WATZ Today's Country

Friday News Summary 07-01-22
Fri, 01 Jul 2022 07:13:55 EDT

(Stories Courtesy of Michigan News Radio)

GOV KIDNAP CASE
A judge has set August 9th for a second trial for two men charged with plotting to kidnap Governor Gretchen Whitmer. In April, a jury acquitted two other men but were deadlocked on Adam Fox and Barry Croft. They were described as leaders of a scheme to kidnap Whitmer at her vacation home in 2020, trigger a civil war, and prevent Joe Biden from taking over the presidency. Prosecutors say the group was steeped in anti-government extremism and furious over Whitmer's pandemic restrictions. There was evidence of a crudely built "shoot house" to practice going in and out of her vacation home, and a night ride to check the property.

JEWELL JONES
State Representative Jewell Jones -- a Democrat -- has pleaded guilty to violating his probation in a drunk driving case. The Judge, sentencing Jones to 30 days in jail, BUT -- he won't serve any actual time behind bars. He was ordered to continue treatment. Jones told the judge the death of his grandmother prompted him to start drinking again.

BEACH DEATH
They've been flying the red flags at beaches along Lake Michigan due to a high risk of dangerous rip currents. The beach warnings cover several counties -- and come after a Middle School teacher drowned while rescuing a teen from the Lake. The teen swam at Porter Beach at Indiana Dunes State park on Monday, despite the beach being closed over red flag warnings. Thomas Kenning - who's from Florida - noticed the teen struggling. The teen made it to shore, while Kenning went under the water and never resurfaced. The waves were three to five feet at the time.

PALISADES
A New Jersey company that has acquired the Palisades nuclear plant in west Michigan reportedly wants to dismantle the plant.... and move its radioactive materials, including using a barge on Lake Michigan. That's according to a report in the Detroit Free Press. Holtec International proposes shipping the materials to New Mexico. A spokesperson, however, says the preferred method would be to use truck and rail.

SCULPTURE
There's a new sculpture at Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids. President & CEO David Hooker says "Ways to Say Goodbye" is a sculpture dedicated to the six million Jews killed in the Holocaust. Hooker says the aluminum cast sculpture is of a living fig tree that appears fragile and clinging to life, however it is representative of great endurance. The sculpture is in memory of Holocaust survivor, the late Henry Pestka (Pes-kuh), who was an entrepreneur and community supporter in Grand Rapids.

COVID APP DONE
lt was an app to help slow the spread of COVID-19 in the state by alerting you if you'd been in close contact with someone who tested positive for the virus. But experts say it's time to delete it. The MI (my) COVID Alert app will no longer be in service starting today. The state health department says this change is part of the ongoing work to determine the states most current needs in response to the virus. You can get COVID-19 information and resources on the health department's website at Michigan dot gov slash contain covid.

STATE BUDGET
Governor Grethchen Whitmer and legislative leaders celebrating a balanced, 75-pointfive Billion dollar budget. In a statement Governor Whitmer says , quote Today, I am proud to announce that the Legislature and I have reached a deal on a balanced, bipartisan state budget for Fiscal Year 2023 that does not raise taxes by a dime and is delivered on time." She says this is their fourth collaboration on a fiscallyresponsible budget which delivers on the kitchen-table issues that matter and lowers costs for families struggling with inflation.

VIGIL FOR MAN SHOT & KILLED BY DEPUTY
A vigil was held last night for 22-year-old Joseph Nagle, who was shot and killed by an Allegan County Sheriff's deputy in southwest Michigan's Monterey Township. Several dozen people held the vigil where Nagle was killed. Michigan State Police say a deputy pulled Nagle over last month for suspicion of drunk driving and a fight broke out between the two. State police say the deputy shot him in the chest during that fight. The shooting remains under investigation.

NMU TUITION HIKE
Northern Michigan University is raising tuition for this Fall. The board reportedly approved a three-point-nine percent increase, which means $238-dollars more for lower level classes and $250 dollars more for upper level courses. Northern's vice president for finance says they'll remain second lowest in tuition, actually falling further behind the other schools in front of them as well as addressing the inflation costs increase that they are incurring now.

GRAND RAPIDS SHOOTING
A man was shot in Grand Rapids last night . The man's condition is not known. There's no word yet on a suspect.

11-YEAR-OLD CARJACKER-W MI
A 41-year-old woman in west Michigan's Wyoming was the victim of an attempted carjacking and assault on Thursday and one of the suspects is eleven years old. It happened in Metro Grand Rapids in Wyoming when the woman walked outside and saw two people trying to steal her car. Police say one assaulted her and hit her in the head with a fairly large rock and then they took off. The woman was taken to the hospital. Police found one of the suspects, an 11-year-old boy hiding nearby. He's being held at the Kent County Juvenile Detention Center. Wyoming Police Lieutenent Brian Look says that's awful young to be committing these violent types of crimes.

LAKE MICHIGAN
The conditions are NOT improving along the shores of Lake Michigan. Officials at Grand Haven State Park say the beach there is closed to swimming AGAIN today due to dangerous waves. The beach was closed on Tuesday after multiple water rescues and emergencies. It's not clear when it will be able to be reopened.

CLINCH PARK
People are being advised to stay out of the water at Clinch Park in Grand Traverse County because of elevated levels of E-coli. There are advisory signs posted along the shoreline.

MONKEYPOX VAX REQUEST
State Health officials say they have put in a request to the federal government for vaccines after Michigan's first suspected case of the Monkeypox. The Department of Health and Human Services is asking to be sent doses of the Small Pox vaccine from the Strategic National Stockpile. Monkeypox is in the same virus family as smallpox, although it doesn't make people as sick. Health officials are still working to identify close contacts of Michigan's case in a person from Oakland County.

HOLOCAUSE MEIJER GARDENS
There's a new sculpture at Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids. President & CEO , David Hooker, says "Ways to Say Goodbye" is a sculpture dedicated to the six million Jews killed in the Holocaust. Hooker says the aluminum cast sculpture is of a living fig tree that appears fragile and clinging to live, however it is represena=tative of great endurance. Glass was embedded into the branches of the tree , representing the near annihilation of the Jewish people in a few short years. The sculpture is in memory of Holocaust survivor , the late Henry Pestka (Pes-kuh), who was an entrepreneur and community supporter in Grand Rapids.

CHERRY FESTIVAL
The 96th National Cherry Festival begins on Saturday. Events are scheduled through July 9th including performances by the Navy's Blue Angels on Saturday and Sunday. There are also parades, a cherry farm market, concerts, and carnival rides.