State Roundup

Petoskey
Man targeted in lakeshore search formally charged
PETOSKEY, Mich. (AP) — A man whose trip to a national park in northern Michigan with his children sparked a 12-hour manhunt has been charged with misdemeanor domestic violence.
Daniel Gerard Elliott was arraigned Wednesday in Emmet County District Court. Judge James Erhart raised his bond from the $10,000 set after his arrest to $100,000. The 50-year-old resident of Orchard Lake must get a mental health evaluation before being released.
A pretrial hearing was scheduled for Sept. 11.
Police said Elliott and his wife had a physical confrontation Sunday during a visit to Petoskey. He then took his three young children to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, where they spent the night and were found Monday night after a lengthy search.
A phone call seeking comment was left with Elliott’s court-appointed attorney, Kyle Legel.

Flint
New book sheds light on pioneer female aviator
FLINT, Mich. (AP) — A new book retells the story of a Flint woman who attempted to fly from California to Hawaii in 1927.
The Flint Journal reports Tuesday the book is written by the nephew of Mildred Doran, who vanished over the Pacific. Richard DuRose’s “1927: A Brilliant Year in Aviation,” seeks to shed light on stories overshadowed by Charles Lindbergh’s solo flight to Paris the same year.
Doran was 22 when she attempted the flight during an air race. Of the four aircraft involved, her “Miss Doran” and one other disappeared.
Doran, her crewmates and the plane have never been found.
DuRose previously wrote about his aunt in the book, “Shooting Star: The First Attempt by a Woman to Reach Hawaii by Air.”

Oshtemo
Community board approves new rule on discrimination 
OSHTEMO TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — Another southwestern Michigan community has approved an ordinance that would ban discrimination in employment, public accommodation and housing practices.
The Kalamazoo Gazette reports that the measure passed on a 6-1 vote Tuesday night by trustees in Kalamazoo County’s Oshtemo Township. It closely models one approved last month in Kalamazoo Township.
The ordinance bans discrimination based on several factors, including race, sex, age, religion, national origin, height, weight, marital status, familial status, citizenship, physical or mental ability, gender identity, sexual orientation or genetic information.
Numerous other Michigan communities offer similar protections.
Trustee Dave Bushouse cast the lone dissenting vote. Bushouse says he questions whether the township has the legal right to take up the issue.
A violation of the ordinance could bring a fine, from $75 to $500.

Flint
Mayor meets with President Obama at White House
FLINT, Mich. (AP) — Flint Mayor Dayne Walling is among 18 mayors who met with President Barack Obama to discuss strategies to reduce youth violence.
Walling said much of the discussion at the White House on Tuesday focused on the causes of violence, and many called for more early childhood education, adult literacy programs and parental support.
The Flint mayor also attended a meeting led by Attorney General Eric Holder. Walling was joined at the second session by Flint Public Safety Director Alvern Lock, The Flint Journal reported.
Flint is among the top U.S. cities of more than 50,000 people with the worst crime rates. Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder last year announced a plan to hire more troopers to help fight crime in Flint and other cities plagued by high crime.
The city about 50 miles northwest of Detroit also is financially troubled, and has been operating under a state-appointed emergency manager since 2011.
“Flint is in a good position to contribute feedback because we have had a high level of state and federal involvement, but there’s clearly shortcomings in what we’re doing and we can learn from other cities and request additional support from state and federal agencies,” Walling said, adding the support could come in the form of personnel, data or technology.
The White House said in a release that Obama told the mayors he would continue to seek measures that control gun violence through executive actions and by pressing Congress to expand a background check system.
Earlier this year, the Senate blocked an effort to broaden background checks. The effort was prompted by a shooting rampage at a Connecticut school last December that left 20 first-graders and six adults dead.
The group of mayors included Cory Booker of Newark, N.J.; Kevin Johnson of Sacramento, Calif.; Mitch Landrieu of New Orleans; and Michael Nutter of Philadelphia.