WASHINGTON —

In one of the biggest days of this year's primary campaign season, voters rejected a measure that would have made it easier to restrict abortion rights in red-state Kansas and repudiated a scandal-tarred former governor seeking a U.S. Senate seat in Missouri.

Meanwhile, a political newcomer emerged from Michigan's messy Republican gubernatorial primary, setting up a rare woman-vs.-woman general election matchup between conservative commentator Tudor Dixon and incumbent Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. And a Democratic congressman was ousted from Congress after redistricting forced him into the same primary as a fellow incumbent.

Takeaways from election results Tuesday night:

RED-STATE KANSAS REJECTS ANTI-ABORTION AMENDMENT

Kansas may seem like an unlikely place for abortion rights supporters to notch a major victory.

But on Tuesday, voters in the conservative state resoundingly rejected a constitutional amendment that would have allowed the Legislature to ban abortion. It was the first major test of voter sentiment since the Supreme Court ruling in June to rescind the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion nationwide.

The amendment would have allowed the Legislature to overturn a 2019 state Supreme Court decision declaring access to abortion a "fundamental" right under the state constitution.

Its failure at the ballot in a state Donald Trump won by nearly 15 points issues a stark warning to Republicans, who have downplayed the political impact of the high court's ruling. It also hands a considerable win to Democrats, who are feeling newly energized heading into what was expected to be a tough midterm election season for them.

Kansas currently allows abortion until the 22nd week of pregnancy. After that, abortion is allowed only to save a patient's life or to prevent "a substantial and irreversible physical impairment of a major bodily function."

Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat who supports abortion rights, has warned that the Republican-led Legislature's efforts to ban abortion would hurt the state. On Tuesday it became clear than many voters agree with her.

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GREITENS' COMEBACK COLLAPSES

Democratic hopes of picking up a U.S. Senate seat in deep-red Missouri faltered Tuesday after Republican voters selected Attorney General Eric Schmitt as their nominee over former Gov. Eric Greitens, who resigned in disgrace in 2018.

Greitens, they predicted, would be toxic in a general election. Democrats landed a strong recruit in beer heir Trudy Busch Valentine, who won her primary Tuesday. And the state's Republican establishment prepared to put millions of dollars behind an independent candidate in the general election, potentially fracturing the GOP vote.

But Greitens came on short Tuesday, finishing in a distant third behind Schmitt and U.S. Rep. Vicky Hartzler. His campaign's tailspin can likely be traced back to March, when his ex-wife submitted a bombshell legal filing in the former couple's child custody case.

Sheena Greitens said in a sworn statement that Eric Greitens had abused her and one of their young sons. She also said he displayed such "unstable and coercive behavior" in the lead-up to his 2018 resignation that others took steps to limit his access to firearms.

At the time, Greitens faced potential impeachment after his former hairdresser testified that he blindfolded and restrained her in his basement, assaulted her and appeared to take a compromising photo to pressure her to keep quiet about an affair.

He resigned from office — and avoided testifying under oath about the affair.

He launched his comeback campaign for Senate last year, marketing himself as an unabashedly pro-Trump conservative. And while many in Missouri wrote him off, one important political figure didn't: Donald Trump, who mused publicly about Greitens' attributes.

But in the end, Trump stopped short of issuing an endorsement, instead issuing a vague statement this week throwing his support behind "ERIC."

And on Tuesday, the other "ERIC" in the race — Schmitt — won.

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MESSY RACE IN MICHIGAN

At its essence, Michigan's raucous Republican gubernatorial primary was a contest of which candidate's personal baggage was the least disqualifying. On Tuesday, conservative media personality Tudor Dixon was the victor, setting up a November general election against Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in the battleground state.

Dixon's past as an actor in a series of vulgar and low-budget horror movies became a campaign issue. But her career moonlighting in titles such as "Buddy BeBop Vs. the Living Dead" and a vampire TV series called "Transitions" paled in comparison to her rivals' problems.

One of them, Ryan Kelley, faces federal misdemeanor charges after he was recorded on video in Washington during the Jan. 6 insurrection directing a mob of Trump supporters toward a set of stairs leading to the U.S. Capitol. Kelley has pleaded not guilty.

Another, Kevin Rinke, is a former car dealer who settled a series of lawsuits in the 1990s after he was alleged to have made racist and sexist comments, which included calling women "ignorant and stupid" and stating that they "should not be allowed to work in public."

