PORCH SHOOTING

State's top court looking at convictions in porch shooting

DETROIT (AP) — Years later, the Michigan Supreme Court this week is revisiting the case of a young woman who was killed while pounding on a door before dawn in suburban Detroit. The result could lead to a new sentencing hearing for Ted Wafer, who has been in prison since his conviction in 2014. Wafer was sentenced to at least 17 years in prison for second-degree murder, manslaughter and a gun crime. The Supreme Court will hear arguments Thursday about whether it was improper for Wafer to be convicted of murder and manslaughter. It’s a key issue for Wafer because his sentencing guidelines for murder were enhanced by the manslaughter conviction.

CEMETERY-CIVIL WAR

History enthusiasts seek tips on woman in Civil War burial

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — Local history groups have placed new headstones in a Traverse City cemetery to honor eight people from the Civil War era. But who was Nancy Taylor? The groups have identified three women who were married to Union veterans and buried in a special area at Oakwood Cemetery. But Taylor’s background isn’t clear. She died in 1918. The Traverse Area Historical Society and other groups held a ceremony Saturday, which included men in Civil War-style uniforms firing a musket salute. One of the participants, David Smith, says Taylor might have been a sister of a veteran or a caretaker.

ARTPRIZE-WINNER

Mother and son dial up a big win at Grand Rapids ArtPrize

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) — The grand prize winner of ArtPrize is an old phone booth on a pedestrian bridge in Grand Rapids. Not just any phone booth. “Before You Go” allows people to listen to advice about life recorded by more than 100 local residents and others. The mother-son team of Monica Pritchard and Christian Reichle won the $50,000 prize Friday. Pritchard says she and her son didn’t enter the competition to win it. They just wanted to share the stories of other people. ArtPrize ends this weekend, but people still can experience “Before You Go.” The phone line where the messages are recorded can be accessed by calling 1-(888)-665-2036.

CEMETERY TOURS

Group offers October tours of historic Detroit cemeteries

DETROIT (AP) — Just in time for the haunting month: Detroit cemetery tours. After a year off because of COVID-19, Preservation Detroit is offering afternoon walking tours of the art and architecture found in the city’s final resting places. The cemeteries are the last stops for many historic leaders and celebrities, such as Rosa Parks, Aretha Franklin, and Bernhard Stroh. Elmwood Cemetery has veterans of every war since the Revolutionary War. The tours started Saturday with Mt. Elliott Cemetery. On the next four Saturdays, tours will be conducted at Elmwood, Mt. Elliott again, Mt. Olivet and Woodlawn. For tickets and more information, go to preservationdetroit.org.

BERRIEN-RECREATION AREA

800 acres in SW Michigan could become state recreation area

BERRIEN SPRINGS, Mich. (AP) — The state has its eyes on 800 acres in southwestern Michigan as a possible recreation area. The Department of Natural Resources is seeking a $4.7 million grant from the Natural Resources Trust Fund to buy the land from Andrews University. The property was donated to the school. The land in Berrien County is bordered by U.S. 31 to the north and the St. Joseph River on the west. It’s already popular with hunters. DNR biologist Valerie Frawley says it's a "gorgeous piece of land.” Officials in Berrien and Buchanan townships have endorsed the effort.

CARL LEVIN WARSHIP

Daughters of Carl Levin christen US warship bearing his name

BATH, Maine (AP) — A warship bearing the name of the U.S. Sen. Carl M. Levin has been christened at Maine's Bath Iron Works. The late Michigan senator’s three daughters Erica, Laura and Kate simultaneously smashed bottles of sparkling wine on the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer during the ceremony on Saturday. The ship’s namesake served for 36 years in the U.S. Senate and served as chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee. Levin died on July 29 after battling cancer.

News from © The Associated Press, 2021