Lansing Local News - ABC News Radio

Former Detroit Library Official Charged with Accepting Bribes

2013-05-22T13:28:51Z

(DETROIT) -- The former Chief Administrative and Technology Officer of the Detroit Public Library was charged with taking over $1 million in bribes.

Timothy Cromer, who worked for the library from 2006 until earlier this year, is accused of helping a pair of contractors set up businesses and win contracts with the library worth over $4 million, according to the Detroit Free Press. Cromer allegedly received kickbacks of approximately $1.4 million.

Cromer faces 21 charges, each with a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The Free Press reports that the Detroit Public Library closed two of its branches and terminated nearly 20 percent of their employees in the past two years due to a massive budget deficit in 2011.

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Invasive Insect Pest Threatens Michigan Hemlock Trees

2013-05-21T13:39:15Z

(LANSING, Mich.) -- The Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development warns Michigan residents to watch out for a tiny invasive insect that can decimate hemlock tree populations.

The hemlock woolly adelgid, or HWA, is described as a “tiny, aphid-like insect.” HWA are not usually found in Michigan, though it has been spotted in the past, each time doing serious damage to hemlock trees.

“[HWA] damages hemlock trees by inserting its mouthparts into the base of the needles and removing plant fluids," explained Gina Alessandri, director of MDARD's Pesticide and Plant Pest Management Division in a statement. "This feeding activity results in needle loss, reduced twig growth, dieback and death. HWA can kill an entire tree in as few as three years."

In the past when the pest has been found in Michigan, the department has had to remove and destroy infected tress, treat nearby trees and conduct thorough surveys afterwards to ensure that the destructive bug is gone.

The HWA, first discovered in Virginia in 1951, makes its way to the state mainly through imported hemlocks in the landscape trade.

The department notes that HWA are most easily found in spring, and advises anyone with hemlocks on their property to examine them for the presence of white cottony masses on the underside of the outermost branch tips where the needles attach.

The department asks anyone who spots HWA to immediately call MDARD's Customer Service Center at (800) 292-3939 or via email at MDA-Info@michigahn.gov and report it.

Former Dept of Human Services Staffer Pleads Guilty to Welfare Fraud

2013-05-20T13:35:46Z

(LANSING, Mich.) -- A former worker at the Department of Human Services pleaded guilty on Wednesday to two felonies for her role in welfare fraud, according to a Monday News release.

The worker, 46-year-old Dawn Simmons of Belleville, Mich., processed false claims for assistance in her brother’s name while she was working as an eligibility specialist at the DHS from September 2009 through February 2012. She used her coworkers’ computers to file the claims. Simmons claimed he lived at her address and collected $19,832.74 in fraudulently obtained benefits over the years.

The Special Investigations Unit of the Office of Inspector General at the Department of Human Services investigated and caught Simmons, and turned the information over to the attorney general’s for criminal prosecution. Simmons placed on unpaid leave in December, 2012 after criminal charges were filed.

Simmons pleaded guilty to one count of false pretenses and one count of fraudulent access to a computer, both felonies that could earn her five years in prison. She also must pay back the $19,832.74 she fraudulently obtained.

"Any public servants who abuse the public trust to defraud the Michigan taxpayers will be held accountable,” said Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette.

Simmons is scheduled to be sentenced on June 26.

Pet Store Owner Faces Second Animal Cruelty Charge

2013-05-17T13:42:36Z

(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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Man, 24, Sought in Fatal Shooting

2013-05-16T13:30:03Z

(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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Veterans Designation Added to Mich. Driver’s Licenses and IDs

2013-05-15T13:34:13Z

(LANSING, Mich.) -- Gov. Rick Snyder signed legislation on Tuesday that authorized the Secretary of State to add a veterans designation on Michigan driver’s licenses and other state IDs.

"The veterans designation is great way for Michigan to honor those who have served and makes it easier for veterans to access discounts and offers from retailers, restaurants and hotels who offer special opportunities to veterans," explained Maj. Gen. Gregory Vadnais, director of the Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.

The bills, one for driver’s licenses and one for state issued ID cards, were sponsored by state Rep. Nancy Jenkins and state Sen. Darwin Booher, respectively.

The new licenses and ID cars will be available in May of next year.

The veterans designations will not serve as legal proof of military service or replace the DD214, but will simply make it easier for veterans to identify themselves in a day-to-day setting.

"This is a small way to say thank you to veterans who have done so much for us, for this country," said Secretary of State Ruth Johnson. "They'll have easy-to-carry, clear-cut proof of their service to help them more easily access the benefits they have earned and deserve.”

Officials: Michigan Teens to Face Competitive Summer Job Market

2013-05-14T13:41:35Z

(LANSING, Mich.) -- Michigan teens looking for work this summer face a competitive job market, according to a new forecast from the Michigan Department of Technology, Management & Budget released Monday.

The release explains that the teen summer labor market is traditionally very competitive, and 2013 is no exception. When school ends, the number of teens looking for work skyrockets, and these usually inexperienced would-be workers face stiff competition from each other and older, more experienced job seekers.

The forecast predicts a summer unemployment rate of 25.5 percent, saying that approximately 242,800 teens are projected to be in the Michigan workforce, and approximately 180,900 are expected to find employment.

According to the department, the summer teen jobless statistics rose sharply during the recession. Still, it declined last year to 26.7 percent, down from 35 percent in 2010. It’s still much higher than the pre-recession levels, which were consistently in the high-teens.

The department attributes this increase in part to older job seekers who are forced to look for jobs that typically employ teens due to lack of employment elsewhere. These industries include food and drinking places, and clothing and clothing accessory stores.

Michigan's Department of Technology, Management & Budget closes its forecast by offering teens summer job search tips:

Start looking early
Keep looking
Visit local businesses
Let friends/neighbors know you are looking for work
Talk with school guidance counselors
Utilize on-line job boards and newspaper want-ads
Think about self-employment: lawn service, pet sitting, etc.

Michigan Welfare Work Participation Rate Reaches Federal Target

2013-05-13T13:39:04Z

(LANSING, Mich.) -- The Michigan Department of Human Services announced late last week that the state had reached a federal target by realizing a work participation rate of 50 percent for residents receiving cash assistance.

The federal government announced in 2002 that all states should strive to have 50 percent or more of their residents receiving Family Independence Program dollars working as well. Failure to meet this goal meant millions of dollars in possible government sanctions.

In 2010, Michigan’s work participation rate was only 22.8 percent. In March 2013, the close of the fiscal year, the participation rate was 50 percent, an increase of 119 percent.

In a press release, the government credited the new state program known as PATH with helping them reach the target. PATH, which stands for partnership, accountability, training and hope, replaced JET, an older work participation program. Officials say PATH offers “a more holistic approach to assessing client needs and skills.”

Truck Fire Closes Stretch of I-75 Northbound

2013-05-10T13:27:57Z

(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

2013-05-09T13:36:47Z

(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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