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Grand Rapids police officer shot; recovering after
surgery. A little after 3 p.m. yesterday, a man ran into a
business on Century Ave. south of Hall St., near Stolpe St. His hand
was hurt and bleeding. He was yelling in Spanish that he needed the
police.
The call went to Officer Lori
Dykstra (age 37). She radioed for another who could speak Spanish.
That turned out to be Grand Rapids police chaplain Father Dennis
Morrow. He arrived in a few minutes and talked to the man -- who had
calmed down, but wasn't making sense the whole time. Morrow went out
to his cruiser to report on his computer. Dykstra found out the man
lived or was staying at a house nearby on Shamrock St., and decided
to take him there to get help or at least find out what happened.
That's when it happened.
He grabbed for her gun. Grand
Rapids police officers carry a "40-caliber" automatic -- a mighty
hefty handgun that throws a serious round. And they were
only inches apart. They fell to the floor, scuffled -- and he got it
away from her. He squeezed off several shots -- and she took one. It
went through her right arm into her chest. An employee of the
business jumped on the man -- who still had the gun, with his finger
in the trigger guard. She managed to call out on her radio.
Father Morrow, the chaplain,
heard the radio call and ran back inside. While the other person held
the shooter spread-eagle on the floor, Morrow got the gun out of the
shooter's hand. They probably saved all their lives. Then the cavalry
arrived.
The bullet smashed one of
Dykstra's ribs and collapsed her lung. Late last night she was in
surgery at Butterworth to remove the slug. Officer Dykstra is the
first woman officer in Grand Rapids to take a gunshot on
duty. She's a six-year veteran, working "community affairs" in the
southwest neighborhood.
The last GRPD officer to take a
bullet was ten years ago -- that was Officer Joseph Taylor, who was
killed by a murder suspect.
Yesterday's shooter may be the
same man who stopped by a gas station and a bank earlier in the day,
bothering people enough to make them call police. He went away
quietly both times. We still don't know what his problem was, and
police haven't released his name. His hand was patched-up at St.
Mary's Hospital. He's in Kent County jail and will be arraigned
tomorrow morning.
Hilltop Restaurant in Bailey north of Casnovia
burns. Alarm came in around 4:30 a.m., and it took about an
hour to put out. No report on damages. The landmark on M-37 probably
won't be be able to open until sometime next year (which could be as
soon as Monday, remember). The Hilltop Bakery next door is closed for
the season.
Federico Cruz sentenced. Earlier this month he was
convicted of killing and beheading another young man. The judge could
have chosen to sentence him as a juvenile, since he was 17 when he
did it. Then he would have gotten out when he was 21. The victim's
mother was in the courtroom yesterday and asked the judge to put him
away for ever. A probation officer and a social worker urged that he
be sentenced as an adult. After smirking and grinning through the
hearings and some of the trial, he managed to tell the court he was
sorry, but not much else.
Judge Dennis Lieber gave him life
without parole. He'll go the state correctional facility at Ionia. He
asked the court to appoint an attorney to begin the appeal.
Muskegon Boy Scout volunteer ordered to stand trial for
raping and molesting children. Thomas Barr now faces eight
counts of "criminal sexual conduct" and could get life in prison if
convicted.
Remember the jail break yesterday morning? His name
is Isaac McKee (age 23). Around 7:15 yesterday morning, he broke away
from a probation officer during a transfer at the Grand Rapids city
jail at Wealthy St. and Front Ave. He ran south, past Wealthy, and
jumped the sea-wall into the Grand River -- and tried to swim
away, even though he had hand-cuffs on. He was in the water up to his
chest for about 15 minutes. He finally waded back to police. He was
treated for hypothermia and is back in a nice, warm cell. He was on
probation for breaking-and-entering, and assault.
Sandor Ola faces suit from the Hall family. He's the
doctor in Hamilton (south of Holland) who injected Petra Hall with
"essiac," an herbal tea, as a treatment for her leukemia. She died a
short time later. You're supposed to drink it. His
license was yanked, and he's facing criminal charges from the state.
Now her family has slammed him and the company that makes the tea
with a civil suit for "wrongful death."
TCI will refund cable customers. The FCC
found a mistake in the way TCI calculates cable bills. It was
overcharging by about a dollar a month for most packages beyond basic
cable. Almost all of TCI's 125,000 customers around Grand Rapids have
more than basic cable. So in the February bill, there will be a
credit. Most will be over $10. East Grand Rapids customers will get
the biggest refund, $14.26.
Congratulations to Casey Barnoski! Last weekend, the
Comstock Park High School senior got two wins and placed third at the
Central Montcalm wrestling tournament, for a career record of 101
wins and 42 losses. That's the tenth best wrestling record in the
school's history, and she has a shot at getting into the top
five.
Did you catch the "she?" Casey is
the first girl in America to rack up a hundred wrestling
wins.
"Beanie Baby" shortage is over. The day after
Christmas, classifieds in the Grand Rapids Press had about thirty ads
for Beanie Babies, and almost as many for "Sleep-n-Snore Ernie."
There were still some "Princess Di" bears as of yesterday.
Festival is looking for its next poster. "Grand Rapids
Festival of the Arts," that big crowd that takes over downtown on the
first weekend of June with live performances, galleries, craft sales,
face painting and food booths, is taking entries for this year's
poster art. There's no special theme, just "Festival 98." It has to
be 18-by-24 inches, mounted on a 20-by-30 inch board. Winner gets
$500. The poster will be printed to promote Festival, and it'll be
sold as a souvenir. Plus for years to come it'll be displayed in the
exhibition of past posters at Festival. Entry forms are at the Arts
Council, 459-2787. Entries will be taken at the Red Cross on Fuller
Ave. the week of January 26.
Jail break; prisoner jumps in the river. But they
got him back. At about 7:15 a.m., a man ran from the Grand Rapids
jail at Front Ave. and Wealthy St. He was handcuffed, with his hands
behind his back. The guards couldn't find him for a while, because he
jumped the sea-wall into the Grand River. They spotted him standing
in about four feet of water. He refused to come out, but they knew he
wouldn't go very far. Police called an ambulance and the fire
department's river-rescue team because it wouldn't take long for
hypothermia to set in. Eventually the guy figured that out, and
finally waded back to the sea-wall. Police helped him over, wrapped
him in a blanket, checked the cuffs again, and hauled him away.
Grand Rapids prepares to close out the year with its
second-highest murder count ever. We've had 25 this year.
The record is 34, set in 1993. Last year (1996) we had 21. In almost
all of them, the victim and the killer knew each other. Very often
it's about drugs: turf war, or debt collection, or simple bandit
attacks for drugs or cash. Grand Rapids has a strong, healthy economy
-- with very little unemployment, and many people with disposable,
recreational income. Drug dealers in Chicago and Detroit know that,
and work on developing business in West Michigan.
Yesterday, Grand Rapids police
released the name of homicide victim number 24 -- Nino Caprio (age
37) was stabbed to death Saturday morning at 7:30. The killer walked
up to the house where Caprio was staying on Sheridan Ave. near
Grandville Ave. and Franklin St. He threatened the people there and
pushed his way through the house and into the basement where he found
Caprio. They argued, scuffled -- then the man stabbed Caprio. The
killer went up the stairs and got into his car with the knife still
in his hand. He drove away in a blue Ford Taurus.
Police are looking for a man
named Roberto Foulksfarfan. They believe Caprio had a disagreement
with the suspect's girlfriend.
The 25th homicide was just a few
hours later. Dontis Searcy (age 24) was shot and killed in a house
near Wealthy and Fuller. A suspect was arrested Sunday night and will
be arraigned this morning. Police say it was over a gambling debt
Searcy owed. Both victim and suspect have big criminal records.
New laws with the New Year. Changes in the state income tax
include raising the personal exemption from $2,500 to $2,800; the
exemptions for children will be $300 (ages 7 through 12) and $600
(through age 6).
Also, the "intangibles" tax is
gone, meaning the state won't be taxing you twice on income from
stocks and bonds.
Also, the state will consolidate
the family court system. This will make it simpler for couples to
divorce. Custody, visitation and support issues will be heard by one
judge in one courtroom, instead of getting separate hearings in
different court systems.
Governor signs package of child protection laws.
Yesterday at a ceremony in Lansing, Governor Engler executed a bundle
of ten bills. They enact 42 specific recommendations of the
"Children's Commission" that was put together by Lieutenant Governor
Connie Binsfeld. Among other things it's now illegal for birth
mothers to sell parental rights, which are sometimes sought by
childless couples. Adoption will be easier. There will also be some
reforms to the child welfare system, smoother way for placing
children in foster families, and tougher abuse and neglect
investigations.
Co-founder of Rogers Department Store dies. Greta
Berkowitz was 83 when she passed away on Sunday after several years
of illness. Rogers Department Store will be closed today in her
memory. She came to America from Poland shortly before the start of
World War II and didn't know a word of English. She and her husband,
Hy Berkowitz, founded Rogers Department Store in 1955, when there was
nothing but farms in that part of Kent County. They grew it
into one of the biggest and most successful stores in Michigan. The
two of them shared much of their prosperity with the community. She
leaves five grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Funeral
service will be at 1 p.m. today at Ahavas Israel on Michigan St. NE.
Shiva will be at their home at 7:30 p.m. through Sunday (except
Friday).
Ionia County sheriff steps down. Actually, it's out
and up. Starting January 18, Terrence Jungel will be running the
Michigan Sheriffs Association, the lawmen-and-women's lobby group in
Lansing. He's been in office 13 years, longer than any other Ionia
sheriff, and he's been with the department for 24 years. His
four-year term still has three to go, and the county clerk,
prosecutor and probate judge will pick his successor.
Jenison High School marching band will be on national TV tomorrow
morning. Watch the Fiesta Bowl parade starting at 9 on
Channel 3. Today they're playing in the Fiesta Bowl National
Championship of Bands.
Federico Cruz will be sentenced today. The Sparta teen was
convicted earlier this month of killing and beheading another young
man. His "insanity" defense didn't convince the jury.
Lisa and Mark Kok were sentenced yesterday. She was
convicted of third-degree child abuse after her young daughter was
found by neighbors on the street. The little girl had broken out of
the basement where she was locked-up in a cage as punishment. They
both got the maximum sentence. She'll get two years in jail; he'll
get one year for standing by and letting it happen.
Want free wood chips from the city? Grand Rapids hauled away
tons of tree parts and brush because of that ice storm. It was
shredded into big piles of chips and mulch, much bigger piles than
they usually have. And now the Christmas tree shredding has begun. So
if you'd like some mulch, go get it! The big pile is by the gympsum
mines at 2000 Butterworth St. SW. It's also in Riverside Park.
Between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. you can just walk up and take what you
want. If it's for a non-profit organization, the city will deliver it
for free. If they can't unload enough this way to make room, they'll
have to pay (with your tax dollars) to have it hauled away.
Gasoline prices are down! By about 3 cents per
gallon on average statewide, according to AAA of Michigan. Low price
is around 96 cents a gallon, high end is about $1.25.
Two murders in Grand Rapids on Saturday. Around
7:30 a.m., a man walked up to a house on Sheridan Ave., parallel to
Grandville Ave., between Franklin and Hall Sts. SW. He argued with
the man who answered the door, then stabbed him. The victim died in
the hospital E-R. Police have released the names of neither the
victim or the stabber.
Then around 3 p.m., Dontis Searcy
(age 24) of Grand Rapids was found dead from several gunshot wounds
in a house in the southeast -- on Freyling Place off Wealthy St.,
between Fuller and Diamond. Police had sent units after a resident
called to report hearing gunshots, but they found nothing and nobody
who could tell them anything. About a half-hour later, someone else
called and said there was a body in that house. A man's in jail and
will be charged this morning. Police have not released the suspect's
name or what the shooting was about.
Muskegon Heights shooter empties Chicken Coop. It
was the Chicken Coop Restaurant on Sanford Ave., around 2:30 a.m.
yesterday. Police cruisers pulled up to find customers running out
into the parking lot. Inside was a 27-year-old man who'd been shot in
the stomach. He's is "serious" condition in the hospital. The shooter
got away and Heights police are looking for him.
Crash with police cruiser. One woman went to the
hospital, should be okay. Shortly before 11 p.m. last night, the
police car was running with lights and sirens and went through the
intersection of 32nd St. and Division Ave. It hit one car and sent it
into a telephone pole, then the cruiser spun around and smacked into
another car. The driver of that last car was the one who went to the
E-R.
Two bank robberies within 45 minutes. They were both Old
Kent branches, on Friday. The first tripped the alarm at 11:18 a.m.
in the branch on Eastern Ave. just south of Burton St. The second was
at 11:55 at the Old Kent on Michigan St. across from Butterworth
Hospital. So far, police don't think it was the same guy, although
there were similarities in the the descriptions by witnesses. They
were both tall, black men who passed notes demanding money. Both said
they had a gun (but nobody saw one), both got away with a handful of
money. Know anybody who suddenly had a lot of money Friday night?
