Wednesday News Summary 09-07-22Wed, 07 Sep 2022 12:12:26 EDT
(Stories Courtesy of Michigan News Radio)
LABOR DAY CRACKDOWN
A Labor Day weekend crackdown on drunk driving saw 17 people arrested in the Michigan State Police first district. The district covers multiple Metro Detroit counties including Livingston, Monroe and Washtenaw. Other counties in the district are Clinton, Eaton, Ingham, Hillsdale, Jackson, and Lenawee. The district thanked troopers who worked during the holiday weekend in a post on Twitter.
DRUG BUST
Troopers at the Michigan State Police Lansing Post are touting a big drug bust that has put two men behind bars. Troopers say that they recovered meth, heroin and Molly during the traffic stop. A 30-year-old man is charged with being a felon with a weapon. A 36-year-old man is also facing felony firearms charges.
WATER MAIN UPDATE
A large water distribution line that burst more than three weeks ago near Port Huron won't be in full operation for a couple more weeks. The Great Lakes Water Authority says the broken pipeline has been replaced, but filling the ten foot-wide pipe will take time. The authority is working with state environmental leaders on a flushing and disinfecting plan for the new line. The new estimate for the pipeline to return to normal operations is September 21st. Several communities in Oakland, Macomb, St. Clair and Lapeer counties have banned outdoor watering due to low water pressure.
DOMINO'S DEAL
A Michigan-based company is giving its customers a special offer aimed at offsetting high costs due to inflation. Domino's Pizza customers who order online can now take advantage of 20 percent off all menu-priced items. The deal is available at all Domino's locations nationwide, all you have to do is use the company's website or app. Dominos president of U.S. and global services Joe Jordan says that nobody has been spared from inflation, so the company wants to give customers a break.
FALSE ACCUSATIONS
An Alpena man has been arrested for falsely accusing troopers of stealing items while they were executing a search warrant. 70-year-old Thomas VanDuinen has been arraigned on three counts of false report of a felony, one count of lying to a peace officer and one count of using a computer to commit a crime. A criminal investigation was initiated against VanDuinen in June 2021, after he alleged MSP troopers stole prescription medications, money and possibly forged search warrant documents. Arrest warrants were issued on August 26 and VanDuinen was arrested on August 27.
WORKERS RESIST
Following Labor Day, Americans usually get back to a normal working routine -- but this year will be far from normal. Only half of the workers who have been asked to go back into their offices and buildings are going back. The rest are refusing. A recent Gallup poll found five out of 10 are working at least part of the week at home- three out of 10 are working exclusively at home. And only 20% of those surveyed across the country are working back in the office five days a week. Nicholas Bloom, a Stanford economist says he's spoken to hundreds of corporate leaders and he says they don't know how to deal with the situation.
NATIONAL DAY OF SERVICE
The Michigan Community Service Commission awarded $10,000 to support 26 Michigan organizations hosting volunteer projects for the 9/11 National Day of Service. Through these projects, volunteers will serve veterans, military personnel and first responders, and also focus on environmental improvement and disaster preparedness. The 9/11 National Day of Service projects are happening in communities across the state, some of which need volunteers. Go online for a complete list of projects that the Michigan Community Service Commission is supporting, and details on how Michiganders can join the efforts.
SAULT STE. MARIE TOURISM BOOST
Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced the Sault Ste. Marie Convention & Visitors Bureau has been awarded $2 million to boost tourism by enhancing the Sault Ste. Marie International 500 Raceway as part of the U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration grant program. The project is expected to support a total of 50 jobs in the area. This project will construct new roads, a parking lot, vendor building and other upgrades that will help make the raceway venue a year- round tourist destination. The investment will be matched with $513,000 in local funds and is expected to create or retain 50 jobs and generate $2 million in private investment.
MOVIE BRAWL
An adult and three teens are under investigation in Washtenaw County over a massive brawl at a movie theater. Pittsfield Township police report that 100 people were involved in the brawl on Saturday at the Cinemark in Pittsfield Township, which was packed with people for National Cinema Day. Movies were only $3. The teens are from Ann Arbor and just 14 and 15 years old. They've been released to their parents pending the investigation. It took help from several neighboring departments, including the Sheriff, Ypsilanti police and officers from Eastern Michigan University to stop the brawl.
BIDEN TO AUTO SHOW
The White House confirmed that President Joe Biden will visit the Detroit Auto Show on its opening day next week. The Show opens on Wednesday, September 14th, for the first time in the summer months. Mr. Biden told reporters last week that he planned to visit, saying he is a "car guy." It will be President Biden's sixth trip to Michigan since taking office. Last November, he visited GM's Factory Zero electric vehicle plant in Detroit.
LATEST COVID STATS
The number of new COVID cases has dropped in the latest numbers released by the Michigan Health Department. The state is reporting nearly 16-thousand new cases over the past week. That's down from over 19-thousand reported last week. 83 people have died.
EASTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY STRIKE VOTE
The Eastern Michigan University faculty has voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike, due to what they say is the administration's failure to bargain. A statement from the E-M-U American Association of University Professors said that at a union meeting last night, members voted 91-percent in favor of authorizing a strike by more than 500 tenured and tenure-track faculty. The strike begins this morning . Meantime, E-M-U Spokesperson Walter Kraft saying in a statement -- "The unions call for a strike impacts one group on Easterns campus more than any other the University's students." Professors are at a stalemate with the university over pay and healthcare. Negotiations resume today. The university tells students to report to classes as scheduled, and wait at least 15- minutes to determine whether their instructor will be teaching.
NEW ELECTION POLL
A new poll shows Michigan voters are feeling motivated to vote in the upcoming November gubernatorial election. According to a new W-D-I-V and Detroit News poll, Michigan voters have a 9.3 voter motivation score on a 10-point scale. In the gubernatorial poll, incumbent Governor Gretchen Whitmer continues to hold a lead against Republican opponent Tudor Dixon. Whitmer is currently estimated to win about 48 percent of the vote -- 13 percentage points ahead of Dixon. The poll also indicates that abortion and women's rights are the major issues driving election motivation.
NEW KIDNAP TRIAL POSSIBLE
Two men convicted in the plot to kidnap Governor Gretchen Whitmer have asked a federal judge for a new trial. A filing yesterday from the defense suggests there are new details that have been uncovered about the alleged misconduct of a juror. Two weeks ago, Adam Fox of Potterville and Delaware truck driver Barry Croft were convicted of kidnapping conspiracy and conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction. Fox and Croft face up to life in prison when sentenced in December. They were accused of leading the kidnap plot that involved more than a dozen men. The new request could result in Fox and Croft standing trial for a third time.
WMU SAFETY PETITION
A petition is circulating at Western Michigan University calling for more safety measures in the wake of a student being hit and killed by an alleged drunk driver in August. WOOD TV reports more than 44-hundred students and others have signed the petition, calling for more pedestrian safety precautions around off-campus student areas. The petition calls for crosswalks, a traffic light at Michigan Avenue and Euclid Avenue, speed bumps and slow down speedometers. City traffic engineers say they are already working on a few of the requests.
TEEN SERIOUSLY HURT IN CRASH NEAR HOLLAND
A 16-year-old has been critically injured in a crash near Holland last night. The Ottawa County Sheriff's Office says the teen was driving westbound in Park Township and he lost control and hit multiple trees. He was taken to the hospital and the crash is being investigated.
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