New Hampshire; and Scarborough and Gananoque, Ontario; will be shut by March 28, spokesman David Youngman said today.
The Southfield-based auto-interiors and acoustic-products maker is closing facilities it deems unlikely to be sold as it liquidates assets and returns money to secured creditors. Collins & Aikman last month abandoned its initial plan to leave court protection as a standalone company.
Youngman wouldn't say whether Collins & Aikman expects to shut additional plants. The company may file federal notices about more possible closings, while continuing "to pursue the sale of the operations," Youngman said.
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New mayor orders fence around contaminated Westland park

WESTLAND -- Mayor William Wild announced today he's ordered city workers to secure and fence Central City Park, which has been closed since November because of lead contamination.
In a prepared statement, Wild said he made the order to keep the public from setting foot on the county-owned park that tests as far back as 1999 showed contained harmful levels of the toxin.
"The top priority of my administration will be the park, and I am taking this action as a precautionary measure to protect the public while we establish the best way to return this area to the first-class facility that all Westland residents can again enjoy," said Wild, who became mayor this week.
Officials closed the 100-acre park -- which was built atop a Wayne County Road Commission dump site -- in November after lead levels exceeded 400 parts per million state standards allow for child play areas.
State regulators reported similar levels in samples taken in 1999, but city officials including Wild's predecessor, Sandra Cicirelli, consistently have said they didn't know a problem existed before this year