JAIL-TEENS

Traverse City area struggles with housing teen offenders

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — A new Michigan law that prevents authorities from locking up teens under 18 near adults is causing challenges for communities that don’t have a separate place to keep young offenders. Traverse City police recently had to make arrangements with a Detroit-area county to house a 16-year-old. He was caught in Florida for a local road rage felony. Sgt. Matt Richmond says he had tried facilities closer to Traverse City but had no success. The reasons: no beds, out-of-county teens not accepted and a lack of staff. Grand Traverse County prosecutor Noelle Moeggenberg said having a place for juvenile offenders is a “huge need.”

UP TOWN-RENTALS

Even small UP towns grapple with online short-term rentals

CALUMET, Mich. (AP) — Some of Michigan's smallest towns are seeing ripples from short-term lodging popularized by Airbnb and other websites. Calumet is on the Keweenaw Peninsula in the far north of the Upper Peninsula. Short-term rentals came up at a recent meeting of the village council. The planning commission chairwoman says the rentals are not a permitted use under Calumet’s zoning law, but they are occurring. Colleen Kobe says even if the ordinance is changed, Airbnb-style rentals could reduce long-term rentals and cause a population loss in Calumet. Planning commissioner Virginia Dwyer says Hancock, 12 miles south, allows short-term rentals, but the owner must pay for a permit and have a property inspected.

ELECTION 2021-DETROIT MAYOR

Duggan seeks 3rd term as Detroit mayor against lawyer Adams

DETROIT (AP) — Mike Duggan is seeking his third consecutive term as Detroit’s mayor and his popularity has been reflected at the ballot box where he has soundly defeated challengers. But he faces off in Tuesday’s general election against a candidate with an extensive resume in public service in Detroit. Anthony Adams has been executive assistant under Coleman A. Young, Detroit’s first Black mayor, deputy mayor under Kwame Kilpatrick, and Detroit school board president. Yet Duggan received more than 70% of the vote in the the August primary. Duggan led the city's response to COVID-19.

EAST LANSING-DAMAGE

Couches burn, parked car flipped after MSU beats Michigan

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Mattresses and couches have burned in East Lansing during the revelry that followed Michigan State’s football victory over Michigan. At least one car was overturned. The campus newspaper, The State News, posted photos and video from student neighborhoods in East Lansing. There was a significant police presence in the Cedar Village area shortly after the Spartans defeated the Wolverines, 37-33, in a battle of top 10 teams. A Toyota SUV was badly damaged, with windows blown out and the vehicle turned upside down in Cedar Village. The license plate was even missing.

DETROIT FIREHOUSES-CARDIO EQUIPMENT

Planet Fitness gives cardio equipment to Detroit firehouses

DETROIT (AP) — Planet Fitness is donating and will help install treadmills and stationary bicycles in each of Detroit’s 38 firehouses. The exercise equipment will be used by firefighters and emergency medical personnel during their shifts and allow them to maintain and improve their cardiovascular health. Detroit Fire Commissioner Eric Jones says the leading cause of death for firefighters is overexertion/sudden cardiac arrest. He adds that the equipment can help "firefighters relieve stress throughout their 24-hour shift especially after returning from a traumatic or tragic scene.” The equipment is valued at $130,000.

ADDICTION CENTER EMBEZZLEMENT

2 sentenced for stealing $777,000 from addiction center

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Two employees of a Native American addiction and counseling center, including its executive director, have been sentenced on charges of embezzling more than $777,000 in federal funds. Federal officials in Wisconsin say Fredericka DeCoteau, of Cloquet, Minnesota, was sentenced Friday to 2 years in prison. Edith Schmuck, of Rice Lake, Wisconsin, was sentenced to 1 year and 1 day in prison. A judge ordered DeCoteau and Schmuck to jointly back restitution of $777,283. DeCoteau and Schmuck worked at Ain Dah Ing, a non-profit halfway house in Spooner, Wisconsin. DeCoteau was the executive director and Schmuck was the bookkeeper. The center offers mental health and alcohol and substance abuse services to Native Americans from Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin tribes.

TRAVERSE CITY-SCHOOLS

Traverse City adjusts zoning to allow schools downtown

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — School could be in session in downtown Traverse City. City commissioners voted to make a zoning change that would allow private schools as well as colleges in certain downtown areas. The Children’s House, a Montessori-style school, wants to locate a middle school in a downtown building that’s mostly residential. Some residents in the building questioned whether school kids in the same property would be an appropriate fit. The Downtown Development Authority supported the zoning change as a way to promote downtown as a “healthy, integrated cultural center.” One commissioner had concerns about traffic when students are dropped off or picked up.

BANNED WORDS

Tired ears? There's time to nominate 2021's annoying words

SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. (AP) — Ready to put a stake in a word that just irritates you? Lake Superior State University is accepting candidates for its 47th annual tongue-in-cheek list of words or phrases that should be banished. The deadline to submit online entries is 8 a.m. on Nov. 30. The results will be announced on Dec. 31. COVID-19 lingo dominated the list last year, including “COVID-19,” “social distancing” and the much-repeated phrase, “We’re all in this together.” More than 1,000 banned words or phrases are in the Lake Superior State archive. The late W.T. Rabe, who was public relations director, and faculty came up with the first list at a New Year’s Eve party in 1975.

DETROIT-WATER LINES

Software to help inventory lead water lines in Detroit

DETROIT (AP) — A high-tech strategy could help Detroit save $165 million while also pinpointing the number of lead water lines in the city. Data crunched with software from technology startup BlueConduit will hopefully provide a report of the probable locations and number of lead lines in Detroit. The water department believes it only will have to excavate 384 valve boxes instead of more than 300,000. The higher cost of digging up all lines likely would have been passed to customers. All Michigan cities and townships with lead service lines are required to provide an inventory to the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes & Energy.

MEDICATION LAWSUIT-MICHIGAN JAIL

Lawsuit: Jail denied inmate medication to treat addiction

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — A federal lawsuit has been filed against a northern Michigan county and jail officials alleging that a 20-year-old inmate was denied access to prescribed medication to treat opioid withdrawal symptoms. The suit was filed Thursday by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of Cyrus Patson of Traverse City. Patson was being held for a bond violation at the Grand Traverse County Correctional Facility where he said he was not allowed to take Suboxone. The Traverse City Record-Eagle reports that ACLU attorney Syeda Davidson said the organization received complaints from other inmates at the jail who said they were not receiving physician-prescribed medications to treat addiction.

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