WATZ Today's Country

Thursday News Summary 11-03-22
Thu, 03 Nov 2022 12:24:04 EDT

(Stories Courtesy of Michigan News Radio)

ALLEGAN COUNTY SCHOOLS
Allegan County Safe Schools Network is conducting a Preparedness Seminar at the
Allegan High School Conference Center TODAY from 8:30 am-12:00 pm. This seminar
is by invitation only. Allegan County Safe Schools Network is a new collaboration
network intending to bring schools, public safety, and public health officials closer
together to discuss serious threats to our public, private and parochial school districts.

VOLUNTEER STEWARDSHIP DAYS
Pitch in to restore natural areas and help feed hungry families. If you care about
protecting, preserving and promoting Michigans natural and cultural resources, there
are many ways to get involved in tending to them. Here are some opportunities coming
up in November. Several state parks in southern Michigan are hosting volunteer
stewardship workdays. Volunteers are needed to help restore natural areas by
removing invasive plants that threaten high-quality ecosystems or collecting native
wildflower and grass seeds. Workdays will take place throughout the state including in
Berrien County on Saturday, Barry county on Sunday, November 19 in Mason County
and again in Berrien County on November 26.

DRONES
Drones - leading to a reduction in crime in Southfield according to their police
department. Southfield Police say their new drone program lead to officers nabbing a
robbery suspect at a local towing service. They've got video surveillance and evidence
they didn't have before with the new proactive crime tool. Chief Elvin Barren says the
force now includes highly trained drone operators assigned to each shift with the
devices being able to be deployed in light and darkness.

RSV DEATH
A child has died in Oakland County as officials warn of a sharp increase in cases of
RSV. The six-year-old boy's death has been listed by the Medical Examiner as RSV
with complications. RSV can cause cold like symptoms, but can also lead to bronchitis
and pneumonia, particularly in babies. Oakland County health officials say those four
and under are the majority of cases in the ER right now related to RSV and other
respiratory illnesses.

LAPEER COUNTY DEATH
A woman is dead and a Lapeer County man faces a felony charge after the man
assaulted the driver of a truck on Saturday morning. 41-year-old Kyle Rasmussen was
traveling in the back seat of a Chevrolet Silverado on M-59 in Rochester Hills when he
allegedly strangled the driver and tried to grab the steering wheel. Rasmussen's
girlfriend -- 30-year-old Sarah Ratliff of Davison -- fled the truck when the incident
happened. As she ran away, she was hit by a car and died. Police are looking for a
Audi Q7 SUV that allegedly hit Ratliff and fled the scene.

INDY RECRUITING OFFICERS
Detroit is the target of new advertisements aimed at recruiting the city's police officers
to Indianapolis. The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department has blanketed Detroit,
putting up billboards and posting digital advertisements with the goal of attracting
officers to Indy. The department says its targeting Detroit officers because of the citys
large and diverse population, proximity to Indianapolis, and the potential to offer a
competitive salary with a lower cost of living.

BENTON HARBOR WATER
99 percent of Benton Harbor's lead water lines have been inspected and replaced with
new copper lines if lead or galvanized pipe was found. Officials also reiterated their
ongoing commitment to Benton Harbor residents as the city moves toward the next
phase of reducing in-home lead exposure risks. Lead-reducing filters, bottled water,
free home lead inspections and abatement services will continue to be offered to help
make City of Benton Harbor homes lead safe.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced that the accelerated campaign to replace
aging lead water service lines in the City of Benton Harbor is reaching completion five
months ahead of schedule

MECOSTA COUNTY FIRE
Officials are asking for help from the public to determine who may be responsible for a
mobile home fire in Mecosta County. Fire crews were called to the single-wide trailer
fully engulfed around 4:30 a.m. Wednesday in Green Township. Crews put out the fire
and evidence was located at the scene that appeared suspicious, according to the
Mecosta County Sheriff's Office. The fire was reported by a neighbor who saw the
flames. No one was inside the trailer.

ALDI PRICE CUTS
As inflation continues to wreak havoc on grocery bills, a grocery store chain is rolling
back prices to levels not seen since before the pandemic in 2019. Aldi has started its
Thanksgiving Price Rewind promotion, offering up to 30 percent discounts on holiday
dishes, appetizers, desserts and drinks. The price of grocery staples is up 11 percent
over this time last year.

BOOGALOO BOYS
The FBI says it has arrested two members of the far-right anti-government group the
Boogaloo Boys, with authorities increasingly concerned about the potential for violence
in the lead up to next week's midterm elections. FBI spokeswoman Mara Schneider
says Timothy Teagan is to appear in federal court in Detroit. Meanwhile, the FBI says
in a criminal complaint filed Monday that there was enough evidence to charge Aron
McKillips of Sandusky, Ohio with illegal possession of a machine gun and the interstate
communication of threats. His lawyer says McKillips was taken into custody and that
he's asked for his release pending a detention hearing next week.

POSSESSION OF MACHINE GUN
Showing off his homemade handgun has earned a Detroit man more than three years
in federal prison. 19-year-old Dion Davis was sentenced for possessing a machine gun
while out on bond on two pending cases. Prosecutors say the handgun was equipped
with a Glock switch that made it into an illegal weapon, which he showed off online.
Officials claim Davis was a member of the "700 Gang," taking part in shootings and
threats against rival gang members. 12 other members of the gang are now behind
bars.

