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STATE NEWS for FRI 19JUN21
You
had better take it easy with your speed on Michigan freeways this
weekend . Michigan State Police are taking part in a multi-state
crackdown on speeders. It's all part of the "Great Lakes, High Stakes"
campaign as more than 30 municipal, county and Michigan state law
enforcement agencies will focus on speeding drivers between Saturday and
June 27. The Michigan and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
is partnering with five other states on the campaign. The Michigan
office says there have been more traffic fatalities with one thousand 83
last year, a 10-percent increase from 2019 even though the number of
crashes was down.
The
University of Michigan says effective June 21st, those who can show
proof of
vaccination will no longer have to wear a mask indoors, except for in
classrooms, on
public transportation and in hospitals with patients present.
Those who choose not to
show proof or who have not gotten the vaccine are still required to wear
a mask.
A freeway shooting has left a 2-year old toddler dead in Detroit.
Michigan State Police
say the shooting took place on south I-75 near McNichols Thursday night.
MSP is also
reporting that a 9-year-old is in serous condition.
The
victims were riding inside a pickup truck. Interim Chief James White
says anyone
with information should call police.
A 32-year-old Berrien Springs woman has been killed in a crash with a
semi that was
hauling a fertilizer truck in southwest Michigan's Berrien County. The
driver of the car
reportedly hit the back of the semi, which was parked on the side of the
road with its
flashers on. The woman passenger in the car was killed. Police say drugs
and
alcohol don't appear to be factors in the crash.
Two giants in Michigan health care are planning to merge, forming
the state's biggest health system. Spectrum Health and Beaumont Health
have announced they've signed a letter of intent to unite, forming a
system with 22 hospitals and employing 64 thousand people.
A west Michigan man has been convicted in the death of his wife in 2019.
Jaron
Chatman was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter for shooting his
wife Emily at
their home in Polktown Township, east of Grand Haven. A year before,
court records
show that she had filed for a protective order against her husband, but
was denied.
The Ottawa County Sheriff's Office says their three children were home
at the time of
the incident.
A fatal accident on Thursday in the eastern Upper Peninsula left
one person dead and another in critical condition. It happened last
night in Sault Ste. Marie. The Chippewa County Sheriff's Department is
investigating the crash on M-129.
Bob Seger is dropping the mic on his touring career. The Detroit
rocker said he can't imagine hitting the concert road again following
the loss of close friend and saxophonist Alto Reed. He made the comments
on a SiriusXM program marking the 45th anniversary of his "Live Bullet"
and "Night Moves" albums. Reed, a longtime Silver Bullet Band member,
died in December of colon cancer at age 72. Seger says he doesn't think
he would be able to tour without Reed. He added that he's had a great
life... and felt like he never worked a day because he loved what he was
doing.
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STATE NEWS for THU 17JUN21
It's
the news MILLIONS of people around Michigan have been waiting to hear,
Governor Gretchen Whitmer hinting today that Michigan could be getting a
full return
to normal before the original July 1st target date. That's the day when
all remaining
COVID-19 restrictions on businesses and individuals were scheduled to
expire. Most
COVID restrictions were lifted on June 1st, however, 50 percent capacity
limits are
still in effect for indoor establishments and facemasks continue to be
required indoors
for the un-vaccinated.
At
a news conference Wednesday, Whitmer said to "stay tuned" over the
coming days
for a new announcement.
There's a fire weather watch for the entire northern lower
peninsula of Michigan. That's been issued by the National Weather
Service in Gaylord because of warmer temperatures and lower humidity.
They say the potential exists for fires to grow out of control quickly,
especially with any breezy conditions. The DNR already has burn
restrictions in place in many areas.
A mother and three children are hospitalized after their apartment goes
up in flames in
southwest Detroit. The fire took off around 9:40 last night . The
32-year-old woman, a 2-year-old
and 6-year-old made it out of the apartment, but a 6-month-old was
trapped
inside. Firefighters were able to rescue the baby and all four were
taken to the hospital
to be treated for smoke inhalation. A cause of the fire remains under
investigation, but
officials believe a faulty furnace may be involved.
