Thursday News Summary 07-07-22Thu, 07 Jul 2022 08:22:39 EDT
(Stories Courtesy of Michigan News Radio)
DETROIT OFFICER SHOT, KILLED
A five year veteran of the Detroit Police Department has died after he was shot responding to a call about a gunman firing shots on the city's westside. The shooting happened around 7:30 last night. Police Chief James White says the suspect was also shot and died. The Chief called the officer a hero and said the family is heartbroken. The officer's father recently retired from the department. Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan said the senseless violence ravaging our country has hit far too close to home and added we owe a debt of gratitude to the fallen officer, a debt that we can never repay.
COVID TESTS
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is announcing an expanded partnership with the Rockefeller Foundation through Project Act to provide 300,000 COVID-19 tests to 60,000 households free of charge to at-risk communities. Michigan was previously enrolled in a pilot program that provided 250,000 tests to 50,000 households. Residents are able to request tests once per month in July and August. Households will receive one kit each month containing five tests. Eligible individuals in vulnerable communities can order their free COVID-19 tests through AccessCovidTests.org. Each household will receive one kit with five tests, typically within a week of ordering. Individuals seeking to order tests will input their ZIP code to see if they live in a qualifying area. Individuals without internet access can contact 211 for assistance ordering tests. This program is in addition to free at-home tests available through the federal government partnership with the United States Postal Service.
BODY CAMS FOR MSP
Michigan State Police Posts in northern Michigan are scheduled to begin receiving body worn cameras this week. Thursday troopers at the Michigan State Police Alpena Post will be outfitted and trained in their use. This was made possible by a $3.8 million ongoing general fund appropriation supported by the Governor and both houses of the legislature. This ongoing funding ensures not only the purchase the cameras for all members who may have enforcement contact with the public, but maintain and support the program year-after-year. The remaining MSP Posts in northern Michigan will be receiving cameras and training over the next three weeks.
SANTANA UPDATE
Good news to share regarding Carlos Santana's health. Santana's wife, Cindy Blackman Santana, sharing the following message on Facebook: "Carlos & I thank you so much for your prayers, love, care & concern for him! Please know that hes resting and doing very well! He was diagnosed with heat exhaustion & dehydration." She goes on to say that "it was 100 degrees on stage and 114 under the lights, so that coupled with not enough water ... is what caused the issue. Hell be as good as new soon!"
MEDICAL DEBT SURVEY
A report was released by WalletHub Wednesday -- on Cities that benefit the most and least from Credit Report Changes. This is based on Medical-Debt. The finance website compared more than 180 U.S. cities using TransUnion data, ranked from those benefiting from most to least, and Detroit ranks at number 58. The percentage of people with medical debt in the city of Detroit is almost half of the population, at 49-percent according to WalletHub's findings. Those in collections with bills of more than $500-dollars is 53-percent, and Those that have been in collections for less than a year stands at 66-percent. But good news, the credit bureaus are expected to remove nearly 70-percent of medical collections from people's credit reports.
ABSENTEE BALLOTS
With Primary Election Day quickly closing in, requests for absentee ballots in Michigan are up. According to data released by the Secretary of State's Office, Michigan clerks have already received over 876-thousand application requests for absentee ballots. That's a 73-percent increase over the same period ahead of the 2018 primary election. Eligible Michigan citizens can register to vote online until July 18th, or, in person at their local clerk's office through Election Day, August 2nd.
MCC COMMENCEMENT
Mott Community College celebrated a second in-person commencement June 22 in what some would consider an unlikely place the Thumb Correctional Facility in Lapeer. A total of 19 students graduated, all with honors, during a ceremony that family and friends could attend. MCC is an educational partner in the Second Chance Pell program in Michigan, part of the Second Chance Pell Experimental Sites Initiative, launched by the U.S. Department of Education in 2015. The program provides needbased Pell Grants to people in state and federal prisons, expanding access to financial aid for incarcerated adults to participate in postsecondary educational opportunities.
SAULT STE. MARIE MSP
Michigan State Police Post 82 in Sault Ste. Marie had their open house Tuesday afternoon. Its the first post to hold an open house this year in the Upper Peninsula. Its also a chance for the public to learn more about what troopers do. Members of the bomb squad, forensics laboratory and emergency support team had stations that curious community members could go to and ask questions. The young ones even had a bounce house to have fun in. Two classic patrol cars from Lansing were also on display. The state police want the public to know what they are all about.
BEACH ADVISORY
A beach advisory has been issued for the Sugar Island Township Park beach after water samples revealed elevated levels of E. coli bacteria, the Chippewa County Health Department stated. The health department stated that heavy rainfall contributed to the elevated E. coli levels in water samples that were collected on July 5. "It is expected that levels of bacteria in the water will fall to acceptable levels after 24 hours have passed since the rain stopped," the health department stated. The department will notify the public when the beach advisory has been lifted.
LEVAR BURTON LIBRARY
LeVar Burton is not happy with a Kalamazoo nonprofit that's using his name. The actor calls out Broncos Kitchen Foundation on his Twitter account calling it a scam, and that the charity established the LeVar Burton Library to provide programs and services that prompts users to make financial donations. Burton says it is not him and is not affiliated with him in any way. Bronco's Kitchen co-founder, Pastor William Steim, says the literacy foundation is legitimate and associated with the charity that serves free dinners to those in need. He says they did reach out to Burton but never heard back.
CHILD HIT BY TREE
An 8-year-old boy is under 24-hour monitoring at a Detroit hospital after a freak campground accident last weekend near Port Huron. Hunter Graham suffered a brain injury after a 40-foot, 300-pound tree fell on him at a St. Clair County campground during his birthday party. In a Go Fund Me post, Hunter's grandmother says he has brain swelling and bleeding from the accident. The family says Hunter is a "strong fighter." They are asking for prayers and help with what they are calling the overwhelming medical bills.
