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Michigan State News              Updated 05/22/13

WED 22MAY13

(Mi Supreme Court-Med Marijuana Driving)
The Michigan Supreme Court has ruled that registered medical marijuana patients cannot be charged with driving under the influence unless it can be proved they were actually impaired behind the wheel.
The state's high-court issued its ruling yesterday (Tuesday) in the case of People v. Koon in which Rodney Lee Koon tested positive for THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, after he was stopped for speeding.
Koon told police he was a registered medical marijuana patient and admitted he had smoked the drug five to six hours prior to the traffic stop.
Michigan has a zero tolerance law that forbids driving with any amount of marijuana in a driver’s system. But the Supreme Court ruled that Michigan's medical marijuana law trumps its zero tolerance law and that the motorist can only be charged if he or she is clearly impaired from using marijuana.

(Saginaw Co-School Staff Recalls)
The Buena (BYOO-nuh) Vista School Board voted to recall more laid off employees last night (Tuesday). The Saginaw County district continues to face a financial crisis and just reopened Monday after running out of cash and closing for two weeks.
Officials say two paraprofessionals and two classroom helpers are paid through a grant while two bus chaperons are paid from the district's general fund.
The district submitted a third deficit elimination plan to the Michigan Department of Education last week that was approved by the state. The agreement paved the way for over 400-thousand dollars in state aid to be sent to the district.
Students in the Buena Vista schools will have to go to class a little longer than first expected in order to finish out the school year. Superintendent Deborah Hunter-Harvill says the last day of classes is now scheduled for June 26th instead of the 21st in order to comply with state mandates for days and instructional hours.
(24/7 News Source/WSGW, Saginaw)

(Detroit-Summer Shutdown)
The traditional two week auto industry shutdown in July is starting to fade into automotive history, like fins and running boards.
With sales up seven percent so far this year, and fewer factories than before the recession, car companies can afford very little in the way of voluntary down time.
Ford says most of its plants will cut their summer shutdowns from two weeks to one. The Dearborn automaker also says it’s in the process of adding 3500 manufacturing jobs this year.
Chrysler and GM officials say there will be no summer shutdown this year. GM North America President Mark Reuss says the only downtime the company will take is as needed to prepare plants for new models. Chrysler plans to close only four of its ten plants.
According to Autodata Corp, auto sales are up six-point-nine percent through April and could hit 15-point-five-million dollars this year. That would be the highest annual total since 2007.
(Jeff Gilbert, WWJ, Detroit/24/7 News Source)

(Capitol-Budget Targets)
A key hurdle has been cleared in Lansing, as the Governor and Republican leaders have agreed on budget targets for next year's budget.
The targets create a framework for spending, although many details must still be worked out.
Under the target agreement, no money at this point at least is included for Medicaid expansion.
However, 350 (m) million dollars would be added on for road maintenance.   Also, an additional 140 (m) million dollars would go to k-12 schools, and 75 (m) million dollars would be put into the state's savings account, called the Budget Stabilization Fund, also known as the "rainy day fund."
In the meantime, efforts continue to come up with some type of agreement regarding Medicaid expansion, and additional road revenue.
Lawmakers hope to have next year's budget finished before the end of the month.

(MI-Judges Pay Raise)
Justices and judges in Michigan would see a 3 percent pay raise next year under a recommendation by the State Officers Compensation Commission.
The commission unanimously approved the three percent increase for Supreme Court justices in Fiscal Year 2014-15. Under state law, that increase is carried down to the Court of Appeals and trial court judges as well, and that is the only way those judges can see pay increases.
Michigan Supreme Court justices make $164,610, but the lowest-paid judges make less than $140,000.
The recommendation needs legislative approval before it would become effective.
The state panel did not take any action on the salaries for legislators, the Governor or any other state official for which they set salaries.

(MI Poll-Snyder-Obama)
A new statewide poll shows Michiganders have not changed their opinions of President Obama and Governor Snyder over the last month, when it comes to job rating.
The survey, conducted last week by Lansing-based Epic MRA shows 44-percent of respondents favor President Obama's performance this month.
While 58-percent of respondents oppose Governor Snyder's job performance.
Both numbers are nearly identical to those recorded in April.
Democrats tended to favor President Obama and Republicans tended to support Governor Snyder.
The margin of error for the poll was plus or minus 4 percentage points.


(Alpena Co-Assault Suspect Dead-UPDATE)
Michigan State Police officials in northeast lower Michigan have released more details in the death of an assault suspect who died in a head-on crash with a semi this last weekend.
They have identified the man as 47-year-old Fred Grover, Jr., of Oscoda.
Police believe Grover assaulted a 47-year-old woman and her 22-year-old son with a knife at their home in Alpena Township Sunday morning. Investigators have learned that he was an acquaintance of the victims and was spending the night in their house.
After the assault, Grover fled the scene and was spotted 45 minutes later in his car by a Montmorency County Sheriffs Deputy. The deputy attempted to stop Grover but he intentionally crashed into a tractor-trailer and died instantly. The truck driver was not injured.
Police say they are still not sure why Grover committed the assaults. The victims say they had no prior issues with him. Both are now expected to survive the attacks. Their names are being withheld at their request.
At the time of the assault, Grover was also under investigation for an alleged sexual assault that took place in Iosco County's Oscoda Township one day earlier. Police say Grover may have also used a knife in that attack, although it was not the same one used in the Alpena Township incident.
(WATZ, Alpena)

(Detroit-Henry Ford Beaumont Merger)
The planned merger of Henry Ford Health System and Beaumont Health System is off.
The Henry Ford Board of Trustees decided Monday to let their letter of intent with Beaumont expire citing the very different perspectives that had emerged for the new organization between Henry Ford and Beaumont.
Chief executive officer of the Henry Ford Health System, Nancy Schlichting, says many of the foundational elements in the Letter of Intent, including preserving two academic medical centers in Detroit and Royal Oak, were no longer supported by some leaders at Beaumont.
The Detroit News reports Beaumont and Henry Ford health systems officials announced November 1st that they had signed a letter of intent to merge and become Metro Detroit’s largest health provider.
The deal would have created a new $6.4 billion organization, encompassing 10 hospitals, 38,000 employees, 7,000 physicians, two medical school connections, a health plan and 200 patient care sites throughout Southeast Michigan.

