Latest Michigan news, sports, business and entertainment at 9:20 p.m. EDT
FLOODING-MICHIGAN-DISASTER CALL
Whitmer seeks federal disaster for Michigan after flooding
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is asking the White House for a disaster declaration to secure federal aid to deal with damage from last month’s flooding in southeast Michigan. Parts of the region saw about 7 inches of rain over a 12-hour period between the night of June 25 and the morning of June 26. Whitmer’s office said Tuesday if federal aid is granted, the money would be used for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses and other programs to help people and businesses recover from the flooding damage. Whitmer issued an emergency declaration that will be in place until July 24.
AP-US-FLINT-WATER
‘Some crumbs’: Critics urge rejection of $641M Flint deal
DETROIT (AP) — Some Flint residents are urging a judge to reject a $641 million settlement in litigation arising from the Michigan city’s lead-contaminated water. Federal Judge Judith Levy traveled to a Flint courtroom to listen to the objections. She’s holding hearings before deciding whether to approve or veto a deal worked out by lawyers for Flint residents, the state of Michigan and other parties. Michigan is paying $600 million of the settlement. Lawyers are seeking to carve out $200 million for their fees. The agreement makes money available to Flint residents who were exposed to the highly corrosive water, which wasn’t properly treated in 2014 and 2015.
BANQUET HALL SHOOTING-DETROIT
1 dead, 5 wounded in shooting outside Detroit banquet hall
DETROIT (AP) — Detroit’s interim police chief says a suspect has been identified in a drive-by shooting that left a man dead and five other people wounded outside an unlicensed banquet hall. Chief James White told reporters that an arrest likely would be made Tuesday in connection with the shooting that occurred about 2 a.m. on the city’s east side. White says two men and three women are being treated for non-life-threatening injuries. More than 100 people were gathered for an event at the banquet hall at the time of the shooting. The building’s exterior was left riddled with bullets.
XGR-MICHIGAN BUDGET
Governor signs K-12 funding budget aimed at creating equity
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed off on a $17.1 billion K-12 budget Tuesday in Grand Rapids, a 10% increase in overall funding that aims to close a decades-long funding gap among school districts in Michigan. The minimum per-student state aid will be raised for all school districts and be distributed to shrink the gap between the highest and lowest funded districts. The budget supports several efforts to create more opportunities for students to have access to the resources and support needed to succeed, including investment into mental health and guidance resources and literacy programs.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-EMERGENCY LAW
Panel under court order OKs effort to kill pandemic law
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Forced by a court order, a state board has certified a petition drive to repeal a Michigan law that was used to set major restrictions during the early months of the coronavirus pandemic. The decision means the Republican-controlled Legislature can kill the law without intervention by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Lawmakers could also put it on the 2022 statewide ballot for voters to decide. Action in the Capitol appears to be the likely step. A group called Unlock Michigan met the 340,000-signature threshold. The Board of State Canvassers certified the effort, 3-0, Tuesday after deadlocking 2-2 along partisan lines in April.
GARAGE DOOR-FATAL
Young man dies after garage door falls on him in Kent County
TYRONE TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — Police in western Michigan say a garage door fell on a young man and killed him. The hangar-style door at a former rural airport had a mechanical failure Monday night in Tyrone Township in Kent County. The man was identified as 18-year-old Jordan Kamp of Walker. His death was considered an accident.
IMMIGRATION-DEPORTATION NOTICES
High court ruling gives immigrants facing deportation hope
BOSTON (AP) — A recent Supreme Court ruling has given some immigrants renewed hope that they can have their deportation cancelled because they didn’t receive proper notice of the court proceedings. The high court ruled in April that federal immigration officials have not been providing all the required information in their deportation hearing notices. The agency typically sends out the notices in two parts: the initial notice and then another notice with the court date. But the court ruled all information should be contained in a single note under federal law. Immigration lawyers and advocates say the decision could impact thousands of deportation cases going back years.
AP-WEDDINGS-FIRST-TIME-OFFICIATING
Officiating at a wedding? Prepare, share, get out of the way
ISLAMORADA, Fla. (AP) — It’s not uncommon now for couples getting married to ask a friend or relative who’s not ordained to officiate. Michigan-based AP sports writer Larry Lage got such a request from a childhood friend. Lage felt nervous but honored and agreed to perform the ceremony on a beach in the Florida Keys. He began by getting ordained online as a minister of the nondenominational Universal Life Church. He remembered the pre-marriage counseling that he and his wife had gotten from their Catholic church. He talked with his friends to learn more about them and their hopes for the future. He ended up loving being an officiant. His advice? Prepare well. Share stories. And get out of the way of the camera when the married couple kisses for the first time.
2020 ELECTION-TRUMP LAWYERS
Trump lawyers might be penalized over Michigan election case
DETROIT (AP) — A federal judge in Detroit is considering whether to order financial penalties and other sanctions against some of former President Donald Trump’s lawyers. Judge Linda Parker spent hours drilling deeply into details about an unsuccessful lawsuit that challenged Michigan’s 2020 election results. The lawsuit alleging fraud was dropped after Parker found no evidence that votes for Trump somehow were destroyed or given to Joe Biden. Michigan Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the city of Detroit now want the lawyers to face the consequences of pursuing what they call frivolous claims. The lawyers include Trump lawyer-allies Sidney Powell of Dallas and L. Lin Wood of Atlanta. The judge didn’t make an immediate decision.
ISLE ROYALE WOLVES
Scientists: Pup births hopeful sign for Isle Royale wolves
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — Scientists say wolf pups have been spotted again at Isle Royale National Park. And that’s a hopeful sign for efforts to rebuild a gray wolf population that had nearly died out. Crews brought wolves from Minnesota, Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and the Canadian province of Ontario to the Lake Superior park several years ago. It’s unknown how many are there now because the coronavirus pandemic forced cancelation of the annual winter census. But researchers with Michigan Technological University say remote cameras have detected a number of pups. Meanwhile, the park’s overgrown moose population appears to be dropping.
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