School district must release school bus video in heat suit
BLACKMAN TOWNSHIP (AP) — A southern Michigan school district has been ordered to release school bus surveillance footage in a lawsuit alleging that a driver forced students to sit in extreme heat as punishment for behaving badly.
Jackson County Circuit Judge John McBain has ordered Northwest Community Schools to release the video, but said the plaintiff must pay the district to redact the video to remove students from view.
MLive.com reports the suit says a bus driver drove around unnecessarily for nearly an hour in August, forced students to close bus windows and possibly turned on the heat.
District officials argued the video couldn’t be released without parental permission, but the judge said it can be released while maintaining student privacy.
Superintendent Geoff Bontrager says the district was weighing an appeal.
High court pitch next for man convicted of jury tampering
BIG RAPIDS (AP) — A man charged with a crime for distributing pamphlets outside a western Michigan courthouse will ask the state Supreme Court to review his conviction for jury tampering.
Keith Wood’s misdemeanor conviction in Mecosta County was affirmed last week by the appeals court in a 2-1 decision. His attorney says he will ask the state’s highest court to take the case. There’s no guarantee.
In 2015, Wood distributed pamphlets that told potential jurors they could choose their conscience over the law when coming up with a verdict. He was accused of trying to influence a case involving a man who had a wetlands dispute with a state agency.
That case ended with a plea deal and didn’t go to trial. A jury was not picked.
Police: Man tried to pay for McDonald’s with bag of weed
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (AP) — Police in Florida say a 23-year-old man went through a McDonald’s drive-thru and tried to pay for his order with a bag of marijuana.
News outlets report Port St. Lucie police say the fast food worker denied the trade and Anthony Andrew Gallagher drove off, only to return again a short time later. Police arrested him Sunday on charges of marijuana possession and driving under the influence.
Police were alerted to Gallagher’s offer early Sunday morning and got a description of him from the worker. They say a suspect matching his description went through the drive-thru a little while later and police approached him.
It’s unclear if Gallagher attempted to pay for his order with drugs the second time. It’s also unclear if he has a lawyer.
Bedbugs on a visitor close city hall
MUNCIE, Ind. (AP) — A city hall in Indiana is open for business again after closing to deal with bedbugs.
The Muncie City Hall closed before lunch Monday when a visitor infested with bedbugs entered an auditorium. Spokeswoman Sarah Beach says employees were sent home while pest control pros treated the entire building.
The Star Press says city hall reopened Tuesday.
The Delaware County Health Department wasn’t notified. But health administrator Jammie Bane didn’t object. He says bedbugs are a nuisance, not a health threat.
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