MICHIGAN

The inaugural festival will showcase nationally known and Michigan-based comedic talent from March 1-4 in the downtown area.

ANN ARBOR – Michigan’s hockey team entered Friday coming off its first Big Ten sweep of the season. The sixth-ranked Wolverines (17-9-1, 9-8 Big Ten) dominated from start to finish, routing Wisconsin 6-2 at Yost Ice Arena. It was their fourth straight win as they continue to climb the Big Ten standings. Michigan probably had double-digit quality scoring opportunities in the first period but only was able to capitalize on two. It also was an emotional pregame for Michigan, which welcomed back junior Steven Holtz to the lineup.

SHIAWASSEE COUNTY -- Michigan regulators on Friday, Feb. 3, indefinitely shut down a Shiawassee County marijuana processing business accused of possessing untagged cannabis products. The Cannabis Regulatory Agency (CRA) suspended Candid Labs’ licenses that allow it to process marijuana products for the recreational and medical marijuana markets. The business notified the CRA that its required video surveillance system was “malfunctioning during its harvest,” the CRA complaint said. “Candid Labs’ employees maintained that the (untagged) products were made from biomass kept on the licensed premises,” the CRA said. According to the complaint, inspectors also found fresh, untagged frozen flower in refrigerated trailer, up to 10 mature untagged cannabis plants inside a white van, “at least four large black trash bags filled to the top with (untagged) marijuana,” untagged plants in a field and in greenhouses.

Michigan leaders were making the case to bring a new air force mission to Selfridge Air Base in a series of new letters to the Air Force.

Francisco Patino, M.D – FacebookA Michigan doctor, Francisco Patino, M.D., was sentenced to 16.5 years in prison for his role in a fraudulent health care scheme. As this case demonstrates, the Department of Justice will continue to relentlessly combat health care fraud, particularly where defendants endanger patients by providing addictive substances and billing for needless procedures.”In September 2021, Patino, 68, of Wayne County, was convicted at trial in the Eastern District of Michigan of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, health care fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States and pay and receive health care kickbacks, conspiracy to commit money laundering and money laundering. If patients refused the injections, Patino, according to evidence, would withhold their opioid prescriptions. “In particular, the administration of unnecessary injections, in exchange for unnecessary opioid prescriptions, places patients at serious risk of harm and exploits some of the most vulnerable people. In 2018, Rashid pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud and money laundering and was sentenced to 15 years in prison on March 3, 2021.

FLINT, MI -- The federal judge overseeing the distribution of a $626-million Flint water crisis settlement fund has agreed to bring in reinforcements to help expedite the intake and review of roughly 43,000 pending claims. Children who were 6 years old and younger during the water crisis are expected to be the biggest potential beneficiaries. Money for the Flint settlement fund came from the state of Michigan, the city of Flint, McLaren-Flint hospital and Rowe Professional Services. Those entities agreed to pay into the settlement fund rather than litigate lawsuits related to Flint water that were pending against them and their employees. The deadline for submitting settlement claims was more than eight months ago.

With warm air we don’t get much snowfall, and that was certainly the case across all of Michigan. Usually when we have a warmer-than-normal winter month we will still have some corner of the state getting above normal snowfall. We can’t find anywhere that came in with above normal snowfall this January. While snowfall of 20 inches to 40 inches sounds like a lot of snow for the U.P. in a month, it is also below normal snowfall.

KALAMAZOO, MI – DNA evidence led police to charge a Kalamazoo man for an alleged sexual assault of a teen in 2005. He was charged through the Kalamazoo Sexual Assault Kit Initiative. “This case is another example of the tremendous work being done on behalf of the survivors of sexual assault,” Kalamazoo County Prosecutor Jeff Getting said in the release. It involves a partnership between the Attorney General’s Office, the Kalamazoo County Prosecutor’s Office and the YWCA of Kalamazoo. The goal of the program is to address previously untested sexual assault kits and, when possible, provide resolutions for victims.

Although he currently owns a gas station and Subway sandwich shop, Ansari maintains that opening his newest concept was done “by accident.”“Pizza is its own universe,” Ansari said. Ansari recently opened La Piazza Pizza and Subs, 2715 Plymouth Road, in the space that formerly housed a Little Caesars. “I always wanted to do something unique,” Ansari said. Although the pizzeria offers standard pizza options — such as cheese, peperoni and chicken barbeque — fan favorites include the margarita pizza and chicken parmesan with garlic sauce. Both the garlic sauce and standard pizza sauce are homemade, Ansari said.