A third, Garrett Soldano, is a chiropractor and self-help guru who has sold supplements he falsely claimed were a therapeutic treatment for the coronavirus.

Many in the state's Republican establishment, including billionaire former Trump education secretary Betsy DeVos, view Dixon as their best shot at defeating Whitmer. Trump endorsed Dixon in the race Friday, just a few days before the primary.

But her primary victory is an outcome few would have predicted months ago. In addition to the shortcomings of her rivals, her path was cleared when the two best-known candidates in the race were kicked off the ballot in May for submitting false petition signatures.

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PRO-ISRAEL LOBBY STRIKES AGAIN

Redistricting forced two Democratic House incumbents into a bitter primary in eastern Michigan. But massive spending by the pro-Israel lobby is what may have doomed Rep. Andy Levin, a former president of his synagogue, in the race Tuesday against Rep. Haley Stevens for a suburban Detroit congressional seat.

Stevens, who attends a nondenominational megachurch in the city of Troy, was buoyed by more than $4 million in advertising spending by the United Democracy Project, a super PAC launched by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, commonly called AIPAC.

The ads amplified Stevens' campaign message, but some also attacked Levin. But it's hardly a surprise that the group, which is partially funded by two billionaire Republican megadonors, went after Levin despite his Jewish faith.

Levin, a progressive member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, has been highly critical of Israel's record on human rights and what he has called the country's "deliberate campaign to dilute the Palestinian population." He's also just the latest congressional Democrat who has been defeated following a spending blitz by the group, which has poured at least $24 million into federal races this year.

Over 80 million people from the Midwest to the East Coast are under air quality alerts as smoke from the Canadian wildfires sweep across the U.S. border Tuesday, prompting beach closures, warnings about reduced visibility and calls to stay indoors.Canada is seeing its worst fire season on record with hundreds of wildfires raging across the country – more than 200 of them burning "out of control," according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre. The wildfires have led to the highest emissions on record for the country, according to a Tuesday report from Copernicus.Video above: The kind of air conditioner filter you need to filter smoke from your homeAs smoke crosses into the U.S., air quality alerts have been issued for the entire states of Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Delaware and Maryland as well are portions of Kansas, Missouri, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York and Virginia, according to the National Weather Service. Residents are being advised to stay indoors with their air conditioning running or wear N95 masks if they have to be outside.Chicago had the worst air quality in the world Tuesday evening, according to IQAir. The city's Air Quality Index measured at 193 – a high reading designated as "unhealthy."The city has asked all residents – especially those with heart or lung disease, older adults, pregnant people and young children – to avoid outdoor activities and protect themselves from exposure. Chicago Public Schools and camps are also moving activities indoors, city officials said in a news release.Video below: Homemade air purifier can protect against wildfire smoke inside at homeAbout 11 miles away, Evanston, Illinois, is closing all swimming beaches and canceling a concert Tuesday due to the poor air quality, the city said on Facebook, asking residents to limit outdoor exposure through Wednesday. Across the state line in Michigan, the Mackinac Bridge stood covered with smoke Tuesday. Drivers were asked to drive slow and with caution due to the reduced visibility on the bridge. Detroit, Michigan, had the second worst air quality in the world Tuesday evening, with an "unhealthy" Air Quality Index is at 174, according to IQAir.High levels of fine particulate in the air in Michigan could become unhealthy or hazardous for all residents at some points – not just sensitive groups, the state's health department warned. "The most protective option when air is unhealthy for you is to stay indoors with air conditioning, reduce strenuous activities and limit outdoor activities. If you have to be outside, N95 masks offer enhanced protection when used according to product instructions," the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services said.Indianapolis drivers were also warned about reduced visibility, with the National Weather Service saying to "be prepared for haze that could suddenly reduce visibilities" in some areas Tuesday and Wednesday.Video below: Canada's provinces, territories sign on to national climate adaptation strategyNew York is also expected to see unhealthy levels of smoke return Wednesday and Thursday to some areas – about three weeks after New York City topped the list of the world's worst air pollution as smoke from the Canadian wildfires wafted south, turning skies orange. "New Yorkers should be prepared for elevated levels of fine particulate pollution caused by smoke on Wednesday and Thursday," Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a statement. "Current projections show the highest concentrations of smoke will slowly push east across the eastern half of New York State during the day Thursday, extending across much of the state."In Ohio, a spokesperson for the Cleveland's mayor's office said "what happened in NY a few weeks ago and Chicago today may happen here in Cleveland tomorrow."The Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency issued an air quality advisory, forecasting fine particulate levels in the "Unhealthy" Air Quality Index range.Wildfire smoke carries particulate matter, or PM2.5 – a tiny but dangerous pollutant that, when inhaled, can travel deep into lung tissue and enter the bloodstream, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The particulate matter has been linked to a number of health problems including asthma, heart disease and other respiratory illnesses.