Grand Rapids Police need your help -- 456-3404. If you call Silent
Observer at 774-2345, you don't have to give your name.
Fire destroys home, evicts families. The big
100-year-old house on Lincoln St. near 128th Ave. caught fire Friday
around 11 a.m., possibly from a lit cigarette left unattended on the
first floor. Five fire departments worked together to put it out. It
was tough because it was so old, and lacked the modern "fire-stops"
built into newer homes. Fire-fighters were inside when a floor
started to collapse, so they had to finish from outside. Two families
were renting, and ended up homeless. One of them included the fourth
generation; grandfather of the youngest had been born in the house.
Everything was destroyed, including Christmas presents.
Boyfriend of woman found in river is charged with 2nd-degree
murder. Mark Owen Wade of Kentwood (age 45) was arraigned
Friday morning in the death of Glenna Sue Watson. Her body was found
in the Grand River about two weeks ago. A fingerprint check gave
police her name and led to bloodstains on the river seawall downtown,
then led to Wade last week. He told police they'd had an argument,
and she stepped out of his truck which then knocked her down and
rolled over her. Hearing for trial will be next week. He's in jail on
$25,000 bail.
Butterworth dump will get a water-proof clay cap, and the
polluters will pay the bill. The old dump site is owned by
the city of Grand Rapids. It's 180 acres along the Grand River south
of Butterworth St. and east of John Ball Zoo. It took lots of
chemical wastes in the 1960s and 1970s and now is on the EPA's
"Superfund" list. The plan is to cover it with two feet of waterproof
clay. That will stop rainwater from seeping into the soil and washing
the chemicals into the river. It'll cost $22-million. About a million
pounds of clay is already on the site. About 50 businesses have been
told they're going to cover the cost. The city and four big users --
GM, Consumers Energy, Wickes Manufacturing and Waste Management --
have already paid about $2-million just for the study and planning.
The big guys don't want to foot the whole bill by themselves, so they
tracked down the names of everybody else who sent stinky stuff. How
much from who is still being figured out. By the way, Waste
Management has the contract for managing the capping
operation.
Hung-up hang-glider may be billed for five hour rescue.
You'll remember we told you about the guy, who last Tuesday went
hang-gliding and crashed into the dunes south of Holland. He was
stuck in the trees in a very tough spot. Fire trucks couldn't get
close enough on the sandy slopes, and the branches were too tangled
for the Coast Guard rescuer who was lowered from a chopper. Finally,
they got him out with a modified, extra-long cherry-picker-type
ladder on a truck. A new "cost-recovery" ordinance allows the rescue
units to collect from the people they save, and the crane alone cost
$600. The rest of the bill is still being added up. The guy (who's 45
years old and is fairly new to hang-gliding) came close to
hypothermia and frostbite, but should be okay. He's grateful to his
rescuers, and allowed as to how he'd be willing to help cover some of
the costs.
GRCC will meet with faculty for contract talks
today. They broke for the holiday, and get back to business
this morning. Instructors have been working without a contract for
two years. Last month they gave the board a taste of a strike by
calling a "study day." Teachers appeared in class, but didn't present
any new material. Instead, they answered questions and helped
students individually.
Happy Boxing Day! Happy gift-exchanging season!
It hasn't been a great shopping season, to listen to West Michigan
retailers. They haven't counted the final till, of course, but the
sense is that this holiday shopping season is soft, with less than
the 3 per cent growth they had hoped would offset inflation. So they
want you to know they're cutting prices and forcing clearances just
in time for exchanges and after-Christmas bargain-hunting. Meijer's
open, of course. Target and Wal-Mart fire-up at 7 a.m., Woodland Mall
at 9.
Plainfield shooter will be tried in adult court.
Demetrius Lamont Tate (age 16) of Grand Rapids is charged with
"assault with intent to murder" for shooting Eugene Bradford (age 30)
of Hudsonville Monday afternoon. Bradford had picked up Tate at the
Plainfield Meijer store, apparently to buy drugs. On Mark St., a
residential lane near Plainfield and 4-Mile, Tate pulled out a pistol
and shot Bradford twice, in the neck and the stomach. Bradshaw fell
onto the street, trying to get away. Tate jumped out and ran. The
pick-up truck kept rolling down the street until a neighbor spotted
it, ran out, jumped in and put on the brakes. Both Bradshaw and Tate
have criminal records. Bradshaw was recovering slowly at Butterworth
Hospital, still in "serious" condition. Tate is in jail on a
half-million dollars' bond.
"Suspicious death" in Hastings. Police found the body of
Harold Sveboda in his house yesterday afternoon. Time of death was
late Wednesday night or early Thursday morning. They're not saying
much else.
Plow driver killed by his rig. Tim Van Ort (age 36)
was a private contractor. Just after midnight yesterday morning, he
stopped on Pine Island Dr. near English St. He was checking the gear
when the truck started to roll and crushed him.
Christmas Eve fire in Kent City evicts 30 people.
All eight units in the apartment building on East Street were
damaged. Five were completely destroyed, Christmas trees, presents
and all. It started in an overloaded outlet into which a television
and Christmas tree lights were plugged. Around 1 p.m. Wednesday
afternoon the resident was watching a show and the outlet started
sparking and smoking, and in just a few minutes smoke was filling the
whole building. Everybody got out okay. Two firemen were treated for
smoke inhalation. Red Cross took in some of the residents, and found
places for the rest of those who didn't have friends or families to
take them in.
Woman whose body was found in the Grand River two weeks ago
is identified; her boyfriend was driving when she was run over.
Her name was Glenna Sue Wyatt (age 45), and she lived in
Kentwood. Grand Rapids police sent her fingerprints to be checked
against every known sample in the country, and hit a match in Georgia
where she was arrested a few years ago for a minor infraction. With
her name, they traced her back to Grand Rapids, to an apartment on
Front Ave. NW. She'd been sharing it with her boyfriend but they
moved out about a year ago. When they looked around, police noticed
what looked like bloodstains on the seawall above the river. But now
police had the name of her boyfriend . . .
They tracked him down at their
apartment in Kentwood and asked when he saw her last. He told them
his story: they had a fight in his truck, she got out and fell under
the wheels. It happened on Stauffer Ave. Detectives are still going
over his story. He's in jail, charged with leaving the scene of the
accident where she was run over.
Holland murder trial ordered on Christmas Eve.
District judge bound over Dave Souvanna for the murder of Khamsay
Norsouvanh. Souvanna (age 31) was separated from his wife and they
were in the process of divorcing. She was seeing Norsouvanh (age 52),
and Souvanna made it clear he didn't like it. A week ago Thursday,
the two men ran into each other at the Walgreen's on the north side
of Holland. That night, Souvanna went to his wife's mobile home at
Waverly Shores Village and found the two of them on the couch. Then
he emptied his .38-caliber pistol into Norsouvanh's chest. When the
police arrived, Souvanna said: "I shoot him. I shoot wife's
boyfriend, he's on the couch." Two of the estranged couple's sons,
ages 4 and 6, slept through the whole thing. Souvanna's in jail
without bond.
Yesterday saw a couple of big mishaps . .
.
Hang-glider hung-up. Yesterday around noon, a man
took off in a hang-glider from a bluff in the dunes near the
Lakeshore south of Holland. He took a bad gust, fell into some trees
and broke his arm. For five hours, he was hanging by the threads of
his clothes, too high to reach from the ground. Coast Guard sent a
chopper and lowered a rescuer on a tether, but he couldn't get close
enough in the tangle of branches. Temperature was near freezing, and
he was getting close to going into shock from hypothermia. Finally
Graafschap fire-rescue workers lashed together a giant makeshift
ladder and got him down. He's going to be okay: went to the E-R to
set the arm, and may have been treated for a touch of frostbite.
Rescuers said he was alert and in good spirits when they got him back
to earth. He's in his forties, believed to live near Holland and so
far rescuers have respected his privacy and declined to share his
name. He admitted he's a rookie at hang-gliding, and probably won't
resume until the weather gets warm.
Elderly couple drives into a pond. It was just
after rush hour yesterday morning, at Patterson Ave. and 36th St. The
car jumped the curb, splashed into the pond by the corner and started
drifting toward the center. Kent deputies, Kentwood police, Cascade
Rescue and an ambulance all scrambled to help. Officers waded into
the freezing water as the car slowly filled up. They got the
occupants out in time, moments before the water filled the car and
the roof went below the surface. All the rescuers were okay, but the
ones that were soaked were shivering. The victims were treated for
exposure and should be okay.
Suspect charged in Plainfield shooting. You'll
remember we told you about Eugene Bradshaw: shot twice then fell from
a moving pick-up truck Monday afternoon, on Mark St. near Plainfield
Ave. and 4-Mile Rd. Arrested yesterday was Demetrius Tate (age 16).
Bradshaw's family led police to him. Kent sheriff's detectives are
looking for another person who may be arrested. They believe the
shooting was "drug-related." Bradshaw was driving and Tate was the
passenger. After the shots, Tate jumped out, Bradshaw fell out and
the truck kept rolling. A neighbor noticed the driverless truck
moving down the residential street and ran to stop it. Then he
noticed Bradshaw lying on the pavement. His condition is still
serious, but improving.
Woodland Mall sues to stop RiverTown Crossings. The
Taubman Company, which owns Woodland, has filed suit to block
construction on the competing mall at the other end of town. They
asked a Kent County judge to order work stopped on the site in
Grandville at 44th St. and Rivertown Parkway. The suit says the
developer, General Growth Properties, is breaking the law by the way
they're dealing with the wetlands there. The judge said he'll hear
the request on January 5th. General Growth says they've followed all
the laws and procedures, worked with Grandville's city government and
went to all the public meetings. They call Taubman's suit
"desperate." Woodland says they just want RiverTown Crossings to play
by the same rules.
Murder charged for woman found in the river. Police have not
released the name of either the victim or the suspect, but the
arraignment will be this morning. A man fishing in the Grand
downriver from downtown found her body a week-and-a-half ago. She'd
been in the water about three days. On Monday, police released a
computer sketch based on what they had, and made the arrest
yesterday. Details will come later this morning, but we know she was
killed in Kentwood.
Lowell state representative takes a hit for firing an
aide. Jack Horton asked Kelly Ginster for her resignation
because she and her husband had just adopted a child -- and she was
still working. Her performance is not an issue. Horton believes he's
acting unconscionably if he hires a mother of a young child, because
the child needs the nurturing presence of a parent and not day-care.
Ginster does not take issue. She respects that fact that he acted
from his convictions, even though she doesn't agree. She quickly
found a job with another legislator and is still working. The ACLU
may take issue, as have women's groups. And his constituents? We may
never know, since Horton is prevented by the term-limits law from
running for his seat again.
Police step-up patrols to make holiday driving
safer. Federal and state grants are funding overtime for
extra officers to watch for drunk drivers. They'll be making routine
"traffic stops" for apparent violations. They'll have the time (and
the orders) to arrest and process drivers who fail the tests or act
snockered. They'll also write-up things like expired licenses and
registrations, headlights out, speeding, running stop signs, you
know. By the way -- just because you're pulled over doesn't mean
you'll get a ticket. You have to be doing something wrong to get
one.
That goes for snowmobilers, too. DNR will have extra
patrols on the trails, doing the same thing for the woods as police
are doing for the highways. The concentration is up on the UP, but
they're also taking a tighter look at the trails around Cadillac and
Gaylord.
Shooting north of Grand Rapids. Around 4:30 p.m.
yesterday, a Hudsonville man was shot in Plainfield Township on Mark
St., near Plainfield and 4-Mile. Eugene Bradshaw (age 30) was in
"critical" condition after surgery for gunshot wounds in his stomach
and neck. A witness said he'd been shot, then pushed out of a moving
truck. Kent deputies tracked two or three suspects through the
neighborhood and questioned at least two men who matched witness
descriptions. No word yet on what it was all about.
Passenger killed in crash near Caledonia. It was a
broadside. Around 7 p.m. yesterday, the southbounder on Patterson
Ave. pulled into the intersection at 68th St. -- and the eastbounder
smashed into the right side. Name of the victim is being withheld
until the family is told and the investigation is done.
Walker bans topless dancing. Last night, the Walker
city commission unanimously voted to outlaw nude entertainment at
businesses that sell alcohol, effective immediately. Last week,
neighbors learned a restaurant in Standale was planning to book
strippers and "gentlemen's lunches" in January to boost business.
Commissioners, the mayor and the city manager all cited the
overwhelming expression of the preferences and standards of the
citizens. The owners plan to fight it.
Woman found in the Grand is still unidentified.
