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MICHIGAN BUDGET

Whitmer signs bills to complete budget, hails bipartisanship

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has signed off on $55 billion in spending to complete the state budget, hailing the bipartisan bills as an example of finding common ground with Republicans despite partisan tension during the coronavirus pandemic. She emphasized Wednesday how the budget will expand eligibility for child care subsidies, provide $1,000 bonuses to child care workers and continue to fund new tuition-free assistance for adults ages 25 and up and frontline workers. The funding also will repair or replace 100 local bridges, clean up polluted sites, fix aging dams and replace lead water lines in Benton Harbor and other communities.

MICHIGAN BUDGET-VIRUS

Whitmer deems some COVID-19 budget sections unconstitutional

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has deemed some Republican-backed budget provisions as unconstitutional attempts to restrict COVID-19 health measures but has allowed language limiting government vaccination requirements. The moves Wednesday came in conjunction with her signing the budget. Whitmer had already promised to block attempts to ban local mask mandates. She also addressed proposed exemptions for students at universities with coronavirus vaccine mandates by saying the schools are independent. Whitmer seems OK with limiting state and municipal vaccine mandates because the provision doesn’t apply to hospitals and recognizes President Joe Biden will implement a “soft” mandate for large employers.

AP-US-XGR-UNIVERSITY-OF-MICHIGAN-DOCTOR-ASSAULT

Michigan bills would give sex abuse victims more time to sue

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan lawmakers are poised to consider bipartisan bills aimed at helping potentially thousands of sex abuse victims sue for damages, including those molested by a University of Michigan sports physician. It’s the second time since 2018 that legislators may overhaul laws in the wake of a major abuse scandal. Under the new measures, victims of the late Dr. Robert Anderson and others would get additional time to bring lawsuits. Government entities couldn’t use the immunity defense if they knew or should have known of prior sexual misconduct and didn’t intervene. The House Oversight Committee will hold an initial hearing Thursday.

LOTTERY ADDICTION

Man who committed fraud to play the lottery sent to prison

DETROIT (AP) — A man who was addicted to the Michigan Lottery has been sentenced to more than four years in prison for a scheme that cost investors more than $23 million. Viktor Gjonaj of Troy told people that he was plowing their money into real estate deals. Instead, he was playing the Daily 3 and Daily 4 games — more than $1 million a week by 2019. Gjonaj believed he had discovered a guaranteed way to win huge jackpots. Instead, he wound up with a felony conviction. Federal Judge Linda Parker sentenced Gjonaj to 53 months in federal prison.

COVID-19 CARD FRAUD

Officials: 2 arrested in separate COVD-19 card fraud cases

DETROIT (AP) — A registered nurse from southeastern Michigan has been arrested in the theft of COVID-19 vaccination record cards from a Veteran’s Administration hospital. The U.S, Attorney’s office in Detroit says vaccine lot numbers also were stolen to make the cards appear legitimate before they were sold for $150 to $200 each. Bethann Kierczak of Southgate was charged Wednesday in a federal complaint with theft of government property and theft or embezzlement related to a health care benefit program. A second Detroit-area resident also was arrested Wednesday in a scheme involving the sale or distribution of fake COVID-19 vaccination cards. Rapheal Smiley of Detroit was charged with fraud. The fake cards allegedly were imported from China.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-DOCTOR FIRED

Michigan doctor out after criticizing county vaccine policy

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — A county medical director in the Traverse City area says he’s losing his job. It comes weeks after Dr. Michael Collins criticized elected officials. Grand Traverse County commissioners banned mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations for county employees and put limits on vaccine messages from the local health department. Collins’ contract isn’t being renewed, which means Thursday is his last day after 28 years at the health department. Collins wrote an essay in the Record-Eagle newspaper, saying commissioners had “crossed the line from illogical opinion to irresponsibility.” County Administrator Nate Alger told Collins last week that he wouldn’t be rehired. Alger declined to comment when the Record-Eagle asked if the doctor’s opinion played a role.

GAS STATION-ABDUCTION

Prosecutor wants to destroy van owned by convicted killer

MUSKEGON, Mich. (AP) — Authorities want to destroy a minivan that still belongs to a man who is serving life sentences for the slayings of two women in western Michigan. The van played a role in Jeffrey Willis’ crimes in the Muskegon area. A teenager in 2016 said she escaped from the vehicle during a kidnapping. That incident jump-started investigations of two unsolved homicides. Muskegon County prosecutor D.J. Hilson says the van “shouldn’t be back in circulation.” Willis was eventually convicted of killing a jogger who died in 2014. He also was convicted of kidnapping and killing a local gas station clerk who disappeared in 2013. Jessica Heeringa’s body still hasn’t been found. Willis wants to keep the van. A judge hasn’t made a decision.

FLINT COUNCIL-GAG ORDER

No comment: Flint council bars its leader from speaking

FLINT, Mich. (AP) — The Flint City Council has put a gag order on its president. Council leader Kate Fields can’t speak at meetings for 30 days after a 5-2 vote Tuesday by her colleagues. The move came after Fields accused council member Eric Mays of disrupting a virtual meeting Monday and silenced his phone line. Mays and Fields have regularly clashed over meeting procedures, disputes that often make meetings last hours. Fields says the decision to silence her is “ludicrous.” Fields told council member they’ll have to live with their consciences — “if you have any.”

AP-US-EMINEM-INTRUDER-SENTENCED

Man who broke into Eminem’s home gets probation, time served

CLINTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — A man who broke into Eminem’s suburban Detroit home and allegedly told the rapper “he was there to kill him” has been sentenced to five years probation and time served. The Macomb Daily reports 28-year-old Matthew Hughes was sentenced last week under a plea deal with prosecutors. He was released after serving 524 days in the Macomb County jail. Hughes wasn’t armed when he was discovered in April 2020 in Eminem’s home in Clinton Township. Eminem, whose real name is Marshall Mathers, was sleeping when he was awakened by the noise of Hughes breaking a window. Hughes pleaded no contest in August to a reduced charge of second-degree home invasion.

IMPERSONATING OFFICER-MAN CHARGED

Man charged after fake police badge, guns found in vehicle

NORTHFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — A 63-year-old man has been charged with false representation as a peace officer after a fake badge, two handguns and a shotgun were found in a vehicle which was off the road with a flat tire in Washtenaw County. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources says Tuesday that George Galbraith also was arraigned Friday in Ann Arbor district court on weapons charges. A conservation officer was patrolling Sept. 21 in Northfield Township, west of Detroit, when he saw a vehicle down an embankment. A man inside the vehicle held up what turned out to be a fake badge and said he worked for an area police department. The officer later found the weapons in the vehicle.