Oxford
Police officer killed in 1925 being honored
OXFORD, Mich. (AP) - A suburban Detroit police officer who was fatally shot in the line of duty in 1925 is being honored with a grave marker at the cemetery where his was buried.
The Detroit News reports retired Oxford police Capt. James Malcolm has been researching the case surrounding the death of John "Jay" Gould since the 1980s. Gould was shot in the chest with a 12-gauge shotgun while on patrol.
After he retired in 2000, Malcolm worked to get Gould's name on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C. Last month, officers placed Gould's headstone, with his name, date of death and the words "Oxford Village night watch killed in the line of duty."
On Tuesday, the police department plans a 6:30 p.m. memorial dedication at Ridgelawn Memorial Cemetery.
Lansing
Group plans review of future use of game areas
LANSING, Mich. (AP) - A review is planned of Michigan's game areas to help determine a vision for their future use and look at ways to expand recreational uses amid conservation efforts.
Plans for the Blue Ribbon Advisory Group were announced last week by Michigan Department of Natural Resources Director Keith Creagh at a meeting of the Natural Resources Commission. The DNR is responsible for creating and maintaining wildlife habitats in the areas.
The DNR says in a statement Monday the group will examine use; funds and agreements to acquire land; potential habitat or strategic management changes that could enhance hunting, trapping or fishing; and prospects for expanding recreational uses.
The group will begin a review of state game areas in southwest Michigan and then focus on those in southeastern Michigan.
Grand Rapids
Program aims to help high-poverty schools improve
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) - A new program aims to raise student achievement at high-poverty schools in the Grand Rapids area.
Royal Oak-based Education Trust-Midwest announced Monday it's launching a program to provide greater support and coaching to teachers and promote collaboration among principals and teachers.
The nonpartisan education research, information and advocacy organization's Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning is based in western Michigan. It's gotten funding from the Steelcase Foundation to help develop district and school leadership through the Kent Learning and Innovation Network.
The network is ramping up its team to prepare to start or deepen work next school year in at least four elementary schools in Grand Rapids Public Schools and Wyoming Public Schools. The program will expand to reach eight western Michigan schools over four years.
Lansing
Bill: All university board meetings must be open
LANSING, Mich. (AP) - A bill would change the Michigan constitution to require all meetings of public university boards to be open to the public.
The Detroit Free Press reports House Resolution O would remove the word "formal" from a section in the constitution detailing which public university board meetings must be open. Currently, universities decide what a formal session is and what isn't.
The bill introduced by Republican state Rep. Martin Howrylak of Troy would need to have a two-thirds vote approving it from both the state House and Senate, then head to the public for a vote.
The Presidents Council is the lobbying group representing the state's 15 public universities. Michael Boulus, executive director of the group, says the legislation is "essentially unnecessary" and the universities currently follow the state constitution.
Battle Creek
Man seeking 'suicide by cop' dies in shootout
BATTLE CREEK, Mich. (AP) - Battle Creek police report that a 19-year-old man who said he wanted police to kill him was fatally shot when both he and officers opened fire.
The shooting happened Sunday morning in the western Michigan city. Police tell WOOD-TV that a family member called about 10:40 a.m. saying the man had taken a relative's gun and wanted to die.
Police say the man then called 911 several times, claiming to be unarmed and saying he wanted to commit "suicide by cop."
Chief Jim Blocker says officers found the man, who pulled a gun from his waistband.
Blocker says the man ignored "loud and clear" warnings from the officers to drop his gun. The chief says the man and officers both fired.
State police are investigating.
Lansing
Program gathers aerial pictures from around state
LANSING, Mich. (AP) - A Michigan program in collaboration with local partners and four universities is entering a third year of gathering high-quality aerial photography from around the state.
The program's goal is to cover the entire state in five years by getting nearly 12,000 square miles, or about 20 percent of the state, each year. The images are used in infrastructure mapping, property assessment, emergency response, planning, zoning and more.
The program is managed by the state's Technology, Management and Budget department.
Department Director David Behen says the collaboration "benefits government agencies on all levels" because organizations wouldn't be able to access the information if they had to purchase the images on their own.
Local partners will contribute more than $2.7 million to the program this year.
Rochester Hills
Man recites call to prayer in all 50 states in 35 days
ROCHESTER HILLS, Mich. (AP) - A Michigan marketing executive has recited the Muslim call to prayer in all 50 states.
Jameel Syed, 40, finished his 35-day trek Friday at the Islamic Association of Greater Detroit in the suburb of Rochester Hills. That's where he regularly delivers the call to prayer, the Detroit Free Press reported Friday.
The trip included reciting the call on a Hawaiian beach after meeting with non-Muslims and inside a prayer room at Disneyland with Mickey Mouse.
He also visited the mosque in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, attended by three college students who were killed in February. Authorities have said the man accused of the slayings was motivated by a long-running dispute over parking spaces but the victims' families and others say they were targeted because of their faith.
Syed says some anti-Muslim bloggers criticized his trip but he called it a positive, "epic journey." He plans to write a book and produce a documentary.
The Auburn Hills resident said he sought to promote peace, not push faith.
"I don't like throwing religion in people's faces," he said. "I was in awe of the generosity and hospitality and love from people I never knew before."
Syed, founder and CEO of the Fluidvisions marketing firm, planned the trip for months.
Detroit
Death toll from defective ignition switches up to 100
DETROIT (AP) - The families of at least 100 people who died in crashes caused by faulty General Motors ignition switches will be offered compensation by the company.
The number revealed Monday by attorney Kenneth Feinberg, who was hired by GM to compensate victims, is the first acknowledgement by the company that the defective switches have caused at least 100 deaths. The total stood at 97 as of last week.
Through much of last year, GM had blamed the switches for 13 deaths but conceded the toll would rise. During a Congressional hearing on the switches in June, Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Colo., said the death toll could rise to 100 based on lawsuits and media reports.
Feinberg has said each validated death claim would start at $1 million and rise depending on the circumstances of the crash. The company, he said, would pay claims regardless of whether the victims contributed to the cause of the crash.
In addition, GM has agreed to make offers to another 184 people who were injured in crashes caused by the switches in older-model small cars such as the Chevrolet Cobalt.
Feinberg's compensation fund received 4,342 claims by the Jan. 31 deadline, and about 14 percent of those are still under review.
Published: Tue, May 12, 2015