Yesterday, police released a computer-enhanced sketch. It shows a
woman, age 35-to-45, about 5' 2", 120 pounds, short black hair and
brown eyes. Her body was found by a man fishing in the river ten days
ago, off Market Ave. near the Ford Freeway overpass, by the
wastewater treatment plant downriver from downtown. She'd been in the
water for about three days. She was killed by a head injury that was
not likely caused
by a fall. She was wearing a blue denim jacket, red sweatshirt, Lee
jeans, black shoes, black socks. There was a pack of Newport
cigarettes in her jacket pocket. About 40 tips have come in, but we
still don't know her name. If you know anything, or can help police
find out who she was, call police at 456-3400. If you don't want to
give your name, call Silent Observer at 774-2345.
Man hit by car on Saturday had record blood-level
alcohol. The 33-year-old Sparta man was hit by a car
Saturday night around 7:30 -- on Plainfield Ave. south of 4-Mile Rd.
He's recovering -- his condition was upgraded from critical to
serious. His blood-alcohol level tested at an even .50 per cent. The
legal limit for driving is .10 per cent. For most people, .50 per
cent blood-alcohol is fatal, and most of us would be in a coma before
we got to .45.
Barry County jail gets video arraignments. District
court and the magistrate's office are testing the links that will let
judges make charges without hauling prisoners into the courtroom. The
fiber-optic connections and TV hardware cost $45,000 -- but should
pay for themselves very quickly.
Kentwood names police officer of the year. Officer
Gerald McCarthy (age 39) has been a Kentwood officer for 14 years.
He's an alumnus of GRCC and GVSU, and worked as a cop in Coopersville
and Ferrysburg. He served as a paramedic and a detective before going
to the auto-theft team. He and a partner from Grand Rapids Police
helped make that big bust at a chop-shop earlier this year, which
recovered a quarter-million dollars' worth of property. McCarthy was
also cited by the FBI for his work on the bank-robbery-murder case at
the Michigan National on 44th St.
Friday night shoot-out kills one; shooter still
loose. Jermaine Buxton (age 17) died on Sherman St. near
Eastern Ave. around 8:30 p.m. Friday. He'd been shot in the neck, and
was pronounced dead on the sidewalk. His best friend, Marvin Nichols
(age 18), was shot in the head; he's in "stable" condition this
morning. They were walking down the street when a man came up to them
and started shooting. Police found small amounts of crack and
marijuana on the ground nearby. Shortly after they rolled out the
yellow tape, a man stepped to the front of the crowd and started
yelling about revenge. And he pulled out a handgun -- so police
arrested him. If you know anything, call Grand Rapids police at
456-3404 (instead of jumping in front of them and waving a handgun
while yelling). You don't have to give your name if you call Silent
Observer, 774-2345.
Police are still trying to find the first car that hit that woman on
131. Last Wednesday night, fire-trucks and ambulance
scrambled onto southbound 131 at Leonard St. and found her body,
which had been hit by cars several times.
Cathy Jean Wood (age 42) of Grand
Rapids had been at a tavern on the West Side near Leonard St., and
was walking home. We don't know why she was up on the freeway instead
of walking on Leonard St. underneath. Autopsy showed she was upright
when she took the first hit, either running or walking. Investigation
at the scene showed it was in the middle lane. The impact caused some
damage to the car, and even broke off a part of the grill.
Police are looking for a brown or
bronze Oldsmobile 98, probably mid-1980s. There will be damage to the
right front corner and the grill, and a smashed headlight. They know
the car pulled over to the shoulder and stopped, then pulled out and
kept going. When the car is located, the driver probably will be
charged with "leaving the scene" or "failing to assist."
Cathy Jean Wood leaves a son,
Rodney (age 17). If you know anything or saw anything that could
help, call Grand Rapids police at 456-3400.
Coast Guard wants to give up the Holland lighthouse.
Just last week the commission that has the lease to "Big
Red," the lighthouse at the end of the pier, reached an agreement
with the owners of the beach front to let tourists wander onto the
pier to visit. Modern navigational aids make most lighthouses
obsolete, but "Big Red" is still good technology for attracting
tourists and other visitors. Now we learn the Coast Guard has it on
the list of lighthouses to dump. The federal government has already
begun the disposal process. It has to offer it to other federal
agencies first, then to the state, then finally to local governments
or the Holland Harbor Lighthouse Commission -- which says they'll
take it today if they can.
Now Wyoming party stores want to sell on Sunday.
You'll remember last week we told you how Kentwood party stores
collected customer signatures on petitions and took them to the city
commission. The commission then dropped the ordinance against sales
of bottled hard liquor on Sundays. Now Wyoming's businesses point out
they'll be losing alcohol trade to just over the city line. So they
went to city hall, where they were listened to -- but the commission
didn't jump as high or as fast as Kentwood's, because they already
started their holiday break. Wyoming commissioners will take up the
issue at their next meeting in the middle of January. They could
revoke the ordinance just as fast as Kentwood did. Not that it'll
change things right away. Kentwood party stores find they still have
to get a new license from the state government to sell
package liquor on Sundays, and that takes a couple of weeks. City of
Grand Rapids and other localities permit those sales, so anybody who
wants to buy a bottle on Sunday just has to cross the line. And,
party stores can still sell beer and wine on Sundays. And restaurants
still sell the hard stuff by the glass on Sundays in Wyoming and
Kentwood.
Lake Odessa man killed in crash; police believe "alcohol
involved." Last night, David Nail Jr. (age 23) was driving
on Sunfield Highway near Clarksville Rd. He hit two parked cars and a
tree, then rolled it over. He wasn't wearing his seatbelt,
either.
Five hurt, one critical in Grand Rapids, "alcohol possibly
involved." Around 8:30 last night, two Blazers smashed
head-on on Monroe Ave. north of the Ford Freeway, near Mason St.
There were three people in one, and two in the other -- all five were
pinned inside. Fire-rescue crew had to cut both Blazers apart to get
them all out. Shawn Wyland (age 17) of Grand Rapids is in "critical"
condition with head injuries.
Walker considers ban against topless dancing. A
tavern in Standale is preparing to book strippers in January. It's
already permitted by their state liquor license. Owners say the
karaoke system is just not drawing enough business, and they need the
added attraction. It's the Highlander Restaurant and Lounge on Lake
Michigan Dr. They say they want to have noon-time "gentlemen's
lunches." They'll also book male strippers once a month or so.
Standale is the city of Walker's main business strip, and neighbors
of the bar don't want to add any other meanings to the word "strip."
So the city commission will meet tonight to look at prohibiting
topless or nude entertainment at bars and restaurants.
Free cab rides for the "over-partied" driver in Grand Rapids.
Twenty-five businesses and organizations are springing for
cab fare to keep drunk drivers off the road during the holiday party
season. The program starts Wednesday (Christmas Eve) and runs through
New Years Day. It's been working for the past twelve years. Drivers
just ask for the coupon from a server or bartender. You can also clip
them out of the Grand Rapids Press. It's good for one free cab ride
home -- but not to another tavern or party. On Wednesday, the free
rides are from 6 p.m. to midnight, and then from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m.
through January 1. Rides have to start and end in greater Grand
Rapids, bounded:
Holland has the "Life Ride" program, which works about the same
except the coverage area is much bigger. It'll give rides north to
M-45, east to Hudsonville and south to Saugatuck and Hamilton.
And police are giving you more good reasons to think about
taking that free ride. Washington and Lansing are paying
the overtime for extra police to cruise for drunk drivers. The "Safe
and Sober" campaign kicks off today in Kent County. Through January
3, police and deputies will target certain main arteries, making
plenty of traffic stops and checking for drunk drivers.
Police have tentatively identified the woman found dead on
the freeway. Wednesday around 11:30 p.m., police got calls
about "something" on southbound 131 near Leonard St. Some thought it
was a large animal. It turned out to be a woman who'd been run over
at least once, probably several times. After the story broke
yesterday morning, other drivers who passed through there called
police and gave them more information. They believe they know who she
was, but have to wait for dental records to confirm it. Things found
with her show she may have been playing in a pool
tournament at the Our Tavern on Hamilton Ave. near Leonard St. She
had darts in her pocket, and a cue stick in a carry bag was found
nearby. She was wearing a blue jacket with white sleeves and Mickey
Mouse on the back, blue jeans, yellow shirt, white ankle boots.
Police still don't know why she was on the freeway. It
may have been a hit-and-run accident as she tried to run across --
but they haven't ruled out the possibility it was something else.
Cruz "guilty." The jury requested clarifications
twice, but only took two hours to return a verdict. They found
Federico Cruz guilty of first-degree murder and mutilation of a body.
He killed David Crawford a year ago spring in Sparta, then cut off
his head. He videotaped himself dissecting the head to prove it to
friends. The jury heard the videotape but didn't see it.
Prosecution played it to show Cruz was not insane. His
narration showed he knew what he was doing, and enjoyed it. Cruz
showed no reaction when the verdict was given. His family and the
Crawfords left without talking to media.
Fire hose goes wild, whacks fire-fighter; motel saved, house
destroyed. Last night after rush hour, fire broke out in the
owner's home attached to the Plainfield Motel (on Plainfield Ave.
just north of 4-Mile Rd.). All 25 people in the motel got out okay.
One Plainfield Township fireman was hit by a hose when it broke and
whipped around. The 5-inch hose was fully charged and operating,
sitting on Plainfield Ave. when someone drove over it. It parted,
went wild, and the heavy metal couplings flew through the air and hit
the man in the head. He was thrown 15 feet. He has a broken leg and
smashed knee-cap. He should be okay -- he was wearing the helmet. The
fire seems to have started from an electrical problem. The owner's
home was completely destroyed. Mani Patel and his family bought the
motel just eight months ago.
Fire destroys Kentwood mobile home. Advent candles
caused it around noon yesterday in East Paris Estates mobile home
park. Shortly before noon, Elaine Kendall left in a hurry -- she had
to take her brother to the hospital, and forgot to blow out the
candles. When she got back, she found her home and everything in it
was destroyed.
Rev. Rhem's church controversy is resolved. Richard Rhem,
pastor of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, reached an
agreement with the Reformed Church in America and its Muskegon
Classis. Rehm had been threatened with trial for heresy for refusing
to deny there are ways to salvation other than through Jesus Christ.
His church tried to secede from the Muskegon Classis. The Classis
halted separation talks when they started proceedings against him
based on charges of an affair from ten years ago. Yesterday they
announced the deal. Christ Community Church can leave the RCA -- and
keep their building. They'll pay $400,000 to the Muskegon Classis,
which will use it to found a new RCA ministry.
Civil Air Patrol moves to Kent County International Airport.
The group of volunteer civilian pilots conducts most of the
search-and-rescue operations in West Michigan, and used to be based
at the airport in Sparta. With a home base at KCIA, they can make
instrument landings in bad weather, and bad weather is when they have
to make a lot of their searches. Plus it's closer to home for many of
the 45 members.
Michigan drivers license will get an overhaul next
year. Starting next summer, licenses will have a magnetic
data-strip on the back and a bar-code with your date-of-birth,
license number and expiration date. That'll make it harder to
counterfeit. Sorry, there's nothing they can do about the photos.
President Clinton presents Medal of Honor to Grand Rapids
astronaut. Roger B. Chaffee died in 1967 in the Apollo I
capsule, in a fire during a training exercise. Yesterday, the
president awarded him posthumously the "Congressional Space Medal of
Honor." The ceremony at the White House was attended by his father
Don, his sister Donna (who lives in Jenison), his widow Martha, and
children Sheryl and Stephen. The medal is the highest honor our
country gives astronauts for their service, and there are fewer than
a dozen in existence. Neil Armstrong, the first person to walk on the
moon, got one in 1978. The last one went to Shannon Lucid for
spending 188 days aboard "Mir," the Russian space station. Also
killed in that fire thirty years ago was astronaut Edward White, who
also was awarded the CSM-of-H yesterday. The commander, Gus Grissom,
already got his.
GRCC to make a pedestrian mall out of Bostwick Ave.
That's the street between the main building and the parking ramp,
which 4,000 students cross twice a day. Yesterday, the city
commission voted to let the college do what they've been talking
about for ten years: close Bostwick to through traffic between Lyon
and Fountain Sts., tear it up and plant some trees and flowers. The
first stage will cost $200,000 and could start as soon as the
ground's warm in the spring. It could end up being an even bigger
project. Decision on the final plan will be okayed by the mayor in
the next few weeks.
Forest Hills school district posts $1,000 reward for bomb
threat. Whoever made the call on Tuesday morning faces
serious jail time and fines -- and whoever helps track that person
down will get the reward. More than 3,000 high school students in
Forest Hills and Lowell districts got the day off. Police and
bomb-sniffing dogs checked every room and every locker. Lowell is
thinking about adding another thou to the reward fund. All the school
districts in Kent County will be talking with police about how better
to deal with that kind of situation in the future.
