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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.

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.

AP-US-VIRUS-OUTBREAK-SKI-SEASON

Ski resorts counting on a return to normal on the slopes

JAY, Vt. (AP) — Ski resorts are expecting a more normal season on the slopes this winter with many virus restrictions lifted. But skiers and snowboarders are advised to keep a mask in their pocket in case they’re required to wear one inside lodges and restaurants. Any virus-related protocols at resorts will vary depending on where they are and the local health rules in place. What is not wavering is the anticipation for a season like years past, pre-pandemic. The National Ski Areas Association does not expect to see limited capacity on chairlifts, restrictions on who people can ride with, and far fewer mask requirements outdoors.

VOTING RULES-MICHIGAN

Michigan governor vetoes stricter voter ID, election bills

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has vetoed Republican-sponsored legislation that would toughen in-person voter identification rules and require people to include additional information such as their driver’s license number on absentee ballot applications. The governor said Friday that the bills would disproportionately hurt minority voters who are more likely to lack access to a photo ID on Election Day than white voters. A Republican-affiliated ballot committee is circulating petitions that would enable the Republican-controlled Legislature to still enact a similar initiative next year regardless of Whitmer’s opposition.

ELECTION-CLERK DISPUTE

State police recover township’s missing elections equipment

ADAMS TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — Michigan’s secretary of state office reports that elections equipment missing from a community in the southern part of the state has been located. Spokeswoman Tracy Wimmer says Friday evening in a release that the equipment was recovered Friday at the Adams Township Hall in Hillsdale County. Wimmer did not give details about the equipment but said an investigation was being conducted to determine if anyone had tampered with it. State officials earlier had barred township clerk Stephanie Scott from running next week’s local election. The Michigan Bureau of Elections said Scott failed to take steps to ensure the security of the vote,. Hillsdale County instead will supervise the Adams Township election.

BALLOT DRIVE LAW

Michigan court again vacates restrictions on ballot drives

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — The Michigan appeals court has again struck down changes to the state’s ballot drive law, including a limit on how many voter signatures can come from any one region. Friday’s ruling is the latest in a legal fight that began after Republican lawmakers and then-Gov. Rick Snyder enacted the 2018 law. It made it harder to mount ballot initiatives. Many parts have never taken effect because of an opinion from Democratic Attorney General Dana Nessel and court decisions. The court negated a 15% cap on signatures from any one congressional district. It also nullified requirements that paid circulators file an affidavit and that petitions say whether circulators are paid or not.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-MICHIGAN-UNEMPLOYMENT FRAUD

Ex-state contractor gets 5 years for jobless insurance fraud

DETROIT (AP) — A former contractor for the state of Michigan has been sentenced to nearly five years in prison for helping orchestrate a $3.8 million fraud scheme involving money intended to help unemployed people during the coronavirus pandemic. A federal judge sentenced 40-year-old Brandi Hawkins to 58 months in federal prison on Thursday and ordered her to pay nearly $3.8 million in restitution to the state. The Detroit woman, a former contract employee with the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency, pleaded guilty to wire fraud charges in June. She admitted receiving bribes from people to file fraudulent unemployment insurance claims seeking money intended for people during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Associated Press