WATZ Today's Country

Thursday News Summary 11-10-22
Thu, 17 Nov 2022 10:40:46 EST

(Stories Courtesy of Michigan News Radio)

BUICK CITY
A new project in Flint is expected to result in a 3.5 million square foot, state-of-the-art
light industrial space. Redevelopment of the Buick City site in Flint will provide indemand industrial space. The project is expected to generate a total capital investment
of $300 million and could eventually create between 2 TO-3,000 jobs on the site,
representing the largest investment in North Flint in decades. Officials say the industrial
space is critical in addressing the shortage of space in the city of Flint and the state of
Michigan. The project will also clean up one of the largest and most significantly
blighted and contaminated industrial sites in the state.

MIHEART SAFE SCHOOL
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and other organizations will
return in-person to celebrate TODAY 193 schools receiving the MI HEARTSafe School
designation for the 2021-2022 school year. Since the program began in 2013, 713
schools have earned this honor and 461 schools are actively designated. With schools
ramping up medical emergency efforts, preparation for cardiac emergencies has never
been more important. This year, 193 schools are being recognized for efforts to
orchestrate preparedness activities during the 2021-2022 school year. There are 63
schools receiving the award for the first time. Keeping up with the MI HEARTSafe
School criteria is vital for maintaining a safe environment for schools.

CHILD NEGLECT TASK FORCE
Patty Sabin, President/CEO of Michigan CASA, has been appointed to the Governors
Task Force on Child Abuse and Neglect. The Governor's Task Force is a
multidisciplinary task force from across the State of Michigan driven to improve the
handling of Child Abuse and Neglect cases. The Task Force is charged with the review
and evaluation of state investigative, administrative, and both civil and criminal judicial
handling of cases of child abuse and neglect, and the making of policy and training
recommendations. Patty Sabin was sworn in as a Court Appointed Special Advocate
(CASA) in 2002 in Kent County. She took on five cases and shepherded 13 abused
and neglected children through the time they were wards of the court.

REMOVE POLITICAL SIGNS
The 2022 election is finally over so now its time to remove all political signage. It needs
to be done within 10 days following the election, according to most jurisdictions. The
Michigan Department of Transportation says that political signs should be removed
within 10 days after an election, and they prefer voluntary compliance. Check with your
local authority on laws or ordinances in your area.

SNYDER FLINT WATER
Former Michigan Governor Rick Snyder can invoke his right to remain silent at a civil
trial related to lead contamination in Flint's water in 2014 through 2015. That's the
decision a federal appeals court released Tuesday. The court says Snyder's willingness
to answer questions during a 2020 interview with lawyers doesn't mean he waived his
Fifth Amendment right at trial. Some Flint families are suing two engineering firms,
saying they bear some responsibility for the lead crisis because they performed work at
Flint's water plant. The firms deny liability and blame public officials. A trial ended in
August without a verdict, but another is planned. Snyder cited a right to remain silent
when criminal charges were pending against him and others.

SCHOOL VAPING
A Michigan high school is taking aim at students who vape. The principal of Berkley
High School has sent out a letter to parents saying the school now has 20 sensors in
the bathrooms that will detect when students are vaping between classes. The letter
goes on to say the district is always looking at ways to improve building safety.

POTENTIAL HIGH SCHOOL THREAT
The School Resource Officer for Cheboygan Area Schools was notified of a threat to a
student by text message on Tuesday. The threat gave the indication this person was on
their way to the school with a weapon. The school was put into a secure mode while
law enforcement from the Cheboygan City Police Department and the Sheriff's
Department responded. Officers arrived at the school and made contact with the
School Resource Officer and a suspect was seen near the school. Officers quickly
approached and apprehended the suspect. A search of the suspect did not locate any
weapons. The investigation is ongoing and law enforcement said the 13-year-old acted
alone and will be brought before Probate Court.

DETROIT POLICE RAISE
Detroit Police are about to get a big raise. The Detroit City Council has approved a
contract that will raise the starting salary of a new officer by $10-thousand. Those who
have been on the force four years will get a $13-thousand raise to $73-thousand a
year. In voting in support of the contract, City Council President Mary Sheffield said the
raises were "long overdue." Police officials have said in recent years that officers are
training there, then moving on to higher paying jobs in the suburbs.

PARADE LINEUP
More star power in the line up of this year's Thanksgiving Day Parade in Detroit.
Officials have announced that a star of The Tina Turner Musical will perform. Zurin
Villanueva plays the title role of Tina in the show running at the Opera House. Lil is
also scheduled to perform. This year's Grand Marshals include former Wolverine star
Jalen Rose and Reverend Dr. Wendell Anthony.

