Thursday State News SummaryThu, 16 Jun 2022 23:29:54 EDT
CASINO DECLINED
Governor Gretchen Whitmer has declined to approve building a casino in western
Michigan. The Little River Band of Ottawa Indians needed the governor's approval to
build the casino on the Little River Band's federally recognized land in Fruitville
Township in Van Buren County. The governor said after a thorough review, she
believes the application does not comply with Indian Gaming compacts. The review
process of the Little River casino request has been under consideration for over a year
and a half. There have been environmental impact studies as well as thorough legal
reviews.
FLINT OIL SPILL
Authorities are responding to a significant oil spill in the Flint River in Flint. Michigan's
environmental agency says the spill could be five miles long. Mayor Sheldon Neeley
says state and local agencies were at the scene. Booms are in place to contain the oil
and the source of the spill is under investigation. Officials say drinking water is not
affected. Flint used the river for drinking water in 2014 and 2015 before lead
contamination caused the city to return to a regional water supplier.
GR OFFICER FIRED
Officials say a Grand Rapids police officer charged with murder after shooting Patrick
Lyoya in the back of the head has been fired. Grand Rapids City Manager Mark
Washington says Christopher Schurr waived a right to a hearing and was dismissed,
effective last Friday. Washington says Schurr was a Grand Rapids officer for seven
years. Schurr's dismissal was recommended by police Chief Eric Winstrom after a
second-degree murder charge was filed last week. Lyoya was killed at the end of a
traffic stop on April 4th. He ran and physically resisted Schurr after failing to produce a
driver's license.
CORRECTIONS OFFICER PROBABLE CAUSE
An Isabella County judge has ruled theres enough probable cause to send a former
corrections officer to trial for assaulting an inmate in the jail. Last October, Christopher
Cluley was charged with two counts of misconduct in office and one count of
aggravated assault. In April 2020, Sgt. Cluley was working in the Isabella County Jail
as the administrator in charge when he interacted with an inmate during a cell transfer.
Video evidence shows Cluley grabbed the inmate, spun him around and pushed him
into the cell door before then pushing him into the wall next to the cell door. Video
evidence also shows Cluley pushed the inmate to the ground, where an x-ray later
determined the inmate suffered a fractured left knee. Cluley was placed on
administrative leave while the Isabella County Sheriffs Department conducted an
internal investigation.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING INVESTMENT
Governor?Gretchen Whitmer has announced the state is moving forward with a plan to
invest $13 million to build 529 affordable apartments, townhomes, and housing units to
help increase the amount of affordable housing options across the state amidst a
housing shortage. The projects are located in Ann Arbor, Detroit, Grand Rapids,
Jackson, Midland, Nashville, Traverse City, and Wyoming. The investment from these
projects is expected to add approximately $151 million to the states economy and
create one thousand jobs. Through the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit
program, developers that receive awards can claim credits against their tax liability
annually for up to 10 years.
CORRECTIONS OFFICER TRAINING
North Central Community College in Petoskey is offering a four-week corrections officer
training program starting in July. It will host the four-week academy beginning July 18.
NCMC is offering the program to help address the need for qualified corrections officers
regionally and statewide.
The $1,500 tuition for the program will be partially or fully paid by Michigan Works! and
Michigan Learning & Education Advancement Program grants.
BLAIR TOWNSHIP FIRE DEPARTMENT
After years of planning, a township in Grand Traverse County is closer to building a
new home for its fire and emergency departments. Last year, Traverse City Area Public
Schools transferred 130 acres of land to Blair Township. The township plans to use that
land for a new facility. The project will also include a land partnership with TART Trails.
After the township's EMS moves out of the current building it shares with other
township offices, it will be gutted and renovated for other departments to expand into. A
millage to pay for all this will be on the August primary ballot.
BENTON HARBOR WATER
More than 16,000 pounds of empty water bottles have been recycled through a plastic
water bottle recycling program offered during State of Michigan water distribution hours
in Benton Harbor. Seven trailers of empty water bottles have been processed and an
eighth trailer is currently accepting empty water bottles. More than 13 million bottles of
free water have been distributed since September 2021 because of lead in the water.
Free bottled water continues to be provided for City of Benton Harbor residents for
cooking, drinking, brushing teeth, rinsing foods and mixing powdered infant formula.
FORD RECALL
Ford is recalling 2.9 million vehicles because they are at risk for rolling away while
parked. This is an issue that's prompted four previous recalls at Ford. This recall
involves mostly vehicles from the 2013 through 2019 model years. It includes a
number of nameplates, Escape, Edge, Fusion, C-Max and Transit Connect. Ford has
six reports of property damage, four reports of injuries.
PEREGRINE FALCONS
A pair of peregrine falcons have successfully nested on the Sault Ste. Marie
International Bridge, where the birds have been returning for years, this year raising
three chicks. Nest boxes for the peregrines have been installed since 2010 on the
International Bridge. Last year, the same pair of peregrine falcons hatched two chicks
for a total of 35 chicks over the years. This year's chicks, two males and a female, were
banded by a Michigan Department of Natural Resources team on June 9. Color-coded
bands attached to the legs of young birds allow scientists to track the movements,
reproductive behavior and population growth of the falcons. The peregrine chicks were
named Freddy, Chuckie and Carrie.
