WATZ Today's Country

Tuesday News Summary 07-05-22
Tue, 05 Jul 2022 07:00:37 EDT

(Stories Courtesy of Michigan News Radio)

WATER RESCUES
The Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project is reporting 12 water rescues so far over this past holiday weekend. Of those 12 -- the conditions of two of those cases are unknown. So far 47 people have drowned in 2022. 20 of those were solely in Lake Michigan. The director of the Rescue Project chalks it up to a lack of education over water safety and crowded beaches, among other factors.

GAS PRICES
How are gas prices looking in Michigan? The state say a drop of a PENNY at the gas pump on Monday. TRIPLE A Michigan says the state average today is $4.94. That's about 10 cents lower, on average, than a week ago.

ARABIC BALLOTS
Something new for voters in two Michigan communities -- ballots in Arabic. It is an option for those who request it. Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson says the move comes after the city councils in Dearborn and Hamtramck passed resolutions. Voters who wish to request an Arabic-language absentee ballot can do so by visiting their local clerk office or mailing in the Arabic-language absentee ballot application. Voters planning to request their absentee ballot by mail are encouraged to do so as soon as possible and no later than July 18th. Voters can find their clerks office location, polling place location, and more information at Michigan.gov slash Vote.

AQUATIC INVASIVE
Public awareness about the impacts of harmful, nonnative aquatic plants and animals is critical to protecting Michigans ecosystems, tourism and economy. That's according to the Michigan DNR which has more than 70 boat landing events are planned across the state to mark this years Aquatic Invasive Species Awareness Week. The boat landing events are part of the ninth annual Landing Blitz, where representatives of state departments and local partners such as lake associations and cooperative invasive species management areas give boaters tips to prevent the spread of invasive species and comply with recently updated laws.

HOLT SCHOOLS
The Holt Public Schools , south of Lansing, are working to foster a new generation of teachers. Officials say as school districts across the state struggle with dwindling applications for teaching positions and more teachers are retiring...they have a program to get students interested in teaching careers. The Future Proud Michigan Educator program gives high school students a firsthand look at opportunities in the teaching profession and gives them access to job shadowing as they work with teacher mentors.

AEROSPACE
A Detroit-based start-up is expanding.. and into the sky. Airspace Link -- think Google maps for drones -- provides aerial solutions to local governments, medical providers and businesses. The company says they are creating a highway in the sky... using 30 to 40 pound drones. The FAA-approved drones are being deployed for things such as shuttling lab tests from hospital to laboratory. But instead of a van, a small unmanned aircraft at 400 feet above the ground. The group recently secured more funding and has grown staff to nearly 50 from 17 people just one year ago.

DEHYDRATION HEAT STROKE
Stay cool during the summer months... or you could be at risk for dehydration or heat stroke. Symptoms of dehydration can include getting a headache, feeling dizzy, tired, having a dry mouth, flushed skin and dark-colored urine. Everyone is susceptible to dehydration, but children and older people are generally more at risk. Aside from heat stroke, dehydration can also contribute to kidney stones and kidney failure.

GRAND HAVEN STATE PARK FIGHTS
In west Michigan, the beach at Grand Haven State Park was shut down on Monday because of fights. The Grand Haven Department of Public Safety says multiple brawls broke out on the beach and they shut the beach down and the south pier on the holiday. Temperatures were in the 90's at the time the beach was closed late yesterday afternoon. There was no word if anyone was injured. That beach has been shut down a couple times in the past couple of weeks because of dangerous water conditions after there were a few water rescues.

BARRICADED GUNMAN - MT. CLEMENS
A deputy is on administrative leave for allegedly returning fire when a suspect shot at him and other officers multiple times during a SEVEN HOURS long barricaded stand off in downtown Mt. Clemens in Metro Detroit. The suspect sustained a gunshot wound to his arm. The Macomb County Sheriff said they received a call from a woman around noon on the Fourth of July-- who said she tried to talk to her 64-year-old neighbor about his barking dog when he pulled a gun on her. Witnesses told deputies he had entered a condo . About an hour later-- the suspect came outside and shot at an unoccupied squad car multiple times. Officials said one of the deputies shot back. No one else was injured.

BODY OF MISSING NILES MAN FOUND
The body of a Niles man who disappeared while visiting family and friends in St. Joseph has been found. The Berrien County Sheriff's Office Marine Division and Great Lakes Drone Company found the body of 68-year-old Michael Grant on Monday in the Morrison Channel . He was last seen in that area when he left family to use the restroom late Saturday night and never returned. An autopsy will be performed.

BODY OF ENDANGERED MISSING MAN FOUND
The body of a man missing from Niles was found in the St. Joseph River near Buchanan on Monday. Michigan State Police say no foul play is suspected in the death of 28-year-old John Charles Robertson. His car was found Saturday on US-31 on the bridge over the St. Joseph River. State Police say he had threatened to harm himself.

GAS PRICES
Gas prices in Michigan have dropped for the third week in a row. The average price for a gallon of gas is down 11-cents from last week, according to Triple A's weekly report. Drivers are paying $4.94-per-gallon of regular unleaded. That's still 8-cents higher than this time last month and $1.74 higher than a year ago. The average in Metro Detroit is still sitting at $5.04. Michigan's lowest average price is in Benton Harbor at $4.80 a gallon.

MOTORCYCLIST INJURED-BAY COUNTY
A motorcyclist has been airlifted to a hospital after crashing his bike on I-75 in Bay County near the Linwood Road ramp. State Police say the bike was traveling over 100 miles per hour. The motorcyclist is in critical condition.

BODY OF MISSING LAPEER MAN
The body of a missing Lapeer man has been recovered in Lake Nepessing in Lapeer County. The sheriff's office says 59-year-old David Holmes was reported missing late Saturday night and his body was found yesterday.

MISSING WOMAN WEST MI
In west Michigan, the Barry County Sheriff's Office is asking for the public's help to find a missing 26-year-old woman. They say Kirsten Lynn Neeson was last seen June 24th by her brother-in-law leaving her sister's house in Kent County. The next day, her sister called police to say that Kirsten never arrived at her destination in Grand Rapids .. She does not have a car. Anyone with information about her whereabouts is asked to call the Barry County Sheriff's Office.

16 YEAR OLD MISSING TRAVERSE CITY
In Grand Traverse County, a 16-year-old from Traverse City has been missing since Friday night. Family members say Matthew Grose was last seen July 1st near Chm's Corners wearing a Def Leppard T-shirt and jeans. Anyone with information should call Traverse City Police.

TWO INJURED IN CRASH PORT SHELDON TOWNSHIP
Two people are injured after a car crashed into a tree in west Michigan's Port Sheldon Township, north of Holland last night. Both the driver and the passenger were thrown from the vehicle. An 18-year-old woman and a 19-year-old woman were both taken to the hospital with serious injuries.

TWO INJURED IN BANGOR TWP CRASH
Two people have been injured in a crash when the car they were in crashed into a tree last night in Bangor Township, north of St. Joseph. The Van Buren County Sheriff's Office says the driver did not follow the curve in the road and crashed head-on into a tree. The passenger has critical injuries and was pinned in the vehicle, while the driver does not have life threatening injuries. The crash is being investigated.