ANTRIM
Village enacts business moratorium
ELK RAPIDS -- The Elk Rapids planning and zoning department is working to draft new zoning language that would require a special-use permit and public input for general merchandise stores, restaurants and miscellaneous retail outlets over 3,000 square feet.
In early August, the village council enacted an eight-month moratorium on accepting applications for such businesses, which are permitted in all of the village's commercial districts under the current zoning, said Steven Ravezzali, village planning and zoning administrator.
The village council requested a closer look at the commercial zoning after a "major, national retailer" approached the municipality in July to purchase village-owned property near Ames Street and U.S. 31, Village Manager Robert Peterson said.
The council decided not to sell the lot.
The moratorium runs until May 1, 2009, or until the village resolves the issue.
BENZIE
Illegal aliens face charges
HONOR -- Federal officials charged two illegal aliens living in Honor for their role in transporting and housing a third illegal alien.
The Benzie County Sheriff's Department and officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested Marcela Zavala on Tuesday, Benzie Undersheriff Rory Heckman said.
Federal officials recently charged Zavala, 47, and her husband Eliodoro Aguilar-Solano, both of Mexico, with aiding and abetting in the smuggling, transportation and harboring of illegal aliens. Aguilar-Solano was arrested in July.
The couple lived in an apartment in Honor, Heckman said. There, they allegedly held a young Mexican woman they helped smuggle into the United States, Heckman said.
Investigators believe Aguilar-Solano was involved in a smuggling ring and paid $3,200 to others who helped the young woman cross the border. He then kept the woman at the apartment for several months as an "indentured servant" while she worked to pay off the debt, Heckman said.
CHARLEVOIX
Husband faces felony charge
CHARLEVOIX -- A former state conservation officer faces a felony count for allegedly spending more than $33,000 on a lawyer to defend his wife from embezzlement charges.
Kevin Lockman, 35, of Boyne City, was charged last week in 90th District Court in Charlevoix County for receiving and concealing stolen property in excess of $20,000, a 10-year felony.
Authorities contend that money was part of $1.38 million that his wife, Karla Lockman, embezzled between January and May 2005 from now-defunct Northern Preferred Title Company, court records show.
Lockman knew the money had been illegally obtained when he used it to pay for his wife's attorney after her arrest in June 2005.
Karla Lockman is serving a five- to 10-year sentence at the state women's prison in Ypsilanti, with an earliest release date in September 2011.
Lockman was a conservation officer with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources for nine years, until October 2006, when state officials fired him for violating agency policy and regulations.
CHEBOYGAN
Elk Rapids man charged with murder
CHEBOYGAN -- An Elk Rapids man is charged with murder.
Cheboygan County sheriff's deputies arrested Thomas Joseph Waligora Tuesday afternoon. Police believe Waligora, 50, killed Jonathan Roy Williams, 29, of Wolverine.
Waligora was arraigned Wednesday. He's charged with one count of first-degree murder and/or felony murder, one count of first-degree home invasion and one count of carrying a dangerous weapon with unlawful intent, according to a police statement.
Police went to a Wolverine apartment Monday for a death investigation and found evidence of a homicide, according to the statement. Waligora was arrested in Elk Rapids and is being held in the Cheboygan County jail without bond.
EMMET
Harbor Springs man killed in crash
PETOSKEY -- A Harbor Springs man died in an Emmet County traffic crash.
The crash happened shortly before 8 a.m. Thursday on Hathaway Road near Kipp Road, according to a police statement. Fred Knoodle, 68, rode his bicycle east on Hathaway and was involved in a collision with a truck driven in the same direction by Stephen Harkleroad, 40, of Alanson. Knoodle was taken to the hospital, where he died.
Emmet County Sheriff's deputies were still investigating the crash Thursday afternoon and wouldn't provide details.