(Houghton Co-Businessman Sentenced)
A former Upper Peninsula businessman has been sentenced in Houghton County Circuit Court.
46-year old Michael Jestila pled guilty to four counts of Delivery of a Controlled Substance to a Minor. He received 365 days in jail with credit for 114 already served on each of the four counts.
The sentences will run concurrently. Three other charges were dropped.
Jestila owned Backroom Multi-Entertainment in Houghton and Backroom Obsessions in Marquette.
(Rick Allen, WCCY/WOLV, Houghton)

(Auburn Hills-Marchionne Apology)
Chrysler Group CEO Sergio Marchionne (MAR-shee-OWN) has apologized to an Italian American group for using a slur during a discussion at the North American International Auto Show in January.
When talking about a new Alfa Romeo (RO-may-OH) sedan slated to be sold in the United States, Marchionne said it would have a "wop engine." He meant that particular vehicle would be better powered by a Fiat engine rather than an American motor.
The Italian-American One Voice Coalition demanded an apology and Marchionne issued a statement apologizing to anyone who may have been offended.
(24/7 News Source)

(Flint-Lawmaker Threat)
A Flint man charged with making threatening phone calls to at least three federal lawmakers has been ruled incompetent to stand trial.
Mlive.com reports 54-year-old Randall Warren Dellinger was ruled incompetent yesterday (Tuesday) by Flint U.S. District Judge Mark Goldsmith.
Dellinger's lawyer says the ruling was issued following a review by a psychologist.
Dellinger was arrested by Flint police in June 2012 after he allegedly made threatening phone calls to then-U.S. Representative Dale Kildee of Flint, and U.S. Senators Carl Levin of Detroit, and Debbie Stabenow of Lansing.
According to an affidavit filed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Dellinger allegedly contacted Kildee's Flint office the evening of June 25, 2012, and complained about an "RF unit" that was supposedly implanted in him by the state Department of Corrections. He then threatened the lawmaker's life.
Similar calls were allegedly placed with Stabenow's Flint office and Levin's office in Washington, D.C.

(Isabella-Good Samaritan Killed)
A Mid-Michigan man died Tuesday night while trying to help another motorist.
Isabella County Sheriff Deputies say 37-year old Jeremy Stiles of Big Rapids pulled up behind a vehicle that stopped with its hazard lights blinking on M-20 in Broomfield Township to see if they needed help. He was told that the driver had stopped because of a dead deer in the road.
As Stiles was walking back to his car he was struck by a pickup truck that tried to avoid the deer. Stiles was pronounced dead at the scene.
The incident remains under investigation.
(WBRN, Big Rapids)

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TUE 21MAY13

(Capitol-Fireworks)
A House Committee in Lansing has approved a bill that allows local communities to impose more restrictions on the time of day fireworks can be set off around national holidays.
Under the 2011 law, consumers are allowed to buy and use certain fireworks that explode and/or fly in the air.
But the law also says local communities could not ban the use of them on any of ten selected holidays, along with the days before and after those holidays.
However residents in some communities residents have complained about fireworks going off in the middle of the night.
This new legislation, which now heads for the full house, allows local communities to ban their use between midnight and eight a-m, even on the selected holidays.

(Capitol-Democrats-No Fault)
Detroit Democratic lawmakers opposed to a Republican plan to reform the state's no-fault auto insurance system, have announced their own plan that they say will create transparency, fight fraud and save motorists money.
The plan announced yesterday (Monday) by the Detroit Democratic Caucus would among other things: create a commission to track fraud, waste and abuse; require insurance companies to justify rate increases; ban the consideration of credit history, education and occupation in determining premiums; allow private parties to sue when auto insurance overcharges their policy holders; and ban steerage to collision shops owned by the insurance company.
The Republican no-fault overhaul, which recently moved out of a House committee would repeal Michigan's unlimited medical coverage for personal injuries in auto crashes and cap that amount at one (m) million dollars. It also includes a slew of medical cost-cutting measures, along with new efforts to combat fraud.
But Caucus member, House Democrat Phil Cavanagh, says capping everything for a guaranteed one-year savings of 125-dollars is not helping anyone but the insurance companies, adding that gutting the system is not reform.

(MI-Tornado Recovery Volunteers)
Red Cross volunteers from Michigan are heading south to help with recovery efforts after a tornado at least a half-mile wide roared through an Oklahoma City suburb killing a revised total of 24 people, including seven children.
Spokesperson Allison Koenigbauer said their first priority is to ensure survivors’ basic needs are met by providing food and water then open shelters for all of the people who were evacuated. She adds that disaster volunteers typically get a 24-hour notice for deployments.
During the next few days, Red Cross workers on the ground in the disaster areas will be assessing the damage, deciding where and what kind of additional support is necessary, and determining the needs of the affected communities.
The Red Cross encourages people who have friends or family in the affected areas to check the Red Cross Safe and Well website at redcross.org/safeandwell.
(WWJ, Detroit)

(Lansing-GM Plant Expansion)
General Motors has announced that it will build a $44.5 million expansion at its Lansing Grand River plant.
Construction could begin as early as later this summer on a new 400,000 square foot manufacturing building next to the plant and it could be open in mid-2014 employing about 200 people.
GM says the plant will be a Logistics Optimization Center where parts for the cars built at Lansing Grand River are assembled into 'kits" and sent to the assembly lines. The process makes manufacturing faster and more efficient.
The GM Lansing Grand River Plant builds the Cadillac ATS and CTS. The ATS was named this year's North American Car of the Year.
Production of the Chevrolet Camaro sports car will eventually be moved to the plant from a Canadian factory.
The Lansing Grand River plant opened in 2001.

(MSP-New Divers)
The Michigan State Police have announced they have six new divers, recently graduated from the State Police Underwater Recovery Dive School.
It's the first dive team graduation class since 2005.
It brings the MSP Dive Unit to 26 members, including 20 divers and six divemasters.
The department’s Basic Dive School is a four-week training program that is conducted in-house by members of the MSP who are certified scuba instructors and/or National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI).
The divers received more than 160 hours of classroom instruction, swam approximately 25 miles and spent over 20 additional hours in the water during their training.
State Police Director Kriste Kibbey says the dive school consists of real-world training and scenarios with instruction being held at the MSP training tank, inland lakes and extensively in the Great Lakes at various locations around the state.
The dive team responds to about 70 calls for service a year.

(Jackson-Boyfriend Beating Death-UPDATE)
A 30-year-old Jackson-area woman was arraigned Monday in the beating death of her boyfriend.
A Jackson District Court judge ordered Camia Gamet held in the Jackson County Jail without bond on an open murder charge.
Police found 38-year old Marcel Hill dead inside his apartment after getting a 911 call early Saturday morning. According to the Jackson Citizen-Patriot, police believe the call came from Gamet because it was on a cell phone. She was located near a party store a short time later.
Deputy Chief John Holda told the newspaper the preliminary investigation shows it appears Hill died from trauma to the head after he was beaten repeatedly with several blunt objects.
Prosecutors say Gamet has a long history of violence. She was accused in March of assaulting Hill and was charged with domestic violence and felonious assault. The charges were dismissed on May 9 because Hill did not cooperate with authorities.

