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HAITI-US-KIDNAPPED MISSIONARIES-VIGIL

Michigan vigil prays for missionaries kidnapped in Haiti

HART, Mich. (AP) — More than 100 people gathered in a small Michigan town to pray for the safe release of a local family among 17 members of a missionary group kidnapped by a gang in Haiti more than a week ago. The vigil Sunday evening in the western Michigan community of Hart took place after a video was released Thursday showing the leader of the 400 Mawozo gang threatening to kill those abducted if his demands are not met. Those at Sunday’s vigil in a town park sang and prayed with area pastors. A spokesman for Ohio-based Christian Aid Ministries has said the families of those kidnapped are from Amish, Mennonite and other conservative Anabaptist communities.

MICHIGAN AREA CODES

Some Michigan residents now have to dial 10-digit numbers

BRIGHTON, Mich. (AP) — Michigan residents in four area codes now have to dial 10-digit phone numbers even if it’s in the same area code. The Federal Communications Commission says the change is in effect starting Sunday. The area codes are 616, 810, 906 and 989. It’s part of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline rollout. Starting next summer, anyone in the country can dial 988 to reach the lifeline. Area codes that have those digits as the middle three numbers will have to change to accommodate. The 616 code is the Grand Rapids area, 810 includes Flint, 989 spans much of Michigan’s Thumb and 906 covers the Upper Peninsula.

SOLAR ENERGY STUDY-MICHIGAN

Study looks at community solar expansion benefits to state

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — A Michigan State University study has concluded that community solar expansion in Michigan would contribute nearly $1.5 billion to the state’s economy over 30 years. The East Lansing school says the installation and ongoing maintenance of community solar projects would create 18,500 well-paying jobs. The study examined the impact an expansion of 900 megawatt of community solar over five years would have in Michigan. The study was conducted this fall by Michigan State’s Product Center/Center for Economic Analysis.

MACKINAC ISLAND-TOURISM

Mackinac Island saw big tourism rebound during 2021 season

MACKINAW CITY, Mich. (AP) — Business owners on Michigan’s Mackinac Island are celebrating a big rebound in tourism this year after fewer visitors made the journey to the island in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Many visitors discovered the iconic carless-island getaway for the first time this year. Shepler’s Ferry operator Chris Shepler tells the Detroit Free Press that the summer “was out of control” for the ferry service that shuttles visitors to the island in the Straits of Mackinac. The island’s overall hotel room revenue for the 2021 season is still be crunched, but through Sept. 1 it was on pace to smash the record year it saw in 2019, when revenue topped $74.56 million.

MONEY LAUNDERING-COMPLAINT

Feds seize $12M, allege its part of money laundering scheme

DETROIT (AP) — Federal prosecutors in Detroit have seized about $12 million in cash that they allege was part of a money laundering scheme operating between the U.S. and the United Arab Emirates. A forfeiture complaint unsealed Thursday in federal court in Detroit alleges some of the laundered money was used to buy armored vehicles for an illegal drug trafficking operation based in Michigan. The Detroit Free Press reports prosecutors are seeking court approval to allow the U.S. Treasury to keep the cash, which was seized in two separate actions. The complaint alleges that the money-laundering operation moved cash from the United Arab Emirates to the U.S. using shell companies.

COAST GUARD CENTER-MICHIGAN

Center in UP to look at impact of oil spills in freshwater

SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. (AP) — Lake Superior State University in Michigan’s eastern Upper Peninsula has been selected as a hub for a center that will look at the impacts of oil spills in freshwater environments. The school says the U.S. Coast Guard National Center of Expertise for the Great Lakes also will help develop effective responses to spills. Federal legislation established the Great Lakes National Center of Expertise in 2018. Lake Superior State is in Sault Ste. Marie and just off the St. Marys River which connects Lake Superior to Lake Huron. Lake Michigan is about 60 miles southwest of Sault Ste. Marie.

VOTING-GOP WORKAROUNDS

GOP uses voters to push election reforms in unlikely states

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Republicans in at least four states where Democrats control the governor’s office, the legislature or both are pursuing statewide ballot initiatives or veto-proof proposals to enact voter ID restrictions and other changes to election law. They are California, Massachusetts, Michigan and Pennsylvania. In conservative Nebraska, Republicans are pushing a ballot measure because they have been unable to get enough lawmakers on board with tightening voting laws. The push follows success by Republicans this year in passing voting restrictions in states they already control politically. Democrats say Republicans are just whipping up distrust in elections for political gain.

BOTTLED WATER

New Ice Mountain owner adjusts water withdrawal plan

EVART, Mich. (AP) — The new owner of a bottled water operation in western Michigan says it won’t use a state permit that would allow it to significantly boost water withdrawals. The Ice Mountain plant’s previous owner had received state approval to pump 400 gallons a minute from a well in Osceola County, a 60% increase. But BlueTriton Brands recently told regulators it would pump at 288 gallons a minute, a lower volume that would allow the company to avoid certain environmental monitoring requirements. The water taken from the well is moved by pipeline to a production site in Evart and then trucked to the bottling facility in Mecosta County.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-HEALTH OFFICER

County official quits over ‘politicization’ of public health

ST. JOSEPH, Mich. (AP) — A county health officer frustrated with the “politicization of public health” during COVID-19 is quitting her job in southwestern Michigan. Courtney Davis has been the interim health officer in Berrien County since July when she was promoted from deputy. Communications manager Gillian Conrad is also resigning. Davis ordered masks in local schools to reduce the spread of COVID-19, though the order was dropped Sept. 29 when the health department believed state funding would be in jeopardy. Berrien County has had only one applicant for the job of permanent health officer, a role that Davis was serving on an interim basis.

AP-US-FOUR-SLAIN-MICHIGAN

Prosecutor: Woman charged with killing 4 had other targets

CLARE, Mich. (AP) — A woman is charged with killing her father, sister and two handymen in mid-Michigan. The Clare County prosecutor says 54-year-old Judy Boyer had a journal with names of other people whom she wanted to kill. Bond was set at $1 million Friday, and a not-guilty plea was entered on Boyer’s behalf. Authorities haven’t disclosed a motive for the killings. The victims were Henry Boyer, his daughter Patricia Boyer, Zachary Salminen and Wade Bacon. Salminen and Bacon were at Henry Boyer’s home to fix the roof and handle other jobs before cold weather arrived. Judy Boyer lived across the street.