State Roundup

Lansing Snyder signs bills on crime victim compensation LANSING, Mich. (AP) -- Gov. Rick Snyder has signed several new pieces of legislation, including a package of bills on compensation for Michigan crime victims. The governor's office says Snyder signed three bills that clarify definitions and strengthens compensation requirements and programs for crime victims. The bills were sponsored by fellow Republican state Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker of Lawton. Snyder also has signed a bill that amends the Michigan Liquor Control Code. The measure removes a barrel production limit and allows brewers that aren't licensed as micro brewers to sell their beer to the public for on-site drinking. Republican state Rep. Margaret O'Brien of Portage is that measure's backer. Marquette Woman in island litter case agrees to pay $325 MARQUETTE, Mich. (AP) -- A Minnesota woman who repeatedly failed to appear in a Michigan court for littering at a national park has agreed to pay $325 to close the case. Ginger Postells acknowledged that she's in contempt of court for missing her last hearing in federal court in Marquette, her third no-show at the Upper Peninsula courthouse. The Braham, Minn., woman was accused of littering at Isle Royale National Park during a visit in July 2010. In a court filing last week, she agreed to pay $225 for the littering ticket and $100 for contempt of court. U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy Greeley hasn't responded. Isle Royale is a national park in the northwest corner of Lake Superior. Pittsfield Twp. U.S. reviewing anti-Muslim school bias complaint PITTSFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) -- The U.S. Attorney's Office in Detroit is reviewing a religious discrimination complaint against a community for denying a zoning change request to allow construction of a Muslim school. The Michigan Islamic Academy wants to build at a 26-acre site in Washtenaw County's Pittsfield Township. "We are reviewing the matter and whether to proceed with a formal investigation," Assistant U.S. Attorney Judith Levy told The Detroit News for a story Tuesday. On Oct. 26, the township board rejected the request, following an earlier rejection by the township planning commission. School officials say the 200-student school is too big for its location in nearby Ann Arbor. Township Supervisor Mandy Grewal said the decision isn't based on religion. "We are an open, respectful and diverse community here in Pittsfield Township" Grewal said after the October decision. "We have a track record, most recently the planning commission approved a mosque." The Council on American-Islamic Relations said the decision violated the First Amendment right of religious freedom, and it asked the Justice Department to investigate. "We believe this is a blatant violation of the (school's) constitutional right to open the school on their property," said Lena Masri, a lawyer for the group. Lansing Many reasons for drunk driving crash drop in Mich. LANSING, Mich. (AP) -- Experts say there's no single reason for the big drop in alcohol-related crashes and deaths in Michigan over the past decade. Michigan had 4,007 crashes linked to alcohol in 2010, down 38 percent from 6,485 in 2001, according to police records. The state had 264 fatal crashes in 2010 that involved drinking, compared with 419 in 2001. That's a 37 percent drop. Several factors are behind the trend, according to Lynn Sutfin of the state police Office of Highway Safety Planning. "It's not one particular thing," Sutfin told The Detroit News for a story Monday. "It's a combination of things. Some of it is due to a decrease in overall crash fatalities, some of it is due to people making smarter decisions; vehicles have better safety features and the roadways have improved." Crashes of all kinds killed 937 people in Michigan in 2010, down 29 percent from 1,328 in 2001, according to a state police report in May. Total crashes dropped 30 percent, from 400,813 to 282,075. The state figures reflect a broader trend. Nationally, deaths in crashes involving drunken drivers dropped 4.9 percent from 2009 to 2010, the National Highway Safety Administration reported this month. It said there were 10,228 drunken driving deaths in 2010, down from 10,759 in 2009. While drunken driving crashes and deaths have been heading down overall, this season usually sees a jump. "The number of drunken driving incidents always spikes around holidays like Christmas, New Year's Eve and the Fourth of July," Sutfin said. "There are more people on the road and people are celebrating." Police have been making fewer drunken driving arrests in Michigan, whether because of more responsible motorists or fewer officers on the street. Statewide, there were 41,883 drunken driving arrests in 2010, down 28 percent from 58,562 in 2001. Michigan defines drunkenness as a blood alcohol level of 0.08 percent. A new "super drunk" law that took effect in October sets harsher penalties for those with a blood alcohol level of 0.17 percent or more. One expert credits greater awareness of the penalties for drunken driving with causing many people to change their habits. "Losing your license or getting a restriction on it for 90 days and having it on your record for the rest of your life -- all of it makes an impression and could impact your livelihood," said Gail Peterson, executive director of the Traffic Safety Association of Macomb County. Saginaw Holiday time tough for military, their families SAGINAW, Mich. (AP) -- The holiday season can be tough for people in the military and their families, and state officials are offering coping tips to make it easier for those close to the 15,000 Michigan residents who are deployed around the world. Angela Simpson, a spokeswoman for the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, 550 service members from Saginaw, Midland and Bay counties are among those away from home this holiday season. Most are on active duty in Afghanistan, Simpson said. Those deployed from the Saginaw area include 125 members of the Michigan Army National Guard's Saginaw-based Bravo company, which deployed for a year in October. Capt. Aaron Jenkins, also with the state military department, said holidays are bittersweet for active duty personnel and those awaiting their return. "We miss so many holidays, we really learn how to appreciate the little things other people take for granted, like being with family during holidays, birthdays and softball games," he told The Saginaw News. During deployments, families face a number of difficulties beyond the holidays, including issues back home such as a broken snow blower or a leak in the roof. For a number of reasons, Jenkins said, support groups can be important for military families. "The families learn to be teams, just like the soldiers are teams," he said. John Smith of the San Antonio, Texas-based group Operation Homefront recommended that soldiers and their families use technology such as Facebook and Skype to connect, especially during Christmas and other holidays. Smith is a 30-year military veteran and said he experienced many Christmases without his family by his side. Operation Homefront can help with emergency services, including financial help for home repairs and food assistance for military families. It also offers educational courses for dealing with emotional issues and morale-boosting events. Published: Wed, Dec 28, 2011