WATZ Today's Country

Friday News Summary 12-09-22
Fri, 09 Dec 2022 12:08:00 EST

(Stories Courtesy of Michigan News Radio)

MICH SOS TRUMP INVESTIGATION
Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson says her office has been issued a
subpoena in connection with the Justice Department's investigation of former President
Donald Trump. Wayne County and counties in other battleground states also were
issued subpoenas Wednesday. It's the first known round of information requests by
federal investigators. Michigan was one of the states Trump and his allies targeted as
they tried to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.

HOCKEY DOCTOR MORE CHARGES
Two new allegations trigger more charges for a Michigan hockey doctor. 66-year-old
Dr. Zvi Levran from Farmington Hills was charged with two MORE counts of criminal
sexual conduct, according to the Oakland County Prosecutor's office. He was charged
with one count of criminal sexual conduct in the 4th degree for allegedly assaulting a 30
year-old male at his Farmington Hills home in 2020 and another count in the 2nd
degree for allegedly assaulting a 14 year-old boy in 2018. Levran is in custody at the
Oakland County Jail -- with multiple bonds exceeding 2-million dollars.

MACK BRIDGE CHARGES
A woman from Michigans Upper Peninsula is facing assault charges after allegedly
threatening her husband with a gun over the weekend. Jennifer Melinda Headley of
Hessel has been charged with one count of assault with a dangerous weapon in
Alpena County. Michigan State Police troopers from the Alpena Post got a call around
12:30 a.m. Saturday from her husband, who said he had been threatened after an
argument at his brothers home. Troopers interviewed witnesses at the scene and it was
determined Headley was likely heading back home. Authorities alerted troopers from
the St. Ignace Post, who stopped Headley just after she crossed the Mackinac Bridge.
Troopers found a loaded 9mm handgun inside her car and she was arrested and
brought back to the Alpena County Jail.

MAZI SMITH UPDATE
Michigan defensive tackle Mazi (mah-zee) Smith officially entered in a plea deal, after a
traffic stop - which happened back in early October - revealed that Smith had a loaded
gun as well as ammunition in his vehicle. As the plea to the charge of attempted
possession of a loaded weapon - which is a misdemeanor - was being entered, there
was some debate between Assistant Prosecutor Ashley Londy and defense attorney
John Shea on whether Smith will have to give up his gun. Smith faces up to a year in
jail and/or a $1 THOUSAND dollar fine, when he is scheduled to be sentenced on
December 29th.

NEW U OF M DORM
For the first time in more than 50 years, the University of Michigan will build a new
dorm on its central campus. The Board of Regents approved a six-and-a-half million
dollar plan to construct the new residence hall and dining facility on Elbel Field between
Hoover and Hill Street. The marching band currently practices on the field, but they will
move to a new site on South Fifth Avenue. Regents earlier this year approved a plan
to build a new dorm on north campus, but that has been put on hold. The last Central
Campus residence hall built was the Oxford Houses which opened in 1963.

CLASS CANCELLATIONS-VAN DYKE AND MONA SHORES SCHOOLS
in west Michigan, the Mona Shores Public Schools in Norton Shores have canceled all
classes today because many staff members are out sick and they don't have enough
staff to cover classes.
It will be a long weekend for more than two-thousand students in a Macomb County
school district. The Superintendent at Van Dyke Public Schools says there are too
many illnesses going around to safely run classes so the district cancelled all classes
today. The message tells parents and students to get some rest this weekend and stay
safe. All nine schools and centers in the district will be cleaned over the weekend.

SHOOTING NEAR WESTIN BOOK CADILLAC HOTEL-DETROIT
Police in Detroit looking for a suspect or suspects following a quadruple shooting
outside of the Westin Book Cadillac Hotel downtown.
Officials confirming three people are in critical condition and the 4th victim listed in
temporary serious condition following what police officials believe is a targeted drive-by.
The victims allegedly returning gun-fire as the suspect was fleeing the scene in a Jeep.

CHOKR HUNGER STRIKE
A man suspected of going on a rant outside of a synagogue in Bloomfield Township
and making derogatory gestures toward two judges is now on a hunger strike while in
jail. Family members of Hassan Chokr (Chok-er) say he has had mental health issues
since the COVID pandemic started. Chokr has been charged with ethnic intimidation
after his outburst outside Temple Beth El last week. His bond was revoked after he
mooned a Wayne County judge earlier this week. Family members say he needs help
with his mental health and shouldn't be in jail.