ARMED ROBBERY
Three menPaschal Uchendu, 27, of Mason, Stephen Uchendu, 21, of Mason, and
Todd Lamonte Harris, Jr., 20, of Grand Rapids - have pleaded guilty to their roles in
staging the armed robbery of a courier van transporting over $1.2 million in cash. The
three men were charged in a Felony on September 21. On October 12, Paschal
Uchendu pleaded guilty to bank larceny. On September 28 and November 2,
respectively, Stephen Uchendu and Todd Harris pleaded guilty to the interstate
transportation of stolen property. All three men face up to ten years in prison, up to
three years of supervised release, and fines in excess of $250,000.

GAS PRICES
Gas prices across Michigan have made another staggering jump.
According to Triple A, the average price for a gallon of regular gas in the state is $4.12
-- a 16 cent increase since yesterday.
Michigan's average price is 35 cents higher than the national average.

NO POWERBALL WINNER
The jackpot for the Powerball is approaching the World Record Amount following last
night's drawing. No ticket matching all six numbers, the jackpot rolling over to an
estimated 1.5-BILLION dollars with a cash option of 745-MILLION for the next drawing
on Saturday .
Lottery officials say the it's the second largest jackpot in Powerball history and the third
largest in U-S lottery history. The drawing Saturday will be the 40th, without a jackpot
winner.

HAMMER MURDERS SENTENCE-MID MI
A 30-year-old mid Michigan man has been sentenced to 70 to 100 years in prison for
killing two women with a hammer in 2019. Kiernan Brown , of Delta Township, was
pulled over in a traffic stop on I-69 and showed cellphone photos of their beaten bodies
to sheriff's deputies. An ex-girlfriend had reported that he had been violating a personal
protection order by banging on her door....but she was not one of the victims. Brown
pleaded guilty but mentally ill to second degree murder in the deaths of 26-year-old
Kaylee Ann Brock, of Holt and 32-year-old Julie Mooney, of Williamston.

BICYCLIST KILLED-W MI
There's still no arrest in the shooting death of an 18-year-old bicyclist in west
Michigan's Wyoming. Kane Coronado, of White Cloud, would have turned 19 next
week. Family and friends held a candlelight vigil yesterday in the place where he died
in Hopewell Indian Mounds Park. His grandmother, Tonya Ferguson, was there and
says somebodys got to be a monster just to be able to shoot somebody and leave them
laying and drive away.
Police are looking for a light colored sedan that witnesses saw at the scene on
Tuesday.
A Gofundme account has been set up to pay for Coronado's funeral.

PENCE TO CAMPAIGN IN MI
Former Vice President Mike Pence will be in west Michigan on Friday to campaign for
republican candidates. He will campaign for Congressman Bill Huizenga in Portage
Friday afternoon. He faces democrat Joseph Alfonso. Pence is also expected to
campaign in Charlotte (Shar-Lot) for republican Tom Barrett who is running against
incumbent democratic Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin.

STANLEY LEAVING MSU EARLY
Michigan State University President Samuel Stanley is leaving his position two months
earlier than expected.
Stanley announced yesterday he's departing his post Friday... paving the way for
interim president Teresa Woodruff to take control of the university immediately.
Woodruff -- who previously served as provost -- was initially scheduled to take the reins
of Michigan State on January 11th... Stanley's initial departure date.
Stanley announced his plants to leave East Lansing on October 13th... citing that he
lost confidence in the university's board of trustees.

MURDER ACQUITTAL-U-P
A Pennsylvania man, Nicholas Gillard, has been acquitted of killing one person and
injuring another one at a cabin in the Upper Peninsula's Marenisco Townshi last year.
W-L-U-C reports a jury found Millard not guilty of premeditated murder, assault with
intent to murder and felony firearm. 49-year-old Thomas Fletcher was killed and 22-
year-old Austin Fletcher was injured.

DOWNTOWN GR BACK
Downtown Grand Rapids has bounced back from the pandemic. Downtown Grand
Rapids, Inc and Experience Grand Rapids say shops, bars, restaurants and hotels in
Downtown Grand Rapids showed activity levels this summer that were at or better than
years prior to the pandemic. Hotel occupancy downtown returned to near pre-pandemic
levels.
Downtown Grand Rapids Inc says the future of Downtown is strong with a variety of
construction and development underway or planned.

MISSING MAN -SOUTHFIELD
Southfield Police are asking for the public's help in locating a missing 64-year-old
man. Police say Robert Redfield left his home in Southfield on Monday afternoon
around 1:30pm and did not return.
Robert Redfield is described as five feet seven inches tall and approximately 187
pounds, with gray hair pounds with gray hair and blue eyes. He was last seen wearing
blue jean overalls, a black sweatshirt, and black Adidas tennis shoes.
Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Robert Redfield is
asked to contact the Southfield Police Department.

PRIEST SENTENCING MOVED
The sentencing date has been moved for a Waterford Township priest convicted of
rape.
Father Joseph Baker was found guilty of first-degree criminal sexual conduct in Wayne
County Circuit Court. He had previously been scheduled for sentencing yesterday -- but
that date has been moved to December 14th.
In 2004, Baker raped a second-grade boy at St. Mary Catholic School in Wayne. He
was arrested in 2019 while he was pastor of St. Perpetua in Waterford Township.