OTTAWA COUNTY, MI – Police on Friday, Feb. 3, arrested a teen in a stolen minivan that crashed after the driver fled a traffic stop. The vehicle had just been stolen from a neighborhood near Sentry Road and Woodfield Drive in Holland Township where a resident reported a suspicious vehicle. Ottawa County sheriff’s deputies responded to a 5:24 a.m. report of a Jeep Cherokee in the neighborhood with its lights off. A little later, police found the minivan stuck in the snow on Byron near 16th Avenue where deputies arrested a 16-year-old Grand Rapids resident. Police determined that the minivan had been stolen from the neighborhood where the suspicious vehicle was reported.

WYOMING, MI – Godfrey-Lee Public Schools Superintendent Mike Burde announced he is stepping down after one year on the job to focus on his family. In a Feb. 2 letter to the Godfrey-Lee community, Burde wrote that he has decided to resign from his job to be more involved in his family life. He was appointed to the role on Nov. 17, 2021, after a six-month search to replace Godfrey-Lee’s former superintendent Kevin Polston, who left to become superintendent of Kentwood Public Schools. The Godfrey-Lee Board of Education has appointed longtime school leader Dirk Weeldreyer to serve as interim superintendent while it searches for the district’s next leader. “Serving our students alongside the staff at Godfrey-Lee has been an absolute joy and the pinnacle of my career.

A Michigan judge says a second-degree murder charge against former Grand Rapids police officer Christopher Schurr will go to trial (Feb. 3)

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – A protest is being held Saturday in downtown Grand Rapids to demand justice in the deaths of Patrick Lyoya and Tyre Nichols. The protest organizer is Grand Rapids Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, a new group aiming to mobilize residents against police and political violence. Grand Rapids officials said they are aware of the event and are committed to protecting the legal and peaceful exercise of free speech. “We are aware of the event and have reached out to the organizers,” city officials said in a statement to MLive/The Grand Rapids Press. Agreement to develop property near Grand Rapids amphitheater approved by arena boardGov.

DETROIT – Michigan was given $1.8 million in federal funding to address homelessness in rural and Indigenous communities. Chicago and Los Angeles, both awarded the largest grants, were given $60 million to reduce unsheltered homelessness. Michigan homelessness rates dropped during the pandemic which officials attribute to rental aid and a ban on evictions. Additional housing vouchers will also be allocated to the communities that were awarded grants. Related: After years of waiting, Michigan Section 8 renters race to find housingThe federal housing agency last awarded Michigan 511 vouchers valued at $4.4 million in September.

DETROIT – A Michigan man who was out of jail on bond is accused of punching and pour cleaning products on his child’s mother and beating another woman who tried to intervene, authorities said. The victim’s mother then attempted to intervene and the defendant allegedly punched her several times in the face and body, the release said. The defendant then began punching the 22-year-old again before pouring multiple cleaning products onto her face and body, the release said. He was denied bond and remanded to jail for committing a violent felony while out on bond on another violent felony. His bond was initially set at $1 million but was later lowered to $250,000; he was released on Jan. 11.

Police have identified the bodies of three men found in an abandoned Highland Park apartment complex as three missing Michigan rappers who were last seen last month.

“For super yachts, this 100% definitely puts (Muskegon) on the map,” Leestma said. The marina will include a 730-foot-long, 12-foot-wide breakwall that will form the harbor for the marina. Construction of the marina will be completed by the end of the year, with slip usage beginning in 2024, Leestma said. Related: Work starting soon on $250M Adelaide Pointe development on Muskegon LakeDredging for the marina will begin soon and must be completed by May 1, Leestma said. The 72,000 yards of dredged material will be used as fill on the 30-acre Adelaide Pointe site, located at the end of Western Avenue.

Christopher Schurr, a former Grand Rapids police officer who shot a Black motorist, is being charged with second-degree murder. A judge refused to dismiss the case.

KALAMAZOO, MI — After being held as a virtual-only festival the past two years, the Kalamazoo Fretboard Festival will make its return to the great indoors as an in-person event this March. For those who still wish to enjoy the festival from afar, they will still have the ability to take in the event virtually. The Kalamazoo Mandolin and Guitar Orchestra have two performances scheduled, at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. in the planetarium. There are two workshops scheduled for Saturday, March 4, at the 2023 festival, both occurring in room 307 of Anna Whitten Hall. All performances and workshops are expected to be streamed.

