Daily Briefs

Levin Center at Wayne Law announces Award for Excellence in Oversight Research


The Levin Center at Wayne State University Law School is accepting submissions for the inaugural Levin Center Award for Excellence in Oversight Research, in honor of former U.S. Sen. Carl Levin’s leadership in promoting fact-based, bipartisan oversight investigations.

The award, which carries a $1,000 prize and an invitation to present the paper at Wayne Law, recognizes scholarly papers that examine important oversight issues by legislative bodies at the national, state, tribal, local, or international levels and that contribute to efforts to improve public policy. Complete criteria and submission details can be found at go.wayne.edu/oversightresearch. Submissions for the 2018-19 academic year will be accepted until June 1, 2019.

The Levin Center at Wayne Law promotes constructive research into oversight by legislative bodies. Last year, it hosted a Scholars Roundtable on Congressional Oversight and, in conjunction with the Wayne Law Review, a symposium featuring original research papers on oversight issues. The center has developed an online hub for oversight scholars, assembling relevant materials and research, and an oversight scholars list-serv with more than 100 members.

For more information on the Levin Center’s work, visit law.wayne.edu/levincenter.

 

Plans in works for $250 million solar farm


HAZELTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — Plans are in the works for a roughly $250 million solar farm in mid-Michigan.

The Flint Journal reports that Ranger Power's project being detailed Wednesday would be built on 1,200 acres (486 hectares) of land in Shiawassee County's Hazelton and Venice townships.

Representatives of Ranger Power say they have lease agreements or purchase options for the land, which is mostly farmland and vacant property.

Officials say construction at the site about 65 miles (105 kilometers) northwest of Detroit could begin by the end of 2019 and the solar farm could be operational by 2020.

 

Owners of dogs killed by police win civil rights appeal
 

DETROIT (AP) — A federal court says the owners of three dogs killed by Detroit police during a raid can pursue a civil rights lawsuit against the officers.

The city argued that the unlicensed dogs were illegal under a 99-year-old Michigan law. But an appeals court says police can't "kill every unlicensed dog on the spot," just like they can't immediately destroy an unlicensed car.

The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals says the owners were entitled to due process. In a 2-1 opinion Monday, the court says a Fourth Amendment right against unreasonable seizure applies in two of the three dog deaths. The owners' attorney, Christopher Olson, says he's pleased.

The case will go to trial in Detroit federal court or be settled.

Police say Debo, a pit bull, and Smoke, a Rottweiler, were aggressive during a search for drugs in 2015.

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