State Roundup

Bay City
Man gets prison for driving in  fireworks crowd
BAY CITY, Mich. (AP) — A 23-year-old man has been sentenced to 14 months to 8 years in prison for driving a car through a crowd following the 2012 Bay City Fireworks Festival.
No one was seriously injured at the event.
MLive.com reports Bay County Circuit Court Judge Harry P. Gill on Monday told Kason M. Weems that he was “driving in an exceedingly dangerous fashion.” Gill says that based on testimony in the case it was “quite remarkable” that no one was killed.
Weems told the judge he didn’t intend to harm anyone. The Saginaw man says he was “scared” and trying to get out of the area.
A jury in June convicted Weems of two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon and 11 counts of misdemeanor assault.

Detroit
New police chief ends ‘Virtual Precinct’ effort
DETROIT (AP) — Detroit’s new police chief has ended an effort that shut police precincts to the public during non-peak hours.
WDIV-TV reports Chief James Craig says that precincts went back to 24-hour operation starting Sunday. He says they’re “safe havens for our community.”
Former Chief Ralph Godbee released details of the “Virtual Precinct” concept in 2012, but it was met with public opposition when it was implemented. Instead of visiting precincts, residents were urged to contact the city’s Telephone Crime Reporting Unit.
The aim was to pull officers from desk and other duties in precincts, which had been staffed around the clock, and get them on the streets.
When Craig became Detroit’s police chief earlier this year he said that ending the “Virtual Precinct” concept was a priority.

Lansing
Bill lets charities fundraise while standing in street
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — A bill introduced in Lansing would let Michigan charities raise money while volunteers stand or walk in the street.
State Rep. Terry Brown says he proposed the legislation last week after learning of a dispute in the Thumb area. He says the Sebewaing Village Council didn’t allow the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars to conduct their annual poppy sale because a state transportation official said it’s a violation of the law.
Brown’s bill would let municipal governments pass a resolution to permit charitable fundraising on roads within their jurisdiction.
The Pigeon Democrat says selling flower or candy is a big part of some charities’ fundraising activities, and the state shouldn’t get in their way.
The legislation was sent to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.