State Roundup

Madison Wis., Mich. use mitten flap to launch donations MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Tourism officials in Wisconsin and Michigan are trying to parley their recent dust-up over mittens into a donation drive. The two states' tourism departments got into a good-natured battle last week over whose state has the better claim to looking like a mitten. Now the states are trying to capitalize on the publicity with the Great Lakes Mitten Campaign, an effort to collect mittens for charities. Wisconsin officials are urging people to drop off mittens at state travel centers around the state and participating chambers of commerce through Jan. 15. The mittens then will be donated to local charities. Michigan officials, meanwhile, are asking people to donate mittens directly to their favorite charities. Lansing Bill affecting Mich. state workers heads to Snyder LANSING, Mich. (AP) -- A bill that supporters say would save money on retiree benefit costs related to Michigan state government employees is headed to Republican Gov. Rick Snyder. The Republican-led Senate approved the measure Tuesday by a 23-15, mostly party line vote. The bill already has been approved by the House. The bill would eliminate the 3 percent employee contribution that state workers have been making since last year to help cover retiree health care costs. Those contributions, already challenged in court cases, would be refunded to workers. The bill would require employees covered by state pension plans to decide whether to remain in the pension plan or convert to a 401(k) system. Workers who choose to remain in the pension plan would have to contribute 4 percent of their compensation. Charlotte Doctor charged in criminal sexual conduct case CHARLOTTE, Mich. (AP) -- Authorities say a Lansing-area doctor has been charged with criminal sexual conduct involving three female patients. The Lansing State Journal reports 53-year-old Kassem Hallak, who practices in Charlotte, was arraigned Monday on one count of third-degree criminal sexual conduct and two counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct. Hallak's lawyer John Frawley told The Associated Press on Tuesday that his client denies any wrongdoing. Officials say the assaults happened between June 2010 and this November. A hearing on the case was set for Jan. 9 in Charlotte. Grand Rapids Former pastor makes plea deal in sex assault case GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) -- A former Baptist pastor in West Michigan who was charged with sexually assaulting two boys has made a plea deal with prosecutors. The Grand Rapids Press reports 46-year-old Tedd Butler on Monday pleaded guilty to fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct. Sentencing is Jan. 31. Butler told the court in Grand Rapids he touched the buttocks of a boy younger than 13 who had been attending Sunday school. The case centered on an assault claim dating back more than 20 years at the now disbanded Landmark Baptist Church in Kent County's Algoma Township. Since 2003, Butler was pastor of Gospel Light Baptist Church in Walker, near Grand Rapids. On Tuesday morning in Grand Haven, Butler pleaded guilty to second-degree criminal sexual conduct in an Ottawa County case. Sentencing is Jan. 23. Detroit Bank announces $1.1M in grants for nonprofits DETROIT (AP) -- Detroit nonprofits are getting $1.1 million in grants to help improve neighborhoods, encourage small businesses and train workers. The funding was announced Tuesday by Chase, the U.S. consumer and commercial banking brand of JPMorgan Chase & Co. Chase says the two largest grants are $245,000 to Southwest Solutions and $230,000 to Vanguard Community Development Corp. Those grants aim to help Detroit neighborhoods and improve foreclosure counseling efforts. Gilford Township Plans move ahead for $250M wind turbine project GILFORD TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) -- Plans are moving forward to build electricity-producing wind turbines as part of a $250 million project in three Michigan counties. The Saginaw News report that planning officials in Tuscola County's Gilford Township on Monday voted in favor of Juno Beach, Fla.-based NextEra Energy Inc.'s plans for 63 wind turbines. It's part of a the proposed Tuscola Bay Wind Energy Park. The proposal also calls for turbines in Bay County's Merritt Township and Saginaw County's Blumfield Township. NextEra is negotiating separately those townships. NextEra representatives say they hope to begin building wind turbines in the spring. The area for the project is outside of the Saginaw and Bay City areas. Marquette Mayor: Couple may keep Christmas decoration fence MARQUETTE, Mich. (AP) -- An Upper Peninsula city says a couple may keep up a lighted, front-yard fence that's part of Christmas decorations. Marquette had told Tom and Mary Beard to move the fence or face fines of $50 a day. A Monday's City Commission meeting, however, Mayor John Kivela says the deadline was extended until the first week of January. The Beards installed a wood fence to enhance their decorations. Marquette officials had said it needed to be removed or at least set back by 5 feet to fit a city ordinance. WLUC-TV reported Kivela says the initial decision came across as "Scrooge-like,' but the city was just following up on a complaint. The fence was erected to add more decorations and prevent Grinches from entering the yard and knocking down reindeer. Cassopolis Head of strange Mich. deer to be studied in Ga. CASSOPOLIS, Mich. (AP) -- Wildlife researchers at the University of Georgia will examine the large, swollen head of a deer killed in southwestern Michigan's Cass County. Dale Wallace of Goshen, Ind., tells the Kalamazoo Gazette that he shot the buck while bow hunting last week in Michigan. The deer's nose is extremely large. Scientist Kevin Keel at the University of Georgia believes the chronic inflammation may be due to an infection. Wallace says he told Michigan wildlife officials about the deer but they weren't interested. Wallace posted information about the buck on a website, where it was spotted by Keel. Wallace says he's never seen a deer like it in 20 years of hunting. Caro Deputy gets jail after sex with prisoner on car CARO, Mich. (AP) -- A judge sentenced a former sheriff's deputy to six months in jail Monday for allowing a prisoner to escape in exchange for sex on the hood of his car. Authorities say Dale Tompkins was transporting a woman to Tuscola County from Genesee County in July 2010 when he agreed to accept her offer of sex for freedom. She was under arrest for a probation violation. The Saginaw News said Tompkins was sentenced to 185 days in jail, followed by 180 days wearing an electronic monitor. He pleaded no contest to accepting a bribe and allowing a prisoner to escape. Prosecutor Mark Reene called the conduct "outrageous." "It remains incomprehensible to me how (Tompkins) could think that this could possibly end well," Reene said. Defense attorney Greg Bringard urged the judge to choose probation instead of jail, saying Tompkins isn't a threat to the public. He's no longer a Tuscola County deputy. Reene didn't disclose where Tompkins will serve his jail sentence. Bringard said it's not safe to put him in jail in a county where he worked. Pontiac Jury convicts teen of manslaughter, not murder PONTIAC, Mich. (AP) -- A Detroit-area teen faced with a possible murder conviction and life in prison has instead been found guilty of manslaughter in the fatal stabbing of a 17-year-old at a party. The verdict was returned Monday in Oakland County Circuit Court. Leonard White told jurors last week that he stabbed Johnathan Rickman in self-defense last June in West Bloomfield Township. The 16-year-old claimed Rickman punched him four or five times in the head. Authorities believe White chased Rickman with a knife. Rickman attended Walled Lake Western High School, while White attended Walled Lake Central. The Oakland Press says White will be sentenced on Jan. 4. The judge could sentence him as an adult, a juvenile or blend the punishment. Published: Wed, Dec 14, 2011