WATZ Today's Country

Monday News Summary 06-27-22
Mon, 27 Jun 2022 08:09:24 EDT

(Stories Courtesy of Michigan News Radio)

HIV TESTING
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Division of HIV and STD Programs is encouraging Michiganders to make HIV testing a part of their life in support of National HIV Testing Day today.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates 1.2 million people in the United States are living with HIV, and that number grows by nearly 40,000 people each year. The CDC has found that more than 90 percent of new HIV infections in the United States could be prevented by testing and diagnosing people who have HIV and ensuring they receive prompt, ongoing care and treatment.

CAR THIEVES
The Kent County Sheriff's Office reminds auto dealerships and repair facilities to lock up the keys during the overnight hours. Cars for sale along with customer cars left for service are targets for thieves when the keys are left out. Overnight Tuesday into Wednesday this past week five vehicles were stolen from one facility. All vehicles have since been recovered by the sheriff's office. One vehicle was involved in a break-in in the Muskegon area and subsequently involved in a police chase in Ottawa County. They ask businesses and neighborhoods to remain vigilant in remembering to remove their keys from their vehicle whether it's parked outside or in the garage. They say stolen cars are used in the commission of serious crimes such as homicides, shootings, armed robbery, and other crimes.

VIOLENCE THREAT
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is warning that threats of political violence, particularly against judges and state officials, will likely "intensify" in light of the Supreme Court's decision to eliminate the constitutional right to an abortion, according to a memo obtained by CBS News. DHS predicts judges and state government officials will be most "at risk" of being targets of political violence. The violence could last for weeks, the memo said, driven by domestic violent extremists responding to state actions in response to the Supreme Court ruling.

DUGGAN REACTION
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan is calling the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade "a direct attack on our constitutional rights" and claims it will jeopardize access to safe healthcare services. In a statement, Duggan goes on to say: "I will stand with Governor Whitmer, Michigans democratic prosecutors and so many others as we fight to protect reproductive rights in Michigan."

LEVIN REACTION
Congressman Andy Levin reacting to news that Beaumont-Spectrum would be halting abortion care. In a press release --Congressman Andy Levin reacts to the news that Beaumont-Spectrum would be halting abortion care, saying in part-- We must be very clear: abortion is still legal in Michigan. Judge Elizabeth Gleicher granted a preliminary injunction to stop the enforcement of the 1931 law if Roe v. Wade was overturned. Yet BHSH System sent a message to all staff saying the entire system would now follow the 1931 law. I call on the BHSH System to reverse this policy immediately." BHSH System is reviewing the U.S. Supreme Court's final opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, and its impact on Michigan's 1931 law. We are currently determining what it means for our policies and practices and the people we serve to ensure we are following the law.

DIA SHOW
The Detroit Institute of Arts will be hosting the first ever Wayne County High School Art Show. The exhibition will feature artwork by students from 20 schools across Wayne County. More than 80 works of art including photography, mixed media, and paintings created by 60 students will be featured. The show received more than 150 entries and was whittled down by DIA educators. The show runs through July 31st.

FIRE RISK
Parts of Michigan are at extreme risk for fires due to hot and dry weather. Much of northern Michigan will be in danger of wildfires. Michigan's Department of Natural Resources implore people to check weather conditions are favorable before attempting to burn yard debris. If you plan on having a campfire or bonfire, make sure to keep it contained in a pit or ring and thoroughly extinguish it before leaving the area. For more fire safety tips visit Michigan.gov/FireManagement.

USS DETROIT
The USS Detroit could soon be decommissioned only five years after it was put into service in 2016. A new defense spending bill that was approved by a U.S. House panel on Wednesday would allow the Navy to decommission four Freedom-class littoral combat ships, including the USS Detroit. Each warship costs about $4.5-billion-dollars to build. Critics of this class of ship say although they normally have a 25-year service life, they can be unreliable, up-keep is too expensive, and don't provide the necessary capabilties to counter Russia and China.

LAKE MICHIGAN WARNINGS
Warnings were posted for people heading to Lake Michigan over the weekend. The National Weather Service posted a Beach Hazard due to high waves and strong currents. High winds pushed water across piers. Forecasters say the currents can pull swimmers into deeper water and the waves could sweep people off the piers and into the lake. The warnings were in place for an area from Ludington to South Haven.

LOTTERY WINNERS
A Macomb County Lottery club is celebrating after winning one million dollars. Members of the TAJ Funds Lottery club say they bought a ticket in mid-February but forgot about it until recently when they checked the numbers and saw they matched all of the white balls, but not the Powerball. The one-million dollar ticket was sold at the Meijer Store on Van Dyke near 15 Mile in Sterling Heights. The winners are planning to use the money for retirement and to help their families.

GAS PRICES-MI
Despite a slight dip, gas prices in Michigan remain at unprecedented highs. The state's prices dropped by 11-cents from a week ago, dropping to $5.06-per-gallon. That is still 50-cents higher than one month ago and nearly $2-dollars-a-gallon higher than this time last year according to Triple A. The national average fell by 8-cents from last week, down to $4.90-per-gallon.