Schools get a rebate on buses. Yesterday, the state
attorney general announced 442 districts will get checks from a
settlement with school bus distributors who were charged with
price-fixing. Six vendors were named in a complaint, including one in
Grand Rapids and one in Holland. All but one (in Lansing) agreed to a
cash settlement before it got to court, and together they're paying
$1.3 million. The complaint said they met and decided who would win
which bids from which schools at what price -- and that's
price-fixing, and it's against the law. The companies had no comment.
They all agreed to toe a line from now on.
Each district got a share based
on their bus-buying history. Yesterday, Michigan Attorney General
Frank Kelley came to town to hand over a check for $23,000 to Grand
Rapids Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Patricia Newby. That's about
half the price of a new bus. Grand Rapids spends about $10-million a
year for transportation. At the low end, Hopkins will get $163 and
Allendale $172 -- sounds like gas money for a week for one bus.
Man ID'd -- cops are treating it as a murder. On
Tuesday, Albert Giermann (age 76) was found dead in his home on
College Ave. north of the Ford Freeway. A social services worker
called police after she found a note on his porch that she had left
last month. Medical examiner said a head wound did not look like an
accident. His front door was closed but not locked. Police were
checking his home to see if anything had been stolen or disturbed by
an intruder.
Drugs killed that man found in Newaygo County.
Around Thanksgiving, Todd Brenner (age 39) was found in his pick-up
truck on a back road east of Newaygo near Hardy Dam. Autopsy shows he
died from a mix of drugs that included cocaine. He used to be a
high-end drug dealer until he was busted in 1990. He got out on
parole in February and had been getting his life back together. Drug
tests showed him clean, and he made every appointment with his parole
officer. Police have not ruled out foul play. They're trying to find
out where he was before he died, who he was with, where he got the
drugs that killed him. Witnesses say he was missing one shoe when he
was found, the keys were in his pocket, there were footprints around
the pick-up truck -- and there were marks on his face that made it
look like he was beaten up.
Dead body on the freeway. Last night around 11:30,
people called 9-1-1 to report somebody was lying on southbound 131 at
Leonard St. Fire department, ambulance and police jumped on the
freeway to find the body of a woman. She'd been hit at least once --
but it wasn't clear whether she was alive when that happened. Police
are investigating, and have not yet released her name. Autopsy will
be today. If you can help them, please call Grand Rapids Police or
Silent Observer.
Beheading murder defense rests. Closing arguments
will be today. Federico Crux is charged with killing and beheading
David Crawford. His lawyer says he should be found "not guilty by
reason of insanity."
Prosecution refuted a point by
playing some of the audio from the videotape that Crux made. The jury
didn't see the video, just
listened to him describing the action as he dissected the severed
head.
Suspicious death in northeast Grand Rapids.
Police got a call yesterday asking them to check on an elderly man
who lived alone -- on College Ave., north of the Ford Freeway near
Highland Park. He hadn't been seen in a few days. They found his body
with a serious head injury -- autopsy will be later today. Police are
investigating -- if you know anything, call Grand Rapids police, or
Silent Observer.
Kentwood okays Sunday bottled liquor sales. Ten
party-store owners collected a thousand signatures on petitions,
asking the city commission to revoke the ordinance against it. They
said it was an unfair law because surrounding cities let
their party-stores sell on Sundays, and Kentwood's
restaurants can sell liquor-by-the-glass on Sundays. So last night
the city commission lifted the ban, effective immediately.
Kentwood commission also has a "pension headache."
They changed some rules in the pension plan because they recently
discovered it had an unintentional benefit for retiring employees.
Some of them collected big payouts for retiring, and the city hadn't
intended that. So they fixed it -- they closed the loophole -- and
the city employee's unions started screaming. The city commission
says the mistake was a violation of sound financial practice, and a
violation of their responsibility to the citizens. One employee said
it made some city workers "jump ship." The police officer's union has
filed a grievance with the state.
By the way, Walker city commission declined to ban Sunday
activities. You'll remember we told you about the
controversy that started from a bus trip to see the Red Wings in
January. It'll be on a Sunday -- and it's organized and financed by
the city. A citizen complained that taxes should not promote
recreational activities on Sundays, the day many Christians respect
as the Sabbath. They asked that the city commission at least review
any such activities and approve each one individually. Commissioners
declined to enact a law about it.
Saugatuck voters turn down school taxes. The school
district asked for a $13.5-million bond issue to build an addition to
the elementary school and make other improvements. Yesterday's vote
was 785 No -- Yes 480.
School's open. A bomb threat early yesterday morning
closed three high schools east of Grand Rapids: Lowell,
Forest Hills Northern and Forest Hills Central. Combined, the three
schools gave 3,400 students the day off. After-school activities,
team practices and a basketball game were canceled.
The call came to FHC, and it was
believable enough to make superintendents come down on the side of
safety. It didn't sound like a student, and the caller said some
other things unlike other bomb threats. Lowell got the word
after buses started their pick-up runs, so everybody
waited in the gym until the morning runs to elementary and middle
schools ended.
Tracking dogs and bomb teams
searched every room and every locker, but found no bomb. In May last
year, a real bomb did explode in a trash can in an empty
hallway in Lowell High School. (Nobody was hurt.) Police are checking
phone records to find out where the call came from. If caught, the
caller will face federal charges in addition to felony and malicious
mischief charges -- that means big jail time.
Chemical plant evacuated by fire. The alarm from
Zeeland Chemicals, Inc., came to the Zeeland fire department around 9
a.m. yesterday. The fire was on the roof, and never got close to
materials or people inside. Both the company and the fire department
got to activate the emergency procedures they developed over the
years. The company makes materials for pharmaceutical makers, so
there'd be some pretty stinky smoke if the fire was inside.
Bus driver and aide fired for leaving 4-year-old girl on the
bus. Last Thursday, they parked the bus in the yard -- and
left Nova Gould of Ferrysburg asleep, strapped into her seat.
Yesterday, Head Start officials terminated both of them. The aide is
supposed to check them off on paper when they get off,
and the driver is supposed to walk through the bus and
check it after parking. Parents of the girl had written a letter to
Head Start, expressing their opinion that those two people should not
be in a position where they're trusted with the safety and well-being
of children any more. The driver and the aide are shocked and
devastated that they're out of jobs.
Big Red will open to visitors next year. The Holland
lighthouse on the pier at the channel to Lake Macatawa is on federal
property, but all the land around the approaches is now privately
owned. Since that happened a few years ago, the only way to get to
the lighthouse was by boat. Business and civic leaders really liked
it as a tourist draw. So the commission that manages the lighthouse
(which is one of West Michigan's best-known landmarks) came up with a
compromise that satisfies the property owners. Starting next year,
you'll be able to park near a gatehouse and get a pass good for one
hour. But you won't be able to bring pets or a blanket -- and no
picnics, no swimming, no suntanning, no volleyball nets.
Defense in beheading murder should wrap up today.
Jury could begin deliberating the fate of Federico Cruz, whose lawyer
says he admits to killing David Crawford last year. They're trying to
convince the jury that Cruz is "not guilty by reason of
insanity."
In court today: accused Muskegon child molester and child
pornographer; three accused Holland accomplices in the Pereddie's
murder. Police searched Thomas Barr's home in October,
found a hundred explicit photos of young boys. He's also accused of
fondling a teen-ager.
Three suspects in the robbery of
Pereddie's Restaurant in Holland will begin court proceedings today.
The restaurant manager, Scott Anderson, was shot and killed after he
surprised one of them during the heist. One of the gang already
pleaded guilty, and has been sentenced to 12-to-30 years.
Michigan sends prisoners out of state for the first
time. Around 4 a.m. this morning, buses loaded-up and pulled
out of Jackson state prison, hauling about 40 convicts to a federal
prison in West Virginia. This is the first time Michigan has relieved
over-crowding by shipping prisoners over the state line. The
prisoners selected for transfer are mostly low-risk, non-violent
offenders -- most of them are drunk drivers. Over the next few
months, the state will ship-out about 500 prisoners.
Grand Rapids Public Schools unveils new mission
statement. Last night, Superintendent Dr. Patricia Newby
introduced proposed revisions to the district's five-year-old
strategic plan. It includes a new mission statement that is shorter
and clearer: "To ensure that all students are educated, self-directed
and productive members of society." The administration will collect
public reaction and input, and the new plan will be presented to the
school board for their consideration at the end of the school
year.
Whitehall votes for a library. The question on the
ballot yesterday was "Should the schools set up a district library?"
The answer was Yes 484, No 122. Now they have to figure out how to
pay for it. Next step will be to vote on a millage to raise the
money.
Bank robbery in Creston Heights at high noon.
Yesterday, a man walked into the NBD on Plainfield and announced the
stick-up. He got away with some money. Nobody saw a gun, nobody got
hurt. He was white, short (about 5' 4"), wearing a tan coat and
navy-blue ski mask. He ran down Page St., and may have used a black,
older Camaro as a getaway car -- it was seen zooming north on Buffalo
Ave. from Page. Know anything? Anybody who looks like that do any
partying last night? If you can help, call Grand Rapids Police,
456-3404 -- or Silent Observer, 774-2345.
Psychiatrist testifies in defense of beheading murder
defendant. It wasn't much, but it's as much as they'll
mount. His lawyer admits Federico Cruz killed and
decapitated David Crawford, then mutilated the head. Yesterday's
testimony was intended to convince the jury he's "not guilty by
reason of insanity." Jury could begin deliberations this week.
More on the body found in the river. The woman died
of a head wound. Her body was found around noon on Saturday by a man
fishing in the Grand River south of downtown. Autopsy was yesterday,
and shows she probably died on Wednesday. Police still don't know her
name. She was white, between 35 and 45 years old, 5' 2", about 120
pounds, short black hair, brown eyes, no tattoos or unusual
birthmarks. She was wearing a blue-jeans jacket, red sweatshirt, Lee
jeans, black shoes, black socks. In the jacket pocket were Newport
cigarettes. If you know her, or anything about how she died, please
call Grand Rapids Police, 456-3404. If you call Silent Observer you
don't have to give your name -- 774-2345.
Kentwood stores want to drop Sunday laws. Since
1993, "package sales" have been illegal on Sundays in
Kentwood. Party-stores have to send customers a few
miles up the road and over the city line to buy bottled hard liquor.
Ten businesses are begging the city commission to give them an even
playing field. They collected a thousand signatures on petitions, and
tonight the commission will consider revoking the ban. Kentwood Mayor
Bill Hardiman likes the line where it is. He said Kentwood citizens
who want bottles of liquor can buy them on six other days every week.
Not that Kentwood is a dry city: restaurants and bars can sell it by
the glass all week, and the party stores can sell wine and beer on
Sundays.
"Wendy's" arsonist sentenced. Robert Wheeler of
Fenwick will spend a year in prison and was ordered to pay a million
dollars to the owners of the Wendy's Restaurant in Greenville. He
pled guilty to setting the fire back in May that destroyed the
restaurant. It was one of the bigger Wendy's in Michigan. Nobody was
hurt. The restaurant was completely rebuilt and is back in
business.
Looking for volunteers to help with food giveaway.
Community Empowerment Center will hand out a semi-truck load of food
to need families this Friday. The 20,000 pounds of groceries comes
mostly from Second Harvest Gleaners food bank. The distribution will
be at Garfield Park Lodge, on Burton St. between Jefferson and
Madison, starting at noon Friday. Organizers are looking for helpers.
Call 245-5756 if you can give them a day or even half-a-day. The food
will include vegetables, meats, breads, dairy products and baby food.
If you know somebody who could use a week's worth of groceries, tell
them to call that number to pre-register.
Body found in the Grand River on Saturday. It was
discovered around noon by a man fishing downriver from Wealthy St.,
near the wastewater treatment plant. It's a woman, white, age 30 to
40 years, dark hair, 4' 10" to 5' 2", weight 100 to 115 pounds. Grand
Rapids fire department retrieved the body from the river, and police
took fingerprints on the scene. They say she may have been in the
water as long as two days. They're also calling it "suspicious" and
have ordered an autopsy for today. That'll tell us how she died, and
whether her head injury happened before or after she went into the
water. If you know anything, please call Grand Rapids police at
456-3404. You don't have to give your name if you call Silent
Observer, 774-2345.
Fair warning -- police are targeting M-21. Kent
County Sheriff's deputies and Lowell police have funding from Lansing
to put "saturation patrols" on East Fulton St. in Kent County for the
holiday period. The program starts next Sunday and runs through
January 3. They'll be looking for dangerous drivers (read that to
mean "drunk drivers"), but they'll write tickets for whatever
violations they see. Last year the "Safe and Sober" program made
almost 2,000 traffic stops, wrote over a thousand tickets and hauled
39 drunk drivers to jail. The program also helps Kentwood, Wyoming
and Grandville police step-up patrols on 28th, 36th and 44th Sts.,
and Chicago Dr. You may have heard that years ago police
departments did away with the ticket quota system -- now they can
write as many as they want.
