Marty Allen says Ford, whose battles with cancer and substance abuse inspired millions to seek treatment, died Friday. Allen did not say how Betty Ford died. He says he expects the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library to release additional information.

Her husband, Gerald, died in December 2006.

The couple married in 1948, the same year he was elected to Congress. She was thrust into the spotlight in 1974 when he became president after the resignation of President Richard Nixon.

She was diagnosed with breast cancer weeks later and won acclaim for her openness and courage.

Ford lost to Jimmy Carter in the 1976. Mrs. Ford later was treated for drug and alcohol addiction and then helped found the Betty Ford Center to help others.

Continue Reading...

Twenty-one-year-old Joshua Matthew Stone was arraigned Tuesday before a U.S. District Court magistrate and was ordered held without bond until a hearing Wednesday.

Stone peacefully surrendered Monday night in Hillsdale County's Wheatland Township.

Authorities say Stone's father and seven others charged Monday were part of the Michigan-based Hutaree. They say the group plotted to kill a police officer and slaughter scores more by bombing the funeral -- all in hopes of touching off an uprising against the government.

Stone was the only suspect not arrested during weekend raids in Michigan, Indiana and Ohio.

------

Associated Press writers John Seewer in Wheatland Township, Mich. Devlin Barrett in Washington, Meghan Barr in Sandusky, Ohio; David Aguilar and Jeff Karoub in Detroit; and Don Babwin in Chicago contributed to this report.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

WHEATLAND TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) -- Members of a rural Michigan-based Christian militia who believed a battle with the Antichrist was coming were plotting to attack police officers in hopes of fomenting a violent uprising against the government, federal prosecutors alleged.

Continue Reading...