NEW YORK (AP) — Detroit guard Killian Hayes and Orlando's Moritz Wagner were each given multi-game suspensions for their roles in a scuffle. At the same time, the NBA suspended eight Magic players one game apiece Thursday for leaving the bench area during an altercation.

Hayes, who struck Wagner in the back of the head, was given a three-game suspension without pay. Wagner was banned for two games, and the Pistons' Hamidou Diallo was suspended one game by NBA executive vice president Joe Dumars — the former Pistons star player and executive.

The fallout from the game in Detroit on Wednesday night was so large that the suspensions of the Magic players would be staggered, so they have enough available players to play their next game.

Cole Anthony, R.J. Hampton, Gary Harris, Kevon Harris, Admiral Schofield, Franz Wagner, Mo Bamba, and Wendell Carter Jr. were all suspended for one game.

Wagner hip-checked Hayes into the Detroit bench to begin the altercation. Hayes got up and hit him in the back, and Wagner appeared to be knocked out briefly. Magic players then rushed off their bench area in concern for their teammates.

Anthony, Bamba, Carter Hampton, and Gary Harris will serve their suspensions Friday against Washington. Kevon Harris, Schofield, and Franz Wagner will be suspended for Orlando’s following game on Jan. 4 in Oklahoma City.

The 11 suspensions will result in just over $500,000 in forfeited salary. Hayes will lose the most, about $121,000.

(CNN) — A wildfire in Northern Michigan burned through 3,600 acres, forcing evacuations and prompting the closure of a nearby highway Saturday, officials said.The blaze, centered in Grayling Township about 50 miles from Traverse City, is spreading west and southwest and threatening multiple buildings, the state's Department of Natural Resources said in a statement."Evacuations are being conducted by emergency personnel," the department said. A five-mile stretch of Interstate 75 was shut down in both directions as crews battle the fire, and a temporary flight restriction was issued for a five-mile perimeter around the fire below 5,000 feet.Firefighters are attacking the flames from the ground and the air, with aircraft scooping water from Neff Lake, Shellenbarger Lake and Lake Margrethe, according to the statement. Crawford County Sheriff Ryan Swope said in a statement that power in the area has been shut off for the safety of firefighters working under power lines. It's still unknown what sparked the fire, the Department of Natural Resources said in its statement earlier. The fire is burning as Michigan sees "unprecedented" hot and dry conditions for this time of year, setting the stage for extreme fire danger, the statement added. The wildfire produced thick smoke in the area Saturday, and the department warned nearby residents to limit exposure to wildfire smoke by staying indoors with windows shut. The Department of Natural Resources also said visibility may be reduced on roadways.Warm temperatures, low humidity, gusty winds and dry fuels will all combine to fuel the risk of fires in the days ahead, the National Weather Service in Grand Rapids said in a tweet.

Thousands of Arizona Catholics recently learned they may have been improperly baptized with the wrong words.

In Michigan, a separate but similar controversy has been ongoing since 2020. For years, a deacon at St. Anastasia Church in suburban Detroit used the words "we baptize" instead of "I baptize." The Vatican says that phrase makes the sacrament invalid.

The Detroit Archdiocese says it found about 200 baptisms were done properly, and 71 people so far have been baptized again. But 455 people haven't responded. One person who was affected was a priest, the Rev. Matthew Hood. He was quickly baptized and ordained again as a priest in 2020.

The situation has had many seriously upset, with one unidentified woman commenting during a talk who said, “Why do you think so many people are leaving the Catholic Church?” She said, “This is a great example why. This is just awful.”

Another man said, “What would Jesus do?” And then said, “I think he would be on a different side here and say by what you’re doing you have disrupted so many lives, so many people,”

Church members went to try and find videos of baptisms to see if family members had invalid sacraments.

Rev. Hood said, “We’re aware there are young people who no longer practice the faith. This problem has opened that up.” He said, “But for some individuals, it has been the opportunity to say I haven’t taken my faith seriously and this is an opportunity to do that, to realize something real is at play here.”