Mount Washington is a perennially windy spot. People do visit Mount Washington, just probably not this weekend. Current conditions at Mount Washington at 11:00 a.m. Friday, February 3. Wind chills in Michigan at 7:30 a.m. today, February 3It did not look nearly as cold as New Hampshire’s wind chill map near noon today. Current wind chills in New Hampshire at 11:30 a.m. today, February 3How’s that for putting Michigan’s harsh winter weather into perspective?

Nearly 88% of human trafficking survivors report accessing health care services during their trafficking situation, according to a nonprofit advocacy group known as the Polaris Project. Related: Police, survivors debunk human trafficking kidnapping mythsIn 2020, Polaris Project identified 10,583 situations of trafficking and 16,658 victims of trafficking nationwide. In recent years, it’s become a Michigan licensing requirement for nurses and physicians to have human trafficking recognition and treatment training. The Michigan Human Trafficking Commission is seeking to require human trafficking training for commercial drivers, educators, education-based counselors and cosmetologists. “Just because somebody looks well put together and not disheveled, doesn’t mean they’re not a victim of human trafficking.

Police are waiting on autopsy results to determine if the bodies of three men found Thursday in the basement of a Highland Park apartment complex belong to three missing rappers.

MARIE, MI – Wintery weather on Michigan’s northern coast means a snow day for some college students. Lake Superior State University announced Friday morning, Feb. 3, that campus is closed today due to weather conditions. The university is in Sault Ste. Marie, which is experiencing wind chills as low as –30 degrees. RELATED: It’s so cold out today Michigan has ‘diamond dust’ falling from the sky

Michigan’s football program put the finishing touches on its 2023 class Wednesday, flipping a three-star defensive lineman from Stanford on signing day. But the Wolverines also missed out on their top remaining target in five-star athlete Nyckoles Harbor, who chose South Carolina over Michigan and others. That leaves Jim Harbaugh’s program without a top-100 recruit in the 2023 cycle, despite it winning its seconds straight Big Ten title. On the latest episode of “Wolverine Confidential” podcast, MLive’s Ryan Zuke and Aaron McMann share their thoughts on Michigan’s newest class and if there are recruiting concerns for the program moving forward. MORE: Michigan football finalizes 2023 class

KALAMAZOO, MI -- The no contact advisory for the Kalamazoo River has been lifted, more than three months after a spill from Graphic Packaging’s paper mill. The advisory was issued Oct. 20, 2022, telling people to avoid contact in the Kalamazoo River from Paterson Street Bridge to D Avenue Bridge, after a spill of wastewater from the Graphic Packaging paper mill. “Upon detailed review of the sampling results we could not determine any significant impact to surface water quality of the Kalamazoo River,” Baker said. State regulators investigated the spill on Oct. 24 and outlined the cause of the spill in the violation notice. Read more:Graphic Packaging spill into Kalamazoo River triggers state and city violationsJudge says jury to decide if ex-police officer justified in Patrick Lyoya’s fatal shootingManagement of Kalamazoo’s downtown gets rebootMichigan COVID cases at lowest point in 18 months

A date is set for Michigan football’s annual spring game, and it’s earlier on the calendar again. The Wolverines’ open-to-the-public event at Michigan Stadium will take place on Saturday, April 1, the program announced Friday, and expected to serve as the culmination of the team’s yearly spring practice schedule. A team spokesman says Michigan is set to begin its spring schedule later this month, on Feb. 20, before taking a one-week hiatus during the university’s scheduled break in classes. That leaves the entire month of March open to practices for Jim Harbaugh’s team, which has already returned returned to the weight room for winter conditioning. Michigan is coming another successful season, finishing with a 13-1 record after winning its second straight Big Ten championship and reaching the College Football Playoff again.

A Michigan judge says a second-degree murder charge against former Grand Rapids police officer Christopher Schurr will go to trial.