(MI/WS-Drunken Crash Sentence)
The man responsible for a drunken driving crash that killed an Upper Peninsula boy in Wisconsin last fall is headed to prison.
28-year-old Timothy Christ was driving northbound in the southbound lane of a rural highway with his lights off on October 6th when he collided head-on with a car driven by an Ishpeming woman.
Jodi Betts Croley and her two teenage daughters were injured. Her son, 13-year-old Christopher ‘Bubba’ Croley was killed, the day before is 14th birthday.
Police say Christ pulled out of the parking lot of a bar on US-141 just before midnight, crashing into the family’s car.
Christ was sentenced in Marinette County Circuit Court in Wisconsin to 18 years plus an additional 12 years extended supervision on one count of Homicide-Intoxicating Use of Vehicle.
He was sentenced to three years, plus an additional three years with extended supervision, on three separate counts of Operating While Intoxicated-Causing Injury.
The sentences will run consecutively.
(Rick Allen, WCCY/WOLV, Houghton)

(Covert Twp-Palisades Repair)
The idled Palisades Nuclear Power Plant in southwest Michigan may remain that way until early summer when repairs to a leaking tank are expected to be complete.
New Orleans-based Entergy Corporation idled the plant in van Buren County's Covert Township on May 5 after operators found a tank leaking faster than regulations allow. The leak released a small amount of radioactive water into Lake Michigan.
Entergy spokesperson Lindsay Rose says officials have decided to completely replace the tank bottom and that the repair could take until early summer.
Rose says (quote) "We are confident this very conservative approach will bring this issue to final resolution."
A leak in the same tank resulted in another shutdown last summer. Leaks have been an ongoing issue for Palisades, which shut down four times in 2012 and twice so far this year.

(MI-Suburban Poverty)
Poverty rates in suburban areas across the country are on the rise with two Michigan communities ranked as having among the fastest growing suburban poverty rates in the nation.
According to the Brookings Institution in both Warren and Grand Rapids the poverty rate in 2010 was 12-point-one percent. For both cities, that marks a five-point-eight-percent increase over the year 2000.
The Brookings Institution reports that nationwide the poverty rate in the suburbs is growing more than twice as fast as the poverty rate in urban areas.
(24/7 News Source)

(Ypsilanti-DHS Fraud)
A former state employee has admitted to scamming the Department of Human Services out of $19,832 in welfare money.
46-year-old Dawn Simmons of Belleville pleaded guilty in the Washtenaw County Trial Court on Wednesday to one count of false pretenses, between $999 and $20,000, and one count of fraudulent access to a computer. Both counts are felonies, punishable by up to five years in prison.
Mlive.com reports in exchange for the pleas, eight similar charges will be dismissed at sentencing.
Court records show that Simmons, who worked as an eligibility specialist for the DHS, processed false claims for assistance in her brother's name. She is also believed to have filed the claims on her co-workers' computers without their knowledge. She would log in with their user names and passwords.
The offenses reportedly took place in the city of Ypsilanti.
Simmons is scheduled to be sentenced June 26.

(MI-Judge Appointed)
Governor Rick Snyder has appointed Muskegon Country Probate Court Administrator and Register Kathy Hoogstra as the 14th Circuit Court judge. She fills the spot vacated by the retirement Judge John C. Ruck.
Hoogstra, of Muskegon, has served as probate court administrator and register since 2007. She previously served as the Muskegon County Family Court Referee and Contract Attorney/Public Defender, as well as a judicial law clerk for the Muskegon County Circuit Court.
Hoogstra will finish the remainder of Ruck’s term, which ends January 1, 2015. She has the option to seek election for a full six-year term in November 2014.
Meanwhile, the Governor has signed a bill that amends a 2011 law that eliminated several judgeships statewide, by retaining the Clinton County District Court seat and eliminating one of the two circuit court judgeships instead.
Snyder says it ensures Clinton County residents have judicial representation at both the district and circuit court levels.
Which circuit court judgeship will be eliminated will be determined when either of the two seats become vacant or when either of the sitting judges chooses to not seek re-election.

(Canton Twp-Newlywed Dies)
A newly married Canton Township man was killed in a car accident Sunday, less than 24 hours after his wedding.
21-year-old Jordan Costa died in a single car accident Sunday morning on Interstate 77 in Tuscarawas County in eastern Ohio. His wife, 21-year-old Heather Costa was also in the car, but sustained only minor injuries.
The couple was married Saturday at Connection Church and were on their way to Myrtle Beach when the accident occurred.
Police are not sure why Costa lost control of the vehicle. The crash remains under investigation.

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MON 20MAY13

(MI-Gas Prices)
Michigan Motorists planning to head out early for the upcoming Memorial Day holiday weekend will find the average gas price rose more than 10 cents a gallon this week.
Triple A Michigan reports the current statewide average is just over $3.88 per gallon. That's more than 13 cents higher than at this same time last year.
Among the cities it surveys, the Auto Club says the lowest price in the state was found in the Saginaw/Bay City area at slightly more than $3.83 per gallon. The highest was in the Marquette area at just over $3.95 per gallon.
Dearborn-based 'Triple A Michigan' surveys two-thousand-800 Michigan gas stations daily.
Among Michigan's major metropolitan areas, three-dollars-83-point-one cents in Saginaw/Bay City, three-dollars-86-point-two cents in Flint, three-dollars-86-point-six cents in Traverse City, three-dollars-87-point-two cents in Lansing/East Lansing, three-dollars-87-point-nine cents in Jackson, three-dollars-88 cents in Grand Rapids/Muskegon, three-dollars-88-point-five cents in Metro Detroit, three-dollars-89-point-one cents in Ann Arbor, three-dollars-93 cents in Benton Harbor and a statewide high of three-dollars-95-point-one cents in Marquette.  Gas prices in the Tawas area average $3.76 per gallon for Regular.

