State Roundup

Frenchtown Twp.
Feds plan special inspection of Mich. nuke plant
FRENCHTOWN TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — Federal officials are planning a special inspection of the Fermi 2 nuclear power plant this year because the Monroe-area facility’s reactor was shut down too many times in 2012.
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission says the supplemental inspection will be in addition to routine or required inspections conducted annually at the plant and is required because Fermi 2 had three unplanned shutdowns within 7,000 hours of reactor operating time.
The Monroe Evening News reports the most recent unplanned shutdown happened in November when a hydrogen gas leak developed in the cooling system of the plant’s main electrical generator and operators shut down the reactor. The plant was idled for nearly two months.
Plant spokesman Guy Cerullo says officials have “instituted rigorous corrective actions to minimize these types of shutdowns.”

Detroit
City council appeals fiscal emergency finding
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan officials are hearing a longshot appeal from Detroit City Council members who dispute the state’s declaration that the city has no plan to adequately fix its fiscal crisis.
Chief Deputy Treasurer Mary MacDowell is presiding as Gov. Rick Snyder’s designee over the hearing that is under way Tuesday morning in Lansing.
MacDowell will report back to Snyder, who will review the appeal before deciding whether to reverse his financial emergency declaration. He is expected to stand by the finding, then appoint an emergency manager to oversee Detroit’s finances.
Detroit’s council is arguing that it has made progress on 20 of 25 initiatives in a consent agreement reached with the state last year.
The city has a budget deficit of $327 million and long-term debt topping $14 billion.

Lansing
Report: State’s colleges uneven on crisis drills
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan’s colleges and universities are inconsistent about practicing lockdowns and conducting other safety drills, according to a report published Tuesday following a two-month investigation.
Michigan State University in East Lansing drills its dormitories regularly, while the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor does so less, MLive.com reported. The type and number of drills vary widely at other schools around the state.
For Michigan schools with students in kindergarten through 12th grade, state law changed in 2006 to require six fire drills, two lockdown drills and two tornado drills. For colleges and universities, the requirement is eight fire drills and two tornado drills.
According to the Bureau of Fire Services, fire and tornado drills are required in college academic buildings, as well as dormitories and university-owned apartments.
At the University of Michigan, however, two fire drills were conducted in each of the school’s 18 dormitories last school year. Fewer were done the year before, according to information provided by school spokesman Rick Fitzgerald. The required number of tornado drills also was not done.
“While we understand the importance of fire drills, and have them in every residential facility and many of our academic buildings, our students don’t stay in one building all day,” Fitzgerald said. “Having a drill that’s specific to a building, and having that over and over, creates some muscle memory, if you will, in a K-12 district.
“Our students are all over the place and it’s different from day to day.”
Michigan State University spokesman Jason Cody said all eight fire and two tornado drills are conducted in campus dorms. Fire and tornado drills are also done in administrative and classroom buildings, though not necessarily to Bureau of Fire Services expectations.
At Saginaw Valley State University, Police Chief Ronald E. Trepkowski said eight fire drills are done in dorms each year and two campus-wide severe weather drills also are conducted. In addition, fire drills are done monthly in academic buildings, he said.
At Grand Valley State University, records show only one fire drill was conducted in several dorms for the entire 2011-12 school year. Some university-operated apartments had no drills. That also was the case for most academic and administrative buildings.
“Our interpretation is that we need to have a fire drill in the dormitories,” said Jim Bachmeier, vice president for finance and administration. “We’ve made sure that we have at least one per academic year.”
MLive.com’s investigation follows December’s school massacre in Newtown, Conn. On Monday, it reported that Michigan laws meant to improve safety at schools for students in kindergarten through 12th grade are routinely ignored and state officials don’t know the scope of the problem.

Crockery Twp.
New approach to merges tried in construction zone 
CROCKERY TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — The state Department of Transportation has adopted a new approach to cut down on late-merging motorists in a West Michigan construction zone, and officials are studying how well it works there and elsewhere.
“Do Not Pass When Flashing” signs require motorists on eastbound Interstate 96 in Ottawa County’s Crockery Township to merge into a single lane well before a lane is closed for the state Route 231 construction zone, MLive.com reported.
When activated, the signs create a no passing zone ahead of the section of road where there’s one lane open in each direction. MDOT said the so-called dynamic merge lanes are being used to head off the possibility of aggressive driving and late merges.
“It’s all about safety,” said John Richard, a spokesman for MDOT in Grand Rapids.
According to state police, drivers who don’t merge ahead of the “Do Not Pass” signs when they are flashing could face a ticket.
MDOT began using dynamic merge lanes in some work zones a few years ago and research is evaluating the effectiveness of such lanes. The Interstate 96 project runs until November, and MDOT will be able to further evaluate the merge lanes.

Brighton
Police: Trooper acted properly in Oct. traffic stop
BRIGHTON, Mich. (AP) — A Michigan State Police investigation into a man’s complaint that a trooper held him at gunpoint during a traffic stop has revealed no wrongdoing.
Police spokeswoman Shanon Banner tells the Livingston County Daily Press & Argus of Howell a letter was sent to Kim Sachs of Freeland. It notified him the investigation revealed “the facts do not support the allegation that the trooper acted inappropriately.”
The stop took place Oct. 29 amid stepped up patrols during an investigation into several shootings on and off Interstate 96 in southeast Michigan.
Sachs said the trooper pulled him over and threatened to kill him if he didn’t show his hands. He said he believes it was part of the shootings investigation.
Raulie Casteel was later arrested and charged in the shootings.