DORR TOWNSHIP, Mich. — A car was caught on video the moment it went airborne across snowy highway US-131 in Allegan County, Michigan on Thursday.

Michigan State Police say it happened while the driver was going southbound crossing through Dorr Township.

According to Michigan troopers, the black Chevy Impala left the roadway driving up a dirt embankment when it then went airborne and hit a road sign before landing on the vehicle's passenger side in a ditch.

Car driven by suspected drunk driver goes flying across US-131

Authorities said the 25-year-old driver from Kalamazoo survived the crash with non-life-threatening injuries. Troopers say he was taken to the hospital for evaluation and a blood draw because they believed he was exhibiting multiple signs of intoxication.

Due to his injuries, troopers say the driver was not arrested. Police said various charges including operating while intoxicated are being sought.

This story was originally published by Mark Huizinga of Scripps station WXMI in Grand Rapids.

PRINCETON, Ky. — Authorities in Kentucky said four Michigan men were arrested after they allegedly stole property from homes damaged by tornadoes.

Attorney General Daniel Cameron and the Princeton Police Department made the announcement Friday.

Authorities say they also stole from vehicles in the Princeton area.

On Thursday, detectives with the Attorney General’s Department of Criminal Investigations were assisting the Princeton Police Department on Meadowbrook Drive with needs arising from the tornadoes and storms.

The detectives noticed four male subjects and approached them for questioning which revealed they had taken property from tornado-damaged vehicles and residences.

Mitchell E. Stanton and Jesse H. Stanton both of Coldwater, Michigan, were arrested and charged with possession of burglary tools and receiving stolen property.

Sevon E. Gowen of Sturgis, Michigan, was arrested and charged with possession of burglary tools, receiving stolen property, possession of controlled substance first-degree methamphetamine, and promoting contraband first degree.

Brandon L. Ransbottom of Bronson, Michigan, was arrested and charged with possession of burglary tools, receiving stolen property, possession of a handgun by a convicted felon, and possession of marijuana.

Web staff at WLEX first reported this story.

Authorities executed a search warrant Monday at the home of the man who helped Ethan Crumbley's parents before they were arrested, Oakland County Undersheriff Michael G. McCabe told CNN.

Andrzej Sikora, 65, is being cooperative, McCabe said. He and his attorney, Clarence Dass, voluntarily went into the Oakland County Sheriff's Office where Sikora was interviewed for 90 minutes Monday. Sikora has not been charged with a crime.

Crumbley's parents, James and Jennifer Crumbley, were due to attend an arraignment Friday. Their failure to appear led authorities to search for the couple, who were found in an industrial building in nearby Detroit on Saturday.

Dass told CNN on Sunday his client knew the Crumbleys were using his workspace, but he "did not really know what was going on" and didn't know the couple "had active warrants" when they were discovered and subsequently arrested.

Sikora "got roped into it," Dass said, but he declined to say why he allowed the couple to stay in the workspace or provide additional details on their relationship other than to say "he knew them, but not well."

Ethan Crumbley, 15, is accused of fatally shooting four classmates and wounding several others at Oxford High School last week. His parents were charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter in the same incident, CNN has reported. All three have pleaded not guilty.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel told CNN's Dana Bash on Monday that while she doesn't have all the facts on the case, it does seem appropriate for the parents to face extra charges connected to the manhunt.

"If they are convicted, there are actually additional points that are scored for the obstruction of justice," Nessel said. "They're likely to get higher sentences and more time in the event they're convicted because of this."

School officials had legal grounds to search gunman, prosecutor says

School officials at Oxford High School had legal grounds to search Crumbley's backpack and locker, but did not do so on the day of the shooting, Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald told CNN on Monday.

McDonald didn't say why such a search was not conducted, but noted, "We don't know exactly if that weapon was in his bag, where it was. We just know it was in the school and he had access to it."

When asked whether school staff members might be prosecuted, McDonald replied to CNN's Brianna Keilar, "We haven't ruled out charging anyone."

McDonald said the shooting last Tuesday could have been prevented and that the suspect's parents are being criminally prosecuted because "we have to start addressing how somebody like (Ethan Crumbley) can so easily get their hands on a weapon and we have to hold the people responsible who allowed that to happen."