(Buena Vista-Schools Reopen)
Students and teachers returned to classes in the financially troubled Buena Vista School District in Saginaw County today (Monday). The school board took a unanimous vote at a Friday night special meeting to recall all teachers and some staff.
The state previously approved the Buena Vista schools' deficit elimination plan which released some $460,000. Superintendent Deborah Hunter-Harvill says grants will supplement the state money to help get through the remainder of the year. She said the school year is now tentatively scheduled to end June 21st to make up for time off.
Teachers and staff were pink slipped early last week and classes were cancelled when the district ran out of money after the state withheld aid because Buena Vista Schools had collected state funds for a discontinued program.
(WSGW, Saginaw)

(Mi-Click-It-Or-Ticket-Begins)
Today (Mon) is the day a special enforcement campaign begins to make sure Michigan motorists are "buckled up" through the Memorial Day holiday.
Officers from 155 police agencies in 26 Michigan counties will join the national "Click It Or Ticket" effort for the next two weeks, with a goal of reducing injuries and saving lives during a busy travel period.
Lynn Sutfin, with the State Office of Highway Safety Planning, says the campaign includes the use of special enforcement zones in areas of Michigan with high traffic crash rates. The daytime zones will concentrate on young male drivers in pick-up trucks who have been found to be the greatest violators, based on the latest traffic crash statistics.
Sutfin says the mobilization is also hoping to reverse a decline in Michigan's seat belt use rate, which was down to 93.6 percent last year from an all-time high of 97.9 percent in 2009. Michigan has a mandatory saat belt use law.
The "Click It Or Ticket" campaign will run through Sunday, June 2nd.

(MI-Advances in Crop Technology)
Advances in crop technology are allowing farmers to grow more food while using fewer resources.
So says Dave Tierney of Monsanto, who spoke before Agricultural Leaders of Michigan in Lansing last week.
He says because of technological advances, farmers today grow twice as much food as their parents did- using less land, energy, and water, while creating fewer emissions.
According to Tierney, growing global populations will put increased demands on food production in the future.
He predicts that to keep up with population growth, more food will have to be produced in the next 50-years than was produced in the past ten-thousand years combined.
Tierney also did not support efforts to require specific labeling for products containing ingredients derived from biotechnology, adding that such labels won't provide any extra health of safety benefit.   He says instead, it would only alarm consumers by wrongly implying that the food may not be safe and could have a substantial negative impact on agricultural growth and productivity.
Additionally, the FDA has determined that there is no significant difference between foods produced using biotechnology and their conventional counterparts.

(COA-State Employee Contribution Case)
A Michigan Court of Appeals will hear oral arguments June 12 in the lawsuit from state employee unions over a law requiring employees in the old pension system to contribute 4 percent of their pay to the system if they want to remain in the pension system.
A lower court ruled in September that the 2011 law is unconstitutional.
The law requires long-time state employees in the old pension system to contribute 4 percent of their salary to the system or have their pension benefit capped at their current years of service and be switched to a 401(k) for any future retirement benefit.

(Detroit-Dog Attacks)
The U.S. Postal Service has ranked Detroit among the top cities in the country for dog attacks on letter carriers.
Detroit was ranked sixth with 33 reported dog attacks on letter carriers during fiscal year 2012.
Topping the Postal Service list was Los Angeles which had 69 reported incidents involving dogs biting mail carriers.
Also finishing in the top ten were San Antonio, Seattle, Chicago, San Francisco, and Philadelphia.
USPS officials say nearly 59-hundred postal employees were attacked by dogs nationwide last year.
(Help from 24/7 News Source)

(Barry Co-Body Found)
Barry County Sheriff's deputies are investigating after kayakers discovered a man's body Sunday afternoon.
According to Sheriff Dar Leaf, the body was recovered from the Thornapple River near Garbow Road in Thornapple Township. Leaf says the man was wearing clothing similar to what Lucas Poll was wearing when he was reported missing March 1 by family members.
The 30-year old Poll was last heard from by telephone on February 26. The Sheriff's department and 100 volunteers conducted an unsuccessful search for Poll on March 9.
The body was taken to Sparrow Hospital in Lansing for an autopsy and positive identification.
(Jean Gallup, WBCH, Hastings/Greg Ghering, WOOD, Grand Rapids)

(Detroit-AMBER Alert Canceled)
A three-year-old Detroit girl, who was the subject of an AMBER Alert, has been found safe.
According to police, Alonna Anderson's father and alleged abductor Stacey Anderson, dropped the child off with relatives this morning (Monday) then fled.
Police say an unknown black male took Alonna and placed her inside a vehicle Sunday afternoon while her mother was being assaulted by the child's father.
Police are still looking for the 29-year old Anderson as well as another person. Anderson is described as Black, five-foot-nine, 165-pounds with brown eyes and black hair. He has a tattoo of a pit bull on his left arm.
Anderson is reportedly driving an older model, green Jeep Cherokee.
(24/7 News Source)

(MI-Credit Card Surcharge)
Attorney General Bill Schuette issued an alert advising consumers to be mindful of changes to credit card surcharge rules.
The AG says that as the new rules take effect, it's important to make sure that consumers are well-informed. He says, quote, "Retailers are now permitted to charge new fees to MasterCard and Visa cardholders, but they must post notices and follow strict guidelines if they choose to collect the fees."
The surcharge is intended to equal the actual cost of processing the credit card transaction, which is typically between one-point five and three percent.
The new surcharge rules come as a result of a recent court settlement between various merchants and Visa and Mastercard.
The settlement resolved claims that Visa, Mastercard, and their respective member banks violated the law by imposing and enforcing rules that limited merchants from steering their customers to other payment methods.
Schuette notes that while Michigan law does not forbid it, Visa and Mastercard have historically prohibited merchants from imposing a surcharge on credit card purchases.

(Dearborn-Arab Festival Cancelled)
The annual Arab International Festival in Dearborn has been cancelled this year.
The American Arab Chamber of Commerce made the announcement Friday saying the move to Ford Woods Park in Dearborn made it nearly impossible to have a successful event.
The festival has been the scene of clashes between Christian groups and local Arab Americans which have led to several lawsuits. Those incidents have led to higher insurance and liability costs for the event organizers.
The Chamber of Commerce says they will hold the event again in 2014.
(24/7 News Source)

(Grosse Pointe Park-Firebombing)
A Grosse Pointe Park man has been arraigned in connection with the firebombing of a home owned by a member of the Van Elslander family, which owns the Art Van Furniture chain.
20-year-old Charles Patterson Kay stood by his attorney Sunday as he was charged with second-degree arson and two counts of explosives for allegedly throwing a Molotov cocktail at the home of Gary Van Elslander.
No one was hurt.
Kay’s attorney, Charles Berschback entered not guilty pleas for Kay and asked the court for a reasonable bond. Berschack says his client takes medicine for A.D.D. and depression and he's concerned about Kay's ability to seek treatment and stay on his medication.
Bond was set at 35-thousand-dollars cash or surety.
A preliminary exam is set for May 29 in the case.
(WWJ, Detroit)