STORE THREATS
A Whittemore, Michigan, resident has been sentenced to 75 months on two separate
criminal cases related to a $5 million extortion plot using shrapnel-filled pipe bombs.
The defendant placed outside cellphone stores in Cheboygan, and Sault Ste Marie,
Michigan. Whittemore and Cheboygan are in the Eastern District and Sault Ste. Marie
is in the Western District. 76-year-old John Douglas Allen was sentenced before United
States District Judge Thomas Ludington in Bay City. Allen had pleaded guilty to
extortion by wrongful use of force, violence, and fear, as well as two counts of
attempted destruction of a building using an explosive device in July.

NEW LEGISLATIVE SESSION
A new legislative session begins in Michigan today. In Lansing today -- the House and
Senate, which will be controlled by Democrats .. will elect new leaders. In Tuesday's
election, Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer was re-elected and the democrats
have taken control of the House and Senate for the first time in 40 years.

ISABELLA COUNTY FATAL CRASH
There's been a fatal crash in mid Michigan's Isabella County. Sheriff Michael Main
says a semi truck going eastbound in Sherman Township failed to stop at an
intersection and collided with a car late yesterday afternoon. The driver of the car , a
31-year-old man from Weidman, was killed. A 49-year-old man from Freeland was
taken to the hospital .
Grand Rapids School virtual
Classes will be online for the rest of the week at Grand Rapids Innovation Central High
School and Grand Rapids Montessori Middle High School. It's because of structural
concerns over a wall in the auditorium.
Officials say that wall will have to be replaced . District chief of staff , Larry Johnson,
says it's the oldest functioning high school in the state and it's over 100 years old. He
says as the years go on, there's been deterioration of the water penetrating and the
roof getting into the cavity of the building.

ROSEVILLE HIGH THREAT
Classes will return to normal this morning at Roseville High School... one day after a
student brought a gun to school, causing a lockdown.
The school's liaison police officer was able to confiscate the gun before any incident
was able to happen.
School officials say students and staff executed lockdown procedures perfectly after a
staff member learned the student had the gun.

COVID MI
Michigan reported just under 10 thousand cases of COVID-19 over the past week.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services says just over 1 thousand
people were hospitalized with covid as of Monday -- that's 6 percent of the state's
hospital beds.
This week's daily case count is down 14 percent from the week prior.

GORMAN SAYS NOT MISSING
A 27-year-old Gaylord woman, who'd been living in Sterling Heights and suddenly
disappeared, claims she is not missing. Michigan State Police say Alexandria Gorman
left her job, boyfriend and home without notice October 16th and hadn't been heard
from since. Now, state police say a woman claiming to be Gorman called them and
claimed that she is not missing, that she has moved to Virginia. A video of Gorman
was posted to her Facebook account. In that video , Gorman says she is not missing
and is living with friends in Virginia.

MSP TROOPER CHARGED
A Michigan State Police Trooper with the Lakeview Post has been charged with
involuntary manslaughter after a crash when he was on duty that led to one person
being killed. 9 and 10 News reports Trooper Michael Fox was responding to a call and
had his emergency lights and siren activated when he went through a red light on M-46
and hit another vehicle last June. A passenger in that vehicle was killed. The Gratiot
County Prosecutor's Office authorized a warrant for the charge of involuntary
manslaughter. State Police placed Fox on suspension the day of the crash.

STOLEN CAR CRASHES INTO HOUSE-GR
Four people have been arrested in Grand Rapids after crashing a stolen car into a
house. Grand Rapids Police say it happened just before four this morning. They say
four people were in the vehicle...two ran and two stayed at the scene. Police say all
four have been arrested. There are no reports of injuries.

DUNDEE SCHOOL THREAT
A high school in Monroe County is taking extra precautions for the rest of the week
after a threat forced a lockdown yesterday.
A threat was found written on a bathroom stall -- prompting students to shelter in their
classrooms while police and K-9 searched the building for guns.
NO weapons were found -- but the district says students should avoid bringing a
backpack to school for the rest of the week... as staff will be screening students when
they come in the building. There will also be an increased police presence.

SEX TRAFFICKER SENTENCE
A Detroit man has been sentenced to 16 years in prison for sex trafficking two minors...
while on bond and an electronic tether for other sex trafficking charges.
In 2020, 30-year-old Kollier Radney met a 15-year-old girl on Snapchat, and convinced
to her to travel from Minnesota to Detroit. He bought her a plane ticket, and posted
online commercial sex immediately upon her arrival. The second victim was a 16-yearold girl from Detroit.
Radney pled guilty to two counts of sex trafficking of children, and one count of
transporting a minor with the intent to engage in sexual activity.