State Roundup

Munsing Township Police: Mich. inmate strangled by fellow prisoner MUNISING TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) -- State police say a 39-year-old inmate from Detroit was strangled to death by a fellow prisoner at the Alger Correctional Facility in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Police said in a statement Tuesday that an inmate reported that Carlos Marquis Love had a seizure May 31 at the prison in Alger County's Munising Township and was unconscious. Attempts by prison staff to resuscitate Love were unsuccessful. An investigation by police and the Michigan Department of Corrections determined that Love didn't die of natural causes and an autopsy determined he was strangled. State police detective Sgt. Clint Michelin says a fellow inmate is suspected in the death. Michelin says the investigation is ongoing. Love had been incarcerated since 1992. Police say he was serving prison terms for armed robbery and possessing a weapon. Traverse City Man charged with selling live Asian carp in Mich. TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) -- Michigan authorities have charged a man with 12 counts of selling live Asian carp in violation of a state law meant to prevent the spread of invasive species. The state attorney general's office said Tuesday that 42-year-old David Shane Costner of Harrisburg, Ark., sold two grass carp to undercover investigators with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources last month in Midland. Officials said Costner was hauling illegal carp around Michigan in a semi-truck and selling them from store parking lots. They said he also was selling legal fish species such as channel catfish, largemouth bass and fathead minnows. Grass carp are among several carp varieties imported from Asia that have spread in U.S. waterways. The two species considered most likely to invade the Great Lakes are silver and bighead carp. Detroit Glimpse at Detroit history to be available online DETROIT (AP) -- The Detroit Historical Society is working to make its collections more widely accessible. On Thursday, an online database featuring more than 6,000 artifacts will be launched with an event at downtown Detroit's Renaissance Center. Computers will be set up for the public to have first access. The launch comes as the Detroit Historical Museum is closed for six months of renovations. The database is supported by $150,000 grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Access will be available through the Detroit Historical Society's website. The Historical Society is in the midst of a $20 million campaign to fund the renovation and preservation of the museum's exhibits and collections. The Dossin Great Lakes Museum on Belle Isle also will be improved under the fundraising campaign. Sandusky Last known wild wolverine in Mich. going on tour SANDUSKY, Mich. (AP) -- The last known wild wolverine in Michigan, which was stuffed and mounted after being found dead along a trail in 2010, is going on tour. A traveling exhibit featuring the animal opened Monday at the Sanilac County courthouse, Times Herald of Port Huron reported. About 40 people turned out for the first stop of the "Lone Wolverine Tour," which will be in Sandusky about 75 miles north of Detroit until June 18. "It's a great day in Sanilac County that we can bring the wolverine home," said Republican state Sen. Mike Green of Mayville. The next stop on the tour is in Huron County. The mounted wolverine previously was displayed at a visitor's center at the Bay City State Recreation Area. Wildlife experts don't know for sure how the female wolverine arrived in Michigan. Wolverines are the largest land-living members of the weasel family. Until 2004, the last known Michigan sightings of wild wolverines were in the early 1800s. Their reputation as fierce hunters led to their selection as a mascot for the state and for the University of Michigan's sports teams. In 2004, coyote hunters spotted the wolverine about 90 miles north of Detroit. It lived primarily in the Minden City State Game Area in Sanilac County. No others have been sighted. Former Deckerville High School science teacher Jeff Ford spent years tracking, photographing and getting video of the animal. Ford and journalist Elizabeth Shaw recently released a book about Ford's time tracking the wolverine, "The Lone Wolverine," from The University of Michigan Press. Linda Tennant of Brown City brought her 18-month-old grandson, Wayne Bouck, to the unveiling on Monday. She said she had followed news accounts of the wolverine. "It's amazing because there aren't very many," Tennant said. "I think she's beautiful, and I really hope there are more. I never thought I would get to see her. It's an honor." Marquette Federal trial set for UP man in explosives case MARQUETTE, Mich. (AP) -- A northern Michigan man goes on trial this month in Marquette federal court on accusations he bought and concealed 4,000 pounds of explosives, packing the power of the blast used in the Oklahoma City federal building attack. John Lechner of Sault Ste. Marie has a pretrial conference Tuesday. The trial starts June 18. Lechner quit an earlier deal with prosecutors calling for the dropping of four counts in exchange for his plea to an explosives possession charge. Authorities arrested him last September after an informant told Chippewa County sheriff's officials that Lechner requested help moving a large quantity of ammonium nitrate and fuel oil. Authorities aren't accusing him of plotting to detonate the mixture. Prosecutors also charged Ken Kassab of Brimley. A plea agreement for Kassab was filed last month. Published: Wed, Jun 6, 2012