SEVERE WEATHER-MICHIGAN

High winds cause Michigan power outages, snarl repair work

DETROIT (AP) — Strong winds across Michigan caused tens of thousands of new electrical outages Saturday and frustrated efforts to repair widespread damage to power lines from overnight storms. Nearly 50,000 additional outages to homes and businesses were reported by DTE Energy in Detroit and surrounding areas of southeastern Michigan during the day Saturday. Those pushed the total outages involving the state’s major electric utilities to about 250,000. Southeastern Michigan was under a high wind warning from the National Weather Service for most of Saturday, with sustained winds of 35 mph and gusts topping 50 mph. DTE said it had more than 1,500 employees and contractors working to make repairs.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-IVERMECTIN

Court won't order hospital to use deworming drug on man

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — The Michigan Court of Appeals won’t order a hospital to use a deworming drug to treat a man who has health problems related to COVID-19. The court says it won’t disrupt the judgment of doctors at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Ann Arbor. The daughter of a 68-year-old man sued after doctors refused to use ivermectin. The man was admitted to the hospital on Nov. 6 with COVID-19, but the infection has eased. Ivermectin is approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat roundworms, lice and other tiny parasites in humans — not COVID-19.

GENERAL MOTORS-BATTERY PLANT

GM venture picks Michigan for 3rd US-based EV battery plant

DETROIT (AP) — General Motors and a joint-venture partner plan to build an electric vehicle battery factory in Lansing, Michigan, their third such factory in the U.S. The companies' plans were revealed in documents posted on the city’s website Friday. They say the plant would cost up to $2.5 billion and employ as many as 1,700 workers. A joint venture between GM and LG Energy Solution called Ultium Cells LLC would build the factory. GM has said it will build four North American plants to make EV battery cells. Locations in Tennessee and Ohio have already been announced.

DETROIT DEVELOPMENT

New housing, commercial space coming to Detroit's westside

DETROIT (AP) — Construction has started on a $10.8 million development on Detroit’s westside that will include 38 affordable housing units along with commercial space. The city says The Sawyer Art Apartments are part of the Strategic Neighborhood Fund initiative, a partnership between the city and Invest Detroit. The block-long development will go up along the city’s recently completed McNichols streetscape. Housing rates will be listed at between 60% and 80% area median income and designed to help more residents afford quality housing. Retail spaces will be offered at reduced rates to entrepreneurs. The building is expected to be completed in 2023.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-MICHIGAN

Michigan COVID surge trends in 'deeply concerning direction'

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan’s COVID-19 surge is trending in a “deeply concerning direction” ahead of the winter holidays and, unlike a year ago, is not subsiding following Thanksgiving. State health officials delivered that sobering message Friday while urging vaccines and booster shots. Infection rates and hospitalizations are at all-time highs 21 months into the pandemic. Vaccination rates lag the national average. Three in four patients hospitalized with the coronavirus are unvaccinated. State health director Elizabeth Hertel warns the omicron variant may be be more transmissible than the delta variant. Michigan is deploying additional ventilators to hospitals and seeking more from the national stockpile.

WIFE POISONED

Man sentenced to life for killing wife with heroin in cereal

DAVISON, Mich. (AP) — A Michigan man who was convicted of killing his wife by spiking her cereal with heroin was sentenced Friday to life in prison. Genesee Circuit Court Judge David J. Newblatt handed down the sentence for Jason Harris of Davison in the 2014 death of Christina Davis, MLive.com reported. A jury convicted Jason Harris in November of first-degree murder, solicitation of murder and delivery of a controlled substance causing death. A medical examiner had classified Christina Harris’ death in 2014 as an accidental overdose. But investigators subsequently alleged that it was a murder scheme hatched by Jason Harris at their Davison home in Genesee County.

FATAL SHOOTING-LANSING

Police: Lansing shooting leaves teen dead, 3 others hurt

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — A 17-year-old girl has been found shot to death and three others hurt — including an infant — in Lansing. Lansing police say officers responding to a report of a shooting found at least three of the victims in a vehicle around 4:30 a.m. Friday. The 17-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene. An 18-year-old woman and 10-week-old boy were taken to a hospital and listed in critical condition. A 16-year-old boy was hospitalized in serious condition. it was not immediately clear if the infant was found in the vehicle. Police said investigators were trying Friday to determine a motive and events that led up to the shootings. No arrests have been made.

ALL STATE-DIVISION 1-2

Belleville freshman QB Bryce Underwood named AP D1-2 POY

The 2021 Michigan Associated Press Division 1-2 All-State football team has been selected by a statewide panel of 12 sports writers in the state. Belleville freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood is the player of the year. Antaiwn Mack of Ann Arbor Huron is the coach of the year.

SCHOOL SHOOTING-MICHIGAN

School district faces two $100M suits after Oxford shootings

SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (AP) — Two lawsuits seeking $100 million each have been filed against a Michigan school district, its superintendent and others after four students were fatally shot and others wounded at Oxford High School. Attorney Geoffrey Fieger says the lawsuits were filed in Detroit federal court and a county court by Jeffrey and Brandi Franz on behalf of their daughters, Riley, a 17-year-old senior who is recovering after being shot in the neck Nov. 30, and her sister Bella, a ninth grader who was next to her. Named in the suits are the Oxford school district, Superintendent Tim Throne, Oxford High's principal and others. The Associated Press sent an email seeking comment from the district. Ethan Crumbley, 15, was arrested and is charged as an adult with murder, terrorism and other crimes.

MICHIGAN DIOCESE-TRANSGENDER BAPTISMS

Michigan diocese: Transgender must `repent' to be baptized

MARQUETTE, Mich. (AP) — A Catholic diocese in Michigan is asking its pastors to deny baptism, confirmation and other sacraments to transgender and nonbinary people unless they have “repented,” a policy that’s possibly the most sweeping of its kind in the U.S. The guidance from the Diocese of Marquette also stipulates that transgender people may not receive Communion. The document lists several sacraments that LGBTQ people may not receive “unless the person has repented.” The Washington Post reports that the the diocese issued the policy in July but it only recently sparked a debate after a prominent priest and advocate for LGBTQ Catholics shared it on Twitter.

News from © The Associated Press, 2021