Monday News Summary 07-11-22Mon, 11 Jul 2022 07:06:16 EDT
(Stories Courtesy of Michigan News Radio)
GO FUND ME
A Go Fund Me account set up to help the family of slain Detroit Police officer Loren Courts has raised more than 62-thousand dollars. The 40-year old Courts was responding to a call about shots fired on the city's westside when he was shot and killed Wednesday night. The money raised will help Courts' wife and two children. The Detroit Public Safety Foundation is also accepting donations to help the family.
PAUL WHELAN UPDATE
President Joe Biden has called the sister of Paul Whelan -- the Novi man who remains imprisoned in Russia, accused of being a spy. Elizabeth Whelan expressed frustration earlier this week that the President reached out to the wife of Brittany Griner, but not to her family. Reports say Biden affirmed -quote- "he is committed to bringing Paul home as soon as possible."
BENSON HUSBAND
The husband of Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson has registered as a lobbyist. Ryan Friedrichs, Benson's spouse, registered in late June and appears on the Secretary of State's database that oversees lobbyist filings in Michigan. Friedrichs will be lobbying work Related Companies -- a real estate firm owned by Stephen Ross. Benson's office will handle Friedrichs' lobbyist registration but Benson's spokeswoman Tracy Wimmer said the role of the office in the filing process for lobbyists is minimal. The office maintains that Benson does not directly deal with complaints against lobbyists.
STELLANTIS COVID
With COVID cases declining in Michigan, Stellantis is moving to reduce compensation for employees testing and quarantining. Under the new rules, employees will not get paid to get tested, even if the company directs them to. Those who test positive could still get disability benefits. Workers exposed to someone infected in their own home are not automatically eligible for compensation. If exposed on the job, employees will no longer will receive payment during a quarantine period.
PRO CHOICE PETITIONS
Supporters of an abortion rights ballot initiative say they have collected nearly double the number of signatures needed ahead of a Monday deadline to qualify for the November ballot. Members of the group Reproductive Freedom for All say they have gathered close to 800-thousand valid signatures of registered Michigan voters, which they plan to submit to the Secretary of State. They needed just over 425-thousand signatures. If verified, state voters will decide if abortion access should be enshrined into Michigan's Constitution.
FORD RECALL
Ford is expanding a recall of SUVs and telling owners to park them outside after a series of engine fires that can happen even when the ignitions are off. In May Ford recalled about 39-thousand 2021 Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator SUVs in the U.S. and told owners to park them outdoors and away from buildings. Friday the automaker expanded that recall to cover more than 66-thousand SUVs after getting reports of five more fires.
MEGA MILLIONS
The largest Mega Millions jackpot in almost 14 months will be offered Tuesday. An estimated 440-MILLION dollars is up for grabs after no one matched all six numbers drawn last Friday night. The jackpot will be the eleventh largest in the history of the game and in case you are wondering what the cash option would be? It's 247.8 million bucks. The last time someone won the jackpot was on April 15th.
BUTTIGIEG IN MICHIGAN
The U.S. Transportation Secretary is due in Michigan today. Officials say Secretary Pete Buttigieg is scheduled to make a stop in Grand Rapids and speak at the Gerald Ford International Airport. The U.S. Government recently announced several airports in Michigan will receive more than 50-million dollars for improvements. Last week it was reported that the former South Bend Mayor was moving to Traverse City which is where his husband's parents live.
TESLA CRASH
Federal investigators are looking into another Tesla crash. This one was along Interstate 75 in Florida on Wednesday. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration confirmed that it sent a Special Crash Investigations team to probe the crash into the back of a semi-trailer at a rest area near Gainesville. The agency would not say if the Tesla was operating on one of the company's partially automated driving systems. There were reports that the Tesla was traveling on Interstate 75 and for an unknown reason, exited into a rest area. It then hit a parked Walmart Freightliner tractor-trailer. The driver and passenger, both from California, were pronounced dead at the scene.
RENTAL SAFETY
100,000 rental properties catch fire every year according to the national fire prevention association. A study of rental homes found 20% of property owners did not report having adequate smoke alarms - 42% did not have adequate carbon monoxide detectors -and nearly 60% didnt report having fire extinguishers. Fire safety officials say before making a reservation check on line for local ordinances regarding fire safety requirements and discuss that with the rental agent or property owner. And before settling in for the first night do a walk-through of the facility make sure there are adequate alarms and detection devices.
WOMEN MONEY
Saving for retirement Saving for emergencies And building wealth are the areas women are struggling with. A Bank of America survey found most women are comfortable with their day-to-day finances But its the long term goals that are still a problem. As a result six out of 10 working women across the country say they would rather have a pay raise than additional time off. When asked what is a sign of financial independence Nearly Half of the women surveyed said being totally debt-free Almost 40% said not having to rely on family members for financial assistance especially when emergencies arise.
U.P. STRANDED
A Davison couple vacationing in the Upper Peninsula found themselves stranded in the wilderness for 15 hours. Joanne and Karl Metcalf's car was stuck in sand not once, but twice. After getting unstuck by digging out their vehicle using kitty litter scoops, they decided to turn around and head back to their motel, only to get stuck again. This time they were unable to free the car. Border patrol agents found the couple more than 15 hours after they set out for the shores of Lake Superior, and towed them to safety.
