Traverse City Record-Eagle

Michigan

August 18, 2012

Michigan in Brief: 08/18/2012

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Missing boaters' bodies found in lake

LUDINGTON — The bodies of a West Michigan man and the owner of the boat he was fishing aboard have been recovered in Lake Michigan.

Ray Finholm, 58, of Ludington, and 67-year-old Bill Sorokin of Plains, Pa., went missing while salmon fishing Thursday off Big Point Sable, the Ludington Daily News reported Friday.

U.S. Coast Guard personnel pulled Sorokin's body from the lake Thursday evening. Finholm's body was found Friday morning near a Mason County beach.

Searchers found a debris field about three miles north of Big Sable Point and investigators believe Sorokin's boat sank in rough waves and wind.

A search began Thursday after the men didn't return as expected.

Two Traverse City-based Coast Guard helicopters searched along with Coast Guard boats from Ludington and Manistee.

Worker rights proposal heads to appeals court

LANSING — The Michigan Court of Appeals will hear from backers and opponents of a plan to write collective bargaining rights for workers into the Michigan Constitution by placing the issue before voters in the November general election.

The court says in an order released Friday that oral arguments in the case will be heard Wednesday in Lansing.

An appeal was made after the Board of State Canvassers deadlocked 2-2 Wednesday on the ballot proposal by sponsors of Protect Our Jobs.

Nearly 700,000 signatures were filed to get the measure on the ballot.

Citizens Protecting Michigan's Constitution challenged the signatures, complaining that the ballot proposal was unconstitutionally broad.

Music festival just too loud, some complain

EDENVILLE TOWNSHIP — Music from a mid-Michigan weekend concert could be muted a bit after people living near the event site complained bands were too loud.

About 30 noise complaints were made the first night of the StereoTerra Music Festival in Edenville Township, The Midland Daily News reported Friday.

The festival — on a parcel of land straddling Midland and Gladwin counties — started Thursday and was expected to run through Sunday. Music was scheduled to end by 10 p.m., but has been extended to give each band an allotted time to perform on the event's single stage.

By 11 p.m. Thursday, the volume was turned down to 60 percent, Midland County Sheriff Jerry Nielsen said.

Organizer Aaron Mohr told authorities it would be down to 30 percent Friday night, the sheriff added.

"He's heard the complaints. He wants to make this work," Nielsen said.

About 2,600 people attended Thursday and 4,000 were expected Friday.

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