Suspicious person approached children in
Kentwood. Police got two calls on Friday about a man who
drove up to kids on the street and told them to get in his car. First
incident was before school, southwest of 44th and Kalamazoo. The
other was after school on Kalamazoo between 52nd and
60th. He's white, 30 to 40 years old, brown hair. Car is big and
white. If you saw anything, or your kids saw him, please call
Kentwood Police at 698-6580 -- or Silent Observer at 774-2345.
Pre-schooler left on the bus in Ferrysburg.
Four-year-old Nova Gould fell asleep strapped into her seat on the
way to Head-Start on Thursday. The driver finished the run and parked
the bus in the garage -- and didn't walk-through to check it. The
little girl was stuck in there for about an hour. The driver and the
aide who was aboard for the trip are both suspended, and could be
fired. Decision could come tomorrow.
Walker City Commission will consider religious objection to
Sunday funding. A citizen complained about a bus trip to see
a Red Wings game in January, on the grounds it will be on a Sunday.
The issue is the use of tax money for a social event on the day many
Christians set aside as a day of rest. The commission will take up
the question tonight. They'll consider a proposal to require
individual and specific consideration of every Sunday event before
city money could be used.
"Nazi Olympics" opened yesterday in the Public Museum of Grand
Rapids. The 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin were notable for
being the only modern Olympics where two qualified, fit athletes were
barred from competing. Hitler's government decided to use the games
as a showcase for Nazi Germany. They persuaded the U.S. Olympic
committee to kick two Jews off the track team, probably to eliminate
the chance that a Jew might beat a German. One of them was at the
opening of the traveling exhibition yesterday. Marty Glickman told
how he watched his relay race from the stands sixty-one
years ago -- and how it still makes him made. This is
the world premiere of the show created by the Holocaust Museum. They
chose to start the tour at the Public Museum of Grand Rapids because
many museum supporters and Holocaust survivors live in the Midwest.
It will end its run in Australia at the next Olympic games in the
year 2000. You'll be able to see it downtown until March 15.
Amway opens new visitor center today. It's a
high-tech, multi-media interactive display that tells the Amway story
and motivates and inspires whether you're a distributor or not. Ada's
biggest tourist draw is open for your enjoyment weekdays 8:30 a.m. to
5 p.m., but closed for lunch from noon to 1.
Free food for needy families giveaway next Friday.
Community Empowerment Center will distribute 50,000 pounds of food at
Garfield Park Lodge at Burton and Madison. They have some help this
time around from Huntington Banks, a funding sponsor. The
distribution will include vegetables, meat, dairy products, bread and
baby food, provided mostly by the Second Harvest Gleaners food bank.
Families pre-register at 245-5756. If you can volunteer to help,
they'd love to have you -- call the same number.
Holland lighthouse will open to the public next
year. Not all the time, though. As a matter of fact, only
for an hour at a time. "Big Red" used to be a popular destination for
stroll, until all the property around it ended up in private hands a
few years ago. The residents didn't care for all the tourists and
weekenders strolling around, so they closed off the access.
Businesses and local officials were disappointed to lose such a great
draw. This week, property owners announced a compromise. You'll be
able to walk out the pier to Big Red starting in May -- but only for
an hour, and only when the security guard is on duty. There will be a
few parking spots near the approach.
GRCC still talking with faculty. The union didn't
accept the "last, best offer" from the administration. Instructors at
Grand Rapids Community College have been working without a contract
for two years. Representatives from the board and union leaders will
meet again today.
West Michigan employment rate keeps going up. The
Upjohn Institute in Kalamazoo tracks the job market. For Kent,
Ottawa, Muskegon and Allegan counties as a whole they report
.4 per cent increases in employment in both the 3rd
and 4th quarters of 1997. If you're looking for the down-side in
that, it's real hard for employers to attract and keep good workers.
They project only a .1 per cent increase in the
first quarter of 1998. That's still mighty good, considering it
follows the end of the biggest part of the retail season. A lot of
temporary store workers will leave their jobs.
Amway opens new visitor center today. It's a
high-tech, multi-media interactive display that tells the Amway
story, and motivates and inspires whether you're a distributor or
not. Ada's biggest tourist draw by far is open for your enjoyment
weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., but closed for lunch from noon to
1.
Free food for needy families -- giveaway next
Friday. Community Empowerment Center will hand out 50,000
pounds of food at Garfield Park Lodge at Burton and Madison. They
have some help this time around from Huntington Banks, a funding
sponsor. The distribution will include vegetables, meat, dairy
products, bread and baby food. It's provided mostly by the Second
Harvest Gleaners food bank. Families pre-register at 245-5756. If you
can volunteer to help, they'd love to have you. Call the same number.
Winter landed heavy yesterday. Wet snow caused a
huge number of crashes yesterday, including one fatality.
A woman was killed on M-66 just
south of Stanton in Montcalm County when she lost control of her car.
Brandy Hall (age 20) of Six Lakes was driving on Pakes Road. When she
hit her brakes, her car slid past the stop-sign into the path of a
northbound truck. She was not wearing her seatbelt. The driver of the
truck, Jeffrey Hayward (age 32) of Grand Ledge, was not hurt.
Somebody turned off the snow-melt system. The
$6-million reconstruction of Monroe Mall included installation of a
sidewalk snow-melt system, like Holland's. Fourteen miles of tubes
carry steam or heated water under the surface and can melt two inches
of snow per hour. Unfortunately, some joker turned it off late last
night or early this morning. Passers-by, city officials and store
owners waited and tapped their snow-covered toes while they watched
the snow just sit there, until somebody noticed the switch was in the
"off" position. It's on the side of a big junction box outdoors, not
obviously labeled but in plain sight. Once it was turned on it worked
fine, and had cleared the snow that remained by early afternoon.
Public works people figure it was just a prank. So now there's a big
padlock on the switch.
Major credit card ring busted. State police in
Lansing arrested three men and a woman. They found rooms full of
merchandise purchased with stolen cards. They say the gang broke into
cars and trucks, stole four hundred credit cards and rang up
thousands of dollars in purchases at stores. The worked out of the
central part of the state, but plied their game around Grand Rapids,
too.
State House considers four-day Labor Day weekend. It
still has to go through the Senate. It's a compromise between
Michigan's tourist industry and the school districts. Tourism leaders
wanted to make a law that would keep school from starting before
Labor Day, because it means millions of dollars for them. But the
school districts said, "Excuse us? You're making us add days to the
school year but we can't open before Labor Day?
HEL-LO?" So your
legislators worked out a compromise -- if it passes, your school can
still open when it wants, but has to close on the Friday before Labor
Day.
House also approved voting-by-mail. If the Senate
agrees, it'll start next year in a few towns as a pilot project. The
idea is to improve voter turn-out by making it easier to vote. You'd
get a ballot in the mail or pick one up, then fill it out at home and
send it in. If it works, it'll go statewide in the year 2004.
Latest contract offer from GRCC to faculty: not bad.
The board is offering 3-to-4 per cent annual increases and a six-year
contract. That's 22 per cent raise in six years. Union and
instructors are still looking it over.
Grand Prix organizers ask the city to do $200,000 in road
repairs. The race will run on downtown streets next July.
It'll likely attract 50,000 people to watch and CBS said they'll
broadcast it. Yesterday at the Downtown Development Authority
meeting, organizers asked the city to repair some of the streets on
the course to bring the surface up to spec to carry the high-speed
race cars. In the beginning they promised it wouldn't cost the tax
payers anything so Mayor Logie was taken by surprise. The DDA budgets
$200,000 for city street repair projects every year, anyway. The
requested repairs will top $400,000 -- and the Grand Prix people said
they'll pick up the rest.
Killer on the run. Tyree Edwards (age 18) is wanted
for the shooting death of another Muskegon man during a fight on
Monday. Muskegon police are asking for your help. Edwards is black,
5-foot-6-inches, about 125 pounds, last seen with his hair in braids.
He has tattoos -- a basketball player on his right arm, and his
nickname "T-Man" on one shoulder. If you know him, saw him or know
anything about where he might be, call the police. If you don't want
to give your name, you can call Silent Observer.
Prosecution rests in Sparta murder. Yesterday, the
jury heard how police were informed of the grisly death of David
Crawford. Federico Cruz is charged with killing and beheading him. He
made a videotape to impress his friends and passed it around. The
father of one of them saw it, couldn't believe it, called Kent County
Sheriff. The man was on the stand yesterday. Defense will try the
"insanity" plea, and begin their case next week.
Schools closed -- in Allegan and Barry
Counties:
Hopkins Public.
Martin Public.
Thornapple-Kellogg.
Wayland-Union.
Moline Christian.
St. Therese (in Wayland).
. . . and St. Mary's (in Byron Center).
Beheading trial under way. Yesterday prosecutors laid out
the story: Federico Cruz murdered David Crawford last year, cut off
his head and videotaped himself dissecting it. He says a demon in a
poster in his room made him do it. His friends from Sparta told the
jury what happened. Cruz made the videotape after he bragged about
the murder and they didn't believe him. He sat in the courtroom
yesterday, but didn't look up. Prosecutor figures this will be a
short trial, since the defense doesn't contest anything and will try
the "insanity" plea. If Cruz gets "not guilty by reason of insanity"
he could get out after treatment.
"Guilty" plea in bowling alley murder. Roy Crawford
(age 45) pleaded guilty this week to second-degree murder.
Back in June, he got into an
argument with Willie Morgan at the Chez Ami complex at Division and
54th -- and emptied a handgun into him in front of his girlfriend. He
claimed self-defense, but the prosecutor, the judge and even his own
attorney didn't buy that. He could have been tried for
first-degree murder (mandatory life without parole). As it is, he'll
do 20-to-25 years.
Ada Township stops construction of state police radio
tower. Around 9 o'clock yesterday morning a contractor
showed up at Honey Creek Ave. and 3-Mile Rd. He started-up his
chain-saw and chopped down some small trees. The town supervisor and
building inspector arrived about an hour-and-a-half later with a
stop-work order. The state doesn't have a building permit, so they'll
get a citation for violating the ordinances.
On Monday, Kent County airport
sued the state police. They say the tower it will be a hazard to
aviation now that the new north-south runway is operating. Ada
Township may join their suit. Michigan State Police are building a
state-of-the-art digital communications system and will put up 180
huge towers for it. Your state legislature passed a law that among
other things requires them to build the towers -- and in
this case, violate local building laws and federal aviation
regulations, and really annoy citizens.
Historic preservation in downtown Grand Rapids -- win two, lose
one. Yesterday the Grand Rapids city commission tied on a
vote, meaning they will not prevent part of the
Berkey-&-Gay building from being torn down. The old furniture
factory on North Monroe is 106 years old, and at 550,000 square-feet
was the biggest building in Grand Rapids for a long time. The current
owners want to remodel it for offices and decided to knock down half
of it for parking. Historic preservation people asked the city to put
a "hold" on it so they could try to get it protected as an "historic
building." Expect bulldozers on Monday.
On the other hand . . .
The old Peck Building at Fulton and Division will get its
remodeling. Kent County Council for Historic Preservation owns
it, and announced this week they'll sell it to Rockford Construction
Company. The big builder will remove the now-tacky sheet metal shell,
restore it to its 1890's splendor, leave the Texas Café in the
ground floor and put apartments in the upper two floors.
And furthermore . . .
The Aldrich Block is now officially an historic district. City
commission voted last week. It's the part of Monroe Mall at Ionia
Ave. that has the newly-restored Aldrich Building -- home of Van
Hoeck's Shoes. You may remember that project -- at this time last
year it was the big building wrapped like a present, in white plastic
with a red ribbon and bow.
Shooting in Burton Heights. Around 12:30 a.m. a
man was shot while talking on a pay phone at Division Ave. and Griggs
St. He took some shotgun pellets in the face, then ran down the
street. EMTs scrambled from the fire station just up Division. He's
in the hospital, condition still not released. Witnesses told police
they saw three people across the street, one of whom had a shotgun.
Police were looking for them all night but they're still on the
run.
High-speed freeway chase from Ionia County almost to Grand
Rapids. Police aren't talking about why, yet. The woman
drove her Geo Tracker at full-speed until it left Interstate 96 near
the bridge over the Thornapple River and smashed into a tree. She's
in the hospital; no report on her condition.
She picked a good month to do it; gasoline prices are
down. Some places are selling it at 99 cents a gallon! AAA
of Michigan says the average price has fallen for three weeks, now at
$1.16 a gallon.
Trial begins today in Kent County's most horrifying crime.
Federico Cruz is charged with murder. He killed and
decapitated David Crawford (age 17) back in April, then dissected the
head. He even videotaped the dissection. Then he bragged to friends
about it, and that's how he got caught. There's no question about
what happened or who did it. The defense lawyer admits Cruz (age 18)
did exactly as the prosecution charges. His defense will
hinge on Cruz's mental health. He'll try to convince the jury that
Cruz is "not guilty by reason of insanity."