"I'm sympathetic to parents. My husband and I have raised five children," McDonald said, adding, "I'm certainly not suggesting that parents should be criminally prosecuted for any bad act of a child. But in this case, you can't possibly look at their actions and say that they didn't have reason to believe that there was real concern about a violent act."

On the day of the shooting, Crumbley's parents met with school officials after a teacher became concerned by some of the teen's drawings and statements. But — because he had no prior infractions on his record — he was allowed to return to class.

"All of this could have been prevented if he hadn't had access (to a gun) or if just one of those parents had said, 'I'm concerned about what I'm seeing right now and I also want you to know we just bought him a gun for Christmas,' and that didn't happen," McDonald said.

State attorney general offers to investigate

Nessel is offering a team from her office to conduct a "full and comprehensive" review of the events that led up to the shooting, her office told CNN in an email on Monday.

The offer was made in response to a letter sent by Oxford Community Schools Superintendent Tim Throne to the school community Saturday saying the district would be requesting an independent review of the events surrounding the shooting.

Nessel was critical of the district's decision to hire a third party to conduct an investigation, saying in an interview with CNN affiliate WXYZ she does not find it appropriate.

"We've seen this happen before, and unfortunately, and I'm not accusing Oxford schools of anything, but in the past, we've seen this where it's really more of an effort to protect the client who hired you than to get to the truth of the matter," Nessel said.

CNN has reached out to the attorney general's office and the school district to determine what the next steps are.

Speaking with CNN's Dana Bash on Monday afternoon, Nessel said she hopes the shooting prompts state lawmakers to address Michigan's lack of a safe storage law.

"It seems like such a small inconvenience to safely store or secure your weapon to get a gun lock — which most police departments give away for free — in order to ensure that if you reside in a home where a child lives or is present, that that child cannot have unfettered access to that firearm," she said.

Parents, son being held in same jail

James and Jennifer Crumbley and their son were being housed at the same facility and monitored under suicide watch, authorities said.

Staff at the Oakland County Jail in Pontiac were checking on the three "multiple times an hour," Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said at a news conference Saturday.

Bouchard said the three are not able to communicate with each other in the jail. However, Ethan Crumbley is aware his parents are in custody, according to Paulette Michel Loftin, Crumbley's court-appointed attorney.

Loftin told CNN she met with the suspect twice and told him that his parents were in custody and at the jail.

Loftin said she has not yet seen any of the evidence that prosecutors have but expects to get it by Wednesday.

Loftin said Crumbley's next court date is Dec. 13 and will occur over Zoom. The proceeding will set a date for Crumbley's next court appearance and preliminary examination, during which prosecutors are expected to give even more evidence and the judge will decide to go forward with the trial.

Ethan Crumbley was charged as an adult Wednesday with terrorism, first-degree murder and other counts in the shooting that killed Madisyn Baldwin, 17; Tate Myre, 16; Hana St. Juliana, 14; and Justin Shilling, 17. In court Wednesday, a defense attorney submitted a plea of not guilty on his behalf.

James and Jennifer Crumbley have pleaded not guilty to the involuntary manslaughter charges, which were filed by prosecutors who allege they provided unrestricted access to the gun Ethan Crumbley is accused of using.

Reopening plan for schools 'evolving'

In a Sunday letter to the school community, Thorne said a reopening plan includes a "soft opening" with a law enforcement presence as well as trained clinicians to support students and staff.

"The plan for high school students is still evolving and we will communicate it to you once it is solidified. In the meantime, we are working to create opportunities for the students to be together in our community," Throne wrote.

Elementary schools and a few select programs will return Friday for a half day and next Monday, Dec. 13, for full days.

PONTIAC, Mich. (AP) —

A judge imposed a combined $1 million bond Saturday for the parents of the Michigan teen charged with killing four students at Oxford High School, hours after police said they were caught hiding in a Detroit commercial building.

James and Jennifer Crumbley entered not guilty pleas to each of the four involuntary manslaughter counts against them during a hearing held on Zoom. Jennifer Crumbley sobbed and struggled to respond to the judge's questions at times and James Crumbley shook his head when a prosecutor said their son had full access to the gun used in the killings.

Judge Julie Nicholson assigned bond of $500,000 apiece to each of the parents and required GPS monitoring if they pay to be released, agreeing with prosecutors that they posed a flight risk.