KOCHVILLE TWP, MI—Nearly $5.8 million dollars have been earmarked by the Saginaw Valley State University Board of Control to build upon the school’s already impressive on-campus housing. In a release by the University, the funds to begin renovations were approved at the board’s Dec. 16 meeting. The release said preliminary work on Brown Hall has begun and construction will begin in May 2024. RELATED: SVSU receives State approval for Brown Hall renovationThese housing renovations align with projects listed during a previous board meeting. LGBTQ+ services join the SVSU Office of Multicultural Student AffairsSVSU recognized among best colleges for student voting, civic engagement

FLINT, MI – A Michigan man could spend at least the next 20 years of his life behind bars after being sentenced Friday in the 1997 sexual assault and murder of an elderly woman in a small, rural Michigan town. “Instead, that mercy is going to have to come from Mrs. Prieur’s family.”Related: Plea reached in 1997 homicide case of 88-year-old Michigan womanPrieur’s body was found on Feb. 27, 1997, near Lennon Road and M-13. Community members rallied after Prieur’s murder, putting together a $20,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction of the responsible person or persons. Read more: Suspect arrested in 1997 cold case murder of 88-year-old Lennon womanBur was arrested on Nov. 10, 2021, at his home in Lennon, close to Prieur’s home. More: ‘Science solved this.’ Sheriff says DNA led to arrest in 88-year-old Lennon woman’s cold case murderThe plea was approved after the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office consulted with the victim’s family in the case.

The mythos of Bigfoot is alive and well in Michigan.

A Clinton Township woman convicted of stealing money from residents of a senior care facility was sentenced on Thursday.

For hospitalizations, the CDC looks at three pieces: the percentage of staffed hospital beds occupied by COVID patients, COVID hospital admissions per capita and COVID cases per capita. In addition to the 622 confirmed cases per day, Michigan also reported 239 “probable” COVID cases per day this week. Michigan has reported more than 2.6 million confirmed COVID cases and nearly 430,000 probable cases since the pandemic began. The chart below shows the seven-day average for new, confirmed COVID cases throughout the pandemic. Michigan is reporting 29 new COVID deaths per day in the past weekMichigan averaged 29 COVID deaths per day in the past week, the second-highest mark since mid-March 2022.

A crowdfunding campaign launched to support Gordon has already surpassed the goal of $25,000 and is closing in on $40,000 as of Friday morning. Gordon made headlines this week after police confirmed that she returned a plastic bag she found that had nearly $15,000 in cash inside. Gordon found the bag on Jan. 21 when she stopped at a gas station while walking home from work. The crowdfunding campaign was started by the wife of one of the White Lake Police officers who was involved in the case. The goal was to raise $25,000 in order to buy Gordon a vehicle so she doesn’t have to walk anymore.

CHELSEA, MI – American 1 Credit Union will open its second branch in Chelsea later this year. It will feature teller stations, member service areas, a drive-thru lane and a drive-up ATM, officials said. The new branch is American 1 Credit Union’s 18th branch in southern Michigan and second in Chelsea, with the first branch being located inside Polly’s Country Market. “Easy access from the highway and the addition of a drive-thru lane made the new branch location perfect to better serve the Chelsea community,” Kristi Edgar, American 1 executive vice president/COO, said in a statement. Established in 1950, American 1 Credit Union today serves more than 62,000 members with branches in Jackson, Washtenaw, Hillsdale, Lenawee and Wayne counties.

JACKSON, MI – Dozens of brave and previously warm souls did the Polar Plunge this week, diving into the bitterly cold waters of Clark Lake for charity. Clark Lake Polar Plunge raises over $46,000 for Special Olympics MichiganThe annual Michigan Law Enforcement Polar Plunge drew dozens of people to Clark Lake to support Special Olympics Michigan on Saturday. Lawyer’s green card mistake leads to Jackson nonprofit leader, family being deportedA Jackson nonprofit for at-risk youth built by Neil Fernandes and his wife Veronica in the last decade is in jeopardy. The couple and their family face deportation after an “11th-hour” green card denial by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. Dameon Broussard died Monday, Jan. 30, at Henry Ford Jackson Hospital, a few days after he overdosed inside the Wesley Street jail in downtown Jackson, said Jackson County Sheriff’s Cpt.