The University of Michigan board of regents is meeting this afternoon to
set tuition and
fee rates for next school year. It's not clear if the board plans to
address claims made
against Doctor Robert Anderson or Bo Schembechler. Former athletes are
urging the
board to launch a full investigation of sexual abuse committed by the
late doctor and
how the school failed to stop him during his decades on campus. Attorney
General
Dana Nessel has said she would only investigate if the school is willing
and cooperative.
A 76-year-old man has been killed in a two vehicle crash in
Monterey Township, south of Grand Rapids last night. State Police say
one driver did not stop at a stop sign and collided with another vehicle
in the intersection. They say the victim was not wearing a seat belt.
The other driver has minor injuries.
A man is dead after allegedly being shot by the father of his
girlfriend.
The
Macomb County Sheriff says the shooting happened around 1 this morning
when
43-year old Jomarr Pye was shot once in the chest by an unidentified
66-year old man.
When police arrived, the suspect was rendering aid to the victim who
later died at the
hospital.
The
suspect was taken into custody without incident. He said that his
daughter told him
that on Tuesday night, Pye assaulted her. So, he went to the Prentiss
Apartments in
Harrison Township to confront the man.
The father and daughter both have yet to be identified. Charges are
pending.
There will be stepped up police patrols in Muskegon county due to
an increase in gun violence. The Muskegon County board of commissioners
reportedly voted to approve funding for the sheriff's department to hire
more deputies and add more shifts for patrols. WOOD TV reports Sheriff
Michael Poulin says in the first six months of this year, they received
440 calls about shots fired, 68 about people wounded in shootings and
226 weapons offenses and seven murders.
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STATE NEWS for WED
16JUN21
Former
athletes are holding a news conference in the shadow of the Big House
today
to share stories of abuse at U of M by former university doctor Robert
Anderson. He
died in 2008.
In the meantime,
Bo Schembechler's son and wife are speaking up in his defense, putting
out a lengthy
public letter.
Glenn
"Shemmy" Schembechler and Bo's wife Cathy refer to Matt Shembechler's
claim
that he told his dad he had been abused, saying that Matt has "on
numerous
occasions made unfounded and false accusations against Bo and other
family
members." They claim that Bo was a devoted husband and father and that
he would
not have tolerated misconduct, especially toward any of his players.
(Photo: Anderson)
A man is shot and killed in Taylor following an apparent dispute over
firewood. Reports
indicate the victim was giving away free firewood at a home and became
upset
when his 70-year-old neighbor started dragging it away, tearing up his
driveway. The
two men were exchanging words when shots were fired. The entire incident
playing out
in front of the victim's 15-year-old son. The neighbor was arrested at
the scene, but
claimed self-defense,
saying the victim came at him with a shovel. The incident
remains under investigation.
Lansing Police are investigating a murder. They say they responded
to a report of shots fired just before one this morning and found a man
suffering from gunshot wounds. The man was taken to the hospital where
he was pronounced dead. No one has been arrested.
Police in Flat Rock are looking for a black albino man in connection
with a suspected
murder. Officers say Amos Lowe is wanted for questioning in the death of
a woman
who was found yesterday in a home on Gibraltar Road. Her cause of death
has not yet
been released, though foul play is suspected. Anyone with information on
Lowe's
whereabouts is asked to contact police.
Michigan State Police are investigating a murder suicide between
long-time friends just
south of Tecumseh in Lenawee County in southeast Michigan. Troopers
responded to
a home in Raisin Township last night on a report of shots fired and
arrived to find two
men dead. According to witnesses, 24-year-old Joseph Niblack, from
Florida, and 25-year-old
Michael Madero got into an altercation during which Niblack shot Madero
and then took his own life. The reason for the shooting is still under
investigation by
State Police.
Muskegon County will pay at least one million dollars to the
family of a jail inmate who died after having seizures at the jail. WOOD
TV reports the settlement will go to the family of 39-year-old Paul
Bulthouse, who died at the county jail in 2019. His death was initially
said to be from natural causes , but an investigation found Bulthouse
had suffered at least 17 seizures in a close observation cell and did
not receive help.
A Chinese restaurant caught fire in Whitmore Lake overnight. The
fire broke out at Dragon Court, on M-36 . Multiple fire departments were
called to the scene. A cause of the fire has not yet been determined.
