Friday News Summary 01-13-23Thu, 19 Jan 2023 12:27:11 EST
(Stories Courtesy of Michigan News Radio)
VET IN RUSSIA
A U-S veteran is back home after being detained in Russia. According to a C-N-N
report, 35-year-old Taylor Dudley from Lansing has been released from Russian
custody after months of negotiations by former New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson.
Dudley was detained by Russian border patrol in April 2022 after crossing from Poland
into Kaliningrad -- a territory between Poland and Lithuania governed by Moscow.
Dudley was reportedly in Poland at a music festival, and it is not clear why he crossed
the border.
TROOPER RECRUITS
Michigan State Police are looking for volunteers to help recruits. The new Civilian Actor
Program lets volunteers act as actors in scenario-based training for members and
instructors of the 143rd Trooper Recruit School. Actors can participate in several
different scenarios -- including traffic stops, arrests and domestic violence. The goal is
to create realistic training experiences. There will be two different training exercise
periods -- from February until May or May until June. You must apply to be an actor at
Michigan dot gov. The deadline to apply is January 20th.
PANCREATIC CANCER
A new report reveals an increased survival rate for a deadly type of cancer. The five year survival rate for pancreatic cancer has increased to 12-percent -- up one percent
from last year -- according to the annual American Cancer Society facts and figures
report. It's the second year in a row that the survival rate has gone up.. the first time
since 2017. It's good news, considering the survival rate in 1999 was just 4-percent.
Still, the American Cancer Society estimates over 50-THOUSAND Americans will die
this year from pancreatic cancer.
LOTTERY JACKPOT
Tonight's mega millions jackpot is the second highest in history with $one point 35-
Billion dollars up for grabs. And even though it's Friday the 13th, the Michigan Lottery's
Jake Harris says it's not holding players back. He says there have been four
megamillions jackpot winners on Friday the 13th in Michigan.
UNCLAIMED LOTTERY
Thinking of lining up at the mini-mart for a shot at a 1 pt 3 BILLION Mega Millions
jackpot? As players buy tickets ahead of Friday night's drawing, lottery officials
throughout the country say that every year players miss out on millions in prizes. That's
because some don't realize they have won, while others decide cashing in isn't worth
the trouble of a small payoff. People nearly always show up for the biggest prizes, but
million-dollar payoffs have been waiting for months to be claimed in Michigan, Texas,
Iowa, Minnesota and Washington state.
TULIP TIME
Something new coming to Tulip Time in Holland, Michigan this spring. Festival Director
Gwen Auwerda (HOUR-da) says they're bringing in the Bicycle Showband Crescendo
from the Netherlands for their first visit ever to the U.S.
They're also partnering with the Holland Haven Marathon to create a new event for
runners called the Double Dutch Challenge. And they're also looking for about one
thousand volunteers to help out at the Tulip Time Festival, which runs May 6th through
the 14th.
ULTA SHOOTING-SE MI
A scary scene last night at an Ulta store in Livingston County. Michigan State Police
say five suspects were involved in organized retail fraud at the Ulta inside the Village
Place Mall in Green Oak Township. Shots were fired, however, police say there were
no injuries and all of the suspects are in custody.
GRAND RAPIDS CARJACKING OF TEENS
It was a wild scene in Grand Rapids Thursday afternoon as police say two teenage
girls were carjacked at gunpoint. Police Lieutenent Cathy Williams says the 17-yearold girls were not hurt. The suspects crashed into a police cruiser and ran. Police say
three were arrested. The officers involved in the crash were taken to the hospital.
ROLLBACK OF RETIREMENT TAX PROPOSED
A battle over tax cuts is brewing at the State Capitol. Governor Gretchen Whitmer and
Democratic leaders in the House and Senate announced legislation that will roll back
the retirement tax and increase the Working Families Tax Credit. The Governor says
rolling back the retirement tax will save half a million Michigan households an average
of one-thousand dollars a year or more and increasing the Working Families Tax Credit
will mean about three-thousand dollars or more to many families.
REPUIBLICAN ELECTORS SUED
One aspect of the 2020 presidential election is still being litigated.
Three of Michigan's presidential electors are suing a group of Republicans, who
submitted documents claiming Donald Trump won the state in 2020 and, with it,
Michigan's sixteen electoral votes.
The plaintiffs are seeking cash damages as well as a court's declaration that the fake
elector scheme was illegal under Michigan law.
Attorney General Dana Nessel has previously referred the matter of fake electors to
federal prosecutors.
BLOOD BATTLE -BIG TEN
The American Red Cross is inviting people across Michigan to show their school spirit
by donating blood during the Big 10 Blood Battle. It kicks off today at the University of
Michigan Hospital in Ann Arbor, with drives on the U of M campus nearly every day
through February 22nd.
January is National Blood Donor month. Throughout this month, all donors will also be
entered for a chance to win a trip to the Super Bowl in Arizona.
GRAND RAPIDS APT FIRE
People living in three apartments at Grand Rapids' Morris Manor Apartments have
been displaced by a fire in the building last night. A cat was rescued from one of the
units of the building that was built in the 1800's. No one was injured, but the cat was
given oxygen and is reportedly doing well. The cause of the fire is being investigated.
SOO LOCKS
The Soo Locks will close on Sunday for seasonal repairs. The locks will close to
marine traffic at 11:59 p.m. on the 15th, or until traffic through the locks ceases. They
will reopen on March 25th.
Dewatering of the Poe Lock will begin Feb. 13. The MacArthur Lock will not be
dewatered this year. The team will install a temporary panel bridge across the Poe
Lock. This panel bridge will provide the ability to mobilize materials and equipment to
the job sites throughout the winter closure.
RICHMOND SCHOOLS OPEN
Classes are set to resume today (FRI) in the Richmond School District in northern
Macomb County. A message sent to parents from the superintendent Thursday
afternoon said uniformed police officers will be in all three schools today and each day
for the next two weeks. Classes were canceled yesterday after a third threat was
received, however the threat hasn't been substantiated.
Because of the threats, the district is continuing to offer counseling to students. Also,
the high school exam schedule has been postponed by a week and the end of the
semester will be pushed back to January 27th.
MOBILE HOME EXPLOSION CAUSE-U-P
The cause of a mobile home explosion in Marquette has been ruled to be caused by a
natural gas lead from an appliance. W-L-U-C reports one mobile home exploded and
started a fire at a neighboring trailer, which firefighters put out. The resident of the
home that exploded only had minor injuries.
JEWELRY STORE ROBBERY-CADILLAC
Cadillac Police are investigating a break-in at Wexford Jewelers. Officers responded to
an alarm and found a broken window. Multiple glass display cases were damaged and
an undisclosed amount of jewelry was taken.
MAZI SMITH SENTENCE
University of Michigan football player, Mazi Smith appeared in court Thursday for his
sentencing after he was stopped with a gun and loaded magazines in his truck.
Smith is being ordered to pay $850 towards fee costs, in addition to being sentenced to
12 months of probation and 40 hours of community service to be completed by April of
this year.
The judge did say after 90 days, Smith can ask to be discharged early if he goes
without incident and it will be automatically granted.
Smith was also ordered to take a remote refresher course on firearm safety.
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