Michigan's Unemployment Rate Down a Notch

(LANSING, Mich.) -- Michigan's employment situation improved slightly in April, as the state's unemployment rate inched downward during the month.

The state's Department of Technology, Management and Budget reports that Michigan's unemployment rate fell to 8.4 percent in April from 8.5 percent the previous month.

The national unemployment rate for April was 7.5 percent, down from 7.6 percent in March.

Economists had expected that figure to remain unchanged.

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Pet Store Owner Faces Second Animal Cruelty Charge

(WARREN, Mich.) -- Approximately 100 animals were taken from a Warren, Mich., pet shop Wednesday and now the store owner faces his second animal cruelty charge in under a year.

According to the Detroit Free Press, the conditions in the store were terrible, with at least one animal dead. When enforcement officers arrived at the store on Wednesday, the store owner, Dennis Jones, allegedly sent a dog to attack them.

The animals, including roosters, birds, iguanas, a python, a puppy and two kittens, were living without food. Also, the store's power and water had been turned off due to failure to pay, says the Free Press.

Jones is being held at Macomb County Jail on $10,000 bond.

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Detroit Businessman Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud

(DETROIT) -- A Detroit businessman is facing up to 33 years in prison after pleading guilty to bank fraud and obstructing the Internal Revenue Service.

According to the Department of Justice, court documents indicated that Mosii Mays Blackwell failed to report over $4.5 million in receipts generated by Detroit-area businesses he operated, between April 2004 and December 2012.

Authorities also say that in November 2004, Blackwell committed bank fraud when he caused a loan application to be submitted to a mortgage lender, falsely claiming that the person applying for the loan was employed by one of his business entities at a salary of $18,000 per month.

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Crews Search Lake Erie for Two Missing Boaters

(DETROIT) -- Authorities are searching for two Michigan men, who have gone missing after going fishing in Lake Erie on Wednesday.

The U.S. Coast Guard says crews are searching western Lake Erie in the vicinity of Monroe, for two boaters who failed to return from fishing.

The missing men have been identified as Kendrick Covington, 64, of Detroit, and Godfried McKinney, 54, of Southfield.

McKinney's wife told authorities that she hadn't seen him since around 9 a.m. Wednesday. Meanwhile Covington's wife said she hadn't seen her husband since about 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, and that he was expected home at 9:30 or 10 p.m. the same day.

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Man, 24, Sought in Fatal Shooting

(DETROIT) -- Police are searching for a man accused of shooting five people, and killing one, in Detroit on Wednesday.

According to the Detroit Free Press, the incident took place near the 9600 block of Carlin Street. A group of children were playing outside when an adult reportedly sent one of the children home.

The child told family members what had happened, and those family members went to the location on Carlin Street, where a verbal altercation occurred, according to the Free Press.

A 24-year-old man is accused of firing the shots.

A 60-year-old woman was killed in the gunfire, while a 58-year-old man, a 32-year-old woman, a 24-year-old woman and a 15-year-old girl were hospitalized for gunshot wounds.

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