Grand Rapids: Dad, 45, gets prison for hiding son’s drug assets
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) — A west Michigan man accused of hiding about $164,000 in drug trafficking-related assets obtained by his son has been sentenced to 18 months in prison.
U.S. Attorney Donald Davis announced the sentencing Monday of 45-year-old Cheyenne Billie Trice Sr. of Jenison.
Prosecutors said Trice kept numerous luxury automobiles in his name that were paid for by his son, Cheyenne Billie Trice Jr.
Cheyenne Billie Trice Jr. previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine. He will be sentenced Aug. 27.
U.S. District Court Judge Janet Neff said that by concealing the assets, the elder Trice enabled his son to commit his crime and avoid detection.
Court officials did not immediately know if Cheyenne Billie Trice Sr. had a lawyer.
Lansing: Hearing set in Asian Carp suit against feds
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — A hearing has been set in a multistate lawsuit that demands tougher federal and municipal action to prevent Asian carp from overrunning the Great Lakes and decimating their fishing industry.
The suit filed in U.S. District Court in northern Illinois accuses the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago of creating a public nuisance by operating locks, gates and other infrastructure through which the carp could enter the lakes.
Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox said in a release Tuesday the first hearing will be held Aug. 23. Two days during the week of Aug. 30 have been reserved for possible testimony.
Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Minnesota and Pennsylvania filed the complaint after being rebuffed twice by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Detroit: GM recalls 250K vehicles; seat belts may not latch
WASHINGTON (AP) — General Motors Co. is recalling nearly 250,000 crossover vehicles worldwide to inspect second-row seat belts that could be damaged and not latch.
GM said Tuesday the recall affects 2009-2010 models of the Chevrolet Traverse, Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia and Saturn Outlook.
Most of the 243,403 recalled vehicles are in the United States but some are also in Canada, Mexico and elsewhere.
The Detroit automaker said the seat-belt buckle could be damaged when the seat back is returned to an upright position. That could make the buckle appear to latch when it isn’t.
GM said it did not know of any cases where the second-row seat belts failed to perform properly in a crash.
GM spokesman Alan Adler said the plastic shield around the seat belt release button could get caught on some trim and not return to its normal position after the seats are folded flat. If enough force is applied when the seats are pushed back to their normal position, the shield around the release button could be pushed onto the button and make it malfunction.
Owners will be notified this month by mail and told to make an appointment with their dealer to get the problem fixed. Mechanics will trim the shield to allow more space for the buckle to return to its normal position and stay clear of the seats, Adler said.
Lansing: U.S. giving state $16.8 milion for charter schools
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — The U.S. Department of Education says it’s giving $16.8 million to Michigan to increase charter school options in then state.
The grant is part of a package of $136 million going to promote charter schools in 11 states and the District of Columbia.
Education Arne Duncan says the Obama administration is putting about $256 million this year into efforts to plan and implement public charter schools.
Delaware: Judge: Visteon retiree benefits must be restored
WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — A Delaware bankruptcy judge has told auto parts supplier Visteon Corp. that it must restore health and life insurance benefits for thousands of retirees.
After meeting with attorneys in advance of a hearing Tuesday, the judge said his reading of a ruling issued by a federal appeals court panel last month makes clear that the benefits must be restored.
But he acknowledged that a hearing still must be held to determine the mechanism and time table for restoring those benefits.
Visteon petitioned for the panel’s ruling to be revisited by the full appeals court, but that request was denied.
Royal Oak: City yields, allows guns at Ford Arts, Beats & Eats
ROYAL OAK, Mich. (AP) — Royal Oak officials have voted to allow licensed handgun owners to openly carry their weapons at a popular Detroit-area summer arts festival.
Commissioners on Monday night struck down a contract clause between the Ford Arts, Beats & Eats festival and the city about 10 miles north-northwest of Detroit that prohibited guns at the annual Labor Day weekend event.
Residents and public safety officials for weeks had expressed safety concerns. Proponents said state law and the Second Amendment allow a person who is licensed to carry a firearm, holstered and in plain sight.
Festival organizer Jon Witz said he supported the commission’s decision.
Now in its 13th year, the festival was previously held in nearby Pontiac.
Detroit: Former Kilpatrick appointee gets 14 months in prison
DETROIT (AP) — A deputy to ex-Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick has been sentenced to 14 months in federal prison in a kickback scheme.
Kandia Milton was sentenced Monday in U.S. District Court in Detroit.
The 39-year-old rose to deputy mayor under Kilpatrick. He was accused of helping broker the sale of city-owned Camp Brighton to the Chaldean Catholic Church. Authorities say Milton received $20,000.
He pleaded guilty in December and agreed to help federal officials with their probe of past corruption in City Hall.
His brother DeDan earlier was sentenced to 3 1/2 years in prison for getting kickbacks from city property sales. DeDan Milton admitted getting $16,000 in the 2007 sale of the camp and 2006 sale of a police station. He was an executive assistant to Kilpatrick.
Pontiac: Mistrial declared in Michigan road rage shooting
PONTIAC, Mich. (AP) — A suburban Detroit man will face a new trial in the shooting of another driver after a jury hearing testimony in his road rage case failed to reach a unanimous verdict.
An Oakland County Circuit Court judge in Pontiac declared a mistrial and set Carl Mintz’ new trial for Oct. 14.
Monday’s mistrial came after four days of deliberations.
The 28-year-old Mintz is charged with assault with intent to do great bodily harm and having a firearm in a felony. He’s accused of shooting Faith Said in the arm.
Mintz has claimed self-defense, saying Said came toward him in a threatening manner during the April 12 altercation in the Detroit suburb of Farmington Hills.