DAIRY FARMING POLICY
Michigan Farmers Union, in collaboration with the Dairy Together coalition, hosted a meeting to discuss the future of dairy farming and push for policy action in the 2023 Farm Bill. Farmers, industry stakeholders and others gathered for conversations about how to reform dairy markets and ensure the next generation of dairy farmers have the tools they need to be diverse and resilient. Attendees heard from market experts and family farm advocates about what elected officials can do to improve the livelihoods of independent dairy producers, among them implementing a growth management plan that sets the amount of milk a single farm can produce in a year to avoid overproduction, which is the primary driver of price volatility in the dairy market. Dairy Together is a farmer-led movement working to put an end to unfair dairy markets that drive up milk prices and shortchange farmers. Dairy is one of Michigans most significant agricultural commodities; the state ranks sixth nationally for total volume of milk production.
CAMP DEARBORN DEATH-MILFORD
A child has died after falling off play equipment at Camp Dearborn in Milford. State Police say the 10-year-old boy fell off the floating playground equipment on the lake-- at the beach area around SIX last night. He was unresponsive when first responders arrived-- and rushed him to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. An autopsy will be performed today - but State Police say it appears to be a *tragic accident.*
RYAN KELLY HEARING
A Republican candidate for Michigan governor is expected to plead not guilty today as he is in court in Washington DC on several misdemeanor charges related to the January 6th Capitol Riot. Ryan Kelly announced his plans for a not guilty plea during a recent candidate's debate. Kelly was ordered to turn in his guns pending the case. The charges against him include trespassing and disorderly conduct.
GOP DEBATE
The fifth-debate of Republican Gubernatorial hopefuls taking place in Grand Rapids last night (Wednesday). Businessman Kevin Rinke touting his plan to fully eliminate the state's 4.25 percent personal income tax with in a year of taking office, saying it puts money in residents pockets immediately, and could be attractive to visitors. Rinke, Ryan Kelly, Tudor Dixon, and Garrett Soldano all arguing for tax cuts during the debate, but couldn't agree on a way to do it. G-O-P candidate Pastor Ralph Rebandt of Farmington Hills was NOT invited by event organizers because he did NOT meet the polling threshold
AIRPORT FUNDING
If you fly out of Detroit Metro Airport, you'll be seeing millions in improvements. U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters have announced that the FAA will award Metro Airport more than 49-million dollars in federal funding for terminal improvements. 28-million will be used to rehabilitate public restrooms, 17- million to repair baggage claim belts, and four million to start a provide a replacement program for the passenger boarding bridges. The Gerald R. Ford International Airport will receive around more eight-point-six million for new passenger boarding bridges. The money was made possible by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
NEW ARCHBISHOP
It's a big day for local Catholics as a special mass is held for a new Archbishop. An inauguration mass will be held at 2pm for new Auxiliary Bishop Paul F Russell at the Most Blessed Sacrament Church on Woodward in Detroit. Russell will help Archbishop Vigneron serve the western and downriver portions of Wayne County, as well as Monroe County.
ABORTION BALLOT
Organizers of a campaign to let the voters decide abortion rights in Michigan say they have gathered more than enough signatures to put the issue on the ballot. The announcement was made last night by Linh Song at the Ann Arbor City Council meeting. Song is a co-chair of the group Reproductive Freedom for all. The group needed just over 425-thousand valid signatures by next Monday. The ballot proposal would ask voters whether abortion rights should be added to the State Constitution.
VET CEMETERY
An effort to build a new veteran cemetery in northern Michigan has been approved by the Michigan Senate. There's one-point-five million in the new state budget for the design and feasibility study for the proposed cemetery in Crawford County. 9 and 10 News reports State Senator Curt VanderWall says Michigan is one of the only states that does not have a state run veterans cemetery. The bill moves on to the state house.
OPERATION ARROWHEAD
Operation Arrowhead has netted more than 40 arrests in Genesee County. It's an effort by the sheriff's office to patrol parts of downtown Flint in a partnership with Flint Police. M-Live reports Sheriff Chris Swanson says it's important that people have a police presence. He says they made sure that they cross each neighborhood so they see marked cars driving by multiple times during the shift.
GRAND TRAVERSE BUDGET
The Grand Traverse County commissioners have approved their 2023 general fund budget. The 43-million dollar package was completed ahead of schedule. Commissioners also passed a resolution of county support to work with the city on obtaining any additional necessary funding to complete the rebuild of the Traverse City Senior Center after a seven million dollar state allocation towards the project.
SAULT TRIBE CHAIRMAN
The Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians has a new chairman. The board of directors has appointed vice chair D. J. Hoffman as the new chair for the remainder of the current term until the next election in 2024. Former Chair Aaron Payment resigned May 10th.
BIG TICKET FEST
One of the biggest faith-based music festivals in the country kicks off today in Gaylord. Thousands are expected for the 16th big ticket festival at the Otsego County Fairgrounds through Saturday. This year's event includes a dozen performers, 15 food trucks and a kid's play area. Ten percent of Big Ticket Festival sales will be donated to Gaylord's tornado disaster relief.
AMWAY PICKLEBALL
Pickleball is gaining in popularity in the U.S. and the Amway Grand Hotel in Grand Rapids is picking up on that popularity. The hotel has added four pickleball courts to the fourth floor it its glass tower and a grand opening is set for this afternoon. The pickleball courts are open to hotel guests and the general public.
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