Detroit
American Indian clinic gets federal grant of $736K
DETROIT (AP) - A Detroit health clinic for American Indian families has received a $736,000 federal grant to support youth suicide prevention.
American Indian Health and Family Services of southeast Michigan announced Monday it received the five-year grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The funding will support collaborations between suicide prevention authorities and crisis centers to better serve American Indian and Alaska Native youth.
The nonprofit clinic aims to expand behavioral health treatment for youth and to increase the number of community members who are trained to identify and refer young people at risk for suicide.
The clinic says urban American Indians ages 10-24 are at higher risk for suicide than other racial or ethnic groups. Southeastern Michigan is home to the largest Native American population in the state.
Kalamazoo
City may sell Eastern Hills Golf Course
KALAMAZOO, Mich. (AP) - Kalamazoo is considering selling a 27-hole golf course in a move that officials said could help improve the city's other courses.
City Manager Jim Ritsema told the Kalamazoo City Commission on Monday night that the Kalamazoo Municipal Golf Association Board of Governors voted to explore the possibility of selling the Richland Township course because of continuing financial difficulties.
"Golf play is down," Ritsema said. "The organization's feeling that effect."
No price or deadline for the sale has been set for the Eastern Hills Golf Course, The Kalamazoo Gazette reported (http://bit.ly/1ybF4Jd ).
The city of Kalamazoo owns Eastern Hills, Milham Park Golf Course and Red Arrow Golf Course. Eastern Hills, built in 1959, is the largest of the three. Proceeds of a sale would be used to pay off Kalamazoo Municipal Golf Association debt and improve the other courses.
The golf association Board of Governors considered factors including a "decline in the number of rounds played, declining revenue and ongoing expenses such as maintenance and debt" before deciding to look at a possible sale, according to Ritsema's office.
The possible sale of Eastern Hills has been discussed before. In 2007, the city turned down an offer of $5 million, nearly twice the appraised value, for the golf course. At the time, a city official said the sale could hamper the profitability of Kalamazoo's other golf courses.
Plans call for Eastern Hills to be open for the 2015 season as of now, and commitments for 2015 play will be honored, including public golf, league play and outings.
Hartland
Michigan brothers open mobile cigar lounge in trailer
HARTLAND, Mich. (AP) - Two Livingston County brothers are offering cigar enthusiasts a new place to watch a football game or unwind after converting a vintage Airstream trailer into a mobile cigar lounge.
The Livingston County Daily Press & Argus reports Brian and Jason Maynard opened the lounge after buying the 1974 recreational vehicle for $3,700 earlier this year. They spent nearly $50,000 to overhaul the trailer's interior with additions including wraparound seating, five high-definition televisions and a humidor. It's also equipped with a satellite dish.
The brothers are both entrepreneurs in their 30s. Jason Maynard says he got the idea after reading about a similar Airstream cigar lounge in Florida.
Brian Maynard says the lounge, named the Cuban Missile, is great for bachelor or bachelorette parties, tailgates, corporate events and weddings.
Whitmore Lake
Man shoots ram after Thanksgiving attack at home
WHITMORE LAKE, Mich. (AP) - A Whitmore Lake family is getting over their shock after a ram tried to crash Thanksgiving dinner.
Mike Richard says he shot the ram after it tried to head-butt its way into his home on Thanksgiving. Richard says the ram was grazing nearby before it chased him and his wife and tried to bust down the garage door.
He says the animal broke a glass storm door and damaged the front door before the family decided to shoot it. Richard says he needed to protect his mother-in-law and pregnant relative.
A neighbor later said the ram had escaped from his farm and may have been more aggressive because it's breeding season.
Richard says it was a Thanksgiving he and his family will never forget.
Fowlerville
People to pack hot-air balloon for good cause
FOWLERVILLE, Mich. (AP) - Plans call for stuffing as many people as possible into a hot-air balloon this weekend in Michigan as part of an effort to collect food ahead of Christmas.
The annual "Christmas in the 'Ville" takes place Saturday in Fowlerville. As part of the event, the Livingston County Daily Press & Argus of Howell reports organizers hope to get 1,500 people into the balloon portion of a hot-air balloon.
Organizers are asking people going into the balloon to bring nonperishable food donations.
Event coordinator Steve MacDermaid says head balloonist Ken Meyer fit nearly 1,200 people into a balloon's envelope during another event, so Meyer had the idea to top that mark. A highlight of Christmas in the 'Ville is a parade featuring more than 30 hot-air balloons.
Detroit
Ex-inmate guilty of Social Security fraud worth $42K
DETROIT (AP) - A prison sentence didn't stop a Detroit woman from committing another crime.
Charlise Rogers pleaded guilty Monday to collecting $42,000 in Social Security payments while in prison for involuntary manslaughter. Inmates can't collect retirement benefits while locked up.
Investigators say the 67-year-old Rogers pulled off the scheme with help from her daughter, Dana, who plans to plead guilty next week. The government says the money was shared by mother, daughter and family.
Rogers was paroled in 2013 but still is being supervised by the Michigan Corrections Department.
Traverse City
Agency proposes Great Lakes health risk gauges
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) - A U.S.-Canadian agency is recommending five ways to measure how well both nations are dealing with potential threats to human health from pollution in the Great Lakes.
The International Joint Commission submitted a report to the U.S. and Canadian governments Monday proposing indicators that should be monitored.
They include the chemical integrity of drinking water sources, biological hazards of source water, illness risk at Great Lakes beaches, other identified risks at beaches and contaminant levels in fish.
They're part of a longer list of indicators the commission is developing to assess progress toward carrying out the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, under which the two nations have pledged to clean up and protect the lakes.
Earlier this year, the commission proposed ways to measure the lakes' ecological health.
Ypsilanti
Court agrees with suspension for drunk judge
YPSILANTI, Mich. (AP) - The Michigan Supreme Court has ordered a 90-day suspension for a judge who was drunk at a boat launch.
The court last week agreed with a settlement reached by Ypsilanti Judge Kirk Tabbey and a watchdog agency, the Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission.
Tabbey's alcohol level was 0.17, more than double the legal limit of 0.08. The incident occurred in northern Michigan's Antrim County in September.
Tabbey pleaded guilty to operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol and paid a fine.
The Supreme Court says Tabbey's 90-day unpaid suspension can run at the same time as his sick leave. He's been a judge for more than 17 years and handles many drunken driving cases.
Published: Wed, Dec 03, 2014
