Monday News Summary 01-30-23Mon, 30 Jan 2023 12:18:41 EST
(Stories Courtesy of Michigan News Radio)
REACTION TO TYRE NICHOLS BEATING
Local and state leaders are reacting to the beating death of Tyre Nichols in Memphis.
Video of the beating was released last Friday. State House Majority leader Joe Tate
said no person should fear for their lives in the presence of law enforcement and
lawmakers have a duty to dedicate resources and advance policies for better training
and accountability for police. Some local Police Chiefs and Sheriffs say better hiring
and training must take place to avoid future incidents from happening.
MICH PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY
The Michigan House of Representatives is expected this week to consider legislation
that would move the Presidential Primary elections to late February. The Senate
approved the bill last week on a party line 20-18 vote. The state's current presidential
primary is scheduled for the second Tuesday in March 2024, but the legislation would
move the date to the fourth Tuesday in February.
EV CHARGING STATIONS
A new survey out regarding where Michigan stands in electric vehicle charging
infrastructure says a lot more needs to be done. The Anderson Economic Group has
released the results of their recent analysis on the state of the electric vehicle charging
infrastructure in Michigan, finding that it's inadequate for demand. There are currently
200 public fast charging stations and 908 Level 2 charging stations across Michigan.
Most stations are in the lower half of the Lower Peninsula including Detroit, Ann Arbor,
Lansing, Grand Rapids, and Kalamazoo. The survey concluded the limited availability
of charging stations for electric vehicles is a significant roadblock to the mass adoption
of EVs in Michigan, especially in rural areas and in tourism hot spots.
STATE PARKS RENOVATIONS
Renovations are coming to several of Michigan's state parks and campgrounds thanks
to funding from the American Rescue Plan. The Michigan Department of Natural
Resources will use 250-million-dollars on a backlog of projects -- including modernizing
campgrounds and trails, repairing buildings and re-working electrical systems. Officials
say a majority of the projects will begin this year. The funding is something of a
surprise. The DNR's budget is normally around just 15-million-dollars a year.
CIVIL WAR GRAVE
The grave of a man who served in the U-S Civil War has been formally marked at a
northern Michigan cemetery. Claude Fields -- the manager of the Maple Grove
cemetery west of Traverse City made sure Ruel Boynton's service wouldn't be
forgotten. Fields tells the Associated Press it's "not right" when a veteran doesn't have
a headstone. He worked with a funeral home to get the federal government to
approved a headstone for Boynton who died in 1910 after settling on a 160-acre farm in
Leelanau County after the Civil War.
POWERBALL JACKPOT GROWING
The Powerball Lottery has yet to see a grand prize winner in 2023. Tonight's jackpot
stands at $613 million dollars. If a winner selects the cash option they will win 329
million before taxes. The odds of winning Powerball are 1 in 292 million.
GAS PRICES
Gas prices in Michigan are UP again. According to the latest survey from Triple-A,
drivers in Michigan are now paying an average of $3.47 per gallon of regular unleaded.
That price is 37 cents more than this time last month and 25 cents more than this time
last year.
The highest gas price averages are in Metro Detroit at $3.50 and in Ann Arbor at $3.48
a gallon. The lowest prices are in Benton Harbor at $3.35 and Traverse City at $3.37 a
gallon.
SUSPECTED ARSON
A suspected serial arsonist is being held at the Macomb County Jail. The arrest
coming early Sunday, soon after a work van was found engulfed in flames at a county
parking structure in Mount Clemens. Chief Deputy County Executive Mark Deldin says
the seventeen-year-old van, a 2005 Ford Econoline, was worth about $10,000 and that
the suspect has a history of arson. The man arrested, whose name, age and residence
are not yet being released, is expected to be arraigned today.
MISSING GIRIL
The Washtenaw County Sheriffs Office is asking for the public's help today.
sigh-o
Township. Her family says the last time they spoke with Davidson was on Friday while
she was on her way to school. She never returned home from school. She was
reporting missing early yesterday morning. Adriana was last seen by friends around
11:00am outside of Pioneer High School in Ann Arbor.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Washtenaw Metro Dispatch.
CIVIL WAR GRAVE
The grave of a man who served in the U-S Civil War has been formally marked at a
northern Michigan cemetery. Claude Fields -- the manager of the Maple Grove
cemetery in Empire Township, west of Traverse City -- ensured that Ruel Boynton's
service wouldn't be forgotten. He's performed research on many of the dead who are
buried there. Fields says it's "not right" when a veteran doesn't have a headstone. He
worked with a funeral home to get the federal government to approved a headstone for
Boynton. Boynton died in 1910 after settling on a 160-acre farm in Leelanau County
after the Civil War. He and wife Martha had eight children.
LOST HORSE
Michigan State Police made a heroic save over the weekend. Troopers found a lost
HORSE in Freedom Township in Washtenaw County Saturday. . M-S-P says the horse
was trying to find her way home and got lost, but one Trooper from the Brighton Post
escorted her home. Its not clear where or how the horse got out, but officials say the
horse is safe.
DEPUTY RESIGNS
An Oakland County Sheriff's deputy -- who authorities say had been in contact with a
Pontiac mother and her two sons who were found dead in a field -- has resigned.
Sheriff's officials say the deputy resigned on January 22nd. According to Sheriff
Michael Bouchard, the deputy's performance is being investigated. Bouchard says the
deputy did NOT properly search an area of Franklin and Rapid, where a caller reported
seeing Monica Cannady and her three children, before Cannady and her two sons
were found dead two days later. Cannady's 10-year-old daughter survived spending
the night in a vacant field in below-freezing temperatures. She remains hospitalized.
BAD HUNTER
D-N-R Law Enforcement say he is a "poacher who shows no respect for the resource
or the ethics of fair chase." Michigan conservation officers are using the arraignment of
55 year old Scott Meisterheim as a reminder to follow hunting regulations. Meisterheim
faces 10 charges, including hunting without a license taking an overlimit of antlered
white-tailed deer.
He's currently serving 18 months probation for aggravated domestic assault, but now is
due back in court on the DNR charges in February.
BALD EAGLES
Bald eagles are protected under federal law. But one of their biggest predators in
Michigan may not be poachers. It's toxic levels of lead.
Michigan D-N-R says it's the NUMBER 3 cause of death, behind car and general
trauma. They say for every illegally shot and killed eagle, eight more are dying from
lead poisoning. Officials say Eagles often feed on the remains of animals that have
been shot by sportsmen using lead ammunition.
LIVONIA SCHOOL START
The debate is on in one Michigan School district to determine whether or not students
should begin the school year before or after Labor Day moving forward. A public
hearing will be held at the Livonia Schools Administrative Building this evening. If
approved, the changes could potentially affect work schedules and family vacation
plans so the school district wants the public's input.The primary reasons for making
change is to make the end-date for the school year earlier in June and to expand
summer learning opportunities for students.
DNR PARKS
Renovations are coming to several of Michigan's state parks and campgrounds thanks
to funding from the American Rescue Plan.The Michigan Department of Natural
Resources will use $250-million-dollars on a backlog of projects -- including
modernizing campgrounds and trails, repairing buildings and re-working electrical
systems. Officials say a majority of the projects will begin this year. The funding is
something of a surprise. The DNR's budget is normally around just $15-million-dollars a
year.
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