Yesterday, they got past what
could have been a big problem. They found enough people to serve on
the jury who say they can handle whatever gruesome, grisly evidence
the trial will involve. And it will involve some ugly stuff.
Prosecutor plans to show them the video.
"Guilty" of killing bank manager. George Gray was
convicted yesterday of shooting Margaret Odosij back in January. She
was substituting as manager of the Michigan National on 44th St. near
Madison Ave. Since it happened during a bank robbery it's a federal
offense. Jury talked it over for four hours. He'll get life in
prison, no parole.
Sentenced in Pereddie's murder. Ramiro Zamudio (age
17) pleaded guilty to carrying the knife in the robbery of the
Holland restaurant back in September. He got 12-to-30 years, counting
time already served. The manager, Scott Anderson, was shot and killed
by another robber. The trial of the accused shooter and two other
accomplices will start next week.
Family of security guard shot by partner sues the state
police. Virginia Rich and Canute Findsen were guards at a
Michigan State Police facility in Lansing. Last winter they were
patrolling, got out of their cruiser and shot each other. Nobody
knows what caused the gun battle, but friends and family knew they
weren't getting along. Sisters of Virginia Rich charge "wrongful
death." Their suit says the state police were negligent by failing to
intervene in the problems the two were having with each other.
Steelcase employees to get "a piece of the desk."
Yesterday, the biggest maker of office furniture in the world
announced it will give -- that's give -- ten shares of
its soon-to-be-made-public stock to each and every employee. And
there are 15,000 of them, counting subsidiaries. The family-owned
company plans to "go public" by March. It will sell its shares on the
stock market through an IPO (initial public offering), which is when
the rest of us will first have a chance to own "a piece of the
pre-wired partition." Or something.
Grand Rapids Community College instructors looked at the
school's "last, best offer" yesterday. The college president
said the union has until noon today to accept it and implied they'll
take it off the table then. Union says, "We don't think so." They've
just looked it over and warn they can't make such a decision so
quickly. There's talk of a strike (but a lot of it is in the media).
Insiders say watch for the stalemate to last another 10 days or so.
Then the semester will be over -- students will have taken finals,
gotten their grades and received credit for the courses they paid
for. Then the faculty might strike, when it won't enrage
the paying customers. That may be why the administration wants a fast
answer.
Attempted murder-suicide in Grand Rapids. Late
last night, a man stabbed his girlfriend several times at Michigan
St. between Fuller and Plymouth Aves. She's in critical condition.
Police caught him about a half-hour later near Michigan and Diamond.
He'd stabbed himself, too, but not critically.
Zeeland gets a complaint about "Baby" monument.
Later this month, the cemetery commission will take a long look at
the application for a monument without a grave. The inscription would
be: "Baby -- In loving memory of those whose death preceded birth.
This monument stands as a testimony to the sanctity of life," next to
an image of a rose. Grand Rapids, Dorr and Battle Creek have similar
monuments in public cemeteries. But a pro-abortion activist noticed
the Zeeland marker was commissioned by the Holland Right-to-Life
group. Carol Brower, director of Holland Right-to-Life, says the
stone will be a monument to the loss and grief of parents who lost
unborn children to miscarriage, not just abortion -- but it's also a
place for women who had an abortion, then regret it and experience
"post-abortion syndrome."
Missing woman's body positively identified; died by
strangulation. Grand Rapids Police on Friday released
autopsy results on Billie Jo Watson. She was the Grand Rapids woman
who disappeared after punching out from work a week ago last night.
Her body was found under a freeway overpass on Thursday.
Watson was a nurse's aide at Kent
Community Hospital on Fuller Ave. She had walked home before, but
co-workers say she was expecting a ride from someone who was to pick
her up outside. She didn't say who. She left work around 11 p.m. and
was last seen walking on Fuller by a co-worker who drove by. Her
boyfriend, Andrew Skelton, was questioned by police. He got a little
upset and trashed the interrogation room, so they arrested him and
let him cool off in a cell. He was released and police apparently
don't think he did it. They're still investigating.
Murder in Six Lakes. Friday night, Daniel Braman
was on his way home from work and stopped off to visit a friend in
Six Lakes in Montcalm County. The friend was staying at a mobile
home. A child and at least two other adults were there. Braman (age
29) of Blanchard in Isabella County got into an argument with one of
them, who shot him in the chest with a high-powered rifle. It
happened around 6:45 in the back bedroom. Everybody else ran outside
and said they think they heard a second shot. Montcalm sheriff s
deputies were there right away. The shooter, a 28-year-old Six Lakes
man, is in jail waiting to be arraigned this morning.
Grand Rapids Community College faculty union spent the
weekend looking over the latest contract offer. The college
president said it's their last and best offer. Teachers have been
working without a contract since the last one expired two years ago
August. They held a "study day" last month, a sort of "half-strike."
They showed up for class, but didn't teach. Instead, they worked with
students individually and ran a sort of study hall. Union and college
representatives met last week, and the current proposal came down on
Friday. Neither side will confirm many details, but the college wants
the instructors to sign a six-year agreement. We know the union is
asking for cost-of-living increases, and that earlier the college cut
overtime pay. GRCC has 235 full-time instructors and 550 part-timers.
If they turn down the offer and strike, it'll be the second time this
year for West Michigan colleges. In September, the faculty at Ferris
State in Big Rapids went on strike, and reached an agreement with the
administration after three days.
Ottawa snow-plow drivers still without contract; union
rejects mediator's report. The sticking point is pay. The
state mediator turned in a non-binding fact-finding report that sided
with the union on the issue of health benefits. The workers say their
cash costs for health care have been going up, and they want to
change to a different managed-care supplier. The road commission said
they'd be willing to do that. As a matter of fact, they said they'd
be willing to sign a contract based on the fact-finder's report. The
union says the money's not good enough. The mediator recommended a 2
per cent raise for the past two years (retroactive), 2.5 per cent
next year, and 3 per cent in 1999. The union wants 3 per cent through
1998 and 4 per cent for 1999.
Body found under freeway overpass; believed to be missing
woman. Yesterday around noon, police retrieved the body of a
young woman from underneath the College Ave. bridge over the Ford
Freeway. They're pretty sure it's that of Billie Jo Watson, who
disappeared Sunday night. She punched out of work at 11 p.m. at Kent
Community Hospital, and began her usual walk home to Coit Ave. near
Michigan St. College Ave. is between work and home. Family and
friends spent the week posting flyers and talking to businesses and
neighbors. Autopsy will be today, to confirm ID and find the cause of
death.
School closed by flu. Western Michigan Christian
High School in Muskegon is closed today. About 20 per cent of the 250
students were absent yesterday, along with a teacher and the
principal. It's the first time they've ever closed because of
illness.
Grandville mall breaks ground today. General Growth
Properties of Chicago will break ground this morning for RiverTown
Crossings. When it opens in 1999 it will be the biggest mall in West
Michigan. When Grandville's planning commission passed the final site
plan last month, there were still people objecting to it. Earlier,
citizen's groups who campaigned against the mall were found to be
supported by competing retailers and at least one other shopping
mall.
This weekend is "Christmas with the Animals" at John Ball
Zoo. The annual holiday party for the inmates will include
Santa Claus, for the human visitors. It'll be from 1 to 4 p.m. both
Saturday and Sunday, and admission is free both days. You're asked to
think about bringing food or feeding tools -- plastic storage
containers (with lids), big plastic tubs, maybe a cheese grater or
small food chopper. They generally like to eat fresh fruits and
vegetables, and even frozen corn. If you want to ask, call the zoo at
336-4301.
Freeway repair bill will be paid by insurance.
Repairs on the Ford Freeway (Interstate 196) bridge over Chicago Dr.
will take through next week, at least. The freeway's still down to
one lane and the on-ramp from Chicago Dr. is still closed. Monday
night, a 20-ton roll of steel broke its chains on a flat-bed
semi-truck. It bounced off, smashed a hole in the bridge deck and
took out 30 feet of guard rail. Everybody's still amazed -- with all
the traffic, nobody was crushed by the roll, and nobody's car was
wrecked by the concrete and hardware that fell onto Chicago Dr.
below. The trucking company's insurance will cover the bill of
$150,000. The driver got a ticket for $500 for having an "unsecured
load." The other roll of steel did not break loose.
Child molested at bus stop; parents ask district to move the
bus stop. Yesterday morning a man walked up to a group of
kids waiting for the school bus, grabbed a little girl and fondled
her. A mother nearby screamed, and he let go and got back in his car.
It was on Fargo Drive near Parchment, north of Kalamazoo. The man was
described as in his twenties, and drove a blue four-door Pontiac with
a Michigan license plate. Parents say the district needs to move the
stop to make it safer.
Jack Kevorkian has a partner now. His lawyer says a
retired Kalamazoo doctor helped a Detroit woman take her own life
last night. No word on her medical problems. Kevorkian wants more
doctors to assist suicides, to further pressure law makers into
legalizing it. His lawyer also took issue with State Senator William
Van Regenmorter, sponsor of a bill that would restrict assisting in
someone else's death. He used words like "dictator" and "Nazi" but
carefully avoided labeling anyone in particular. Van Regenmorter's
bill came out of committee this week onto the Senate floor for
debate, and will probably show up in the House soon.
Holland 17-year-old charged with planning to kill a family for the
money. Prosecutor says Jeff Outermolen fantasized about
being a serial killer. He tried to recruit some friends in a plot to
murder a rich family, steal their cash, empty their bank accounts. He
was going to use his father's guns to murder the family of Edward
Duffy of Lake Shore Drive. Duffy is a successful importer. It seems
Outermolen picked him because he once saw Duffy driving an expensive
sports car. He was charged and ordered to stand trial yesterday for
conspiracy to murder.
Dead man found in pick-up in Newaygo County was a big drug
dealer. Last week, Todd Brenner of Grand Rapids was found
slumped down in the cab of his truck, parked on an un-paved road in
the country east of Newaygo. There were footprints around the truck,
he was missing one shoe, and the keys were in his pocket. Newaygo
sheriff's detectives are still investigating, and won't talk about
whether it was foul play or natural. Brenner was convicted in 1990 of
making and dealing drugs -- he and his people handled cocaine a
kilo-at-a-time. He'd been arrested a few times before that, too. He
was paroled in February.
Killer of André Bosse is cleaned out. Dean
Metcalfe confessed to killing his 11-year-old neighbor girl, but
can't be tried because the body's never been found. He's serving time
for molesting other girls. Various reports say he could get out in 15
years on parole.
This week he got cleaned out. André's parents won a civil
wrongful-death judgment against him for $10-million. His assets
probably won't top $50,000, but that's not the point. This blows out
any light at the end of the tunnel. If he gets out of jail alive, he
won't have a penny. They got:
Madison Square's Santa Claus parade will be this Saturday.
It's the first parade through Madison Square in twenty
years, and West Michigan's first black Santa Claus parade. SECA, the
South East Community Association, is organizing it. They'll step-off
at 11 a.m. Saturday from Fuller and Franklin near the GRPS
headquarters and march east to Madison Ave., then north to the Paul
I. Phillips Center where Santa and Mrs. Claus will host a holiday
party. Doing the "ho-ho-ho's" in the big red suit will be
African-American community leader, Kent County commissioner Paul
Mayhue.
SECA is looking for some help
with the party -- they'd like to give a present to every little kid
who comes by. If you can, drop one off at SECA, 1408 Madison Ave.
Nothing big: new, under $5, unwrapped, you know the deal. Or call
them at 245-4398.
Grand Rapids family searches for missing woman. Billie Jo
Watson punched out of work at 11 p.m. Sunday and hasn't been seen
since. She works at Kent Community Hospital on Fuller north of the
Ford, and usually walks a mile-and-a-half to and from home on Coit
Ave. Her mother is mystified. She said Billie Jo wouldn't leave her
two-year-old daughter Clarisse without warning. Her brother and
friends put up posters all over the neighborhood.
Were you on Fuller or Michigan
Sunday night? She's 5-foot-7, 130 pounds, brown hair, blue eyes.
Sunday night she was wearing a puffy denim coat with white sheep-skin
fleece lining, purple shirt, white pants. If you saw her, please call
Grand Rapids Police at 456-3400. If you don't want to give your name,
you can call Silent Observer at 774-2345.
Caledonia man dies in the Silverdome. The
31-year-old was dancing on the balcony rail at the Rolling Stones
concert last night, slipped, and fell twenty feet. People nearby said
he'd been up there at least twice before but it was too dark for the
security people to see him.
Body found in Muskegon River. It was spotted
yesterday by a helicopter crew inspecting power lines near US-31 in
the river flats. Autopsy will be today, but positive identification
may take a while because it was in the water for a long time. Police
expect it's the man who fell out of the fishing boat in the
spring.
