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FLINT, Michigan -- The American Civil Liberties Union filed a motion requesting an injunction Thursday to force the city of Flint to stop enforcing a ban on police officers speaking to the media.

"They were unable to agree to the relief we requested," said Greg Gibbs, the head of Flint's ACLU.

The ACLU filed a lawsuit in federal court Wednesday asking a judge to strike down the ban instituted by interim Police Chief David Dicks.

FLINT, Michigan -- Acting Flint Police Chief David Dicks announced several new initiatives he said will lower crime in the city.

During a news conference at City Hall, Dicks announced several plans, including:

• Having police sweep corner lots where drug dealers loiter.

• Making the traffic enforcement team more visible and stricter on enforcing traffic violations.

• Creation of a Special Weapons and Tactics Team, which also will sweep areas where drugs are prevalent. Continue reading "Flint police chief proposes police sweeps, special weapons team among moves to curb crime" »

Editor's Note: This is an updated version of an earlier article.

FLINT, Michigan -- Deana Hearod said she just wants answers from police about the Aug. 12 murder of her 21-year-old son, DeAndre Crawford, while he was walking down Proctor Street.

But she said detectives haven't called her.

"My son was going to get gas," she told interim Flint police Chief David Dicks on Wednesday outside City Hall. "My baby's gone."

"My baby's gone, too," Dicks replied, referring to his son, who was fatally shot June 2, the day Dicks was named interim chief.

Continue reading "Violence prompts march on City Hall, Flint Police Chief David Dicks promises more officers" »

Flint Journal extras: See below for a complete list of grades of schools in the Flint Journal's coverage area.

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GENESEE COUNTY, Michigan -- More area schools failed to meet federal standards in 2008 than the previous year in the wake of tougher requirements.

Question of the Day:

High schools in Atherton, Bendle, Carman-Ainsworth, Corunna, Durand, Flint and Mt. Morris school districts are among schools that didn't meet Adequate Yearly Progress under the federal No Child Left Behind Act.

Overall, more than 16 percent of area schools didn't make the grade this year, whereas as 13 percent fell short last year. And two-thirds of the schools that didn't meet AYP standards this year also failed to meet them in 2007.

Continue reading "More Genesee County schools fail to meet federal standards in new Michigan school report card" »

Flint Journal extras: See below for more articles on this topic.

FLINT, Michigan -- No years of planning. No planning committees. No endless analysis and talking.

The Swedish biogas plant is happening. Already.

Officials from Swedish Biogas International visited Flint this week for the third time since news hit that an alternative energy plant would be built here.

Their four-day trip ends Thursday, but while they were here three officials worked on design and engineering plans for the $10 million biogas investment, which are going into three vacant wastewater facilities.

Continue reading "Biogas project moving forward in Flint; Swedish biogas officials make another trip to Michigan" »

HOLLY TOWNSHIP, Michigan -- A Grand Blanc man allegedly pulled what looked like a small revolver on an undercover officer while driving down I-75 -- an incident that Sheriff Michael Bouchard points to a need for increased penalties for those who make threats with fake guns.

Police said John P. McKellar, 22, of Grand Blanc was waving his arms and punching his steering wheel while driving slow on southbound I-75 at about 10 a.m. Tuesday in Holly Township. An undercover detective drove up next to him to ask if there was a problem.

Bouchard said McKellar started yelling, making obscene gestures and pointed what the detective thought was a black revolver at him.

It was really a cap gun, which doesn't actually fire bullets.

Continue reading "Grand Blanc man arrested after waving fake gun; Bouchard says law should be changed" »

Flint Journal extras: See previous articles on this topic below. This is an updated post on a previous version of this story.

FLINT, Michigan -- The American Civil Liberties Union is taking the city of Flint to court over its ban on police officers talking to the media.

The lawsuit was filed in federal court Wednesday and asks a federal judge to strike down the ban instituted by interim Chief David Dicks.

The ACLU said it planned to seek an injunction Thursday morning if the city doesn't drop the ban immediately.

Continue reading "ACLU sues City of Flint, claims cops First Amendment rights to free speech violated" »

FLINT, Michigan -- Flint's League of Women Voters chose to give their first Making Democracy Work Award to one of the longest working advocates of civil rights in the county.

Charlotte Williams, 80, was chosen to receive the league's first award on Tuesday -- the 88th anniversary of women receiving the right to vote.

"It's a special honor that it would happen on that day," said Williams of Flint, the county's first elected black female county commissioner. "It seems like I've been the first in a lot of things and I'm deeply humbled by that."

Continue reading "Flint League of Women Voters honors Charlotte Williams with first Making Democracy Work award" »

Flint Journal extras: See below for related articles.

FLINT, Michigan -- Three high-ranking Flint Police Department officials were called before a federal grand jury Wednesday as prosecutors continue to probe deeper into dealings between Career Alliance Inc. and a security company tied to Flint's two top cops.

Acting Deputy Police Chief Dave Forystek, Captain Scott Sutter and Lt. Phil Smith were outside the grand jury room in U.S. District Court Wednesday morning, dressed in uniform, waiting to be called into the secret proceedings.

It's not known what information the trio might have delivered.

Continue reading "High-ranking Flint police called before grand jury in Career Alliance probe" »

FLINT, Michigan -- The American Civil Liberties Union is taking the City of Flint to court over its ban on police officers talking to the media.

The lawsuit was filed in federal court Wednesday and asks a federal judge to strike down the ban.

The ACLU will seek an injunction if the city doesn't drop the ban immediately.

The suit names three police officers as plaintiffs: Sgt. Rick Hetherington, Sgt. Lee Ann Gaspar and Lt. David Winch.

In addition to asking a judge to rule the speech ban unconstitutional, the lawsuit seeks unspecified damages for Hetherington and Winch.

FLINT, Michigan -- An accident on the corner of Glenn and Pierson Roads wiped out the front porch of Herb Cleaves' home.

A car ran through a stop sign crossing Pierson Road and crashed into the side of the house at 5106 Glenn Ave. at approximately 2:18 p.m. today.

"I thought I was on the wrong street when I saw my house laying on the front yard," Cleaves said. "We were shocked and surprised, but I just hope the kids are okay."

Neither Cleaves, father of former Michigan State basketball star Mateen Cleaves, or his wife, Juanita, were home when the accident occurred.

Continue reading "Car rams into home of Herb Cleaves, father of basketball player Mateen Cleaves" »

OAKLAND COUNTY, Michigan -- Oakland County police officers are upset over a law that prevents them from charging a man with a felony after he waved a starter pistol at an undercover detective.

John Patrick McKellar, 22, of Grand Blanc was arrested Tuesday after pointing a starter pistol at an undercover Oakland County Sheriff's office detective, said Sheriff Michael J. Bouchard.

"The weapons he pulled looked like a small revolver," Bouchard said.

FLINT, Michigan -- Forget curriculum, teachers and classroom facilities.

For college students with food allergies living on campus for the first time, the real life-or-death issue could be what's on the dining hall menu.

And, local colleges know it.

Continue reading "Food for thought: Colleges cautious when it comes to student allergies" »

GENESEE COUNTY, Michigan -- At least five ballot proposals will go before area voters in November.

Tuesday was the deadline for local communities to submit proposals to the Genesee County Clerk's Office for the Nov. 4 ballot.

Continue reading "Genesee County area voters to weigh in at least five ballot proposals in November" »