State Roundup

Jackson: Police: Man used priest robe to steal church cash
JACKSON, Mich. (AP) — A 52-year-old Jackson man accused of donning a priest’s robe to steal parishioner donations from a church has been arrested.

Sgt. Kevin Hiller tells the Jackson Citizen Patriot the man stole an undisclosed amount of money and checks from St. John Catholic Church about 4:30 p.m. Saturday. Hiller said the man used the robe to gain access to a room where the money was located.

Witnesses helped police identify the man, who was arrested at his home.

Police have not released the suspect’s name. They say he is on parole and remains held at the Jackson County Jail pending parole violation and larceny from a building charges.

Lansing: Teen drivers might face more restrictions in Mich.
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan lawmakers are considering a proposal that would put more passenger restrictions on young drivers.

AAA Michigan says the changes would affect drivers with level 2 intermediate licenses, typically 16-year-olds just starting to drive independently.

Drivers would not be allowed to have more than one passenger under age 21 except for family members or when driving to or from school.

New drivers would not be allowed on the road between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. unless accompanied by an adult or on the way to or from work. Current law has a similar ban between midnight and 5 a.m.

The Michigan House recently passed the bill 79-19 and it could come up in the Senate before the end of the year.

Albion: Sex offender gets ‘Good Neighbor’ award
ALBION, Mich. (AP) — A convicted sex offender has been given an award by a local business group in Calhoun County for his work with a community band.

TV station WWMT says the Albion Chamber of Commerce didn’t know about Ken Fourn’s past. He pleaded no contest to second-degree criminal sexual conduct in 1999 and is on the Michigan sex-offender registry.

Fourn was recently honored with a “Good Neighbor” certificate for more than 30 years of work with the Albion Community Band, 45 miles southwest of Lansing. He tells WWMT that he wouldn’t have accepted  it if he knew it would cause criticism. There have been angry Facebook postings.

He says his criminal case stemmed from a 10-year-old girl who was offended by the way he touched her during a music lesson. Fourn spent two months in jail.