Grand Rapids passes sidewalk ordinance. Last night
the city commission approved a new sidewalk maintenance law.
Residents who want to sell their homes will have to pay the city $50
for a sidewalk inspection, then pay for repairs if the sidewalk
doesn't pass. Realtors complain the city is restricting the citizen's
right to sell property freely. Mayor Logie said the city has too many
crummy sidewalks that aren't getting fixed. So the city will hire
more inspectors with the fee money, which should rake in about
$200,000 a year.
Assisted suicide bills report out of committee. Two
bills came out of the Senate judiciary committee yesterday. The one
that would restrict physician-assisted suicide was approved; the one
that would have specified special cases where it would be okay was
defeated. Expect the full Senate to approve the one that passed.
It'll be a tougher road through the House, though.
Your state legislature at work. Today in Lansing,
the Consumer Protection Committee of the House of Representatives
will take up a pile of bills that would:
The Senate is getting ready to debate and vote on changes to the High School Proficiency Test. If they pass:
Your governor at lunch. John Engler spoke to the
Economic Club of Grand Rapids at the Grand Plaza Hotel yesterday. Not
that this was a campaign speech, but he did list his accomplishments
and achievements: like charter schools, fairer state funding of
schools, breaking ground for the South Beltline. Also, he talked
about the promises he's made: like more training for teachers
(especially on computers), and making school start after
Labor Day for the benefit of tourism. Of course, he'll have to be
re-elected in order to keep those promises.
Wyoming will build new police headquarters, ask voters to pay
for a library addition. The police station is a "go;" the
library expansion will require a $4.5-million bond issue to be
approved by voters. This week the city council voted to go ahead with
the $6.6-million police facility on DeHoop Ave. just north of the
senior center. The money will come from a $3-million bond issue and
the 1.25-mill police tax voters passed last year. Next year, Wyoming
citizens will vote on another millage to pay for the library project.
If it's a "go" it'll more than double the size of the library on
Michael Ave. by expanding east into the woods.
Allendale will get a new football stadium. Voters
passed the $2-million bond issue Monday, 385-to-232. It'll pay for
other hardware and physical stuff too, like a new playground for the
elementary school and lots of computers and technology.
Lowell will get a new bridge. M-DOT announced plans
to re-build parts of M-21, which is Main Street in downtown Lowell.
It'll cost $1.4-million and include replacing the bridge over the
Flat River near the new plaza downtown. This is a continuation of the
remodeling that started in 1996. Traffic note -- for three months
next summer, Main St. through downtown will be one lane, shared by
both directions, with traffic lights at both ends.
East Grand Rapids water is safe to drink. Yesterday
we warned you to boil the water because of high chlorine levels. They
think it was because they were disinfecting the new big water main
from Grand Rapids. The chemicals concentrated in a few spots and
scared some people. City workers spent the night before last running
the fire hydrants. City officials say they've flushed all the extra
chlorine out. If you smell any in your tap water, you can run the
cold water for a few minutes to clear it out.
Coopersville school bus vandals expelled. In
addition to facing charges in Ottawa juvenile court, the two boys got
the ultimate punishment from the school board -- expulsion for 180
days. You'll remember we told you how they broke into the school bus
yard two weeks ago, and slashed tires on all 24 regular buses. School
was closed for the day and it cost over $12,000 to fix. Also closed
were private schools served by Coopersville buses. The two boys
admitted they did it just because they wanted the day off. The school
pointed out these two boys have pretty thick histories of
misbehavior. The day after that stunt, another kid set fire to three
Spring Lake school buses. He's in the Ottawa Juvenile Detention
Center, also will be charge for vandalism. Spring Lake school board
should announce today whether he'll be expelled, too.
WARNING: East Grand Rapids! Boil your water! City
health officials found an unhealthy high level of chlorine. They
spent time overnight letting water out of the fire hydrants. East
Grand Rapids gets its water from the Grand Rapids system. It's
all-clear at the head-end so your water should be okay by this
afternoon.
Bad crash wrecks a bridge. Last night around 11 o'clock, a
crash on eastbound Ford Freeway at Chicago Dr. (M-21) knocked holes
in both the deck and the guard-rails. Everybody was okay. A flat-bed
semi-truck lost its load of steel. It was a bouncing 20-ton roll that
did the unscheduled remodeling. It took several hours to open the
freeway. Now there's only one lane open to traffic. Also, because of
the re-routing on the bridge the on -ramp from Chicago Dr.
(from Jenison and Grandville, near Grand Village Mall) to eastbound
Ford is closed. Repairs will not be easy. It could be like that for a
month.
Tonight, Grand Rapids city commission will decide whether to
tax the sidewalks. A proposed ordinance would institute a
fee for sidewalk inspections and would hold up sale of a home until
repairs are made. The city wants to protect itself from liability
claims from people who hurt themselves on broken sidewalks, and wants
homeowners to pay for the protection. So they'd like to charge you a
$50 sidewalk inspection fee when you want to sell your house. If it
passes, great -- you can sell your home. If it doesn't pass,
you have to pay to fix the sidewalk (about $500 on average),
plus you pay another $60 for hardware, paperwork and a
second inspection. Then you can wait until the
bureaucracy gets around to processing the job, then reinspecting the
work . . . then you may sell your home. Realtors are
screaming. They say it would restrict your right to freely transfer
property, and delay closings. City figures once they start collecting
these fees, they'll rake in about $200,000 a year. They'd spend that
by hiring more sidewalk inspectors.
First of America Bank bought by buckeyes. Yesterday,
National City Corporation of Cleveland, Ohio, and First of America
(headquartered in Kalamazoo) announced they're merging. They're both
giant Midwest banks, and will together be the 13th largest bank
holding company in the country. To compare the two: National City has
$53-billion in assets and First of America has $22-billion. The deal
is a stock-swap -- if you hold one share of FOA, you'll now own 1.2
shares of the combo. The big guy keeps the name -- the new company
will be called "National City Bank." The deal includes support for
Kalamazoo. Even though they'll likely close some administrative
offices they'll move others in.
This throws a loop at the Grand
Rapids Jaycees. For years, FOA sponsored its Seniors golf tournament,
the "First of America Classic." Sounds great, did great P.R. for the
bank, brought in big bucks for the designated charities. Since the
name's going into the dumpster, there can't be a "First of America
Classic" anymore. But the bank people will think of something,
because the contract runs for another two years.
Michigan's deer-hunting season declared slightly safer.
The DNR counted 24 accidents and two hunting deaths for the
season that ended Sunday. That compares to 40 accidents and one
fatality for 1996. They're still counting racks, but it looks like a
good harvest. The number of deer taken will be released in a few
weeks.
Lakeshore beer distributors will sponsor the Holland free
ride program again. Through January 1, the area's five
wholesalers will pay the cab fare for drivers who are not sober
enough to drive. Servers and cabbies will hand out the coupons, which
are good for a one-way ride to the holder's residence. (No fair
trying to get a ride to another party!)
The coverage area is from M-45 to
Douglas-Saugatuck,and east to Hudsonville. Just to make the free
rides a little more appealing, Ottawa and Allegan deputies, city
police and state troopers will hold four surprise "saturation
patrols" looking for un-sober divers between now and New Years.
Newaygo body identified. Found in his pick-up truck
Friday morning in Big Prairie Township was Todd Willis Brenner (age
39) of Grand Rapids. The property owner though it was left by
trespassing hunters. He was slumped across the seat, and had the keys
in his pocket. Autopsy was yesterday; cause of death should be
released today. Brenner was jailed in 1990 for making drugs and was
paroled in February.
Godwin Heights teachers get a contract. Last night,
the school board approved a two-year pact. A state mediator worked
with representatives for four months. The district's 180 teachers
already voted on it. They'll get a 2.5 per cent raise this year, and
2 per cent next year. It wasn't as much as the union wanted, but they
needed to get into a contract to avoid losing insurance coverage.
License your dog! Kent County dog licenses went on
sale yesterday. State law requires your pooch have a current license
by March 31 -- it's:
It's $15 per pup au naturel -- $6 if spayed or neutered (the dog, that is) -- and half price if you (the owner) are a senior citizen. Previously licensed dogs get a renewal in the mail. If you or your dog is new in town, you'll need the rabies certificate (the proof of vaccination from the vet). You can get a license from city or county offices, the county animal shelter on Ball Ave., and the Kent County Health Department office on Fuller Ave. north of the Ford Freeway.
Hostage stand-off in Big Rapids; everybody's
okay. Yesterday evening in the College Park mobile home
park, Kevin Bishop (age 26) barged into his ex-girlfriend's unit and
started waving a handgun. Her 4 children were there, too. Her
2-year-old is his and they had argued about custody in the past.
Another man, Mike Sanders of Big Rapids, was there but Bishop didn't
know it. Sanders hid out in the back room and called 9-1-1. Police
pulled up shortly after that. Bishop let the kids out about an hour
after the incident started, then let the woman out, and finally
walked out with his hands up. He'll be arraigned this
morning.
West Michigan travelers spent yesterday returning. During
the biggest travel weekend of the year, heavy fog socked-in and
shut-down several Midwest airports. That kept planes from arriving in
Grand Rapids to carry flights out. Yesterday and today were better,
and most cancellations were made up.
Michigan got through the weekend better than last
year. The holiday weekend death toll (that's people killed
in car crashes) statewide was reported as eleven. That's a
lot better than last year, when it was twice that number.
State police credit a combination of good weather, good enforcement
and good work on the part of MADD and other public service groups to
increase awareness of the hazards of driving drunk.
Battle Creek man killed in shoot-out in Indianapolis.
Monwell Shaife (age 22) was wanted by Battle Creek police
for escaping from a half-way house. A police car tried to pull him
over, but he led them on a chase. Police say he started shooting at
them after they cut him off and forced him off the road. Witnesses
told several different stories. One said Shaife had already given up
and was out of the car when they started shooting. Two cops are on
leave during the investigation.
Hunting tragedy: mistaken for deer, shot and killed by
buddy. Roger Heiss (age 33, father of three) of Cedar
Springs was hunting near Greenville Friday afternoon. He had taken
off his blaze orange coat and cap because it was warm. He stepped out
of the tree-line around 5:45, about a half-hour after sunset. His
hunting buddy, a man from Grand Rapids, thought he was a deer and
dropped him with one shot. Police are confident it's an accident. DNR
said it was the first gunshot death of this year's fire-arms hunting
season and may be the only one, since the season ended at dusk
yesterday.
Nasty crash north of Middleville very early
yesterday. Jeremy Schriver of Middleville (age 19) was in
critical condition with head injuries. It seems he was drag racing on
Whitneyville Ave. and they turned onto 108th St. A resident on 108th
was turning into her driveway when one car zoomed by. Schriver was
right behind, but in the same lane she was crossing -- tried to
swerve around but hit her car. Then he left the road and smashed into
a tree. Caledonia fire department had to take part of his car apart
to get him out. Kent deputy said "alcohol appeared to be a
factor."
Thanksgiving jail break in Muskegon foiled by
guards. Supervisors are calling at least one of them a hero.
One guard was beaten unconscious and two others were whacked-up
pretty badly. They'll all be okay. Prisoners Dantay McMann (age 17)
and Leopold Roberson (19) had sawn through bars on their cell with a
hacksaw. Standard procedure for guards is "no guns inside" so when
these two started pounding with those heavy steel bars they did some
damage. They were caught before they got out. Muskegon deputies are
looking for the person who smuggled in the hacksaw.
Fatal crash Friday night, south of Cascade near the airport.
Just before midnight, Vernon Melton Jr. (age 38) of
Greenville was crossing the street at Thornapple River Dr. and 48th
St. He was hit by a Suzuki Side-kick, driven by Chris Goad of the
West Side of Grand Rapids. He and everybody else in the car, a
24-year-old woman and her 5-year-old son, were okay.
Today and tomorrow are the two biggest retail shopping
days of the year. Serious shoppers were lined up outside
stores that opened at 6 a.m. National surveys indicate this year's
Christmas shopping season should be like last year's, with no big
increase in dollar sales. West Michigan's economy is in fairly good
shape, so our retailers expect a good season.
Here's the early bird run-down:
Wal-Mart and K-Mart opened at 6.
Target at 7.
Circuit City at 8.
Woodland Mall at 9, but Sears, Kohls and possibly some others before
then.
Eastbrook Mall at 9:30.
About a thousand people had Thanksgiving dinner served by
volunteers of Mel Trotter Ministries in the Grand Center.
Inner city residents who would have had neither company nor turkey
were served family-style by about 700 who gave up part of their
holiday. They had more people wanting to help than they could use --
so they recruited some for other projects, like the construction of
the new homeless shelter in the Heartside. The dinner was so
successful they've already booked the Grand Center for next
Thanksgiving.