FREEZER DEATH CHARGES-DETROIT
The mother of a toddler found dead inside of a freezer in a home in Detroit has now been charged in his death. The medical examiner has determined that 3-year-old Chase Allen's death was a homicide. His mother, 31-year-old Azuradee France, has been charged with felony murder, first-degree child abuse, torture, and concealing the death of an individual. She was arraigned Sunday today and will remain in jail -- her next court appearance will be in July. On Friday, Detroit police were sent out to a home on the city's west side, for a wellness check on a child -- that's when officers discovered the remains of the deceased child in the freezer.

SECURITY PLAN -ARCHDIOSE OF DETROIT
Security plans are ready to go for Churches in the Archdiocese of Detroit in the event of disruptions resulting from the reversal of Roe v. Wade by the Supreme Court. The Department of Homeland Security is alerting faith leaders, judges, and elected officials there could be an increase in political violence. The churches are working with Catholic Charities of Southeast Michigan to set up a Walking With Moms in Need program designed to help women who are pregnant, as well as other moms.

BODY FOUND IN MACOMB COUNTY
Police in Chesterfield in Macomb County are investigating following the discovery of a body on Gratiot near 22-MILE road last evening. Officials say a twenty-seven year old man from Ann Arbor was walking when he noticed the body lying in a drainage area with heavily grown vegetation. Following the initial investigation, officers believe the body has been lying there for some time. An autopsy will be performed this week to identify the body and determine the cause of death.

KAYAKER DROWNED-NEAR THREE RIVERS
A man who fell from his kayak near Three Rivers dam Saturday morning was found dead according to police. Members of the Michigan State Police Marine Services Team recovered the man's body Saturday night. Reports of a kayaker bobbing in the water before being swept under and not resurfacing caused several police and fire departments to spring into action to try and find the victim shortly after 5:45 a.m. Saturday. A witness who was fishing nearby attempted to help the man but was not able to locate him.

TRAIN HITS CAR-DETROIT
Two people are dead after the car they were in was hit by an Amtrak train in Southwest Detroit early this morning. It happened just after midnight after a Lincoln MKZ attempted to cross the train tracks and was hit by a train and the car caught on fire. The train was coming from Chicago to the Detroit area and it was stopped for several hours before being able to move on.

DIOCESE OF GAYLORD PRIEST
The Catholic Diocese of Gaylord has issued a statement after the conclusion of an internal investigation of Reverend Bryan Medlin, who was accused of sending inappropriate text messages to high school students. In March, the attorney general's office announced that no criminal charges would be filed. But, the diocese said after their detailed investigation Medlin was found to have violated the Diocesan safe environment policy-including its standards of conduct for protocols for ministry to minors. Father Medlin will remain on administrative leave with ongoing monitoring. He has served parishes in Lake Leelanau and Indian River.

CRUMBLEYS IN COURT-OAKLAND COUNTY
Lawyers for the parents of the accused Oxford High School shooter will be in court today arguing for a change in venue. They claim James and Jennifer Crumbleys won't get a fair trial in Oakland County because of the amount of media coverage surrounding the case .. as well as the outrage in the Oxford community. The defense also wants Oakland County Circuit Judge Cheryl Matthews to instruct the prosecutor Karen McDonald not to make public statements about the Crumbleys -- or the evidence involved in the case -- because it implies the parents are guilty of wrongdoing.

ABORTION RIGHTS RALLY-GRAND RAPIDS
There was a rally for abortion rights in Grand Rapids over the weekend. WOOD TV reports abortion rights supporters gathered at Wilcox Park on Saturday chanting , "My body, my choice....My vote...my voice" and carrying signs. There were pro-choice supporters as well. Some had tape over their mouths to represent the unborn without a voice/ Abortions rights supporters also gathered petition signatures to put a measure on the November ballot to get rid of a Michigan law to ban abortions and to strenghten abortion rights in Michigan.

BENTON HARBOR SHOOTING
A 32-year-old man has been killed in a shooting in Benton Harbor. Police were called on a report of shots fired early Sunday morning and found a man who was hurt. He was taken to Lakeland Hospital and he died later. No one has been arrested.

CRYSTAL LAKE BODY
A 22-year-old man's body has been recovered from Crystal Lake , east of Stanton. The man reportedly fell off a boat on Saturday. His body was found several hours later, according to the Montcalm County Sheriff's Office. The beach was closed as a dive team searched for the man.

HARBOR HALL-N MI
In Emmet County , an expansion is being built on Harbor Hall to give residents a second chance. Harbor Hall is a drug and alcohol treatment center near Petoskey. The expansion includes two phases, executive offices and a new women's treatment center, which has been completed. The second is a new apartment complex to house 32 individual rooms. Patients are required to have a job to live in the transitional apartments.

AIR NATIONAL GUARD -AIR FORCE TRAINING-M-28 ON TUESDAY
For those who live in the Upper Peninsula, east of Munising....there will be quite a sight on Tuesday. The Michigan Air National Guard and Air Force Special Operations Command will have some flight training on M-28 ....east of Munising. Michigan Air National Guard Brigadier General Bryan Teff says they're doing this Northern Agility 22-1 is to prepare for what could happen in the future where they'd need to be more agile to move aircraft and people around.