Defense attorneys for the Crumbleys still argued Saturday that they never intended to flee and had made plans to meet their lawyers early that morning. Attorney Shannon Smith accused prosecutors of "cherry picking" facts to release publicly, including that accusation that their teenage son had unrestricted access to the handgun prosecutors say his father purchased for him days before the shooting.

"Our clients are just as devastated as everyone else," Smith said, adding that the gun "was locked." She didn't provide more detail during Saturday's hearing.

Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald’s office filed involuntary manslaughter charges against the Crumbleys on Friday, accusing them of failing to intervene on the day of the tragedy despite being confronted with a drawing and chilling message — "blood everywhere" — that was found at the boy’s desk. They could each face up to 15 years in prison, according to a spokeswoman for McDonald's office.

The Crumbleys committed "egregious" acts, from buying a gun on Black Friday and making it available to Ethan Crumbley to resisting his removal from school when they were summoned a few hours before the shooting, McDonald said Friday.

Authorities had been looking for the couple since Friday afternoon. Late Friday, U.S. Marshals announced a reward of up to $10,000 each for information leading to their arrests.

Smith, the Crumbleys’ attorney, had said Friday that the pair left town earlier in the week "for their own safety" and would be returning to Oxford to face charges.

During Saturday's hearing, Smith said they were in touch by phone and text on Friday evening and blamed prosecutors for failing to communicate with her and fellow defense attorney Mariell Lehman.

"Our clients were absolutely going to turn themselves in; it was just a matter of logistics," she said.

But McDonald said on Saturday that the couple took $4,000 out of an ATM on Friday morning in Rochester Hills, not far from the courthouse where they should have appeared that afternoon.

"These are not people that we can be assured will return to court on their own," she said.

A Detroit business owner spotted a car tied to the Crumbleys in his parking lot late Friday, Oakland County Undersheriff Michael McCabe said in a statement. A woman seen near the vehicle ran away when the business owner called 911, McCabe said. The couple was later located and arrested by Detroit police.

Detroit Police Chief James E. White said the couple "were aided in getting into the building," and that a person who helped them may also face charges.

On Friday, McDonald offered the most precise account so far of the events that led to the shooting at Oxford High School, roughly 30 miles north of Detroit.

Ethan Crumbley, 15, emerged from a bathroom with a gun, shooting students in the hallway, investigators said. He’s charged as an adult with murder, terrorism and other crimes.

Under Michigan law, the involuntary manslaughter charge filed against the parents can be pursued if authorities believe someone contributed to a situation where there was a high chance of harm or death.

Parents in the U.S. are rarely charged in school shootings involving their children, even as most minors get guns from a parent or relative’s house, according to experts.

School officials became concerned about the younger Crumbley on Monday, a day before the shooting, when a teacher saw him searching for ammunition on his phone, McDonald said.

Jennifer Crumbley was contacted and subsequently told her son in a text message: "Lol. I’m not mad at you. You have to learn not to get caught," according to the prosecutor.

On Tuesday, a teacher found a note on Ethan’s desk and took a photo. It was a drawing of a gun pointing at the words, "The thoughts won’t stop. Help me," McDonald said.

There also was a drawing of a bullet, she said, with words above it: "Blood everywhere."

Between the gun and the bullet was a person who appeared to have been shot twice and is bleeding. He also wrote, "My life is useless" and "The world is dead," according to the prosecutor.

The school quickly had a meeting with Ethan and his parents, who were told to get him into counseling within 48 hours, McDonald said.

The Crumbleys failed to ask their son about the gun or check his backpack and "resisted the idea of their son leaving the school at that time," McDonald said.

Instead, the teen returned to class and the shooting subsequently occurred.

In a written statement released Saturday, Oxford Community Schools Superintendent Tim Throne for the first time detailed the school's response to Crumbley's behavior. At the first meeting with a counselor and a staff member, Crumbley said shooting sports were a hobby for his family, Throne said.

During the second meeting with guidance counselors, Crumbley claimed the drawings were part of a video game design and said he wanted to pursue a career in that field, the letter said. According to guidance counselors, Crumbley was calm and worked on homework while staff tried to reach his parents and they traveled to the school.

The parents did not notify counselors that they had purchased a gun for their son recently during that meeting, Thorne said.

"Given the fact that the child had no prior disciplinary infractions, the decision was made he would be returned to the classroom rather than sent home to an empty house," he said.

Throne had not spoken publicly aside from a video message to the community Thursday.

The prosecutor, McDonald, also previously argued that Crumbleys’ parents should have told counselors their son had access to a gun when they were called in for a meeting about his behavior.