"Christmas in the City" is tonight in downtown Grand
Rapids. Free horse-carriage rides, strolling carollers and
Victorian decorations will keynote the holiday season on Monroe Mall
tonight from 5 to 8, and tomorrow afternoon from 1 to 4. The city
will show off the new section of Monroe Mall, which opened to traffic
on Wednesday.
S-Curve off-ramp re-build a "go." Grand Rapids city
commission approved reconstruction of the off-ramp from northbound
131 to Ionia Ave. downtown. That's the ramp that starts on the right,
just past the Wealthy St. overpass. The ramp will be widened and
maybe help you get into parking at the Van Andel Arena a little
faster. There will be improvements to the city streets nearby, too.
It'll cost $6.5-million, most of which will be federal money. Work
will take most of next year, and the ramp should be ready by spring
of 1999.
Body found in Newaygo County. Sheriff's department
is waiting for autopsy results to tell them how the man died, and
will release his name after they find his family. He was found
yesterday in a pick-up truck in Big Prairie Township, east of Newaygo
not far from the Croton-Hardy dam.
Arson fires destroy two vacant houses in Kalamazoo.
Around 11 p.m. Wednesday night, somebody set fire to a house on James
St., then a few hours later did the same thing on Clinton St. Police
are looking for two people who were seen driving away from the house
on James St. in a new-looking, red-and-black pick-up truck.
Muskegon Police gets accreditation. They've been
working on this for three years. The department had to meet almost
400 specific standards set by the national Commission for
Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies. It's good for three years,
then they'll have to re-apply to renew it. Only five other
departments in the state are accredited. The only two in
West Michigan are Norton Shores and Kentwood.
Grand Rapids lowers your water bill. Yesterday, the
city commission approved next year's rates and the price of water
will drop. The sewer rate will go up slightly, but the net change is
down. Grand Rapids provides most of the municipal water to the metro
area.
Summer football team announces name. Next year,
you'll be able to watch the Grand Rapids Rampage play Arena Football
in the Van Andel Arena. DP-Fox Sports unveiled the logo at a press
conference yesterday. Season starts in May and they're selling season
tickets already.
Kentwood takes the plan from Woodland; no decision until
January. Yesterday, Taubman Company, owners of Woodland
Mall, presented the city commission with their proposal. They want to
build a fourth anchor store by the southeast concourse a Lord &
Taylor. They also propose to demolish the movie theater to the
southwest, and use the space to widen 28th St. and their own outer
drive waiting lanes. Plus, they'd like to re-arrange the mall drive
near the Beltline to discourage short-cutting. The traffic and
congestion issues will be most apparent to the greatest number of
citizens on Friday and Saturday, the biggest retail shopping days of
the year.
Meanwhile, downtown: Monroe Mall will open to traffic at 11
this morning. Mayor Logie will be the first citizen in ten
years to drive legally a private car down the road. (Maintenance and
delivery vehicles have been using it all along.) The reconstruction
took all summer and cost $6-million.
State police will be on the look-out for
turkeys. Michigan will have extra troopers on patrol from
tonight through Sunday night. Last year, 23 people were killed in
crashes through the Thanksgiving weekend and they'd like to cut that
number down a little. They'll be checking your speed, whether you're
using your seatbelt -- and looking for drunk drivers.
Kent County cuts a deal for the old Furniture Building at 82 Ionia
NW. The county and the city are looking for a new home for
the courts because the Hall of Justice sits on the site that's ideal
for building a new convention center. Actually, it'll be an expansion
of the Grand Center.
A joint committee came up with
various options, but there's no agreement yet on which is best. The
Furniture Building shows up in most of them in one way or another. In
the months while the committee met and talked, Peter Secchia bought
the building. He was preparing to do a nice thing for the proposed
AIRSEDS space museum, but that's another story.
Right after he bought it, the
word came that the county might want it. So Secchia, Grand Rapids
businessman and former ambassador to Italy, made them a deal they
couldn't refuse. Kent County bought -- for one dollar -- a one-month
option to lease the building for twenty years. The rent
would be about a half-million-dollars a year for a little over half
the building, which is pretty cheap. Or they can lease the
whole building for just a little bit more. If they don't
sign the lease by December 15, they can renew the option for another
month for $25,000. (Even that's a good price.)
If they take the lease, they
could buy the building outright at 5, 10 or 15 years.
Overall, it's a very generous offer by Secchia, and there's still a
good possibility the AIRSEDS space museum will have room there.
But it requires the county and
the city to do something that governments have trouble with . . .
reach a consensus, make a decision, and act.
Nasty crash near Grattan. Yesterday evening around 6, a
farmer was driving his tractor westbound on Belding Rd. between the
Ionia County line and Lincoln Lake Ave. He stopped to turn into a
field and was rammed from behind by a panel truck. The driver of the
truck was pinned inside and it took a while for rescuers from Grattan
and Belding to get him out. He was air-lifted by AeroMed to
Butterworth Hospital. The tractor driver should be okay, taken to the
E-R for observation. Kent deputies are still looking into it but they
say alcohol was not a factor.
Did you buy a lottery ticket in East Lansing back in
March? One ticket sold on March 15 is the winner of the
$34-million jackpot, but the winner has not come forward. Usually the
big winners show up when the door opens the next day. You have one
year -- until March 15, 1998 -- to claim it. The winning numbers on
that ticket are 3, 15, 24, 29, 37 and 43.
Police are asking you to help them find a
murderer. Late Friday night, a man was shot at the freeway
rest area on Interstate 69 north of I-94. Robby Lee Goosen (age 25),
of Mt. Pleasant, was traveling to Alabama to visit family. He was
shot and robbed. Another traveler saw it and called 9-1-1. Police are
hoping you can help them. They're looking for a dark-colored, late
1970's Ford pick-up truck, with the tail-gate missing and a very loud
exhaust. Were you on I-69 or I-94 near Marshall on Friday night or
early Saturday morning? If you saw it, call the state police at (616)
968-6115.
Meet the Griffins Monday night. Amway Grand Plaza
Hotel's Tinseltown Restaurant will host a Toys-for-Tots party from 5
to 8 p.m. Monday. Admission will be one new un-wrapped toy. Goalie
Pokey Redick, Darcy Simon, Danton Cole, Matt Ruchty, Todd Nelson, Ian
Gordon and Griff will meet fans and sign autographs.
Meet the "Whatevers" today. D-P Fox Sports will
announce the name of the new Arena Football team today. We'll also
see the logo, which was designed by the same firm that created the
Griffins logo package.
Grand Rapids Public Schools will ask for
$396-million. That's the cut-down budget for fixing-up
schools and installing current technology. The district plans to put
a bond issue in front of voters on March 31. It's almost a third less
than the first-round plan four months ago, which would have cost well
over a half-billion dollars. It would go entirely to hardware and
buildings, some of which date to the 1880's.
Superintendent Dr. Patricia Newby unveiled the revised plan
yesterday.The trimming came from every part of the proposal. Air
conditioning would be only for libraries and computer rooms. The
original computer wish-list was chopped by 40 per cent. The plan to
renovate Houseman Field went from $4.7-million to $2.5-million.
How much will this cost you? If your home is worth
$60,000 you'd pay another $16 a month. If its market value is
$100,000, that'll be $26.83 a month. Parents and teachers think
that's a fair price for preparing the schools for the next century
(or millennium).
More school bus vandalism. This time it was in
Decatur in Van Buren County. Someone broke into the bus garage of
Decatur Public Schools late Sunday and slashed tires on almost every
bus. So there was no school yesterday but they're fixed, and schools
are open today. Last week it was Coopersville and Spring Lake, and
they caught the kids who did it. Police are still looking for the
Decatur vandals.
Judge says the Koks can't have their kids back yet -- maybe
never. Mark and Lisa Kok were in court yesterday to convince
the judge they're fit parents. He's not convinced yet. They were
convicted of child abuse last week. It was their
7-year-old girl who was locked in a cage in the basement of their
home on the northeast side. She broke out through a window and
neighbors found her staggering down the street in her nightie.
They'll be sentenced next month. The prosecutor plans to file a
motion to terminate their parental rights forever. Then the kids
would be in foster care until they're adopted.
Monroe Mall will open to cars tomorrow. The stretch from
Ottawa Ave. up to Fulton-and-Division will be opened to traffic when
Mayor Logie and dignitaries snip the ribbon at 11 a.m. Wednesday.
This saga began back in the 1970's when businesses and city hall
looked for ways to stir-up interest in shopping downtown. The malls
were starting to draw more and more traffic away from the city. By
the early 1980's, America was seeing more and more medium-size cities
going to the "pedestrian mall" concept for their downtowns. Did it
work? It did in a few places, where it was part of a bigger effort
with many other elements that drew traffic. Now, the trend is to open
up those pedestrian malls -- and that's what we're doing.
Half of Monroe Mall was torn-up
and rebuilt over the summer. Now you'll be able to drive from Ottawa
Ave. (which is one-way, southbound) and turn left onto Monroe, going
southeast to Division Ave. at Fulton St. The other half
of Monroe Mall (from Ottawa Ave. to the intersection of
Pearl-and-Monroe) was supposed to be re-modeled next year but the
city decided to put that off until at least 1999. They want to see
what's going to happen with the first section, and make sure the
kinks get worked out. Also, we still don't know what will happen to
the space occupied by the amphitheater, plus people are talking about
doing things with the "Wurzburg Block."
Woodland Mall wants to re-model the driveways and parking
lots. They want to reduce congestion and make it easier to
get in. The Lord & Taylor store is under construction at the
southeast wing--and so is the new mall in Grandville.
Later today, Woodland's owner
will present its plan to the city of Kentwood. They want to demolish
the movie theater, block one of the entrances, add a lane to 28th
St., and add a lane to the exit. They'd also like to redesign the
mall drive near the Beltline, to keep people from using the mall
drive as a shortcut to avoid the light at 28th and the Beltline.
Sound good? Not to everybody. So far, Kentwood planners say they want
to add two lanes on 28th St. and build a new GRATA bus
stop. And lastly, they point out the plan for the new Lord &
Taylor addition is six feet higher than the city code allows. Oops.
Plus, they say it's congested enough around there, and opening more
room will draw more traffic.
But the mall can say, "Don't
worry about traffic. That new mall in Grandville's gonna draw a lot
of it away!" Then Hudson's (in Woodland Mall) gets on the list to
complain about the addition of Lord & Taylor, which really took
Taubman's people by surprise. Oops, again!
Roads are scary! Many back roads and a lot of the
city side streets are covered with glaze ice, thanks to yesterday's
mixed-bag of drizzle, freezing rain and snow. Plows and salt-trucks
have been working on the main roads (even in Ottawa County), but
freeway bridges and ramps still have slick spots. Leave early and go
slow!
Grand Rapids Community College faculty calls a "study
day." They've been working without a contract for two years.
Union leaders say they've organized a taste of a strike. They're
asking professors and other instructors to be in class, but to
schedule no instruction. They'll answer questions and work with
students individually. Earlier this month, they picketed to protest
the lack of progress in contract talks.
From the poultry department . . .
Bil-Mar plant is back in operation. A week ago today, a
federal inspector from the Department of Agriculture ordered the meat
processor in Borculo to shut down and send everybody home because of
conditions that could result in contamination of food. Moisture was
condensing on the ceiling of a food area, there was corrosion on a
pipe, and there was dust in a storage area. Over a thousand workers
were given an un-scheduled, un-paid week off.
Bil-Mar crews worked
round-the-clock in shifts to fix the problems. On Friday, the "feds"
went through, room by room, and supervisors started calling people to
come in. Product work went through the weekend, and today all three
shifts could be at full-speed. Some areas would normally close for
this week because of Thanksgiving, but they may just keep pumping to
try to make up for the lost production.
No bad meat ever left the plant,
and the feds did not order a re-call. About 20,000 tons
(that's tons , as in 400,000 pounds!) of meat was held-up.
Some will be shipped after it's re-inspected, some will be
destroyed.
How unusual is this? There are
about 6,000 meat plants in the US, and since January only about 60
have been ordered to shut down because of violations.
From the venison department . . .
Allegan deer hunter found. Thomas Duncan (age
52) of Monterey Township went into the woods near his home Wednesday
and wasn't seen again until Friday morning. Around 9 a.m. Friday, a
neighbor on her way to join the search saw him walking down 125th
Ave. He was carrying his gun and hunting stool. She said he didn't
look well -- haggard and tired, but he was speaking clearly. He said
he'd had a heart attack in a cornfield not far from where more than
fifty people searched and called his name late Wednesday night and
all day Thursday. They'd found a deer carcass partially
field-dressed.
And finally, from the beef department . . .
Ada Beef to re-open. The slaughterhouse
northeast of Grand Rapids closed in August. Last week the owners,
John and Orie Vandenboom, announced they'll re-open in one week.
It'll be owned by a new partnership of the Vandenbooms and Packerland
Packing Company of Green Bay, Wisconsin. That's the good news. The
other news is former