For the third day in a row, Governor Gretchen Whitmer will be
discussing the importance of childcare in Michigan. The governor will be
joined by business leaders in Grand Rapids to highlight the
administration's child care proposal, which would expand safe, quality,
affordable childcare for an additional 150-thousand children as parents
get back into the workplace. Yesterday, she spoke as lawmakers revealed
bi-partisan legislation to improve the state's childcare. And on Monday,
she proposed investing 1-point-4 billion dollars to expand access to
childcare.
A deck collapsed at a home last evening in Grand Rapids and four
people were injured. The deck reportedly had some rotting where it
attached to the home. Four people were taken to the hospital with
non-life threatening injuries after they fell about 10 feet when the
deck collapsed.
Even as a seasonal sports slump continues, online gambling in Michigan
remains red
hot. According to Play Michigan, online sports betting volume dropped
for the second
consecutive month in May. Sportsbooks took in more than 237-million
dollars in wagers
last month, down almost 5 percent from April. Analysts say a lack of
success from
Detroit teams naturally saps interest in betting. Meanwhile, online
casinos were
achingly close to the state's first 100-million dollar revenue month,
bringing in nearly
94-point-9 million in May, just below the record 95-point-1 million
reached in March.
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STATE NEWS for TUE 15JUN21
Police in Monroe County are investigating an accident that had a
section of southbound I-75 shut down overnight. The crash happened just
after 11 last night near Luna Pier Road. Reports indicate a wrong-way
driver crashed into a semi-truck. The driver had to be cut out of their
vehicle and was taken to a Toledo-area hospital. No word on their
condition. A Life Flight Helicopter was initially requested but canceled
after the driver was freed. The freeway reopened just before 6 this
morning.
A basketball game in Hamtramck turns deadly after a drive-by
shooting. It happened around 7:45 last night. Witnesses tell police a
group of people were playing basketball when someone drove by and fired
shots from a vehicle, hitting three people. One of those victims has
died. Conditions of the other two are unknown. The gunman drove away
from the scene and remains at large.
A 41-year-old woman has been arrested for allegedly stabbing a man
in Big Rapids Monday afternoon. Police found a 35-year-old man stabbed
in his upper chest. He was taken to the hospital and police say his
injuries are not considered to be life threatening. The woman is being
held at the Mecosta County Jail.
Authorities say the man who died from injuries he suffered during
a mass shooting on a crowded downtown Austin, Texas, street was from
Michigan. A post on Facebook says 25-year-old Douglas Kantor was
originally from New York but had been living in Michigan after earning
degrees from Michigan State and U-of-M. He worked at Ford Motor Company
as a product manager. Kantor was shot last weekend and
hospitalized. He died on Sunday. The post on the Douglas Kantor
Memorial Facebook page says, "He was looking forward to marrying his
high school sweetheart of 10 years and starting a family (sic); This
senseless tragedy has put an end to all his dreams." More than a
dozen people were injured in the shooting. Police believe it began as a
dispute between two parties.
A couple pieces of construction equipment fell into the Boardman
River in Traverse City on Monday. Upnorthlive reports the contractor was
deploying barge equipment into the river for construction when it
happed...one piece fell over the bridge and took the other one with it.
There will be inspections once everything is cleaned up to make sure
there wasn't any damage to the bridge. No one was injured.
A 20-year old man from Gwinn in the Upper Peninsula has been
sentenced to 25 to 60 years in prison in connection to the sexual abuse
of two 12-year-old children. W-L-U-C reports Brenden Trey Brownell pled
guilty to five counts of first degree criminal sexual conduct and other
charges from when Brownell was free on bond for another charge
One woman's loyalty to lottery numbers pays off big! A Kent County
woman won a jackpot worth over 866-thousand dollars by playing the same
numbers she has been using for years: 3-7-17-36 and 38. The 47-year-old
woman, who chose to stay anonymous, says she and her husband have been
playing the Fantasy 5 game with the same numbers for years and she still
cant believe she hit the jackpot. The lucky winner will be using her
winnings to fix up her home, pay bills and go on vacation.
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STATE NEWS for MON 14JUN21
A
status hearing regarding criminal charges in the Flint Water Crisis is
set for today. Attorneys for former Governor Rick Snyder and eight
others facing charges are seeking to speed the production of evidence...
after a judge said he needs at least four months to inspect grand jury
records. The lawyers say the delay will hurt the defendants, who "are
left to languish under the specter of reputation-destroying criminal
charges with virtually no avenue to challenge or assess the
allegations."