BIPARTISAN BILLS IN HOUSE
The Michigan House has voted to better protect crime victims, give them a stronger
voice in the criminal justice process, and make sure they are informed about their
rights. The bipartisan plan strengthens and expands existing rights and adds new
safeguards to account for modern technology. The bills add certain crimes enacted
after the passage of the Crime Victims Rights Act to ensure victims of those crimes are
afforded the rights they are due. They also ensure victims can deliver their victim
impact statements using remote technology and ensures a victims image can be
protected from disclosure when the court proceedings are conducted through internet
streaming, or other types of online platforms.
POWER OUTAGES
The lights are out for thousands of people in Michigan, not a good time to be without air conditioning.
The DTE outage map shows nearly 14 thousand customers in Southeast Michigan are
without power.
DTE says more than 60 crews are in the field trying to get the power back on.
Statewide, Consumers Energy says nearly 11 thousand don't have power.
No word yet on the cause or when the lights will be back on.
HIGH TEMPS
How hot was it at your house? A lot of backyard thermometers hit 100 degrees on
Wednesday. Officially, The National Weather Service says the mercury hit 94 degrees
at Metro Airport, just shy of the record of 95 set in 1988. Saginaw set a record for
June 15 at 94 degrees, while Flint tied its record temperature of 93 degrees.
Accuweather says we should get some relief from heat, with cooler weather expected
for the weekend. Local hospitals say they only received a few cases of heat-related
illnesses. But a spokeswoman for Beaumont Health says they could see more today
with the highs again expected to hit 90 degrees.
ABBOTT PLANT STOPS PRODUCTION
There's another setback for the Abbott plant in Sturgis in southwest Michigan that
produces baby formula as its temporarily stopped production. Severe thunderstorms
and heavy rains Monday night overwhelmed the city's stormwater system and resulted
in flooding in parts of the city, including areas of the Abbott plant.
Abbott has stopped production of its EleCare specialty formula to assess damage
caused by the storm and re-sanitize the plant. They say it will probably delay
production and distribution of new formula for a few weeks. Abbott says they have
ample supply of Elecare and most other formulas to meet the need to these products
until new products are available.
MI MAN THREATENS BIDEN
A northern Michigan man who already served jail time for threatening to kill former
President Barack Obama is at it again.
Timothy Findlay was indicted Wednesday for threatening to blow up the White House
and kill President Joe Biden. The threat was made in Arenac County on April 28 which
was the same day the President asked Congress for an aid package for Ukraine
totaling $33-billion-dollars.
Findlay served 15 months in prison after pleading guilty to threatening Mr. Obama's life
in 2013.
MUSKEGON TEEN KILLED
A 17-year-old has been arrested in Muskegon for allegedly shooting and killing a 15-
year-old at a home Tuesday night. Muskegon police say the victim died at the scene.
They do not know what led to the shooting. Police are looking for more information and
are asking anyone with information to call them or Silent Observer.
REPUBLICAN GOV POLL
A new poll about the republican race for Governor in Michigan shows that the top
candidate is Ryan Kelley, an Allendale real estate broker, who was charged last week
in connection to the riot at the U.S. Capitol. He garnered 17-percent in the EPIC-MRA
poll, while chiropractor Garrett Soldano has 13-percent. 12-percent support Kevin
Rinke, a Bloomfield Township auto dealership owner. The poll shows 45-percent say
they have not decided who to vote for or did not answer.
CASINO DECLINED
Governor Gretchen Whitmer has declined to approve building a casino in western
Michigan. The Little River Band of Ottawa Indians needed the governor's approval to
build the casino on the Little River Band's federally recognized land in Fruitville
Township in Van Buren County. The governor said after a thorough review, she
believes the application does not comply with Indian Gaming compacts. The review
process of the Little River casino request has been under consideration for over a year
and a half.
Larry Romanelli, Ogema, of the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, says they are
devastated by the decision. He says the casino would have created three thousand
jobs for tribal members and families.
EATON COUNTY ARREST
A 26-year-old Lansing man who is suspected in a violent crime, has been arrested.
The Eaton County Sheriff's Office says deputies helped Grand Ledge Police arrest the
man who was armed with a handgun. They say the suspect fled the scene and
crashed his car in Delta Township and fled on foot into the woods. After a long search,
he was apprehended without incident.
PARK FOR DAVE BING-DETROIT
A big honor for former Detroit Mayor, business owner, and Pistons Hall-of-Famer
Dave Bing. Luger Park on Detroit's Northwest side is being renamed the Dave Bing
Community Park. Hartford Memorial Baptist Church, which owns the park, will host a
groundbreaking event today to mark the occasion. Officials say they want to pay
tribute to Bing for his community involvement and his Youth Institute, a non-profit
mentoring organization for African-American boys and young men.
PEOPLE LOOKING FOR JOBS
Are you happy in your job? It turns out, 41 percent of workers plan to look for a new
job in the next six months, according to research by Robert Half. The company's Neal
Gilbert , practice director in Grand Rapids, says even with talk of a looming recession,
workers are still confident in their outlook. He says most are looking for more money
with higher gas prices and food costs.
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