At a Glance

Clerk’s mobile office visits Sterling Heights

Sterling Heights residents will soon be able to access services offered by the Macomb County Clerk’s Office without traveling to the county seat in Mount Clemens.
  Clerk Carmella Sabaugh’s mobile office will be at the Sterling Heights Public Library on Dodge Park, just South of Utica Road, from 11 a.m. to 1 pm. on Tuesday, May 24.

Residents can get help with birth and death certificates, business registrations, marriage licenses, circuit court records, voter registration, concealed pistol license applications and real estate deed requests. 

For additional information on services or to see additional mobile office locations visit the Clerk’s web site at www.macombcountymi.gov/clerksoffice. 
 

 

Royal Oak gets nod on new begging law

ROYAL OAK (AP) — The American Civil Liberties Union is praising Royal Oak for changing a tough law targeting panhandlers.

The Detroit suburb known for its vibrant nightlife now is prohibiting only aggressive begging, not all begging. The ACLU had said the previous ordinance was unconstitutional.

Royal Oak panhandlers now are banned from blocking a path, touching someone without consent and soliciting at outdoor cafés unless they have the owner’s consent.

In a statement issued recently, the ACLU said it hopes other cities will follow Royal Oak’s example.
 

Court reopens case after broken promise

DETROIT (AP) — A Wayne County judge has been ordered to take another look at a case after sentencing a man to a higher punishment than promised.
Lionel Turner got a minimum sentence of 18 years in prison for kidnapping and other crimes in 2009.

The Michigan Supreme Court says he was “gratuitously” promised a much lower sentence by Judge James Callahan if he would plead guilty — but then didn’t get the benefit.

The court has told Callahan to take another look. Turner’s former attorney Susan Walsh says a deal is a deal.

Justice Marilyn Kelly agreed with sending the case back to Wayne County.

But she wanted to explicitly order Callahan to impose the minimum sentence or allow the 18-year-old Turner to withdraw his guilty plea.

The group says at least 12 Oakland County communities completely ban all begging.

 

Court refuses to hear ‘So help me God’ appeal

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Supreme Court is brushing aside an atheist’s challenge to religion in government, refusing to hear a complaint about President Barack Obama adding “so help me God” to his inaugural oath of office.

The high court this week refused to hear an appeal from Michael Newdow, who argued that government references to God are unconstitutional and infringe on his religious beliefs.

Many presidents have added “so help me God” to the oath.

Newdow sued to keep Obama from doing so and lost.

He wanted overturned an appeals court’s ruling saying it would be useless to ban Chief Justice John Roberts from prompting Obama to say “so help me God” because the president could have easily found someone else to administer the oath.

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