The Kent County Sheriffs Department is asking for your help in
locating a missing man who they think may be in danger. 37-year-old
Joffre Butler was last seen in Algoma Township on Summit Avenue NE near
14 Mile Road NE. Deputies say he walked away from his home Saturday
night into a wooded area. Authorities say Butler suffers from
schizophrenia and depression. Hes stands about 5-foot-11, has a thin
build with brown hair and a beard. He was last seen wearing a white
T-shirt and green short. He does not have shoes, socks, a phone or his
glasses with him. Anyone who has seen him should contact the Kent County
Sheriff's Department.
A recent University of Michigan graduate has drowned in a lake at
Pinckney State
Recreation Area. The Washtenaw County Sheriffs Office says the
23-year-old female
victim was paddle-boarding on Silver Lake with a man on Saturday. At
some point, the
man went back to shore and then returned to the water to look for the
woman. When
her paddleboard washed up onto the shore, officials closed the beach and
police began
searching for the woman. Her body was found on Sunday afternoon.
Authorities say
the woman was a foreign national.
A
woman driving a Winnebago RV is facing charges after she struck two
police cruisers
and four cars on Saturday as one point going the wrong-way on U.S. 131.
A Kent
County sheriffs deputy was injured after colliding with a pickup truck
near Cedar
Springs. The injuries were minor. The Winnebago struck at least four
vehicles while
going the wrong way. No injuries were reported to people in the cars.
Police say a
search of the RV found several large electronic items believed stolen
from a Walmart
store in Mount Pleasant.
The U-S Postal Service says there's been an increase in dog
attacks on postal workers, with 5,856 attacks reported last year,
compared with just over 58-hundred in 2019. Detroit ranks in the top 10
cities for dog attacks on postal employees. The Motor City is tied with
San Diego for number 10, with 35 dog attacks reported in 2020. That's up
from 26 attacks the year before. Michigan overall ranks 7th in the
nation for
dog attacks on postal carriers, with 253 attacks last year.
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Iosco
County officials recently discussed a new committee. The Iosco
County Board of Commissioners will form a committee to determine the use
of federal funding. According to the Iosco County News Herald, County
Clerk Nancy Heubel told commissioners the county received $2.4 Million
dollars from the American Rescue Plan. The funding works as an economic
boost plan for the country, hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. Huebel
also told commissioners that she is currently talking with the different
government agencies and townships in the county to see what their plans
are for spending the money, so that it is not duplicated by the county
government. 
Two
teachers in the Alcona Community Schools have retired. 
Forest
visitors traveling east on M-72 from Grayling to Mio will now be able
greeted by Smokey Bear and the current fire danger rating. As part of a
cooperative between the USDA Forest Service and Tri Town Volunteer Fire
Department, the new fire danger sign will help residents and visitors
know the current fire danger as they enter and leave the Mio Village
limits. A second sign will be installed in Iosco County at the Oscoda
Volunteer Fire Department on U.S. 23. For more information visit Ready
For Wildfire.org.
Some
events around Michigan this Father's Day weekend. There's the Blues
Festival in Alpena, the Bay Harbor's in Water Boat Show , the St. Ignace
Pride Festival, the Great Lakes Pirate Festival on Saturday at the
Starline Dock in Mackinaw City and a car show at the Emmet County
Fairgrounds.
A small plane crashed in Tawas Lake in northern Michigan's Iosco
County. East Tawas Police say emergency crews found a small Ultra-Glide airplane
upside down in the lake about 250 yards from shore Monday night. The
54-year-old pilot was able to climb out of the plane and was not injured.
He was the only one on board and was found standing on the wing of the
craft when officers arrived. He said that when he landed the plane on
the lake, he began to use the throttle to gain airspeed in an attempt to
avoid the wild rice growing in the lake. When he
trimmed the wings, it then malfunctioned and caused the plane to
nosedive and flip over in the water. DNR personnel reviewed the
crash for any signs of fuel leaks and found none. Police remained
on scene until the Ultra-Glide plane was removed from the lake.
Tawas
City officials recently discussed the future of vacant lots owned by the
municipality. 
