ABORTION-MICHIGAN

Court interested in dispute over Michigan 1931 abortion ban

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — The Michigan Court of Appeals has opened the door to abortion opponents who are trying to overturn a recent decision that suspended the state’s long-dormant ban on the procedure. The court set a briefing schedule that runs through July 5. A judge at the Court of Claims last week issued a preliminary injunction that freezes a 1931 ban on abortion in most instances. If the injunction stands, it means abortion would not be illegal in Michigan if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns the landmark Roe v. Wade decision by summer. Right to Life of Michigan, the Michigan Catholic Conference and two county prosecutors are asking the appeals court to throw out the injunction.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-MICHIGAN

School loses challenge to expired Michigan mask order

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — A Catholic school’s challenge to Michigan’s 2020-21 mask order has been dismissed by a federal appeals court. The court says the Whitmer administration policy during the COVID-19 pandemic was dropped about a year ago, making the lawsuit moot. Resurrection School in Lansing and some parents sued in 2020, saying a state mask order violated the free exercise of religion. A federal judge ruled in favor of the state and declined to suspend the policy with an injunction. The statewide mask order ended in June 2021. Any subsequent school mask mandates came from local health departments.

BABY FORMULA-CONGRESS

FDA chief struggles to explain slow response on baby formula

WASHINGTON (AP) — The head of the Food and Drug Administration faced a congressional grilling over a months-long delay in inspecting the plant at the center of a nationwide baby formula shortage. FDA Commissioner Robert Califf faced questions Wednesday from House lawmakers probing the formula shortage. Califf called the response “too slow" and “not optimal.” Lawmakers also heard from three formula executives, including Abbott Nutrition, which apologized for contamination issues at a factory that contributed to the shortage. The company says it's on track to reopen its plant next month which will eventually help replenish supplies of popular and specialty formulas

FIREFIGHTER UNION-EMBEZZLEMENT

Ex-Detroit firefighters union treasurer sentenced for fraud

DETROIT (AP) — A former treasurer for a Detroit firefighters union has been sentenced to one year in federal prison after being convicted of embezzling more than $220,000 in union funds, some of which she spent on airline flights, hotels and ocean cruises. The federal judge who sentenced 62-year-old Verdine Day on Tuesday also ordered her to pay more than $220,000 in restitution to the Detroit Fire Fighters Association. Prosecutors said Day was charged last September and later convicted of bank fraud for fraudulently obtaining union funds through checks and by charging personal expenses on union credit cards, including for airline flights, hotels and about $9,000 and $9,500 on two Royal Caribbean cruises.

FORD–FUEL ECONOMY-SETTLEMENT

Ford pays $19M to settle claims on fuel economy, payload

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Ford Motor Company has settled claims by 40 U.S. state attorneys general that the company made misleading claims about the fuel economy and payload capacity of some of its vehicles. The company agreed Tuesday to pay $19.2 million to the states and refrain from making misleading advertising claims. The attorneys general say Ford misled consumers about how far its 2013-2014 C-Max hybrid cars could travel on a tank of gas. They also saidsay Ford inflated the payload capacity of its 2011-2014 Super Duty pick-up trucks. Ford says in a statement that it is pleased the investigation was settled with no judicial finding of improper conduct.

AP-US-STELLANTIS-FACTORY-ANNOUNCEMENT

Stellantis, Samsung plan Indiana electric car battery plant

KOKOMO, Ind. (AP) — A joint venture between Stellantis and Samsung plans to build an electric vehicle battery factory in Indiana that will employ up to 1,400 workers and become the company’s second such factory in North America. The venture announced Tuesday aims to spend more than $2.5 billion on the plant in Kokomo that will supply electric battery modules for a range of vehicles produced at Stellantis’ North American assembly plants. The Kokomo plant is expected to open in early 2025. Stellantis formed last year with the merger of Fiat Chrysler and France’s PSA Peugeot. It announced in March that it plans to spend $4.1 billion in a joint venture with LG Energy Solution of Korea to build electric vehicle battery factory in Windsor, Ontario.

VATICAN-MICHIGAN

Pope offers solidarity to Gaylord, Michigan, after tornado

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis is offering his condolences and solidarity to the people of Gaylord, Michigan following a deadly tornado. The Vatican on Tuesday released a telegram signed by the Vatican secretary of state addressed to Gaylord Bishop Jeffrey Walsh. It said Francis was saddened to learn of the death and destruction from Friday’s tornado. The tornado killed two people, injured more than 40, knocked out electricity and flattened parts of the northern Michigan community where such incidents are rare.

VIRTUAL REALITY-TASER

Virtual reality brings portable Taser training to police

WASHINGTON (AP) — The company best known for developing the Taser is expanding virtual reality and immersive training to help encourage police officers across the U.S. to more regularly train with less-than-lethal weapons. The virtual reality training being launched by Axon on Tuesday gives officers an opportunity to train with their Tasers in different scenarios to make the weapon more effective and reduce the chance the officer would use a firearm instead. The portable training kit fits into a duffel bag. Police departments can implement such a training during roll calls or for officers between calls.

AP-US-BABY-FORMULA-SHORTAGE

US safety, savings rules set stage for baby formula shortage

WASHINGTON (AP) — A massive recall is getting most of the blame for the U.S. baby formula shortage, but experts say the products have long been vulnerable to this type of crisis. They point to decades-old policies that have allowed a handful of companies to corner the market. Safety and manufacturing rules imposed by U.S. regulators make it hard for smaller companies to enter the market. And federal contracting rules also favor the largest manufacturers who can offer the lowest prices on formula. Those government rules are aimed at assuring safe, affordable formula. But they are now getting renewed scrutiny because of the shortage.

News from © The Associated Press, 2022