GUN IN POLICE KILLING-CHARGES
A 26-year-old man has been charged with buying a gun that police say a 19-year-old later used to fatally shoot a Detroit police officer. The U.S. Attorney in Detroit says the Detroit man is charged with making a false statement in the acquisition of the firearm. He appeared in federal court and is being held until a detention hearing on Tuesday. Detroit Police Chief James White says Officer Loren Courts died after the 40-year-old and his partner were ambushed while responding to a call about shots fired at Joy Road and Marlowe Street last Wednesday night. Another officer fatally shot the alleged gunman.
DETROIT TEEN KILLED
A teenager has been shot and killed in Detroit. Police say the 14-year old girl was with a group of teens inside an apartment early Sunday morning when one of the teenage boys pulled out a gun. It allegedly went off accidentally. The girl was hit and died. The boys took off.
11-YEAR-OLD SHOT BY BROTHER-DETROIT
An 11-year-old Detroit boy is in the hospital -- after getting shot by his brother. Detroit Police say the two brothers were pushing a go-kart down the street Sunday afternoon... ... when they claim they saw a dog. The 14-year-old boy grabbed a gun that was under the seat of the go-kart and it went off... with the bullet hitting his 11-yearold brother in the ankle. He was taken to St. John Hospital in stable condition. Police say the gun was recovered from behind a garage in the area. Officials say they didn't see any dogs, but the investigation is ongoing.
TEEN CRASH-W MI
A 17-year-old girl was seriously hurt in a crash over the weekend in west Michigan's Lowell Township. The Kent County Sheriff's Office says the girl was thrown from a truck after the truck , driven by a 16-year-old, did not stop at a stop sign and was hit by a vehicle Saturday night. They say the truck rolled and the girl, from Lowell, was thrown from the truck. She was last listed in stable condition. Alcohol is not believed to be a factor in the crash.
GAS PRICES
Gas prices across Michigan are starting the week under FIVE DOLLARS. TRIPLE A says prices are down 14 cents from a week ago -- averaging $4.81 per gallon for regular unleaded. This price is 41 cents less than this time last month -- but still $1.63 more than this time last year. You'll find the most expensive gas price averages in Ann Arbor and Metro Detroit -- with the better deals in Benton Harbor, Grand Rapids and Traverse City.
ALBION GATOR
An alligator appears to be on the loose near Albion College . Albion College ...which is west of Jackson...say there were two sightings of what they believe is a four to five foot alligator at about the same time in the same area in the Kalamazoo River on Sunday. As a precaution, the college posted on its Facebook Page that the Whitehouse Nature Center near Albion's campus was closed Sunday. The college says it's working with experts to locate and remove the alligator as soon as possible.
GILCHRIST ED BUDGET
Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist II will be in Detroit this morning to present the recently passed School Aid Fund budget to education leaders, teachers, and parents. The bipartisan budget increases per-student funding, investments into special education and at-risk students, and significant investments in mental health programs and school safety. The press conference begins at 10:30 a.m.
TEEN INJURED IN U-P CRASH
A 17-year-old girl is hospitalized with life threatening injuries after she fell out of the cab of a pickup truck in Houghton County in the U-P. The truck was reportedly on M-203 with a 22-year-old man driving when it crashed and the girl fell out of the cab onto the roadway. Police say the girl's boyfriend rushed her to the hospital, but she was later taken to a hospital in Ann Arbor.
KALAMAZOO SHOOTINGS
Two people have been shot early this morning in Kalamazoo. WOOD TV reports the shooting happened at about three this morning. The Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety found a 34-year-old man who had been shot. He was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Another victim showed up at the hospital and he'd been shot in both legs. No one's been arrested.
DOG RESCUED PICTURE ROCKS
A dog was rescued after jumping over a railing at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore and falling down the cliff to a ledge 25 to 30 feet below. Park rangers reportedly spent about 25 minutes trying to coax the Cocker Spaniel-Poodle mix named Leo to them with snacks. He finally did and they were able to fit him with a harness to get him back to the lower overlook platform and to his family. The Wisconsin family plans to buy a harness for Leo since he had slipped out of his collar.
PROMOTE THE VOTE
Organizers behind the "Promote the Vote 2022" campaign will deliver petition signatures to the Secretary of State's office today. The potential ballot proposal would help to secure Michigan's elections -- as well as implement a nine-day early voting period. The petition is backed by the League of Women Voters of Michigan, the NAACP, and Michigan Farmers Union.
SHELTER EVENT
If you happen to be looking for a pet, now could be the time to get one. The Bissell Pet Foundation is kicking off a three week Empty the Shelters event nationwide. Foundation founder Cathy Bissell says the need is great. 38 shelters in Michigan are taking part. There will be reduced adoption fees. For more information, go to Bissellpetfoundation-dot-org.
AUTO SHOW TICKETS
Tickets go on sale today for the Detroit Auto Show which makes its return this fall for the FIRST TIME since January 2020. It's set for September 14th to the 25th. The event will feature both indoor and outdoor activities .. spanning Huntington Place, Hart Plaza, and other parts of downtown Detroit. Tickets will go on sale online for Industry Tech Days, the Charity Preview, and the Public Show. Adult Public Show single-day tickets will be available at a $5 discount through August 10th.
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