To come up with its top 100 restaurants list, Yelp says it first reached out to people on its app and asked them what their favorite places to dine were. NUMBER 28The highest ranked restaurant in Michigan is Baobab Fare, coming in at number 28 on the list. NUMBER 38Coming in at number 38 on Yelp’s top 100 restaurant list is House of Falafel located at 21095 Farmington Road in Farmington Hills. NUMBER 74The final Michigan restaurant on Yelp’s top 100 list is Chadd’s Bistro coming in at number 74. Chadd’s serves sandwiches with roast beef, chicken, ham, turkey, corned beef, pastrami and more.

Registered Michigan lobbyists reported the largest increase in lobbying spending in the state’s history in 2022, spend a record $49.2 million lobbying state-level public officials, according to the latest disclosures. It’s a more than $5 million increase, but about half of that increase can be attributable to one group, the American Civil Liberties Union. It reported spending more than $3.2 million in expenses, a more than five-fold increase from the year prior. Lobbying reports are often vague, and rarely include descriptions about the work a lobbyist’s spending is going toward. That number rises with inflation each year, and the relatively high threshold means most lobbyist spending on food and drink goes unitemized.

There were 563 cats adopted and 392 dogs adopted in Delta County in 2021, per records from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. Of Michigan’s 83 counties, 60 had more cats adopted than dogs in 2021 while just 15 counties had more dogs adopted than cats. In total, more than 51,000 shelter cats were adopted for the year compared to about 32,000 shelter dogs. Judging by shelter adoptions, Ingham County is Michigan’s largest cat county, with 2,127 more cats adopted than dogs in 2021. Midland County is Michigan’s biggest dog county, with 254 more dogs adopted than cats.

A man who walked into a woman’s Lenawee County home to rape and rob her at knifepoint has finally been identified by DNA and charged exactly 30 years later.

Jake Moody left one final mark on his impressive college career Thursday, kicking four field goals and earning MVP honors at the East-West Shrine Bowl in Las Vegas. The Michigan kicker converted all four of his attempts, from 51, 51, 35 and 35 yards, respectively, in the West team’s 12-3 victory over the East at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Moody was the first kicker to earn Shrine Bowl offensive MVP honors since 2015, a feat he admittedly was not expecting when he stepped off the plane in Las Vegas. Congratulations to our offensive MVP Jake Moody (@UMichFootball) and defensive MVP Trey Dean III(@GATORFB)! That’d be a blessing,” Moody said after the game on the possibility of hearing his named called during the draft.

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – Jazz McKinney, the executive director of the Grand Rapids Pride Center, is the keynote speaker this year for Grand Rapids Community College’s Black History Month celebration. GRCC’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion has planned a wide variety of fun and informational events this month to honor Black History Month, according to a college news release. In addition to being executive director of the Grand Rapids Pride Center, McKinney is also co-owner and lead trainer of Paradigm Shifts Consulting, a company that aims to help break down systemic oppression. The public can find more information about GRCC’s Black History month events here. “The Black Male Narrative,” a virtual event hosted by the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, planned for 4-5:30 on Feb. 21.

HOLLY, MI - After a devastating fire last summer that tore through downtown Holly, multiple businesses were forced to shut down. But that hasn’t stopped the village from bouncing back, and Creative Fashions, located at 106 Battle Alley, will be the first business to re-open its storefront at 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 3 during the “Holly First Friday: Galentines” event. 55 Aftermath of downtown Holly fire“The only thing between that building and ours was an alley,” Raska said. Creative Fashions has been a fixture in Holly for over four decades, with Raska taking over from previous owner Jeannie Montooth. Follow Creative Fashions on Facebook.

EVANSTON, Ill. (AP) — Hunter Dickinson scored 19 points and Michigan pulled away in the second half to earn a 68-51 win on the road, completing a season sweep of Northwestern on Thursday night. The victory is just the second win away from home for the Wolverines this season and the first since they knocked off Minnesota in their Big Ten Conference opener December 8 in Minneapolis. Brooks Barnhizer’s jumper with four seconds left in the first half pulled Northwestern within a point at intermission, 26-25. Chase Audige and Ty Berry each scored field goals to open the second half and the Wildcats grabbed a quick 29-26 advantage. Boo Buie hit 9 of 19 from the field, including 3 of 6 from distance, and scored 23 points to lead Northwestern (15-7, 10-4), which completed a string of five games in 11 days.

