MICHIGAN BUDGET
Michigan budget boosts child care, keeps caregiver pay hike
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan will make more kids eligible for child care subsidies, equip state troopers with body cameras and make permanent a pandemic wage hike for caregivers under the next state budget. The bipartisan spending plan also will boost payments for child care providers and enable them to give $1,000 bonuses to new or existing staff. Michigan’s savings account will grow by $500 million. As part of the deal, Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer agreed to a Republican-written provision to prevent the state and local governments from issuing coronavirus vaccine requirements that go beyond plans outlined by President Joe Biden.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-THREATS
Health officer ‘broken’ after threats tied to mask order
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) — The public health officer in the Grand Rapids area says he’s a victim of “brute mob hatred” after ordering masks in schools in Kent County to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Adam London told county commissioners that a woman tried to run his vehicle off the road in August immediately after the mask order. He’s no longer making public appearances because of concerns about violence. Angry residents have expressed their disgust over the mask order at public meetings. County commissioners can’t overrule London. London says there’s a “sickness in America far more insidious” than COVID-19.
MICHIGAN WEATHER
Flood-weary SE Michigan braces for another big storm
GROSSE POINTE PARK, Mich. (AP) — Residents in southeastern Michigan are still upset over a summer series of storm-related floods. Now they’re being warned to prepare for as much as 6 inches of rain by Thursday. The National Weather Service has posted a flood watch for much of the region. Rain fell sporadically Tuesday but was expected to become steady Wednesday and stretch into Thursday morning. The Great Lakes Water Authority has a blunt message: Get your valuables out of the basement. Basement drains in parts of Detroit and the first ring of suburbs backed up with water and sewage in late June. Some GLWA pumping stations couldn’t handle an extraordinary storm. The mess was repeated a few weeks later.
FATAL FIRE-MICHIGAN
Conviction erased in fire that killed 5 kids in Michigan
DETROIT (AP) — A judge in suburban Detroit threw out the murder conviction of a man who was blamed for a fire that killed five children in 2000. A new prosecutor says the investigation and trial were marred by misconduct. Juwan Deering will remain in custody while Oakland County prosecutor Karen McDonald decides whether he should face a second trial. Deering has served 15 years of a life sentence. McDonald says critical evidence that would have cast doubt on the case was not shared with Deering’s lawyer before the 2006 trial. The prosecutor says, “Everyone is entitled to due process.”
ELECTION 2022-MICHIGAN GOVERNOR
Republicans sue over excess campaign donations to Whitmer
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — The Michigan Republican Party is suing to stop Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s reelection campaign from collecting excess donations. It contends that an exception letting her raise unlimited amounts because of attempts to recall her from office is unconstitutional. The lawsuit seeks to prohibit Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson from allowing the “recall exemption” in the governor’s race. Benson is considering a conservative group’s challenge to $3.4 million in contributions to Whitmer that exceeded the $7,150 per-person limit. Whitmer’s campaign cites a ruling from a prior secretary of state that says donor limits cannot apply to officeholders facing a recall election.
EXPLOSIVES-PHONE STORES
Man charged with placing pipe bombs outside phone stores
WHITTEMORE, Mich. (AP) — A northern Michigan man says he placed pipe bombs outside phone stores because he was upset with “immoral content” on phones and cable TV. That’s according to the FBI. John D. Allen of Whittemore was charged Tuesday, days after explosives and notes threatening Verizon and AT&T were found outside phone stores in Sault Ste. Marie and Cheboygan. The FBI says Allen also wrote letters found last month at communication towers across Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. The letters made demands and claimed to be from the “Coalition for Moral Telecommunications.” There was no immediate comment from Allen’s attorney.
AP-US-DEAD-GIRL-MOTHER-ARRESTED
Woman charged after daughter, 3, found dead in garbage bag
TAWAS CITY, Mich. (AP) — Authorities have charged a Michigan woman with murder days after her 3-year-old daughter’s body was found with multiple stab wounds inside a garbage bag. Twenty-two-year-old Justine Johnson was arraigned Monday in 81st District Court in Tawas City on one count each of felony murder and first-degree child abuse. She pleaded not guilty to both charges. Police were called to a residence in Iosco County in Michigan’s northern Lower Peninsula last Friday after a garbage bag with a human foot protruding from it was found at the home. Police said the bag contained the body of Johnson’s daughter, Sutton Mosser. A message seeking comment on the charges was left Tuesday for Johnson’s court-appointed attorney.
ELECTRIC VEHICLES-ROAD CHARGE
Michigan plans 1st U.S. charging road for electric vehicles
PONTIAC, Mich. (AP) — Electric vehicle drivers could soon charge on the go on a first in the nation charging road. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced Tuesday that plans are underway to build a one-mile stretch of state roadway in Wayne, Oakland or Macomb counties to allow public transportation and private vehicles to charge while traveling as a part of the Inductive Vehicle Charging Pilot. Michigan’s Department of Transportation plans to release a request for proposal on Sept. 28 to evaluate and implement the stretch of road.
TOYOTA-NEW TUNDRA
Toyota scraps V8 in Tundra redesign, adds hybrid powertrain
DETROIT (AP) — Toyota is dumping the big V8 engine in the latest redesign of its Tundra full-size pickup truck, a bold move in a market that likes big, powerful engines. The 381 horsepower, 5.7-liter V8 will be replaced by a base 389 horsepower 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6. There’s also an optional gas-electric hybrid system with 437 horsepower. The move is necessary due to stronger U.S. fuel economy requirements that soon will be imposed under President Joe Biden. The old V8 got only 13 miles per gallon in the city and 17 on the highway. Toyota wouldn’t say the mileage for the new engines, but said they’ll be more efficient and powerful than the outgoing V8. Prices weren’t released. The new truck goes on sale later this year as a 2022 model.
LAWMAKER-ABUSE ALLEGATIONS
Michigan rep to fellow lawmaker: I hope ‘your car explodes’
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — A Michigan lawmaker who got a personal protection order against another lawmaker has filed some unflattering text messages in court. Rep. Mari Manoogian says Rep. Steve Marino called her a “parasite” and hoped that her car would explode. Marino is a Macomb County Republican, and Manoogian is an Oakland County Democrat. They had a personal relationship that ended more than a year ago. Marino was removed from House committees last week when allegations of abuse were reported to leaders. State police are investigating. Marino says he’s a victim of “character assassination.” His attorney says the text messages are being taken out of context and that they’ll challenge the protection order.
The Associated Press
