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AP-US-COUNTRY-CLUB-FIRE

Fire destroys iconic clubhouse at Oakland Hills golf club

BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — A devastating fire swept through the century-old clubhouse Thursday at Oakland Hills Country Club, the suburban Detroit course that housed artifacts of some of golf’s biggest stars and the championships they won there. Flames ripped through the roof at the sprawling, multi-story clubhouse. It was built in 1922 and housed irreplaceable memorabilia and art from the nine major championships and the Ryder Cup that Oakland Hills has hosted over nearly a century. Oakland Hills opened in 1916 and has hosted six U.S. Opens — only two other courses have held it more times. The most famous was in 1951 when Ben Hogan won and later proclaimed, “I’m glad I brought this course, this monster, to its knees.”

AP-US-MED-BABY-FORMULA-RECALL

FDA: Do not use recalled infant formulas tied to infections

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. health officials warned parents not to use infant formulas manufactured at an Abbott plant that they’ve linked to bacterial contamination. The Food and Drug Administration said it is investigating four reports of infants who were hospitalized after consuming the formulas, including one who died. The cases included one salmonella infection and three involving a rare but dangerous bacteria called Cronobacter sakazakiim. FDA inspectors are investigating the Sturgis, Michigan plant where the products were manufactured. Inspectors found positive test results for bacteria and other potential quality control problems. Abbott says the recall doesn’t affect liquid formulas or any other products.

STATE SENATOR-BATTERY

Senator pleads guilty to inappropriately touching nurse

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — A state senator has pleaded guilty to misdemeanor battery after a nurse practitioner said he inappropriately touched her during an exam. Sen. John Bizon, a Battle Creek Republican, faces up to 93 days in jail at sentencing. The August incident occurred at a Marshall urgent care facility. The nurse said Bizon, a 70-year-old physician, squeezed her waist with a cupping motion and got angry when she refused to prescribe a different medication he wanted. Bizon says he’s “deeply distressed that I unintentionally caused someone to feel unsafe.” He said he had COVID-19 and didn’t behave as he normally would have.

MISSING TEEN

Cousin accused of lying about missing teen is convicted

EASTPOINTE, Mich. (AP) — A young man accused of lying to police about a missing Detroit-area teenager has been convicted with a no-contest plea. Jaylin Brazier appeared in Macomb County court Wednesday, less than a month after being charged. He is a cousin of Zion Foster, a 17-year-old from Eastpointe, who was last seen on Jan. 4 wearing her restaurant work uniform. Zion remains missing. A no-contest plea means Brazier didn’t admit or deny the charge of lying to police. But it has the same practical effect as a guilty plea. Authorities believe Zion was a victim of a homicide, though no one has been charged with her death.

BIDEN

Biden: Infrastructure plan gives $1B for Great Lakes cleanup

LORAIN, Ohio (AP) — President Joe Biden says the bipartisan infrastructure law will pump $1 billion into a Great Lakes restoration program. Biden went to Lorain, Ohio, on Thursday to highlight the measure’s benefits for the lakes and the regional economy. Much of that extra money will help finish cleanup of harbors and rivers polluted with industrial wastes in the last century. Thirty-one U.S. toxic hot spots were designated around the Great Lakes in 1987. Officials say by 2030 work should be finished at all but three. Support for the cleanup is one issue on which the region’s congressional Democrats and Republicans routinely agree.

VIRUS OUTBREAK

Michigan stops urging masks in schools, other public places

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s administration has stopped recommending that masks be worn inside schools and other public places to curb COVID-19, pointing to a drop in cases and hospitalizations. The step by the state health department Wednesday comes days after all 10 county health agencies with K-12 masking requirements rescinded them, effective by the end of the month. They cover about 39% of the state’s population. The state continues to urge masking in high-risk congregate settings, like health care facilities and jails. Also Wednesday, Whitmer signed legislation to spend $1.2 billion in federal aid to fight the coronavirus.

PORCH SHOOTING

Court throws out part of conviction in 2013 porch shooting

DETROIT (AP) — A Detroit-area man who fatally shot a young woman on his porch will get a new sentencing hearing after the Michigan Supreme Court threw out part of his conviction. The court said Wednesday that Ted Wafer’s constitutional rights were violated when a jury was allowed to convict him of second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter in the 2013 death of Renisha McBride. It’s an important result for Wafer because his sentencing guidelines for murder were enhanced by the manslaughter conviction. He has served nearly eight years of a minimum prison sentence of 17 years. Wafer opened his front door in Dearborn Heights and shot the 19-year-old woman through a screen door before dawn. He said he was scared and awakened by pounding, though he didn’t call 911 first.

POACHING CHARGES-PLEA

SW Michigan man faces prison time after poached bucks plea

PAW PAW, Mich. (AP) — Authorities say a southwestern Michigan man faces prison time and can no longer hunt in the state after pleading guilty to charges stemming from illegal deer poaching. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources said Wednesday that 33-year-old Justin Ernst of Decatur pleaded guilty in Van Buren County to one count each of possession of a firearm and obtaining a hunting license when ineligible and three counts of illegal taking/possessing whitetail deer. He was charged last year after DNR officials seized nine trophy whitetail bucks from a barn Ernst frequented. His plea agreement includes a sentence of between 18 months and five years in state prison.

PROSECUTOR CHARGED

Ex-prosecutor in suburban Detroit gets 21 months in prison

MOUNT CLEMENS, Mich. (AP) — A former Detroit-area prosecutor has been sentenced to 21 months in prison for obstructing justice during an investigation of how he spent campaign donations. Eric Smith’s sentence from Judge Linda Parker matched the recommendation of federal prosecutors. Smith, a Democrat, was Macomb County’s elected prosecutor until quitting in disgrace in 2020. Smith admits he attempted to get three people, including two assistant prosecutors, to make false statements about his use of campaign cash. Separately, Smith is charged in state court with embezzlement and other crimes. He was recently ordered to trial in that case.

CAPITOL RIOT-INVESTIGATION

Former Michigan GOP chair Cox criticizes Jan. 6 subpoena

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Former Michigan Republican Party chair Laura Cox has criticized a U.S. House committee’s issuance of a subpoena for her testimony related to the Capitol insurrection, saying it’s seeking information already in the public realm. Cox issued a statement late Tuesday, after the panel subpoenaed her and others over efforts to send false “alternate electors” from states Joe Biden won. She says she had been cooperating and the committee’s announcement “reeks of partisanship and PR stunts.” The panel’s chair says it wants to learn what Cox knows about attempts to reverse Biden’s win, including a visit to Michigan by Rudy Giuliani.