Thursday News Summary 10-27-22Thu, 27 Oct 2022 12:27:29 EDT
(Stories Courtesy of Michigan News Radio)
MAN THREATENS DISPATCHER
A man who pleaded guilty to threatening to kill a west Michigan 9-1-1 dispatcher has
been sentenced to two years in prison. Jonathan Munafo admitted to calling a
dispatcher in Calhoun County from a phone at a truck stop in North Carolina the day
before the January 6th Capitol riot. Prosecutors say when the dispatchers refused to
transfer his call, Munafo said "Im gonna cut your throat. Im gonna make you eat your
"Bleeping" nose." Munafo is also facing nearly a dozen charges in connection with the
January 6th riot, including for allegedly punching a Capitol police officer.
TOWNSHIP SUPERVISOR CHARGED
A township Supervisor in Southwest Michigan is facing rape charges. The Attorney
General's office says 57-year old Kenneth Linn of Three Rivers, who is the Fabius
Township Supervisor, faces four counts of criminal sexual conduct. Investigators say
the alleged rape took place following a golf outing in 2010. Linn is suspected of
sexually assaulting the victim who was helpless due to being drunk and unable to give
consent. The victim went to the hospital the following day, but the sex assault kit
wasn't submitted to Michigan State Police until 2014. The case was re-examined as
part of the state-wide Sexual Assault Kit testing initiative last year. Linn is expected
back in court next week.
TREASURY SCAM LETTERS
The Michigan Department of Treasury is warning taxpayers of a recent scam. Michigan
taxpayers have received scam-like letters regarding an overdue tax bill asking them to
contact a toll-free number in order to resolve state tax debt. The letter is threatening to
seize property -- including bank accounts, wages, cars and refunds. The treasury says
the letter LOOKS credible because it uses personal facts...but is a criminal attempt to
take money. The Treasury Department sends letters with the state of Michigan
letterhead and names of the governor and state treasurer. They are always sent
through the U-S Postal Service. Those who believe to have received a letter can
contact the Treasurys Collections Service Center.
FORD OUT OF ELECTRIC
Ford lost 827 million dollars in the third quarter...as the automaker is exiting the self
driving car business. That decision will cost ford 2.7 billion dollars. But long term, chief
financial officer John Lawler says they are better off focusing on driver assistance
systems rather than full self driving vehicles. Ford made 1.3 billion pre tax in North
America...the number that profit sharing is based on.
NEW ELECTRIC BUSES
Several school districts in Michigan have been awarded millions of dollars to buy new
electric school buses. Grant winners from a new federal program through the
Environmental Protection Agency were announced yesterday. Among the districts
receiving funds are Alcona, Bessemer, Cassopolis, Harbor Beach, Hartford, Jackson,
L'anse, Mayville, Onsted, Pellston, Pentwater and Sand Creek. Nearly 400 school
districts across the country are receiving grants totaling about one billion dollars to
purchase the "clean" school buses.
CHRIS SCHURR PRELIM EXAM-GRAND RAPIDS
A preliminary exam will be held this morning for the former Grand Rapids Police officer
who shot and killed motorist Patrick Lyoya in April after a chase. A judge will determine
if there's enough evidence to send former officer Chris Schurr to trial for murder.
Schurr, who's white, had pulled Lyoya, who was black, over and a struggle ensued and
Lyoya grabbed Schurr's taser. Schurr was on top of Lyoya and shot him in the back of
the head. Schurr's attorneys argue that his use of deadly force was justified.
DETROIT SCHOOL BUS DRIVER FIGHT
It's a video that is gaining a lot of attention. A Detroit school bus driver fighting with an
elementary school student. The video shows both the driver and student throwing
punches and wrestling with each other while other students are screaming. A
statement from Detroit Public Schools says the fight occurred yesterday on a Trinity
bus. The driver has been removed from Detroit Public Schools service and may be
fired by the contractor. Detroit police are also investigating the fight this morning.
MAN KILLED BY LOAD OF LUMBER-W MI
A truck driver was killed when he was hit by a load of lumber that was being delivered
to a company in Grandville, near Grand Rapids, on Wednesday. Police say a load of
lumber was being unloaded from a semi truck when a portion of it fell and hit the
driver , killing him. The driver has been identified as 51-year-old Levi Linton, from
Ontario, Canada. MIOSHA is investigating.
YOUTH REF SEX ASSAULT-LANSING TOWNSHIP
A longtime Michigan high school referee is facing criminal sexual conduct charges.
70-year-old Gerald Sutter of Lansing Township has been charged with three counts of
criminal sexual conduct involving a minor.
The alleged assaults reportedly happened from 2019 to 2021 in the suspects home.
Police believe there's potentially other victims.
The Ingham County Sheriffs Office says Sutter officiated athletics across the state over
the past 50 years... working mainly in the Mid Michigan area.
GOV CAMPAIGNING
With less than two weeks left before the election, Governor Gretchen Whitmer and
Lieutenent Governor Garlin Gilchrist are campaigning today across the state. They are
making stops in several cities on their "Getting Things Done" road trip at canvass
kickoffs, vote marches, rallies, and small business stops throughout the state to talk
with voters and share their vision for Michigan. There will be stops in Battle Creek,
Kalamazoo, and Muskegon Heights today, with campaign stops in Bay City, Saginaw,
Flint, and St. Johns tomorrow.
Republican candidate Tudor Dixon returns to Metro Detroit today as a featured speaker
at the "Stand Up Saint Clair" rally at the Saint Clair United Methodist Church.
FRUITPORT CASINO
There still may be a chance for a tribal casino to be built near Muskegon. Governor
Gretchen Whitmer would not sign off on the casino last summer, but now the
Department of Interior has inivited the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians to resubmit
an application for the casino and Fruitport Township officials call it an unusual twist.
Whitmer had not signed off on the casino because the Department of Interior had not
decided on the casino . A spokesman for the tribe, Larry Romanelli, says the
opportunity to submit another application means a lot not just to his tribe to the the
Muskegon area and west Michigan as well since it could create four thousand jobs.
FED EX DRIVER ATTACKED
A man is expected to be charged with attacking a FedEd driver in southwest Michigan's
Portage in August. Police say the man will likely be charged with assault, ethnic
intimidation and other charges. FedEx driver , 23-year-old Tirrell Lupsey, claims the
man tried to hit him while calling him by racial slurs. Lipsey says the man started
throwing items from his truck and was stealing packages from homes where he was
delivering.
FATAL CRASH EMMET COUNTY
A fatal accident in Emmet County has taken the life of a Cheboygan County man.
State police the head-on crash in Bear Township occurred Wednesday when a car
driven by a 77-year-old man crossed into the left turn land and hit a behicle in the left
lane. The 77-year-old man, Harold Reynolds, died and the other driver was taken to
the hospital.
ROGUE TRAILS
In Grand Traverse County, Garfield Township has issued a warning about illegal rogue
trails and bike jumps at the Grand Traverse Commons Natural Area, after a cyclist was
killed on a jump. Besides being a danger for those on their bikes, the illegal trails are
also destroying sensitive habitat and posing erosion issues at the park. Additional
signs have been put up warning cyclists to take extra precautions.
KINGSLEY SQUARE
Kingsley has been awarded a million dollar grant from the Michigan Economic
Development Corporation to transform the Village's Main Square...Brownson Memorial
Park. Kinsley was one of 33 communities that applied for funding from the state's
public gathering spaces initiative. Six other communities were also selected including:
Big Rapids, McBain, Roscommon, Ionia, Shelby and Calumet.
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