GRAND TRAVERSE
Board votes to kill recycling tax
TRAVERSE CITY -- Recycling drop-off bins in Grand Traverse County could be canned after a county board committee voted to kill the tax that supports them.
County officials previously threatened to kill the tax, most recently in 2006. But public outcry over eliminating recycling bins helped persuade the board to extend and slightly increase the tax while it studied alternative funding sources.
Two years later, the county is no closer to reaching consensus on an alternative funding source to replace a tax that ends Dec. 31. County officials said any replacement funding would take from six to 18 months to implement.
Trash tax supporters don't believe they have the votes to extend it again.
Commons project may get DEQ loan
TRAVERSE CITY -- Asbestos removal and other cleanup work is ready for two century-old cottages and a dining hall at the Grand Traverse Commons property to make way for a $24 million hotel.
A $1 million loan from the state Department of Environmental Quality to help pay for asbestos and lead paint removal, mold clean-up and some demolition at Buildings 20, 28 and 40 is awaiting formal state approval, said Jean Derenzy, who runs Grand Traverse County's brownfield program.
The three adjoining structures are planned for The Inn at the Commons, a hotel project planned to include 83 rooms in its first phase, with future plans for 34 additional rooms and a health spa.
The county and project developers applied for a $2 million loan through the DEQ, but received only half the request because of the state's budget constraints. That won't slow the project, said Raymond Minervini of The Village at Grand Traverse Commons.
Auditors to look at Garfield books
TRAVERSE CITY -- Garfield Township will hire a forensic auditor to probe "irregularities" in personal property tax payment records.
Township Treasurer Dennis Habedank sought an investigation after his staff discovered several discrepancies while attempting to collect a backlog of more than $400,000 in delinquent personal property taxes.
Habedank succeeded former Treasurer Judy McManus on Jan. 1 after she resigned following a long, bitter fight with other township officials over her job attendance, illness leave and other conflicts.
Habedank contends McManus didn't pay adequate attention to delinquent personal property taxes -- the fees businesses pay on equipment -- so he hired a part-time person to track and collect the taxes.
That's when the alleged discrepancies came to light.
Officials question tax program
TRAVERSE CITY -- Some residents and city officials are cautious about a downtown tax capture program as it undergoes changes that could fund new projects.
City commissioners in June approved changes to the Downtown Development Authority's TIF 97 plan to add bayfront projects, downtown street improvements and a sector police officer as eligible for funding with increased tax revenues.
They're set to consider similar modifications to the TIF 2 plan in the next several weeks, and at least some officials want to take a closer look before they sign on.
A subcommittee of a citizen's group that is analyzing city operations and finances recently recommended the TIF districts expire as soon as possible. The goal: Revert captured taxes back to the city's general fund for tax reduction and infrastructure work throughout the city.
Suspect held in two armed robberies
TRAVERSE CITY -- A Traverse City man who allegedly held a knife to a store clerk's throat is behind bars after being tied to a pair of local robberies.
Police believe Jack Patrick McKenna, 24, is responsible for the Aug. 16 robbery of a Speedway gas station on Union Street in Traverse City and the Aug. 1 robbery of an East Bay Township Dairy Queen.
Traverse City Police arrested McKenna Monday after someone called the Silent Observer tip line and identified him, Capt. Brian Heffner said. The tipster allegedly recognized McKenna in surveillance footage from the Speedway robbery.
Boy, 6, dies at Great Wolf Lodge
TRAVERSE CITY -- Dylan Rosevear, 6, of Livonia, died after striking his head in a play area at Great Wolf Lodge on Wednesday. His family was staying at the U.S. 31 resort while they wrapped up a summer vacation in northern Michigan.
Grand Traverse sheriff's deputies and emergency personnel went to the resort at about 8 p.m. Dylan's father told a deputy his son was crossing large "lily pads" in an indoor water park when he lost his balance and fell.
Dylan struck the back of his head on the pad as he fell, and then tumbled into the water.