Fairview
Area School officials will hold a public hearing next week. The
Fairview Area Schools Board of Education will hold the public hearing
Monday night. According to the Oscoda County Herald, the public hearing
is to consider the district’s proposed 2021-2022 budget. The property
tax millage rate proposed to be levied to support the budget will also
be a subject of the hearing. The public hearing will be held Monday at
6pm, at 1879 East Miller Road in Fairview. A copy of the proposed budget
is available for public inspection during normal business hours at the
school.
District
Health Department Number 4 staff are getting back to day-to-day
operations as the number of COVID-19 cases decrease and interest in the
vaccine wanes. According to the Alpena News, Devin Spivey, community
health director and epidemiologist for District Health Departments
Number 2 and 4, said COVID-19 is now a normal reportable condition, just
like the flu or any other communicable disease the Health Department
tracks. Spivey said there were 153 cases of COVID-19 reported since the
board last met in May, which was 560 fewer cases reported compared to
the previous month. Spivey added that Health Department officials also
administered 655 doses of COVID-19 vaccine, which was about one-quarter
of vaccinations administered in the previous month.
The
North Central Michigan Community Foundation is accepting grant
applications. Nonprofit organizations with an IRS 501-C-3
designation that serve Ogemaw, Oscoda and/or Crawford counties are
welcome to apply for a Community Impact Grant. Special funding is also
available for projects that specifically address health for youth and
senior citizens in each county, as well as health care initiatives that
serve residents of Ogemaw or Oscoda counties. Qualified applicants may
request up to $2,500 dollars in the three county service area. Grant
applications can be found at NCMCF.org. The Community Impact Grant
application deadline is Wednesday, June 30th. For more information call
the office at 877-354-6881.
Officials
in the Kinde North Huron School District recently looked back on the
challenges of the past year. Superintendent Martin Prout said the
past year was a challenge. According to the Huron Daily Tribune, Prout
said that over the course of the school year, the district learned to
create new pathways for learning when traditional methods were not
available. It included multiple online platforms for students and staff
as well as being the first district in the area to have remote snow
days. Prout said the district also added lunch periods and social
distancing to keep students safe along with reducing the number of
students in class and making available personal protection equipment.
Prout added that during the school year, over half of Kinde North Huron
School’s staff had to quarantine at some point. .JPG)
The
Michigan State Waterways Commission will hold a virtual meeting on
Thursday. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to
providing residents the opportunity to share input and ideas on policy
decisions, programs and other aspects of natural resource management and
outdoor recreation opportunities. The Michigan State Waterways
Commission meeting will be held tomorrow at 9am, to find a link visit
Michigan.gov/DNR. 
The
Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe recently announced their Spring Revenue
Sharing. The Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe dispersed its
semi-annual two percent revenue sharing grants. According to the Arenac
County Independent, the tribe handed out just over one million dollars.
The funding was given to local governments on every level from village
to city, township and county as well as area school districts. The
spring distribution also set a milestone as it was the first to exceed
one million dollars from Saganing. In total, just over $266 Million
dollars has been handed out since the inception of the Class Three
Gaming Revenue Sharing Grant Program.
The
COOR Intermediate School District will hold a public hearing tomorrow.
Michigan
State Police say 78-year-old Cheboygan man has died in a motorcycle
crash .JPG)
The
West Branch Rose City School Board recently honored numerous staff
members. The awards were presented during a special school board
meeting June 7th. According to the Ogemaw County Herald, Candy Everitt;
Debra Marshall and Jon Scott received awards for 25 years of service and
Marilyn McCauley and Ann Rosebrugh for 30 years of service to the
district. The board also announced the recipient of their “Above and
Beyond” Award. It is given to staff members demonstrating years of
outstanding merit and dedication contributing to the betterment of the
West Branch Rose City School District. This year the award went to Food
Service Director, Janis Phillips, for her heroic effort to get food to
students during the pandemic and Sheila Smiley for helping students,
parents and faculty navigate pandemic technology.
A
Flag Day Ceremony will be held this evening. 
The
Tawas Area Schools Board of Education will meet tonight. Before their
regular meeting, they will hold a public hearing on the proposed
2021-2022 budget beginning at 7pm. The hearing will be held with minimal
in-person attendance and through the use of Google Meets or
teleconferencing method. To join the public hearing or the regular
meeting immediately following, visit their website Tawas.net.
Boy’s
Baseball Quarterfinals Saturday
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Saturday,
June 19, 2021
