CRASH-TROOPER KILLED

Woman gets 27 years in crash that killed Michigan trooper

IONIA, Mich. (AP) — A woman has been sentenced to 27 years in prison for a drunken driving crash that killed a Michigan state trooper. Thomasina Jones was sentenced Tuesday after pleading guilty in Ionia County Circuit Court to second-degree murder, operating a vehicle while intoxicated and other charges. Police have said that trooper Caleb Starr was driving east of Grand Rapids in Boston Township in July 2020 when a vehicle crossed the center line from the opposite direction and smashed into his patrol car. Another trooper testified in an earlier hearing that Jones’ blood-alcohol level was 0.23, about three times over Michigan’s legal limit.

DETROIT REVITALIZATION-FEDERAL FUNDING

HUD official tours Detroit, sees city's use of federal funds

DETROIT (AP) — The Biden Administration has been given a look at how Detroit has used more than $12 million in federal funds to help with the city’s revitalization. U.S. Housing and Urban Affairs Deputy Secretary Adrianne Todman on Tuesday toured small business corridors, neighborhoods and housing developments where some HUD money was used on resident-led planning studies. HUD money allowed the city to leverage more than $169 million in investments through philanthropic grants and city and state funds across 10 areas through the city’s Strategic Neighborhood Fund initiative. Todman said she was impressed with how the city has used federal funding to fill “pockets” where disinvestment has existed.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-MICHIGAN

Whitmer orders state to prep for vaccinating kids ages 5-11

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has directed the state to expedite the ordering of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for kids ages 5-11 so that it will be quickly available if the federal government gives it the green light. Her directive Tuesday came the same day an advisory committee to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration endorsed the kid-size doses. The FDA is expected to authorize the shots within days, followed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention next week. The governor called the pending authorization a “game-changer” that will protect kids as they attend school, participate in extracurricular activities, and see friends and family. The state, which has 825,000 5- to 11-year-olds, has pre-ordered 287,000 doses of the pediatric vaccine.

VOTING RULES

Opposition raises $2.5M to fight Michigan GOP voting changes

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — A Michigan group has raised $2.5 million from a liberal nonprofit to fight a Republican-backed ballot drive that would toughen voter ID requirements, ban the unsolicited mailing of absentee ballot applications and make other election changes. Protect MI Vote received the funding from Sixteen Thirty Fund, which is backed by anonymous donors. Protect MI Vote has spent nearly $1.6 million, mostly to pay a company working to defeat the initiative. Secure MI Vote, which has begun circulating petitions, doesn't have to submit its statement until Nov. 2. If enough signatures are collected, the Republican-led Legislature can enact the initiatves without Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s signature.

XGR-MENSTRUAL PRODUCTS TAX

Michigan Senate approves end to tax on menstrual products

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Legislation to eliminate the sales tax on menstrual products in Michigan passed in the state Senate on Tuesday. Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has backed an end to the so-called “tampon tax” in the past and is expected to sign the legislation into law. Michigan would join over 20 other states that have either ended the tax in recent years or never had one, according to Period Equity, which is a legal group that advocates for making menstrual products tax-exempt.

ELECTION-CLERK DISPUTE

State removes township clerk from running election next week

HILLSDALE, Mich. (AP) — State officials have barred a township clerk in southern Michigan from running her community’s local election next week. Stephanie Scott is the clerk in Hillsdale County’s Adams Township. Scott is accused of failing to take steps to ensure the security of the vote. The Michigan Bureau of Elections says Hillsdale County instead will supervise the election in Adams Township. The state says Scott did not allow a contractor to perform preventative maintenance on voting equipment and did not conduct accuracy tests. Scott denies any negligence but says she's had concerns about the equipment.

LAWMAKER-ABUSE ALLEGATIONS

Lawmaker won't face charges over alleged threatening texts

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Prosecutors will not charge a lawmaker after an investigation into allegations from a fellow lawmaker who said he sent her threatening texts following their breakup. The head of Ingham County’s domestic violence unit reviewed an investigative report into Harrison Township Republican Rep. Steve Marino submitted by State Police to Prosecutor Carol Siemon’s office in late September. Scott Hughes, a spokesman for Siemon’s office, says the official denied prosecution and the case is considered closed additional information or evidence is submitted. Michigan State Police began investigating Marino this month after Birmingham Democratic Rep. Mari Manoogian told House leadership that the 31-year-old Harrison Township Republican had sent her threatening texts.

ELECTION 2022-MICHIGAN GOVERNOR

Whitmer raises $3.1M, Craig $1.4M in governor's race

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer raised $3.1 million over three months for her reelection campaign and had $12.6 million on hand a year before the 2022 election. Former Detroit police chief James Craig outraised a field of Republicans vying to challenge her, collecting $1.4 million. The numbers were reported Monday, the quarterly deadline. The Democratic governor continued to use an exemption to collect more than the individual $7,150 limit because of longshot efforts to recall her from office. The GOP is challenging the strategy in court. Eleven Republicans have formed candidate committees to run against or explore a challenge to Whitmer.

KELLOGG'S STRIKE

Contract talks to resume at Kellogg's amid cereal strike

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Contract talks between the Kellogg Co. and its 1,400 striking cereal plant workers are set to resume next week. The Battle Creek, Michigan-based company said Tuesday that the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union that represents those workers agreed to return to the bargaining table starting next Tuesday. The workers have been on strike since Oct. 5. The strike includes four plants in Battle Creek; Omaha, Nebraska; Lancaster, Pennsylvania; and Memphis, Tennessee. The company has said it’s not clear how the strike will affect supplies of Rice Krispies and its other cereal brands because it has restarted production with salaried employees and outside workers.

DRIVE-BY SHOOTING-ELDERLY VICTIM

Woman, 80, shot in face during apparent drive-by shooting

PONTIAC, Mich. (AP) — An 80-year-old woman has been shot in the face during an apparent drive-by shooting in southeastern Michigan. The Oakland County sheriff's office says Monday that the woman was sitting in her parked car in Pontiac Sunday afternoon when she was shot. She was in critical condition at a hospital. Her family told the sheriff's office she was expected to undergo surgery to remove bullet fragments from between her eyes. Two men in her car were not struck. The woman said she was visiting a home when her car experienced battery trouble. She was waiting on a jumpstart when at least one shot went through her windshield. Pontiac is about 31 miles northwest of Detroit.

News from © The Associated Press, 2021