Sault Ste. Marie: U.S. Coast Guard conducts Great Lakes buoy retrieval
SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. (AP) — The U.S. Coast Guard is conducting its annual retrieval of buoys from the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence Seaway.
Operation Fall Retrieve began last month and is expected to be completed by Dec. 28.
The Coast Guard plans to retrieve 1,264 navigational aids, including lighted and unlighted buoys and beacons. The number being pulled out of the water represents about half of the navigational aids the Cleveland-based Ninth Coast Guard District manages in the region.
The purpose of the buoys — of which there are 2,599 in the area — is to mark safe passage for domestic, international, commercial and recreational vessel traffic.
U.S. waters are marked by what is known as the Aids-to-Navigation System, which employs a simple arrangement of colors, shapes, numbers and light characteristics to mark navigable channels, waterways and obstructions adjacent to them.
The buoys are an important part of the system.
They’re being removed because of decreased winter vessel traffic and to minimize damage from ice and severe weather.
Six Coast Guard cutters are involved in the effort.
Flint: Genesee prosecutor makes homicide ruling in case
FLINT, Mich. (AP) — The Genesee County prosecutor’s office says a woman struck by a car in May while fleeing gunshots was the victim of a homicide.
The Flint Journal reports Tuesday the ruling in the case of 27-year-old Shareka Marshall’s death means Flint’s homicide count has reached 56 for the year.
Police Lt. Marcus Mahan tells the newspaper the driver will not be charged in the case, but the shooter will.
Marshall was dragged a short distance by the car and later died from her injuries at a local hospital.
Detroit: City seeks $10M from former federal monitor
DETROIT (AP) — Detroit has asked to be repaid $10 million because a woman hired to monitor the police department had a personal relationship with then-Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick.
The city is asking a federal judge to order lawyer Sheryl Robinson Wood and her employers to repay the money.
In a court filing Tuesday, the city says the relationship between Wood and Kilpatrick was unethical.
Wood quit the monitor’s job in July 2009 after a judge said text messages revealed a relationship and improper discussions. Detroit police have been under court-ordered monitoring since 2003 for use of force and how they treat crime suspects.
Wood hasn’t commented since her departure. Then, her lawyer said she’d done a good job. Kilpatrick quit as mayor in 2008 before going to jail.
Lansing: Economist: Mich. economy at 2-year high in Sept.
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — A Comerica Bank economist says an index measuring Michigan’s economy hit a two-year high in September.
The bank’s Michigan Economic Activity Index rose to 89, its highest point since June 2008. That’s up two points from August and 14 points from a year ago.
Chief economist Dana Johnson said Monday that the third quarter’s upward trend came after growth stalled from February through June. He expects the state’s economy to make modest gains over the last three months of 2010.
The index reflects activity in construction, manufacturing and services as well as job growth and consumer purchases.
Michigan’s 13 percent seasonally adjusted unemployment rate is the nation’s second highest.
East Lansing: District probes police altercation with students
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Schools officials in East Lansing were interviewing witnesses to an altercation between students and police that resulted in a 17-year-old being subdued with a stun gun.
The district says in a letter to parents that it is reviewing videotape from Thursday’s incident at East Lansing High School.
Police said in a release that an officer was assaulted by the male student while escorting a suspended female student from the building. The male student was shot with the stun gun while being restrained by other officers.
Marcus Reid was arraigned on obstruction and disorderly conduct charges. The 17-year-old female student, Hodan Sharif, was charged with disorderly conduct and obstruction.
A juvenile student was charged with disorderly conduct.
Court records did not list attorneys for the students.