(Washtenaw Co-Fatal Crash)
Police have identified the victim that died in a Saturday morning crash along I-94 in Scio Township west of Ann Arbor.
51-year-old Doctor Steven Gradwohl was the driver that lost control of his vehicle, which crashed into an embankment and burst into flames.
Gradwohl was a doctor of internal medicine for the University of Michigan Health Systems.
An investigation shows the doctor may have lost consciousness while driving.
The crash shut down eastbound lanes of I-94 at Zeeb Road for nearly two hours.
(24/7 News Source)

(Alpena Co-Assault Suspect Dead)
State Police in northeast lower Michigan continue to investigate the death of a 48-year old assault suspect who died in a head-on crash with a semi.
Troopers were called to a home in Alpena Township Sunday morning on a report that the man had viciously attacked a 47-year old woman and her 22-year old son causing multiple stab wounds then fled the scene.
Both underwent surgery for their injuries. Their condition is unknown.
Police issued a bulletin to area police agencies and the suspect was spotted abut a half-hour later by a Montmorency County Sheriff Deputy who attempted to stop the man while traveling west on M-32. However the suspect intentionally rammed his vehicle into an eastbound semi tractor trailer. The suspect was instantly killed while the driver of the semi was not injured.
Police also learned that the suspect who has not been officially identified was also wanted for questioning in relation to a sexual assault complaint that occurred in Oscoda Township during the early morning hours of May 18th. It is alleged that a knife was also used in that incident and that the suspect has a lengthily criminal history.
Further information is not being released pending investigation and notification of relatives.
(WATZ, Alpena)

(MI-Mother and Midwife Pictures)
A new movie produced by Mother and Midwife pictures is set to begin shooting in Metro Detriot in July.
Producers say the feature length film, Papou, starring international screen actor Yorgo Voyagis (Zorba the Greek) and Evan Kole (The Avengers), is a unique tale of an imaginative young boy and his sickly grandfather.
The film has received more than Fifty-One Thousand dollars on a kick start fundraiser.
It has also claimed Fifty-five thousand dollars in potential Michigan Film and Digital Media Incentive rebates, and numerous press acknowledgements.
The film is being produced by film industry veterans Michael Sinanis and Christos Moisides and directed by 24-year-old first time feature film director Michael Angelo Zervos.
The production company is still accepting applications for extra roles.
Visit http://Motherandmidwife.com to find out more about the film and contact info@motherandmidwife.com for information on local casting.


(Standish-Casino Expansion)
The Saganing Eagles Landing Casino is planning expansions to more than triple its facility as well as bring 251 new jobs to the Standish area.
Some 144,000 square feet of additions are planned including a six-story hotel, dining and new gaming options.
A Saginaw Chippewa Indian spokesman said construction will last a bit less than a year and the tribe hopes to start the bid process in June.
(WSGW, Saginaw)

(Pontiac-GM Property Development)
The former General Motors property in Pontiac may be the home of a unique, new development for car enthusiasts.
A developer wants to turn the 80-acres of land into the M1 Concourse car country club with "car condominiums", a clubhouse, restaurant and a 40-thousand square foot events center.
The project is being spearheaded by attorney Brad Oleshansky (OH-luh-SHAN-skee) who says the site would also have a one-mile test track and an outdoor amphitheater. He plans to sign a purchase agreement Wednesday with the trust established to sell former General Motors sites that were not part of the "new GM" after their 2009 bankruptcy.
The M1 Concourse supporters hope to have construction underway this summer.
(24/7 News Source)

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FRI 17MAY13

(MI-Powerball Jackpot)
The Powerball jackpot keeps growing.
Lottery officials say the prize is now an estimated $600 million. That's the largest in the game's history and the world's second largest lottery prize.
The largest jackpot ever was a $656 million Mega Millions prize won in March 2012. It was split three ways with winners in Illinois, Kansas and Maryland.
The Powerball jackpot has grown by an estimated $236 million since the last drawing on Wednesday. The last time someone won was on March 30th.
Tickets for Saturday night's drawing are $2. Your odds of winning are about 1 in 175 million.

(Grosse Pointe Park-Attempted Firebombing-UPDATE)
Authorities in Grosse Pointe Park have one person in custody stemming from the attempted firebombing of the lakeside estate of a prominent metro Detroit businessman.
The incident happened early this morning (Friday) at the rumored $1.7 million home of Art Van Furniture President Gary Van Elslander. The home is located in an upscale community in Grosse Pointe Park along Lake St. Clair, just north of the Detroit River.
The device did not ignite and was stopped from getting into the house by a window screen. Police combed the area and found footsteps leading from a vacant lot next door.
Police Chief David Hiller said following a brief search, a 20-year-old Grosse Pointe Park resident described as a suspect was taken into custody a short time later. A news release issued late this morning said "detectives investigating the case are confident that we have the individual responsible for this incident."
The identity of the suspect has not been released.
Investigators recovered evidence from the scene, but Hiller would not say what type of evidence was taken.
The Wayne County Prosecutor's Office is expected to review the case.
Van Elslander is the son of Art Van Elslander, who founded the Art Van Furniture empire in 1959. Since then, Art Van Furniture has grown into the largest furniture store chain in the state of Michigan and the eighth largest nationwide.
(WWJ, Detroit/24/7 News Source)

(Haslett-Bomb Threat-UPDATE)
Police have concluded their search of Haslett High School near Lansing after a bomb scare forced the evacuation of the building.
No explosive was found.
Police in Ingham County's Meridian Township told the Lansing State Journal that the threat was made by a phone call to the school shortly after 9:00 A.M. this morning (Friday). Students, faculty and staff were evacuated.
Bomb-sniffing dogs from the Michigan State Police searched the building.
Michigan State University police and Eaton County Sheriff’s Office were called in to assist.