His father told a deputy he and a Great Wolf lifeguard immediately pulled the boy from the water and began CPR. Dylan was wearing a life jacket.
Authorities took Dylan to Munson Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
2 arrested in Little Caesars break-in
TRAVERSE CITY -- Police arrested two men who allegedly are tied to a break-in at a local pizza restaurant.
Traverse City police arrested one man, 18, on Wednesday and another, 21, Thursday. They are suspected of being involved with an Aug. 16 break-in at Little Caesars on Division Street, according to a police statement.
Investigators collected evidence at the scene and subsequently searched an East Bay Township home. There, they allegedly recovered evidence of the crime and some of the money stolen in the incident.
Both suspects were in jail Thursday awaiting arraignment.
KALKASKA
Two charged in child's death
KALKASKA -- Authorities charged two more people in the death of a Kalkaska toddler, including the child's mother.
Cody Cross, 3, died Aug. 3 of blunt-force trauma to the head at a Grand Rapids Hospital. Sheldon McDonald, the boyfriend of Cody's mother, Pamela Buning, was arrested and charged with an open count of murder and first-degree child abuse.
Authorities subsequently charged Buning, 24, with first-degree child abuse, conspiracy to obstruct justice and accessory after the fact to a felony. Kalkaska County Prosecutor Brian Donnelly also charged Heather Batchelor, 29, with conspiracy to obstruct justice and accessory after the fact to a felony.
MANISTEE
Weapons, drugs allegedly found
MANISTEE -- Police arrested a man who allegedly had more than 300 grams of cocaine in his Brethren home.
The man, 62, allegedly had drugs and $10,000 in cash and more than 30 weapons in his home when police searched the premises with a warrant Tuesday, according to a Michigan State Police statement.
The man faces several felony charges, police said, including possession of cocaine and maintaining a drug house. Police withheld the man's name pending arraignment.
Home invasion, assault reported
COPEMISH -- Michigan State Police ask for the public's help in solving a home invasion and assault.
Two men on June 29 kicked down the front door of a Copemish residence. Police believe the suspects were looking for a man who lived at the residence, but the man wasn't there at the time.
When the male homeowner approached the suspects, they assaulted him and eventually left on foot.
The suspects were wearing dark hooded sweatshirts at the time of the incident, police said, and their hoods were tied tight so the victim couldn't see their faces. The suspects were described as about 5-feet 6-inches tall with stocky builds, and police believe they are between 20 and 30 years old.
OTSEGO
Man arrested in fatal crash
GAYLORD -- A one-vehicle crash in Otsego County's Dover Township left one Detroit-area man dead and another in a Gaylord hospital bed, awaiting a jail cell.
Passenger Kenneth Davis, 38, of Chesterfield, was killed around 1:45 a.m. last Sunday on Wilkinson Road at the intersection with Marquardt Road, near Treetops Resort in Gaylord.
The driver, a 38-year-old man from Warren, was arrested for operating while intoxicated causing death.
The driver's name is withheld by authorities until he is formally charged at arraignment in 87th District Court. He is still hospitalized, state police said.
The vehicle, a 2002 Cadillac, ran off the road while going around a curve and rolled over. Five people were inside and the driver and three passengers were taken for treatment to Otsego Memorial Hospital in Gaylord.
WEXFORD
Man on ATV leads police on chase
MANTON -- A Manton man allegedly led sheriff's deputies on a chase after they tried to stop his all-terrain vehicle.
Steven Rory Morse, 20, was charged Thursday with fleeing and eluding a police officer. He was being held at the Wexford County Jail on a $20,000 bond.
Wexford County sheriff's deputies attempted to stop Morse as he drove an all-terrain vehicle through Liberty and Greenwood Townships at about 10 p.m. Wednesday.
Morse allegedly reached 80 miles an hour and traveled five miles before crashing into a ditch. He then fled on foot and was arrested with the help of a police tracking dog, officials said.