DRUG BUST -METRO DETROIT
There's been a drug bust in Metro Detroit. State Police and the Metro Narcotics
Enforcement Team seized cocaine, various pills, cash and guns from a home in River
Rouge while executing a search warrant on Wednesday. There's no indication if
anyone was arrested, but detectives have turned over their case to the Prosecutor's
office to determine what charges should be filed.

UP SNOWMOBILE TRAIL AGREEMENT
A trail reroute agreement has been reached in Gogebic County in the U-P that will
allow an important snowmobile trail segment to remain open this winter. Snow River
Mountain Resort (formerly Big Snow Resorts announced in September that it would no
longer allow snowmobile or all-terrain vehicle operation on resort property.
The closure along Snowmobile Trail UP 2 eliminated trail access between Wakefield
and Ironwood, affecting the communities of Bessemer and Ironwood . An agreement
was reached this week, something Michgan DNR trails coordinator Ron Yesney says is
great news for snowmobiling and the community that rely on its economic lifeblood in
the western U-P.

U-M HEALTH BUYS SPARROW
University of Michigan Health is buying Sparrow Health System, which has six
campuses in mid Michigan. The deal has been approved by the University of Michigan
Board of regents. U-of-M Health plans to spend 800 million dollars over the next eight
years to fund operations, facility projects and other investments at Sparrow Hospital
facilities.
Sparrow Health System's executive vice president and COO, Joseph Ruth, says those
investments include : renovations to the neonatal intensive care unit at Sparrow
Hospital in Lansing and upgrades in cardiology, oncology, orthopedics and
neuroscience services.

MISSING MAN
Michigan State Police are looking for a man with dementia , who was last seen heading
west on US-12 near Sturgis in southwest Michigan. Alfred Kocher is five foot 10 with
gray hair and brown eyes and he weighs about 180 pounds. He may be driving a black
Ford F-150 with the license plate CWD-576.

FED SPENDING
Senators Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters have secured water infrastructure
investments to address serious risks to Michigan's economy and the Great Lakes as
part of the Water Resources Development Act. The bill authorizes projects through the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to modernize the Soo Locks, stop invasive carp, prevent
coastal erosion and flooding, and improve water quality in Michigan. The House and
Senate are expected to pass the bill soon.
Stabenow says these investments will address erosion in our coastal areas, prevent
damaging flooding in our communities, improve water quality, and stop the spread of
invasive Carp and other species in our Great Lakes.

TRIBAL CHAIR
The Sault St. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians have elected Unit 1 director and vice
chairman Austin Lowes as tribal chair. He received 56 percent of the vote. Lowes
says quote-"There is no shortage of work to do to keep our tribe moving forward and
ensuring our government continues to meet its citizens needs. " He says he looks looks
forward to working with their community and their partners at the tribal, state and
federal level to ensure the best possible outcomes for their citizens.

OLIVET SCHOLARSHIP
Governor Whitmer joining Olivet College President Steven Corey to announce that the
college is investing millions of dollars to create the Olivet College ADVANTAGE
Scholarship. The program is designed to guarantee that students, especially firstgeneration students and those from low-to-moderate-income families, have access to a
private college education without paying tuition or fees.
The initiative will begin in the fall of 2023. Whitmer's office says the program is made
possible thanks to the Michigan Achievement Scholarship program, which the governor
signed into law this year. It saves students up to $8,250 on their associate degree at a
community college, up to $20,000 at a private college, or up to $27,500 at a public
university.

DEFENSE BILL
Congressman John Moolenaar has voted for the national defense bill...which passed
the House. It includes a pay increase for U.S. service members and repeals the
militarys COVID-19 vaccine mandate. Additionally, the legislation authorizes full
funding to complete construction of a second freighter-sized lock at the Soo Locks.
The republican Moolenaar, of Midland, says the bill also repeals the Biden
administration's COVID vaccine mandate that he says drove many service members
out of the military.

PUPPY SCAMS
Congressman John Moolenaar has voted for the national defense bill...which passed
the House. It includes a pay increase for U.S. service members and repeals the
militarys COVID-19 vaccine mandate. Additionally, the legislation authorizes full
funding to complete construction of a second freighter-sized lock at the Soo Locks.
The republican Moolenaar, of Midland, says the bill also repeals the Biden
administration's COVID vaccine mandate that he says drove many service members
out of the military.

FACEBOOK FRAUD
In Wexford County, a Cadillac man has been arrested for Facebook fraud. State Police
say 42-year-old James Grunwell was arrested after failing to deliver an item he sold on
Facebook Marketplace. A man claimed he bought a saw posted online by Grunwell,
but never received it. He paid 26-hundred dollars after being told the saw was in
Lapeer and would be delivered after payment, but it never came. Grunwell has been
arraigned and released. He'll be back in court later this month.