(MI/ONT-Two Earthquakes)
Reports of two earthquakes this (Friday) morning near the Ontario-Quebec border in Canada were felt by some in Michigan.
The first was a 5.1 magnitude. The second, which hit about 10 minutes later, registered as a 4.2 tremor.
Canadian news outlets said the quakes could be felt as far away as Toronto, but some people in Farmington Hills, Ann Arbor and Jackson are saying they felt something, too.
Residents in eastern Ontario and west Quebec said the shaking lasted about 30 seconds. Quakes measuring from 2.5 to 5.4 are often felt, but cause only minor damage. There are about 30,000 around the world each year.
No injuries were immediately reported.
(WWJ, Detroit)

(Livingston Co-Gun Rage Death)
A man who has already been convicted of manslaughter in the shooting death of another man at a Livingston County gun range last summer is now facing a murder charge.
Jessce Stearn of Howell Township was arraigned today (Friday) on open murder and a felony firearms charge.
Charles Kimball died of a shot from a Romanian AK-47 assault rifle at the club in Brighton Township in June 2012.
According to the Livingston Daily Press & Argus, Stearn said the shooting was accidental, and was scheduled to be sentenced on the manslaughter charge Monday. But that charge has now been dismissed.
Prosecutors say new evidence shows the shooting was intentional. They claim Stearn admitted to other jail inmates that it was because Kimball owed him money.
Stearn is being held without bond pending a preliminary exam on May 22. He could be sentenced to life in prison if convicted.

(Bay Co-Car Ordinance)
Neighborhood complaints about a self described "car nut" in Bay County's Bangor Township have prompted efforts by township leaders to propose a draft ordinance amendment to deal with excess vehicles parked on private property.
Arnold Tennant has 11 vehicles parked in front of his home. Tennant says he's tried to comply with township rules in the past including replacing expired license plate tags.
The draft ordinance would enforce a three car limit for every licensed driver living within a single family household. Homeowners like Tennant could keep extra vehicles if they were properly stored in an enclosed building like a pole barn.
The proposed language would have to be reviewed and approved by Bangor Township's attorney before going to the planning commission.
A final board vote could happen in late summer or early fall.
(WSGW, Saginaw)

(Detroit-Farrakhan Address)
Approximately 200 people gathered in the Detroit City Hall this morning (Friday) to hear Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan speak.
He addressed the Detroit City Council and residents in the Henderson Auditorium and urged them not to let the city collapse under the weight of the current fiscal crisis. Farrakhan once again called on Detroiters to pool their money to help save their city. He pointed out that 500,000 residents pledging $1 a month could help solve Detroit's problems.
Farrakhan will continue his speaking engagements tonight at the Fellowship Chapel on the city's northwest side.
(24/7 News Source)

(Kent Co-Fatal Crash Sentence)
A Kent County Judge sentenced a Grand Rapids man Thursday for a crash killing an 8 year old girl last December.
22-year old Byron Juarez will serve 57 months to 15 years in prison for operating while intoxicated causing death.
Dayma Roblero, a Detroit area girl, died when she was riding with family in the southwest part of Grand Rapids. Police say Juarez had a blood-alcohol level of .16 when his SUV struck the family's car on December 23rd. A 4-year-old and a 10-year-old were seriously injured.
The group had driven to Grand Rapids from Detroit for a church function.
Judge Mark Trusock's sentence includes the highest minimum jail stay for the conviction. Juarez received credit for nearly five months already served as he heads to prison.
(John C. Smith, WOOD, Grand Rapids)

(Pontiac-Shooting Death)
Police say an 18-year-old Pontiac teen has been arrested after a 17-year-old girl died a day after she was shot in the face.
The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office identified the suspect as the victim’s boyfriend, but did not release his name.
Makayla Lance, of Pontiac, died Wednesday at McLaren Oakland Hospital. Police say she was shot in the face Tuesday afternoon. When police arrived at the home, the suspect was at the Lance’s side, apparently trying to administer first aid.
Lance was rushed to the hospital where she was place on life support, as police took her boyfriend, who is believed to be the person who fired the gun, back to the station for questioning.
Captain Tim Atkins told the Oakland Press (quote) “the suspect claims the shooting was accidental.”
Police say the gun used in the crime was recovered from a garbage can behind the house.
So far, there has been no announced decision on charges in the killing.
(WWJ, Detroit)

(Saginaw Co-Courthouse Gun)
A 45-year-old Saginaw area woman with a criminal history dating back to the 1980's could get life in prison if convicted of the multiple charges facing her after being caught with a gun at the Saginaw County Courthouse front entrance checkpoint.
Sheriff deputies arrested Sherenia Parks Wednesday afternoon as she came to pay a parking ticket. Her attorney said Parks did not realize she had the weapon in her purse.
Parks had a not guilty plea entered on her behalf during her Saginaw County District Court arraignment Thursday. The charges include carrying a concealed weapon, possessing a firearm as a felon, possessing Vicodin and two counts of possessing a firearm during the commission of a felony.
Parks was being held in the Saginaw County Jail on a $25,000 bond. Her preliminary exam is May 29th.
(WSGW, Saginaw)

(Detroit-Museum Reopens)
After a several month long closure for a two-million-dollar makeover, the Dossin Great Lakes Museum on Belle Isle reopens this weekend.
The museum is dedicated to the maritime history of southeastern Michigan, the Detroit River and the Great Lakes.
A centerpiece of the renovation is a permanent exhibit that chronicles Detroit's growth and development into one of the nation's leading metropolitan regions and the link to the river that shares its name.
The exhibit highlights the ways in which Detroiters have used the river and lakes to build industries, engage neighbors and pursue recreational passions.
The museum will hold reopening events beginning at noon Saturday.
(24/7 News Source)

(Kent Co-Flood Damage)
The flooding on the Grand River last month did an estimated ten-point-six million dollars in damage in Kent County.
The Kent County Emergency Management supervisors released the updated numbers yesterday. Earlier estimates put the damage at eleven-million in Grand Rapids and just over six-million elsewhere in the county.
Governor Snyder included Grand Rapids and Kent County in a "state of disaster" declaration, and it's expected he will ask President Obama for a federal declaration.
(24/7 News Source)

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THU 16MAY13

(Capitol-Fireworks Changes)
The state lawmaker who sponsored legislation that legalized exploding and flying fireworks is now pushing for a new restriction on that law.
State House Democrat Harold Haugh from Roseville says after listening to constituents and meeting with all interested stakeholders, he believes that leaving the fireworks ordinance decisions up to the local units of government is the best course of action.
Under proposed changes to the Michigan Fireworks Safety Act, local units of government still retain full control over the 335 days they currently have. On the days of, day before, and day after a national holiday, they may enact an ordinance prohibiting the use of consumer grade fireworks from 12 a.m. to 8 a.m. and could also enact an ordinance expanding the hours of usage but not decreasing them on the 30 days.
Among others, the legislation also would ensure that 100 percent of the Fireworks Safety Fee be distributed to the firefighter training council for training purposes and allow local units of government to carry out inspections of consumer-grade firework facilities.
Haugh hopes to have the changes approved by lawmakers and signed by the Governor before the Fourth of July.

