State Roundup

St. Joseph Niles teen's motion for new murder trial is denied ST. JOSEPH, Mich. (AP) -- A judge has denied a Niles teenager's motion that he be allowed to again stand trial in the fatal shooting of his grandfather. Dakotah Eliason was charged as an adult in the March 7, 2010, killing of 69-year-old Jesse Miles at the victim's home in the southwestern Michigan community of Buchanan. Eliason was 14 at the time. He was convicted of first-degree murder on Aug. 19, 2010. Eliason appealed the conviction, and the Michigan Court of Appeals ordered Berrien County Trial Judge Scott Schofield to hold an evidentiary hearing on Eliason's claim that his trial attorney provided ineffective assistance. Schofield held the hearing, and the county prosecutor's office said in a news release Tuesday the judge denied Eliason's motion. The case now goes back to the appeals court. Traverse City Former hospital chapel to become restaurant TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) -- A former Traverse City chapel that once was part of a state hospital is getting a new life as a restaurant as part of a new $3 million redevelopment. The Traverse City Record-Eagle reports the building housing All Faiths Chapel was used by Traverse City State Hospital patients and included a kitchen that churned meals for patients and staff. The chapel side has high ceilings, stained glass windows and ornate features. The developers of The Village at Grand Traverse Commons have been renovating the former hospital site for years. The restaurant is part of the latest round of work. The aim is for the former chapel building to include a restaurant and social hall for weddings, theater screenings and meetings. Construction is to wrap up by year's end. Detroit Michigan gets $19.6M for community health centers DETROIT (AP) -- The federal government says Michigan is getting about $19.6 million for community health centers as part of a nationwide effort to expand the availability of health care. Officials with the Department of Health and Human Services on Tuesday announced the funding as part of the Affordable Care Act, President Barack Obama's health care overhaul. The government says money totaling more than $728 million nationwide will support renovation and construction projects. Projects in Algonac, Battle Creek, Carleton, Cassopolis and East Jordan are getting money under a Building Capacity Program. Projects in Algonac, Baldwin, Detroit, Grand Rapids and Taylor are getting money under an Immediate Facility Improvement Program. Detail about the funds is posted on the department's website. Ionia Letter: Ex-teacher impregnated teen in sex case IONIA, Mich. (AP) -- A letter presented in court says a 59-year-old former Michigan teacher who authorities say had a sexual relationship with a then-16-year-old girl in 2010 has impregnated her this year. Former Saranac High teacher Krag Sanford appeared Monday in an Ionia courtroom for a hearing on two counts of distributing sexually explicit materials to a minor. He was arrested this year after authorities said he had a sexual relationship with the teen. The Sentinel-Standard reports the letter requested Sanford and the teen be allowed to be in contact because she is about eight weeks pregnant with his child. District Court Chief Judge Raymond Voet denied the request. A message was left Tuesday morning with Sanford's lawyer. Sanford also faces a charge in Kent County that's related to the case. Lansing DNR program to resolve public land encroachments LANSING, Mich. (AP) -- The Department of Natural Resources has started a program to help people resolve issues of encroachment on public land. The DNR says its Encroachment Resolution Initiative is an effort to "work with property owners who are trespassing by having either a permanent structure or historical encroachment on public land." The department says it's writing to property owners with known encroachments on public land, telling them they're eligible to resolve their cases without penalty through the initiative. Applications will be accepted from Tuesday through Dec. 31. If a property owner can show that an encroachment happened before March 1, 1973, the property will be transferred to the property owner. Later structural encroachments will be resolved through sales. Lansing Michigan caucus backs 'Judeo-Christian' beliefs LANSING, Mich. (AP) -- A prayer caucus being formed in the Michigan Legislature that specifically endorses Judeo-Christian tradition is drawing criticism for ignoring Islam and other religions. Lawmakers plan to launch the Michigan Legislative Prayer Caucus on Wednesday, with Republican Lt. Gov. Brian Calley attending, according to Mlive.com. In its declaration of establishment, the caucus said that it is "a bipartisan body of believers of Scriptural Truth, adhering to established Judeo-Christian principles and Religious Liberties that were widely practiced by the Founders of these United States of America and the state of Michigan." Rep. Ken Kurtz, R-Coldwater said he plans to chair the caucus, which he said is for "those who so desire that want to join together for prayer and encouragement for one another and on behalf of our state. We felt it was something that was very admirable." Kurtz said the caucus is primarily for lawmakers of Judeo-Christian beliefs but said anyone may join. "People are welcome to join us in prayer, we make no distinction," he said. The Michigan head of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, Dawud Walid, said the caucus's statements were bothersome and self-contradicting. "I'm a firm believer that our elected officials have the right to have their values guided by their sincerely held religious convictions," Walid said. "However I'm somewhat troubled by the exclusionary language. ... On the one hand it's being articulated that it's open to all. On the other hand, there's some exclusionary language in there." Another caucus participant, Sen. Tom Casperson, R-Escanaba, said he's been praying Wednesdays with lawmakers for several years. "We're not trying to exclude anybody," he said. "Our goal is to let folks know what we believe in." Published: Wed, May 2, 2012