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GENESEE COUNTY, Michigan -- There could be a sequel on the horizon to one of the steamiest murder trials in recent county history -- one packed with sex, provocative e-mails and suicide.

A federal judge on Wednesday ordered a new trial for Sharee Miller, who was convicted of manipulating an Internet lover to kill her husband here in 1999 before the man killed himself.

Judge Victoria A. Roberts said in a 23-page opinion that Genesee Circuit Judge Judith A. Fullerton erred in allowing the admission of a suicide note written by Jerry L. Cassaday, whom prosecutors said was enticed by Sharee Miller to kill her husband Bruce Miller.

"She's going to have a new trial in Genesee County and the tainted evidence won't be allowed in." said David Nickola, who represented Sharee Miller in the case and contended that jurors should have never seen the suicide note because Cassaday was dead and could not be cross examined.

Continue reading "New trial ordered for Sharee Miller in famed Internet-related murder case in Flint" »

If you think the annual fireworks show at the Cascades is all about sitting in chairs and watching the sky, organizers say think again.

This year, the event will host The Saucecats, a New Orleans funk-style band based in Michigan that is known to get people moving.

Continue reading "Night of fireworks will include show by The Saucecats" »

LANSING, Mich. (AP) -- John McCain and his vice presidential pick will hold a rally in the Detroit area after next week's Republican National Convention.

The Republican presidential candidate will visit Sterling Heights on Sept. 5, a day after the conclusion of the convention in Minnesota. McCain also will be joined by his wife, Cindy.

Continue reading "McCain, VP pick will visit Michigan next week" »

DETROIT (AP) -- Three lawyers are refusing to testify next week at a removal hearing for Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick.

Kilpatrick's attorney says it's a "serious if not fatal blow" to the mayor's defense. Sharon McPhail is urging Governor Jennifer Granholm to seek subpoena power, delay the hearing or press the witnesses to appear.

McPhail says lawyers Sam McCargo, Wilson Copeland and John Johnson are refusing to appear.

Granholm will hold a hearing Wednesday that could lead to Kilpatrick's removal from office.

McCargo and Copeland had roles in that case. McCargo says his testimony in other forums already is on the public record.

River rowdies can make life miserable for others

Bruce Nelson lives in a place most nature lovers dream about: A house along the Muskegon River that has a spectacular view of the water and is steps from one of the region's best trout streams.

His is a good life, except on summer weekends, when flotillas of drunken tubers turn Nelson's slice of paradise into a living nightmare.

"Tubers come by my house by the hundreds and many of them are drunk, there is nudity and the river is full of their trash," said Nelson, who lives near the Bridgeton Township boat launch. "They holler and swear at people who live along the river and some of them are nude -- you wouldn't want your children out there."

Homeowners and operators of canoe liveries along the river said the Muskegon is becoming a hot spot for an undesirable type of wild life. Local residents said tubers are most unruly in the section of river between the Bridgeton Township boat launch and Maple Island Road.

Continue reading "Play nice, or pay the price" »

Six-year-old Mya Banda-Grayson rolled her arms in a circular motion, got inked up with a football tattoo and hung out with a bunch of animals Wednesday.

She was among more than 600 students who spent the day at the Children's Zoo at Celebration Square in Saginaw, prepping for the first day of school.

Along with her grandmother, Marylou Banda of Saginaw, the first-grader made a bright pink bookmark with her name on it and exercised with staff from the Saginaw YMCA during the third annual "Back to School at the Zoo."

She'll report to the International Academy of Saginaw on Tuesday, the first day of classes for most mid-Michigan students.

School representatives and officials from several businesses and agencies handed out notebooks, pencils and bookbags to children.

"It sort of became like a treasure hunt through the zoo," said Ann Puszykowski, an administrative assistant at the zoo, 1730 S. Washington. "We just want to have a fun way of helping them get ready for school."

Continue reading "More than 600 students prepared for Back to School at Saginaw zoo" »

Sharon and Robert Spicer have lived in their home on Oakhill Avenue for almost 20 years. For the past four years, they have had to pack and unpack. Now they have to pack again.

They must vacate their home — along with about 10 other families — to make room for the new railroad bridge along N. West Avenue south of Ganson Street.

Continue reading "Bridge work will displace residents" »

"Were we thinking the flag would go there?" sixth-grade teacher Kathy Mietelka asks, pointing to a blank spot on the yellow wall next to her desk.

George Gogol, a fellow Grass Lake Middle School teacher, moves to a student desk in the last row of the double classroom and places his hand over his heart, as if saying the Pledge of Allegiance.

"Yeah, they can see it," Gogol says as he prepares for Tuesday's first day of school.

Continue reading "Teachers take a team approach" »

Jackson city leaders are awaiting news on federal funding that may provide a lifeline to those in danger of losing their homes, and assist low- or moderate-income families who are trying to become homeowners.

Continue reading "City hopeful for HUD aid" »

Production Engineering scored five runs in the top of the eighth inning Wednesday for a 23-19 victory over Bash in Wednesday's championship game of the men's upper division in the Tournament of Champions at Cooperstown Softball Complex.

Josh Burgett capped the scoring for Production Engineering with a two-run blast, his second home run of the game and the fifth extra-base hit of the inning. He also hit a grand slam in the top of the sixth to give his team an 18-10 lead.

Continue reading "T.O.C. winners are crowned" »

DETROIT -- Attorneys for Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and the city council will meet by teleconference to discuss final procedures in his removal hearing.

A pre-hearing conference is scheduled Thursday morning with Governor Jennifer Granholm's office. Exhibits and testimony that will be introduced at the Sept. 3 removal hearing in Detroit also are to be discussed.

Continue reading "Granholm sets conference for Kilpatrick hearing" »

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" »

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" »

LANSING, Mich. -- The effort to recall House Speaker Andy Dillon, sparked by his role in supporting last year's tax increases in Michigan, was revived Wednesday with a federal court ruling.

The Democrat from Wayne County's Redford Township already is up for re-election in November. Based on the new court ruling, it's possible he will face a recall on the same ballot. Voters could be weighing whether to recall Dillon from his current House term ending in December while deciding whether to re-elect him for a new two-year term starting in January.

Continue reading "Court revives effort to recall Mich. House speaker" »

DETROIT -- Kwame Kilpatrick has been a master salesman, dickering and bargaining to bring improvements to Detroit and prove to skeptics that the struggling city is worth the investment.

But now the two-term mayor could be forced to negotiate a more personal deal, one that exchanges a dimming political future for his freedom. Experts say Kilpatrick has little choice but to work out a plea in two criminal cases before Michigan's governor could possibly force him from office. The formal removal hearing starts Wednesday and could span several days.

Continue reading "Plea deal may be Detroit mayor's best option" »

BATTLE CREEK, Mich. -- The rupture of a sanitary sewer line has sent about 600 gallons of sewage and industrial wastewater into the Battle Creek River.

A city of Battle Creek report issued Wednesday says a contractor broke the line while doing some sewer work near cereal maker Kellogg Co.'s administration building.

The Battle Creek Enquirer says it happened while the sewer line was shut down for repairs.

Continue reading "600 gals. of sewage sent into Battle Creek River" »

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" »

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" »