(MI-Consumers Rate Hike)
Electric customers of Consumers Energy will see their rates go up.
The Michigan Public Service Commission on Wednesday approved a company settlement agreement resulting in a $1.67 increase for customers using 500-kilowatt hours of electricity each month. The increase takes effect today (Thursday).
Overall, the Jackson-based utility was granted $89 million annually, an increase of 2.3 percent. However, regulators say that's 40 percent less than the $148.3 million rate increase the utility originally requested.
There is some good news though. Because the amount approved is below the $110 million amount the company began to self-implement on March 19, the commission has directed the utility to refund to its electric customers approximately $21 million on an annual basis, plus interest, subject to reconciliation.
Consumers must file a reconciliation application with the PSC regarding the refund within 60 days.

(Saginaw Co-Buena Vista Could Open)
Classes could be back in session Friday in the Buena (BYOO-nuh) Vista School District in Saginaw County.
State School Superintendent Mike Flanagan has approved a deficit elimination plan adopted by the school board releasing funds that have been withheld because Buena Vista schools continued to collect money for a program that ended last summer.
The district will receive its regularly scheduled state aid payment on May 20th allowing the district to meet its May 24th payroll.
According to the district website, the Board of Education has a special meeting planned for today (Thursday).
The district's 420 students have not been in school since May 3rd, and the district laid off teachers May 7th.

(Detroit-Five Shot, One Killed)
Four people were wounded and a 60-year-old woman was killed Wednesday after a quiet Detroit neighborhood erupted in gunfire.
The shooting happened around 8 p.m. at a home on the city’s west side.
Sgt. Eren Stephens said a group of children were playing outside when an adult sent one of the youngsters home. That child apparently went home and told a family member. Stephens says a 24-year-old man returned with a gun a short time later and began shooting.
Members of both families were shot, including a 15-year old girl, a 24-year-old woman, a 32-year-old woman and a 58-year-old man. They were listed in temporary serious condition at a local hospital. The 60-year-old woman died at the scene.
Stephens said those involved in the shooting all knew each other.
Police are now searching for the gunman, who fled the scene after the shooting.
(WWJ, Detroit)

(Capitol-Adoption)
A legislative committee in Lansing is now considering testimony on a package of bills that change the state's adoption system.
Among other things, the package allows a birth mother to consent to giving up the child for adoption outside of court. She would also have 72 hours to revoke the consent.
The bills also allow a court to finalize adoption after three months instead of six.
Further, while the child would be placed with either the adoptive family or the mother during the adoption process, it would not be placed with the putative father during those proceedings.
The bills are before the House Families, Children and Seniors Committee.

(MI-Bar Owners-BAC)
Bar owners and other licensed beverage sellers are wasting no time in opposing a recommendation from the National Transportation Safety Board that Michigan and other states reduce it's maximum blood alcohol level for drivers to point-oh-five (.05).   Currently it's point-oh-eight (.08) and that had only been reduced in recent years from point-one-oh (.10).
Scott Ellis of the Michigan Licensed Beverage Association says another reduction is not the answer to drunken driving problems, adding that it only serves to create an "unnecessary fear among responsible consumers."
Instead he says the focus should be on repeat offenders and those caught with levels above .10.
He adds that their group, which has lobbyists in Washington, will work to discourage Congress from making .05 a requirement.

(MI-Lost Jobs Replaced)
A University of Michigan economist says four out of nine jobs Michigan lost between 2000 and 2010 will be replaced by the end of 2015.
Director of the Research Seminar on Quantitative Economics (RSQE) at the U-M, George Fulton, told the Consensus Revenue Estimating Conference (CREC) in Lansing Wednesday (quote) "we think we'll regain 44-percent of the jobs that we lost in that decade."
Fulton says by the close of calendar year 2015 the state's economy will have added a total of 373,500 jobs since the first quarter of 2010. He doesn't expect the state to regain all 857,700 of those lost jobs until the early 2020's.
Fulton says by 2015 he expects Michigan's economy will have had moderate growth for six straight years.

(MI/DC-Camp Reaction-IRS Resignation)
Michigan Congressman Dave Camp expects Acting IRS Commissioner Steve Miller to give complete answers Friday when he testifies about allegations of political discrimination by the tax agency.
The Midland Republican says Miller's announced resignation Wednesday does nothing to change the fact the tax system is targeting honest, hard-working taxpayers instead of working for them. Camp says the resignation does nothing to change a culture of discrimination at the IRS.
Camp chairs the U. S. House Ways and Means Committee which wants honest answers from Miller tomorrow about why the American people were targeted on the basis of their political beliefs.
Camp says there are too many unanswered questions and Congress can not fix what is wrong until the IRS is completely open and honest with the American people.
(Bill Hewitt, WSGW, Saginaw)

(MI-UP Plane Crash Cause)
The National Transportation Safety Board has come back with its final report about a fatal plane crash in the Upper Peninsula in December of 2011.
The crash killed the pilot, 29-year-old Manistique native Joseph Pann and 52-year-old Detroit native Thomas Phillips, who was an executive at Amazon-dot-com.
Phillips had hired Great Lakes Air to fly him to his second home on Mackinac Island, when he and the pilot went missing during a snowstorm. They were found near St. Ignace the next day.
The NTSB ruling finds that Pann's decision to fly in poor weather was the cause of the crash.
(WTIQ, Manistique)

(MI-Special Election)
Governor Rick Snyder has called a special election in the 49th District of the state House of Representatives to fill the vacancy created when Democrat Jim Ananich of Flint was sworn in as state senator of the 27th District.
The 49th House District is located in Genesee County and includes part of the city of Flint.
Snyder says the special election will ensure area residents have full representation in the Legislature as quickly as possible while coinciding with certain previously scheduled elections to help ensure minimized financial burdens to local communities in the district.
The special election will be Tuesday, November 5, and a primary election would be August 6 if necessary.