Michigan’s football program put a bow on its 2023 recruiting class on Wednesday. On Thursday, it added a key addition to its 2024 class. Harper Woods four-star athlete Jacob Oden made his college decision Thursday night in an announcement on 247Sports’ YouTube channel, choosing Michigan over other finalists Michigan State, Penn State, Iowa and Tennessee. “They had to battle for him a little bit,” 247Sports recruiting analyst Allen Trieu said of Michigan. Then Michigan State was a crystal ball leader at one point.

Federal authorities seized former Michigan House Speaker Rick Johnson's phone in an investigation into Johnson and his wife's finances.

Police believe three men found dead in a Highland Park apartment are Michigan rappers who had been missing for nearly two weeks, according to law enforcement sources.

Enforcement of the noncompete agreements “would devastate Saint Mary’s orthopedic program,” the complaint said. According to Trinity’s complaint, doctors from a practice called River Valley Orthopedics have traditionally provided “virtually all” of the orthopedic care at St. Mary’s. That practice was acquired by Orthopaedic Associates in 2018. It says it offered to pay Orthopaedic Associates to release the doctors from their noncompete contracts, but the offer was rejected. Trinity says it has already suffered millions of dollars in losses due to Orthopaedic Associates’ actions.

HOLLY, MI - Downtown Holly is preparing for the “Holly First Friday: Galentines” event. The event is scheduled from 5-8 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 3., as part of First Fridays hosted by Main Street Holly and the Holly Downtown Development Authority (DDA). Downtown shops will be open to kickoff the hashtag #LoveHolly loyalty punch cards. Instead of Valentines, the idea behind “Galentines” is about bringing your favorite friend downtown for shopping, eating at your favorite restaurant and enjoying the night. It’s the second year Holly has hosted this event.

In the days after two back-to-back mass shootings in Monterey Park and Half Moon Bay, California, that killed a combined 18 Chinese, Asian American and Hispanic people and critically injured one other, several members of Michigan’s AAPI community gathered in Madison Heights, Michigan to hold a local vigil for the victims and those in the community affected by the tragedy. State Senator Stephanie Chang joined the vigil to speak about the need for gun reform legislation, while American Citizens for Justice Co-Founder Roland Hwang spoke about the need to “address the lack of mental health services that is so exposed by this carnage.” APIA Vote Michigan Executive Director Rebeka Islam and Rising Voices Co-Executive Director Jasmine Rivera were also in attendance with hopes that the local vigil would provide a safe space for the community and a pathway for healing. Go to topStay Connected:Subscribe to One Detroit’s YouTube Channel & Don’t miss One Detroit Mondays and Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. on Detroit Public TV, WTVS-Channel 56. Catch the daily conversations on our website, Facebook, Twitter @DPTVOneDetroit, and Instagram @One.DetroitWatch One Detroit every Monday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m. ET on Detroit Public TV on Detroit Public TV, WTVS-Channel 56.

A Michigan man says he was left with a $1,000 bill after his 6-year-old son ordered a virtual smorgasbord of food from several restaurants.

WASHTENAW COUNTY, MI -- Police have located a Dexter teenager they believe was groomed on social media. An alert was issued after Ea Kuhr, 17, on Feb. 1, after they intentionally avoided their family picking them up from Dexter High School that day. Kuhr has since been located and is now safe, the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office announced on social media around 3 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 2. “Details are limited at this time but Ea is safe,” the office wrote in an announcement on Facebook. Read more from The Ann Arbor News:Police asking for help locating Dexter teen they believed was groomed on social mediaAfter death of 5 year old, family and Michigan senator demand more transparency from CPSAnn Arbor nets $3.8M federal grant, most of any U.S. city, to make streets safer

A Michigan lawmaker and the family of a boy who was allegedly beaten to death by his parents have spoken out about the system they believed failed him. His cause of death, according to Belcher, was determined to be blunt force trauma. They are now calling for accountability in Ethan’s case— against the case workers, CPS and the Michigan Department of Human Services (MDHHS), which oversees the program. He added that the department strives to be “as transparent as the law allows.”“Confidentiality of CPS records has been part of state law for decades,” Wheaton said. Michigan WIC clients will no longer have formula brand options as supply chain regulatesSenate Democrats push to make Juneteenth a Michigan holiday with new bill

