Detroit: City expects deal on new police HQ in next 30 days
DETROIT (AP) — Detroit expects to finalize a deal within the next 30 days for a new police headquarters to replace its aging downtown facility.
Deputy Mayor Saul Green said in a statement Monday that the city is in the final stages of negotiations for a site and financing. He says the city had initially expected to finalize the deal by Saturday.
Mayor Dave Bing in his State of the City address in March revealed plans for the new headquarters.
Edmore: Superintendent in Michigan takes $80,000 pay cut
EDMORE, Mich. (AP) — The superintendent of a central Michigan school district had offered to work for free.
Instead, he’s taking a pay cut — an $80,000 one.
The Daily News of Greenville reports Ron Farrell has led Montabella Community Schools for 39 years. On Monday night, the school board in Edmore voted to knock $80,000 off his $95,820 salary for his 40th.
Farrell made the offer to cut or eliminate his pay for next school year to help the district’s financial situation.
Board members insisted he receive some amount of compensation.
Lansing: $1.8M in grants OK’d for Great Lakes wetlands
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — The federal government says $1.8 million has been approved for protecting and restoring more than 1,500 acres of wetlands and wildlife habitat in Wisconsin, Ohio, Michigan, New York and Pennsylvania.
The grants announced Monday by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are part of the Great Lakes restoration initiative that includes $475 million in cleanup funding.
Projects getting support include the Door Peninsula Bird Habitat Protection Project in Wisconsin, the Magee Marsh project in Ohio and the Shiawassee Flats Floodplain Wetland Restoration Project in Michigan.
Other projects getting funding from the grants include the Indian River Lakes Wetland Protection project in New York and the Roderick Wildlife Reserve Expansion project in northwestern Pennsylvania.
Lansing: Tommy James to receive tribute at Michigan Capitol
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Recording artist Tommy James will be honored at the Michigan Capitol for his contribution to the music industry.
Sen. Ron Jelinek and Rep. Sharon Tyler will give a special tribute to James in front of the Senate and general public on Tuesday. The two Republican lawmakers are from the Niles area, which is where James grew up.
The event will take place in the Michigan Senate Chamber.
James has sold more than 100 million records worldwide. He also has 23 gold singles and nine platinum albums.
James led the 1960s rock band Tommy James and the Shondells and is known for hit songs such as “I Think We’re Alone Now” and “Hanky Panky.”
Lansing: DNRE adopts deer management plan for Michigan
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — The Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment has adopted a comprehensive statewide deer management plan.
The plan announced Monday has six goals, including managing deer populations at levels that don’t degrade vegetation they need to survive, promoting deer hunting and reducing conflict between humans and deer.
It also aims to reduce the threats and impacts of disease on the wild deer population and on Michigan’s economy.
The plan is the result of more than two years of effort by staff and deer management partners. It was recently reviewed by the Natural Resources Commission and signed by DNRE Director Rebecca Humphries.
The plan doesn’t contain specific regulatory recommendations.
Ann Arbor: Porous sculpture planned for UofM Nichols Arboretum
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — A porous, vase-like sculpture of bronze rods is planned for the Huron River in the University of Michigan’s Nichols Arboretum.
Artist William Dennisuk’s sculpture is scheduled to be installed this week on the river in Ann Arbor. He says it draws attention to “our relationship with water, and by extension, the larger environment.”
Dennisuk spent eight months tailoring the project to meet city and state environmental standards.
The sculpture is the second part of Dennisuk’s three-phase Vessel Project. In late April, the fist phase was installed outside the College of Engineering on North Campus. The third will be installed in Gallup Park this month.
The sculptures will be on display through October.
