A 28-year-old Downriver man died this morning when he crashed his pickup truck into a tree in Farmington Hills.

I2 Technologies Inc. will host an automotive industry conference Oct. 25 to highlight strategies to address supply chain challenges and drive operational efficiencies.

Forbes.com, citing company and union sources, is reporting that the UAW and Chrysler LLC reached a tentative agreement on a new labor deal just an hour after workers were sent out on strike. People familiar with the negotiations tell the Free Press that they have no knowledge of a settlement.

It was about 5:45 p.m. when word of a tentative contract agreement began spreading through the crowd of picketers marching outside Chrysler LLC headquarters in Auburn Hills. Smiles and high-fives went up, as the picket placards began to come down. The striking workers were elated.

A statement from Tom LaSorda, Vice Chairman and President, Chrysler LLC:

UAW reaches tentative agreement at Chrysler

Savers had fretted that higher rate CDs would disappear once the Federal Reserve cut rates. But so far, it's not a problem. "Banks are still very dependent on consumer deposits. So there is a reluctance to slam the door by cutting rates more aggressively than their competitors," said Greg McBride, senior analyst for Bankrate.com.

Natural gas prices are expected to be slightly higher this winter, but Michigan consumers won't see much of a change in their heating bills, according to a report expected to be released today.

In one of the largest purchases in the industry, the Carlyle Group, a private investment group, plans to spend $6.3 billion next week to buy a nursing home chain that has 31 Michigan facilities.

How much residents pay for their monthly energy bills is monitored and determined by the Michigan Public Service Commission. The three-member commission has two new members appointed this year by Gov. Jennifer Granholm, Chairman Orjiakor Isiogu and Steven Transeth.

JPMorgan has hired Bruce M. Stone as a vice president and senior fiduciary officer in its Ann Arbor office. He will be part of a team that provides wealth management strategies, solutions and services to new and existing JPMorgan clients. Most recently, Stone was an attorney in the estate and business practice groups at Berry Moorman PC in Ann Arbor. Stone has 10 years of estate planning, probate and trust administration experience.

The Wayne County Airport Authority received positive ratings from credit rating agencies on Monday. Moody's Investor's Service assigned a AA rating to 2007 airport revenue refunding bonds issued by the Wayne County Airport Authority.

WASHINGTON -- The nation's employment health -- it turns out -- is not dangerously deteriorating after all. Tweaking a phrase from Mark Twain, worries about the job market's demise were greatly exaggerated.

The AFL-CIO has expressed concerns with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that board members at General Motors Corp. and 20 other large U.S. firms unethically influenced the companies' health care decisions.

DOW NASDAQ Friday *91.70 *46.75 Close 14,066.01 2780.32 The week *170.38 *78.

REMOVING THE HALO: Bungie Studios, the "Halo" video game developer Microsoft acquired in 2000, is again operating as an independent firm. Microsoft has kept a stake.

The British bank Barclays Plc has withdrawn its bid to acquire ABN Amro Holding NV ending a six-month bidding war and clears the way for a consortium of banks led by the Royal Bank of Scotland Plc (RBS) to take over one of the Netherlands most important financial institutions.

DaimlerChrysler AG shareholders voted overwhelmingly Thursday to change their company's name to Daimler AG to reflect the sale of its U.S. Chrysler division -- marking what CEO Dieter Zetsche portrayed as a new start after a tumultuous nine years together. The vote was 98.8% in favor at a special shareholders meeting in Berlin.

The high-tech scramble to connect our cars to the Internet isn't focused just on getting the latest MP3 for your iPod anymore. It's about saving your life.

Over the course of a year, a Canadian blogger swapped his way from one red paper clip to a two-story farmhouse in Saskatchewan.

Overwhelmed by e-mail? Some professionals are fighting back by declaring e-mail-free Fridays — or by deleting their entire in-box.

For $15, an annoying gizmo called the Drive Alert Master does right now what a whole bunch of big-time auto suppliers are hoping to do - someday - with very sophisticated and costly on-board safety technology. Mike has a video review.

Verizon Wireless announced four new phones this week, but the one making the biggest splash is the Voyager. Made by LG, the touch screen/full keyboard phone will start selling next month and the company hopes that it just may be an iPhone killer. Mike has a video demo.

If you grow old in Japan, expect to be served food by a robot, ride a voice-recognition wheelchair or even possibly hire a nurse in a robotic suit — all examples of cutting-edge technology to care for the country's rapidly graying population.

APPEAL: Ray Township is a rural community in northern Macomb County that provides country living despite the large amount of growth in neighboring Macomb, Shelby and Washtenaw townships.

Project: Single-family colonial-style homes with nine floor plans all with 2 1/2 baths and three or four bedrooms. Homes range from 1,615 to 3,206 square feet and are base priced from $189,995 to $263,995.

Dear Lon: My sump pump runs frequently. I have burned out three sump pumps in two years.

Jim Graham says adjustable-rate mortgages are getting a bad rap. Graham, a retired financial planner in Boise, Idaho, says he believes ARMs are a useful financial tool, if used properly.

Real Estate Investors Association of Oakland: Learn about mortgage short sales, how to negotiate with homeowners and banks, required paperwork and how to avoid deal killers. 5:30-9:30 p.m. Thu. at the MSU Management Center, 811 W. Square Lake Road, Troy. Free for members; $20 for nonmembers. Call 800-747-6742 or visit www.reiaofoakland.com.

Dear Ms. Builder: I have always liked the look of a Eurobath with no distinct floor barrier between the shower and the rest of the bathroom. Is it possible to convert a standard bathroom to a Eurobath? -- Elise B.