Ann Arbor
Police: Cow's head found discarded in neighborhood
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) - Police say a woman found a cow's head discarded in her Ann Arbor neighborhood.
City police Lt. Ed Dreslinski tells The Ann Arbor News it appears that the cow had been slaughtered and the head placed in a trash receptacle before being taken by someone. Police aren't sure who left the head on the ground.
The cow had an ear tag that is typically used by agricultural-related businesses to identify animals. Dreslinski says police plan to work with state agricultural officials to find out who owned the cow.
Whitehall
Cashier known for giving hugs fired after complaint
WHITEHALL, Mich. (AP) - A 57-year-old supermarket cashier who was known for embracing shoppers in western Michigan has been fired and is facing a misdemeanor assault and battery charge after authorities said he inappropriately touched a customer.
Fred Civis, who worked at Plumb's Valu-Rite Foods in Whitehall, was arrested and fired from his job of nearly four decades this summer after a customer reported unwanted contact in July, The Detroit News and The Muskegon Chronicle reported.
Some in the community of about 2,700 rallied behind Civis, launching a boycott that has slowed supermarket business. The store, however, said Civis had been warned several times about touching customers in ways they found too personal.
Civis declined to comment to The Detroit News. The Associated Press emailed his lawyer on Monday seeking comment. Civis is due in District Court in Muskegon on Oct. 15. Prosecutors said they're working on a plea deal to resolve the case.
The misdemeanor is punishable by up to a $500 fine and 90 days in jail.
The store has defended its actions. During a warning last year, Civis was told that another incident could lead to his firing, said Jim Nader, Plumb's president and chief executive. Plumb's had received complaints about Civis in 2012 and 2013, according to his dismissal notice.
"We don't terminate someone for giving unwanted hugs," he said. "He just couldn't follow the policy."
Following his arrest, the Muskegon County sheriff's department and prosecutors said that four other women came forward with complaints about Civis. After meeting with a store official last week, Civis signed a letter asking supporters to end the boycott.
Lansing
League of Women Voters cancels US Senate debate
LANSING, Mich. (AP) - The League of Women Voters says it's canceling a proposed U.S. Senate debate because it didn't get a positive response from Republican Terri Lynn Land's campaign.
President Susan Smith says she's still hopeful Land and Democrat Gary Peters will agree to a separate debate proposed by Detroit ABC affiliate WXYZ-TV. But the campaigns are sparring publicly over the debate talks.
Land Friday accused Peters of canceling WXYZ debate talks, citing an email in which Peters' debate coordinator John Cherry said a conference call wouldn't be productive because of media leaks about an agreement. Cherry says he was confident talks would continue this week until Land made "wild, unfounded accusations."
Land spokeswoman Heather Swift says Peters is chickening out. Cherry says he was naive to think Land ever wanted to debate.
Hudsonville
Court rules for woman who protested ticket
HUDSONVILLE, Mich. (AP) - The Michigan Court of Appeals has overturned the conviction of a western Michigan woman who was Tasered and pepper-sprayed after protesting a traffic ticket in Hudsonville District Court.
The Holland Sentinel says an Ottawa County jury convicted 36-year-old Mary E. Vandenberg in 2012 of resisting arrest and obstructing an officer. A judge gave her $548 in fines and fees.
The appeals court threw out the conviction Friday, saying the law under which she was convicted is "unconstitutionally vague and overbroad."
Authorities say Vandenberg tried to pay a traffic fine using 145 dollar bills that she'd defaced with red and black markers.
They say employees wouldn't accept the money, and officers escorted her out. Authorities say officers Tasered, pepper-sprayed and handcuffed her when she refused to leave the building.
