Truck Fire Closes Stretch of I-75 Northbound

(TROY, Mich.) -- A stretch of the northbound side of Interstate 75 was closed Friday morning after a truck fire.

According to the Detroit Free Press, the truck was carrying toilet paper and paper towels. The driver of the truck noticed a fire in the truck's trailer around 1:30 a.m. Friday and escaped unharmed. No one was injured in the blaze.

The truck's trailer was destroyed and cleanup is expected to take some time. Before the road can be reopened, engineers must check the state of the concrete.

Traffic on I-75 was diverted while the lanes were closed. According to the Free Press, the section of I-75 was expected to be reopened by 11 a.m.

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Man Convicted of Arson Sentenced to 137 Years in Prison

(DETROIT) -- The leader of an arson ring was sentenced to 137 years in prison on Wednesday in connection with a scam that involved burning down buildings to receive fraudulent insurance money.

Ali Darwich was convicted on 33 counts of wire and mail fraud, arson and money laundering, according to the Detroit Free Press.

Darwich's scam apparently began in 2005 when he and eight other defendants purchased insurance for a number of properties and then intentionally burned or otherwise vandalized those properties. The defendants scammed seven insurance companies out of over $5 million, according to the Free Press.

All eight of Darwich's co-defendants pleaded guilty and received between 18 and 186 months in prison.

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Detroit to Sell Vacant Firehouses

(DETROIT) -- In an effort to aid in financial recovery and promote development, the city of Detroit will sell eight buildings.

The buildings include seven unused firehouses and a renovated but vacant police facility, according to the Detroit Free Press. Some of the buildings date as far back as the 1920s. While the buildings are all reportedly structurally sound, they have been vandalized in recent years, according to the Free Press.

The city will accept bids on the buildings through May 24. According to the Free Press the minimum bids on the eight buildings would total $637,000, which pales in comparison to the city's $380 million budget deficit.

City officials are hoping that developers can attract people to the neighborhoods around Detroit and in turn bring in new businesses.

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Michigan.gov Website Upgraded to Be Mobile-Friendly

(LANSING, Mich.) --The official state of Michigan website, Michigan.gov, has been upgraded to properly display on mobile devices.

The website now recognizes the visitors' screen size, and automatically adapts to fit the full site into that screen. 

In addition to being easier to use, it’s also cheaper, according to Michigan’s Technology, Management & Budget Agency. Having only one site across all devices saves time and maintenance costs, compared to having multiple versions of the site for different sized devices.

"We are continuing to drive efficiency and save time and money for the taxpayers," said David Behen, Chief Information Officer for the State of Michigan.

Among other changes to the site are an updated color-palette, better social media integration and improved calendar features.

Michigan.gov has seen a 6 percent increase in visitors over the past year, and averages more than 3.1 million visitors a month. In the first quarter of 2013, 5.6 million people visited the site on a Smartphone, tablet, or other mobile devices, which prompted the upgrade. According to the state, Michigan.gov regularly ranks among the top ten state websites in the nation.

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Troy to Elect New Mayor Tuesday in Special Election

(TROY, Mich.) -- On Tuesday, voters in Troy will head to the polls to elect a new mayor in a special election, the Detroit Free Press reports.

Former Mayor Janice Daniels was recalled in the fall of 2012. Daniels, a tea-party candidate, was widely criticized for offensive statements she made about gays and lesbians, and her refusal to accept federal funds for a transit center.

The special election comes after Michigan Secretary of State Ruth Johnson sued the city after the city council appointed a new mayor, Dane Slater. Johnson demanded that an election be held.

There are six candidates in the race, but it’s likely to come down to a contest between Slater and Marty Knollenberg, Troy and Clawson’s former state representative.

The position of mayor of Troy is a part-time, low paying job. Still, it is well-regarded given Troy’s affluence.

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