State Roundup

Atlanta Man who blames lake for house woes loses case ATLANTA, Mich. (AP) -- A northern Michigan man upset over the level of an inland lake has failed to turn it into a federal case. Frank Van Wulfen says his lakefront home has been damaged by Avery Lake in Montmorency County, 75 miles southeast of the Mackinac Bridge. He wants officials to lower it more during the winter. The home's in Albert Township, south of the county seat of Atlanta. Van Wulfen says it's an unconstitutional taking of his property and asks to be compensated. But experts have said the problem is how the home was built, not the level of Avery Lake. A federal appeals court in Cincinnati dismissed the case Tuesday. The three-judge panel says it's going to stick to the conclusions of the state court, which had ruled against Van Wulfen. Ann Arbor Ruptured appendix can't stop Mich. woman's wedding ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) -- A ruptured appendix that sent a Michigan woman to the hospital on her wedding day wasn't enough to stop the marriage from going forward. AnnArbor.com reports 36-year-old Claris Hart went to the emergency room early Tuesday at St. Joseph Mercy Ann Arbor with severe stomach pain. Staff quickly pulled together a hospital wedding ceremony before she underwent an appendectomy that afternoon. Hart and 41-year-old Christopher Berrey had planned to marry Tuesday in a small backyard ceremony at their home in nearby Ypsilanti. Berrey says Hart didn't want to delay the wedding. So emergency department staff made a veil of gauze and bought Hart a bouquet of yellow roses. The dress Hart planned to wear for her wedding was blue, so staff made sure she wore a blue hospital gown. Napoleon Twp. Man wanted in Missouri arrested in Michigan NAPOLEON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) -- Authorities in southern Michigan say they've arrested a 46-year-old man suspected in a Missouri child molestation and statutory rape case. Sheriff Steve Rand says in a statement that his deputies arrested the man late Tuesday at a home in Jackson County's Napoleon Township. Rand says the man was wanted by the Boone County sheriff's department on a felony warrant and was being held at the Jackson County jail. The man's name wasn't immediately released by Jackson County authorities, which didn't have details of the Missouri case. A message seeking additional information was left Wednesday morning by The Associated Press with the Boone County sheriff's department. Flint Suspect nabbed as arson blamed for 9 fires FLINT, Mich. (AP) -- Authorities in Flint have arrested a suspect in five of what are believed to be nine arson fires that broke out overnight in an eastside neighborhood, the city announced Tuesday evening. Three firefighters were treated for heat exhaustion from battling the blazes. The person in custody is suspected in five of the fires, and authorities are looking for help in solving all the blazes, Public Safety Director Alvern Lock said in a news release. "There were several people who came forward and provided us with information that led to this arrest. I encourage anyone with information about any crime to share that information with us. You never know how that information can be used to lead us to a suspect," Lock said. The first fire started about 12:30 a.m. Tuesday, fire Battalion Chief John Babb told The Flint Journal. One of the firefighters with heat exhaustion was in stable condition at a hospital. Babb said the other two were able to return to work. Several occupied homes were damaged by the heat, Babb said. Crews from Burton, Davison, Genesee Township and Mount Morris also helped fight the fires. ""This is horrible," said Mayor Dayne Walling. "It is hard to imagine why someone would purposely set fires, putting the lives of innocent people and our firefighters in danger. None of us will have a peaceful night's sleep until those responsible for the arsons in our community are arrested and behind bars." Guy Carter's house was damaged when the home next door burned. He said he was awakened about 1 a.m. by firefighters banging on the front door because the side of the house was on fire. He got out safely along with his girlfriend and three children. "It was unreal," he said. Last year, the battered industrial city laid off dozens of firefighters to help close a budget deficit. The cuts were accompanied by a wave of arsons, many in abandoned homes. A federal grant later allowed 34 laid-off firefighters to return to work and two fire stations to be reopened.Atlanta Man who blames lake for house woes loses case ATLANTA, Mich. (AP) -- A northern Michigan man upset over the level of an inland lake has failed to turn it into a federal case. Frank Van Wulfen says his lakefront home has been damaged by Avery Lake in Montmorency County, 75 miles southeast of the Mackinac Bridge. He wants officials to lower it more during the winter. The home's in Albert Township, south of the county seat of Atlanta. Van Wulfen says it's an unconstitutional taking of his property and asks to be compensated. But experts have said the problem is how the home was built, not the level of Avery Lake. A federal appeals court in Cincinnati dismissed the case Tuesday. The three-judge panel says it's going to stick to the conclusions of the state court, which had ruled against Van Wulfen. Ann Arbor Ruptured appendix can't stop Mich. woman's wedding ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) -- A ruptured appendix that sent a Michigan woman to the hospital on her wedding day wasn't enough to stop the marriage from going forward. AnnArbor.com reports 36-year-old Claris Hart went to the emergency room early Tuesday at St. Joseph Mercy Ann Arbor with severe stomach pain. Staff quickly pulled together a hospital wedding ceremony before she underwent an appendectomy that afternoon. Hart and 41-year-old Christopher Berrey had planned to marry Tuesday in a small backyard ceremony at their home in nearby Ypsilanti. Berrey says Hart didn't want to delay the wedding. So emergency department staff made a veil of gauze and bought Hart a bouquet of yellow roses. The dress Hart planned to wear for her wedding was blue, so staff made sure she wore a blue hospital gown. Napoleon Township Man wanted in Missouri arrested in Michigan NAPOLEON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) -- Authorities in southern Michigan say they've arrested a 46-year-old man suspected in a Missouri child molestation and statutory rape case. Sheriff Steve Rand says in a statement that his deputies arrested the man late Tuesday at a home in Jackson County's Napoleon Township. Rand says the man was wanted by the Boone County sheriff's department on a felony warrant and was being held at the Jackson County jail. The man's name wasn't immediately released by Jackson County authorities, which didn't have details of the Missouri case. A message seeking additional information was left Wednesday morning by The Associated Press with the Boone County sheriff's department. Flint Suspect nabbed as arson blamed for 9 fires FLINT, Mich. (AP) -- Authorities in Flint have arrested a suspect in five of what are believed to be nine arson fires that broke out overnight in an eastside neighborhood, the city announced Tuesday evening. Three firefighters were treated for heat exhaustion from battling the blazes. The person in custody is suspected in five of the fires, and authorities are looking for help in solving all the blazes, Public Safety Director Alvern Lock said in a news release. "There were several people who came forward and provided us with information that led to this arrest. I encourage anyone with information about any crime to share that information with us. You never know how that information can be used to lead us to a suspect," Lock said. The first fire started about 12:30 a.m. Tuesday, fire Battalion Chief John Babb told The Flint Journal. One of the firefighters with heat exhaustion was in stable condition at a hospital. Babb said the other two were able to return to work. Several occupied homes were damaged by the heat, Babb said. Crews from Burton, Davison, Genesee Township and Mount Morris also helped fight the fires. ""This is horrible," said Mayor Dayne Walling. "It is hard to imagine why someone would purposely set fires, putting the lives of innocent people and our firefighters in danger. None of us will have a peaceful night's sleep until those responsible for the arsons in our community are arrested and behind bars." Guy Carter's house was damaged when the home next door burned. He said he was awakened about 1 a.m. by firefighters banging on the front door because the side of the house was on fire. He got out safely along with his girlfriend and three children. "It was unreal," he said. Last year, the battered industrial city laid off dozens of firefighters to help close a budget deficit. The cuts were accompanied by a wave of arsons, many in abandoned homes. A federal grant later allowed 34 laid-off firefighters to return to work and two fire stations to be reopened. Published: Thu, Jun 23, 2011