ANN ARBOR, MI — Ann Arbor’s plan to make city streets safer for all users just got a big funding boost. Ann Arbor officials said the money will support goals laid out in the city’s Vision Zero transportation plan and will be used to advance more Vision Zero quick-build projects, as well as refine and pilot a speed-management program. Ann Arbor has a Vision Zero goal to eliminate deaths and serious injuries from traffic crashes on city streets by 2025 and trend lines show the city is making some progress. MORE FROM THE ANN ARBOR NEWS:Here’s what a new report says about Ann Arbor traffic crash trendsAnn Arbor science center expands programming with preschool, museum campsResidents push back on Ann Arbor’s plan to fill Water Hill sidewalk gapsHere’s what an infusion of extra funds may mean for Ann Arbor streetsFighting fire in the dark. Helmet cam shows challenge of battling downtown Ann Arbor blaze

GENESEE COUNTY, MI -- Lingering controversies at the county Road Commission are bad enough that members of the Board of Commissioners are talking about their “nuclear options,” which include letting voters rather than themselves pick the agency’s governing board. “We have a responsibility to get to the bottom of whatever’s going on,” said Commissioner Delrico Loyd, D-Flint, who asked to postpone appointing a new road commissioner to complete Arceo’s term. Currently in Genesee County, commissioners appoint the five road commissioners to six-year terms, but have no day-to-day oversight of the county road system. Once selected, road commissioners make decisions about the agency’s budget and personnel, including the evaluation and hiring or firing of the manager-director. Read more at The Flint Journal:Genesee County road commissioner could be replaced by former Clayton supervisorKildee restarts push to restore pensions of retired Delphi salaried workersBuy your own boots, Flint Township board tells building inspector

A former leader of the Michigan state House had his phone seized as part of a federal investigation that included grand jury subpoenas, search warrants and bank records.

MACOMB COUNTY, MI – Two people are facing charges related to stealing drugs from a Michigan morgue where they worked, authorities said. The 32-year-old woman and 50-year-old man were employees at the Macomb County Morgue when they allegedly stole prescription pills from the property room where drugs were kept in connection with overdose deaths, WDIV Local 4 reports. Two years ago, county officials requested more oversight of drugs brought into the medical examiner’s office, the report said. Nineteen employees had access to the property room where they were kept. The missing drugs were not recovered.

GRAND RAPIDS, MI - Michigan’s boys basketball playoffs are a month away, making early February a good time to start shoring up any weaknesses in time for the tournament. Several Grand Rapids-area squads are already playing at a playoff level, while others are starting to find their stride with a goal of peaking in the tournament.

Zion Young is the latest Michigan State football player moving toward having a misdemeanor assault charge stemming from a postgame incident at Michigan dismissed. Young was one of seven Michigan State players charged in November for their roles in the postgame incidents in the tunnel following an Oct. 29 loss at Michigan. He is the sixth from that group to enter the pre-plea diversion program in the last week. Young was charged with misdemeanor aggravated assault after being one of a group of Michigan State players captured on video striking Michigan defensive back Ja’Den McBurrows. “Our office has had significantly high success with participants completing this program, and expect these young people to be no different if they elect to proceed with this diversion program.

LANSING, MI -- Sticking what she called her “lucky machine” paid off in a big way for Renae Shelby as she won a $300,000 prize playing the Michigan Lottery’s Emerald Green Wild Time instant game. “I always purchase my tickets from the same self-serve machine, and I call it my ‘lucky machine’,” said the 56-year-old Flint resident. “I had some winning tickets, so I cashed them at the machine and used my credits towards a few Emerald Green Wild Time tickets. “I started scratching the tickets when I got in my car, and when I saw I’d won $300,000, I was in shock! For the latest on Michigan Lottery, check out the official Michigan Lottery site, which also offers more information on instant tickets, raffles and other lottery games.

KALAMAZOO, MI - Michigan’s boys basketball playoffs are a month away, making early February a good time to start shoring up any weaknesses in time for the tournament. Several Kalamazoo-area squads are already playing at a playoff level, while others are starting to find their stride with a goal of peaking in the tournament.

Follow Josh VanDyke on TwitterReeths-Puffer senior Tayte Vanderleest (5) runs with the ball after a reception during the second quarter at Hackley Stadium in Muskegon, Michigan on Friday, Sept. 9, 2022. (Joel Bissell | MLive.com)Joel Bissell | MLive.comMUSKEGON – Wednesday was a statewide celebration for many high school athletes who saw their dreams come true as they signed their Letters of Intent to continue their careers at the college level.

