State Roundup

Bay City: Plea deal deadline, trial date set in threat case
BAY CITY, Mich. (AP) — A judge has set a Dec. 13 for any plea deal in the case of a northern Michigan man charged with threatening U.S. Rep. Bart Stupak over his vote on health-care legislation.

The date was set Monday during a final pretrial conference in federal court in Bay City. If no deal is struck, trial is scheduled for Jan. 11.

Russell Hesch of West Branch is charged with threatening Stupak and his family over the Democrat’s vote in favor of a health-care law. He’s accused of writing a letter that threatened to paint the Mackinac Bridge with Stupak’s blood.

Hesch’s lawyers say they need time to study a report by a linguistics expert used by the government.

Lansing: State trials test nontraditional bioenergy sources
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan is giving $476,000 to researchers at Michigan State University to show how bioenergy materials can be grown in nontraditional locations like vacant lots and roadsides.

The Michigan Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth announced the grant Monday.

Money for the AgriEnergy Technology Demonstration project comes from federal stimulus funds.

Department head Andy Levin says the project will test ways of growing, harvesting and processing bioenergy crops on a range of sites. It runs through February 2012.

Bioenergy materials can be used to make electricity, heat, biogas, transportation fuels and other products.

Detroit: Cultural preservation event coming to Detroit
DETROIT (AP) — Sessions and workshops on how families can preserve African American items of historical and cultural significance will be held at the Detroit Public Library’s main branch.

The free daylong program Saturday is the eighth in the “Save Our African American Treasures: A National Collections Initiative of Discovery and Preservation” series.

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture says Detroit’s “significance to the history of African Americans cannot be overlooked.”

Family photographs, military uniforms, farm tools and wedding dresses are among items expected to be discussed.

Experts will meet individually with participants on caring for items, but won’t determine monetary values.

Pontiac: Mich. trial set for serial strangling suspect
PONTIAC, Mich. (AP) — A 67-year-old serial strangling suspect was ordered Monday to stand trial on a first-degree murder charge in the 1968 killing of a Pontiac woman.

Nolan R. George of Hamilton, Ohio, is accused of killing Gwendolyn Perry, 36. A judge ruled Monday that his decades-old confession can be used in his trial in Oakland County Circuit Court.
Authorities say George strangled them with their underwear.

Assistant prosecutor John Skrzynski said George’s method of killing showed he planned it and that his motive was sexual gratification.

George had reportedly bragged about the killings while in prison, saying he had killed five to eight women, Skrzynski said.

“He enjoyed strangling these women; he liked to see them kick and jerk and move their arms around,” he said

Defense lawyer Michael McCarthy said George’s statement that he passed out and regained consciousness to find himself strangling Perry shows the killing was not premeditated.

George was freed in 1982 after 12 years in prison for killing Frances Brown, 22, of Lake Orion. He also served time in Ohio for strangling a woman and is suspected in other attacks.

Bay City: Man charged with murder after remains found
BAY CITY, Mich. (AP) — A 22-year-old Bay City man has been charged with murder after authorities say remains believed to be of his missing girlfriend were found in a vacant lot.

Jeffrey Julian II was arraigned Monday on an open murder charge and a charge of removing or carrying away remains. A Bay County District Court judge ordered him held without bond.

Defense lawyer Edward Czuprynski tells The Associated Press it’s too soon to comment on the charges.

Remains believed to be of 33-year-old Lynn Spicer were found Friday. Authorities say Julian reported Spicer missing in August.

A 19-year-old man also is jailed in Troy, Ohio, where he’s awaiting extradition to face charges related to the death.

Monroe Twp.: Utility building $3M solar project near Monroe
MONROE TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — Detroit Edison is building a $3 million solar panel installation on the campus of Monroe County Community College.

A groundbreaking was scheduled for Monday. The installation is part of the electric utility’s SolarCurrents pilot program that aims to install photovoltaic systems on the property or rooftops of customers.

Detroit Edison and the school in July announced the signing of a 20-year agreement that includes installing the 500-kilowatt system. The company says the solar installation is expected to be operational in March.

The school is the first educational institution to participate in the program from the subsidiary of Detroit-based DTE Energy Co. The campus is located in Monroe Township, about 35 miles southwest of Detroit.