(Detroit-West Nile Report)
Health officials say 2012 was the worst year for West Nile Virus infections in Michigan since 2003.
According to the Centers of Disease Control, 202 cases of West Nile Virus were reported in Michigan last year, including 17 deaths. That’s up significantly from 2011, when there were only 34 documented cases of West Nile Virus in Michigan, and in 2010 when there were 29 reported cases.
Of last year’s infections, 41 percent (84 cases) occurred in Wayne County, 20 percent (41 cases) occurred in Kent County, 14 percent (28 cases) occurred in Macomb County and 11 percent (23 cases) occurred in Oakland County. The remaining cases were scattered in counties throughout the state.
Of the fatal cases, six were in Detroit, four were in Wayne County, three were in Macomb County, two were in Kent County, one was in Ogemaw County and the other was in Washtenaw County.
West Nile Virus is a potentially serious illness that is spread by infected mosquitoes.
(WWJ, Detroit)

(Jackson-Consumers Meter Readers)
Consumers Energy says in order to protect its employees from dog bites and attacks, customers with "aggressive" dogs that have bit meter readers in the past will only have their gas or electric meters read with a police escort.
Under its revised policy, the Jackson-based utility is also requiring that all dogs -- even those that have shown no sign of aggressive behavior -- be restrained or properly contained while meters are being read.
In either situation if contact with the customer cannot be made, the meter will not be read.
Charles Montgomery, manager of customer field services, says they continue to see an increase in the number of dog bites to meter reads, even by dogs that have in the past exhibited no aggressive behavior.
Customers have the option of reading their own meter and providing the information to Consumers online.

(Detroit-Human Remains Found)
Detroit police say they found human remains buried in the backyard of a home after receiving a tip from the public.
The home is located just east of the Southfield Freeway on the city’s northwest side.
Sgt. Eren Stephens says police received a tip around 6 p.m. Wednesday that a body was buried outside of the home. Officers responded to the home, where they found human remains buried in a shallow grave on the property.
It wasn’t immediately clear how long the remains had been there or if they belong to a man or woman.
An investigation is ongoing.
(WWJ, Detroit)

(MI-Smart Meter Opt Out)
DTE Energy customers will be able to opt out of using controversial smart meters... for a price.
The Michigan Public Service Commission ruled yesterday (Wednesday) that DTE can charge its customers an initial fee of $67.20 and a monthly fee of $9.80 to opt out of the smart meters.
Mlive.com reports that DTE had originally requested it be allowed to charge $87 up front and $15 per month, but the MPSC ordered a lower rate.
The smart-meter program allows utilities to remotely monitor power outages and use. But some state lawmakers, municipalities and consumer groups have expressed concerns over privacy as well as environmental and health hazards from radio frequencies emitted by the meters.
DTE spokesman Scott Simons says (quote) "We believe that the advanced meters are safe, reliable and protect the customers’ privacy, however for customers who don’t want the meter, we agree with the MPSC that they should be able to opt out."
The MPSC is also considering a similar request from Consumers Energy to charge customers for opting out of smart meters.

(Ann Arbor-Child Death)
A Washtenaw County Judge sentenced Michael Curtiss to between 30 and 60-years in jail for the death of a 14-month old boy last October.
Curtiss was watching Chase Miller as a favor to Jill Miller, who he was dating at the time. Curtiss was snorting heroin that night and beat the child. Prosecutors say the toddler was shoved and fell into a TV stand, which caused blunt force trauma to his head.
Curtiss apologized to the family and the court and said he quote "should have been more careful with Chase."
(24/7 News Source)

(Wayne Co-Terrorism Charge)
A 37-year-old man has been charged with terrorism in connection with this week’s bomb scare at the Westland city hall.
Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy says Sean Quigley lied that he had explosives and held an employee hostage on Monday. The building was evacuated and the woman was able to escape unharmed.
Westland Police and the Michigan State Police arrested Quigley outside a short time later. A bomb squad searched the property but found nothing.
Quigley was to be arraigned in 18th District court Wednesday. He faces up to life in prison if convicted of terrorism, kidnapping, false report of a felony - bomb, and false report of a felony - threat of terrorism.
(WWJ, Detroit)

(Ann Arbor-Indecent Exposure Arrest)
A 46-year-old Ann Arbor man is in custody after allegedly exposing himself to two young women inside the Designer Shoe Warehouse at Arborland mall Tuesday night.
A 26-year-old woman from Haslett and a 27-year-old Ann Arbor woman told police that the suspect approached them, lifted his shorts and exposed himself. The man then allegedly said nothing, and walked out of the store.
Police located the man a short time later, at a different location, and placed him under arrest.
Ann Arbor Police Lieutenant Renee Bush says indecent exposure charges could be forthcoming.
(24/7 News Source)

(Detroit-Human Remains Found)
Detroit police say they found human remains buried in the backyard of a home after receiving a tip from the public.
The home is located just east of the Southfield Freeway on the city’s northwest side.
Sgt. Eren Stephens says police received a tip around 6 p.m. Wednesday that a body was buried outside of the home. Officers responded to the home, where they found human remains buried in a shallow grave on the property.
It wasn’t immediately clear how long the remains had been there or if they belong to a man or woman.
An investigation is ongoing.
(WWJ, Detroit)

(East Lansing-Morrill Hall Fire)
The oldest standing building on the Michigan State University campus, Morrill Hall, caught fire yesterday (Wednesday).
Several fire departments fought the blaze reported to have sparked at 7 p.m. at the 113 year-old building. At one point flames and billowing smoke could be seen coming from the structure's rooftop.
No injuries were reported.
MSU has been in the process of demolishing Morrill Hall and the building's tenants, the English and History departments, had been moved to other facilities.
Demolition of the structure began in March and is scheduled to be completed in August.

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Free fishing and hunting licenses now available to military members  
 

Active-duty military members who enlisted as Michigan residents and have maintained residence status can now obtain annual Michigan fishing or hunting licenses free of charge, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources announced today.  

To qualify, persons must be active-duty U.S. military members and, at the time of enlistment, must have been residents of Michigan and must have maintained residence status for the purposes of obtaining a driver's license or voting. These individuals may receive, free of charge, a resident military all-species fishing license or any hunting license for which a lottery is not required.

Applicants must present proof of military status when applying for the free license. Proof of military status may include military I.D., leave papers, duty papers, military orders or other evidence verifying that the applicant is a member of the military. The licenses are available at DNR Customer Service Centers and at license retail outlets statewide.

Previously, military members paid $1 for a resident all-species fishing license or hunting license not requiring a lottery. The change is part of Public Act 21 of 2013.

Military members receiving a free fishing or hunting license must present the license, along with proof of military status, if requested by a conservation officer.

As always, non-resident, active-duty military personnel officially stationed in Michigan may purchase all hunting and fishing licenses at Michigan resident rates. 

These regulation changes are detailed further in the 2013 Michigan Fishing Guide, now available at all major retailers and at the DNR website at www.michigan.gov/fishingguide.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information, go to www.michigan.gov/dnr.

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Local Michigan Governments are Blatantly Violating The Headlee Tax Law.  See WIOS Forum for details.

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DNR Burn Permit

 
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