Bally Sports Detroit has added former players Cameron Maybin and Todd Jones to their Tigers broadcast team.

Kyra Harris Bolden sits down with Local 4 to discuss her historical appointment and her family's history.

Dozens of students are receiving one-thousand-dollar scholarships.

A man who previously admitted killing two women in Pennsylvania pleaded guilty Wednesday to killing a Michigan woman who disappeared more than 17 years ago.

A lone wolf was spotted on Isle Royale, and a Michigan Technological University research group snagged a few photos.

Police on the west side of Michigan rescued 78 dogs from a house in Norton Shores on Monday.

The folks over at Saint John’s Episcopal Church in Plymouth are fundraising to transform a house-turned-youth activity center into a home again so that it can host refugees.

The Michigan House voted along party lines Tuesday to move the state's primary to the fourth week of February to match an early presidential primary plan approved by a Democratic National Committee panel last month.

More than two years later, investigators are still tracking down and charging people from Michigan believed to have taken part in the Jan. 6 attacks on the United States Capitol.

Local 4 is continuing its look into the death of 5-year-old Ethan Belcher and whether changes are needed within Michigan’s Child Protective Services.

A Michigan State football player who swung his helmet at a Michigan player in a stadium tunnel has expressed regret.

Ann Arbor is a place for a lot of outdoor recreation, but on the city’s north side, there are seven acres of land that have been just sitting there for decades.

Fall Out Boy is coming to the Pine Knob Music Theatre in Clarkston, Michigan, this summer.

A Dearborn man who attended ISIS religious and military training camps in Syria was convicted after a nine-day trial in a Michigan courtroom.

A well-known Livonia doctor has been sentenced to prison for prescribing millions of dangerous painkillers as part of a massive fraud scheme, officials said.

A plastics manufacturer reached an agreement with the state to investigate and address hazardous substances known as “forever chemicals” at a former factory in Livingston County, Attorney General Dana Nessel said Monday.

Regular gas prices in Metro Detroit have gone up more than 30 cents in the last month, according to AAA.

Olga’s Kitchen is now serving chicken wings tossed in their signature Snacker seasoning.

U-M's Arts Initiative receives $20 million to bring more art and art programming to campus, the state and the region.

A semi truck lost control Monday morning while traveling westbound on I-94 in Washtenaw County, triggering multiple car crashes.

If you live in a part of the country where you experience all four seasons then you’re pretty used to snowplows cleaning up the streets of your town when mother nature decides to dump inches of snow on the ground.

A loaded gun was found in a passenger’s luggage during X-ray screening at Detroit Metro Airport security.

After most of the region, saw a little bit of wintry weather overnight on Saturday and early Sunday morning, we’ve got the cloud cover around for most of Sunday with cold temperatures as well.

The grave of a man who served in the U.S. Civil War has been formally marked at a northern Michigan cemetery.

The state of Michigan is running out of 313 area codes and may be adding 679 into the mix in the Detroit area by late 2025.

Watch Flashpoint every Sunday at 10 a.m. on Local 4 News at Local 4+.

OBLG has found the number of wealthy Ann Arborites has increased 76 percent in the past decade.

Police are searching for a Southfield teenager who left her house after getting into an argument with her mother.

Morning 4 is a quick roundup of stories we think you should know about to start your day.

Some of you are waking up to a coating of fresh snow from that clipper system that moved through Metro Detroit Friday night.

A 5-year-old was killed in Lincoln Park on Sunday and the case has prompted questions about Child Protective Services’ previous involvement.

There is an interactive map that shows where anglers in Michigan are catching state-record and Master Angler fish.

A man who traveled from Illinois to Oakland County to meet a 14-year-old girl and stabbed her when she refused to have sex with him has been charged, police said.

Morning 4 is a quick roundup of stories we think you should know about to start your day.

Two men charged with murder in the 2018 death of a hunter in Bath Township, Michigan, appeared in court on Thursday.

A professional poker player has been sentenced for running an illegal gambling operation in Michigan.

It took four days for No. 2 Ohio State to go from unbeaten to second place in the Big Ten.

A University of Michigan student is one of the world’s foremost “speedcubers,” a person capable of quickly solving a Rubik’s Cube.

The day after Governor Gretchen Whitmer pitched targeted tax breaks in her State of the State address, the Michigan legislature did just that, as about a billion dollars will be coming from the state back to you.