Jennifer Crumbley texted her son after the shooting, saying, "Ethan, don’t do it," she said on Friday.

James Crumbley called 911 to say that a gun was missing from their home and that Ethan might be the shooter. The gun had been kept in an unlocked drawer in the parents’ bedroom, McDonald said.

Ethan accompanied his father for the gun purchase on Nov. 26 and posted photos of the firearm on social media, saying, "Just got my new beauty today," McDonald said.

Over the long Thanksgiving weekend, Jennifer Crumbley wrote on social media that it is a "mom and son day testing out his new Christmas present," the prosecutor said.

Asked at a news conference if the father could be charged for purchasing the gun for the son, McDonald said that would be the decision of federal authorities.

McDonald was asked about the decision to keep Crumbley in school.

"Of course, he shouldn’t have gone back to that classroom. ... I believe that is a universal position. I’m not going to chastise or attack, but yeah," she said.

Asked if school officials may potentially be charged, McDonald said: "The investigation’s ongoing."

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Foody reported from Chicago Associated Press journalists Ed White and Mike Householder in Detroit; David Eggert in Lansing, Mich., and John O'Connor in Springfield, Ill., also contributed to this report.

Before you head to a holiday gathering, it might be a good idea to take a COVID test.

But tests are getting harder to find.

“Right now in Michigan, we are having a large shortage, as they are across the entire nation, for the rapid test,” said Kris Tuchek.

She and Amber Sprague-Rice run Ouch Urgent Care in St. Johns, Michigan. Over the last year, they say they’ve completed over one million covid-19 tests for their community, but now demand is rising even higher.

“A lot of the government agencies, school agencies, large corporations started stockpiling a lot of the rapid tests faster than consumers, everyday users could get their hands on those tests,” said Tuchek.

“So our schools are starting to run out, to be able to do the testing that they were requiring and so then, of course, it’s going to fall back on the private sector,” said Sprague-Rice.

Sprague-Rice and Tuchek say they’re well-stocked, at least for now. Their clinic has a deal with a test supplier.

“They do tell us that stock is running low. But we don’t know, we don’t know when we will totally run out of tests as well,” said Tuchek.

So we checked for ourselves.

According to CVS.com, there are COVID tests available at some stores in most major U.S. cities, just maybe not the one down the street.

The challenge is in rural areas, where you may have to drive an hour or more to find a store with tests in stock.

“You’re going to see this happen for the next month, where everybody wants all these test kits because of the holiday season,” said Jack Buffington.

Buffington runs the supply chain program at the University of Denver. He says there are many aspects to this shortage, but one factor is key.

“Pretty much anything that’s related to medical supplies has had some, encountered some issue because these aren’t normal commodities. These have to be done in. You know this isn’t a plastic toy. This has to have certain levels of sanitation and safety unlike anything else,” he said.

Those factors, combined with labor shortages and delays in overseas shipping, could make this holiday season more difficult for families who want to celebrate together.

It will also be difficult for the doctors and nurses battling a surge in coronavirus cases.

“Our rates are very high, and so it’s looking a lot like last fall to us here in Michigan. Our rates are high, and in the rural areas, our vaccination rates are low, and so we are seeing people getting pretty sick,” said Sprague-Rice

Guns used in U.S. school shootings have often come from the homes of young perpetrators, but parents are rarely charged for the violence that occurs, experts say.

That's what makes the case against Ethan Crumbley's parents uncommon, following the fatal shooting of four students at Oxford High School in southeastern Michigan. Oakland County prosecutor Karen McDonald said Jennifer and James Crumbley ignored opportunities to intervene, just a few hours before the bloodshed.

They're charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter, while Ethan, 15, is charged as an adult with murder, terrorism and other crimes.

The Crumbley parents and their lawyers haven't commented on the shooting or the charges.

Here's a look at the issues facing the parents:

What do we know about the gun?

The semi-automatic handgun used in the shooting Tuesday was purchased legally by James Crumbley on Nov. 26 while his son stood by at the shop, according to investigators.

Over the Thanksgiving weekend, Jennifer Crumbley referred to it on social media as a "Christmas present" for her son, and Ethan posted a picture of it on social media, calling it his "new beauty," McDonald said.

With some very limited exceptions, minors in Michigan aren't allowed to possess guns. But there is no Michigan law that requires owners to keep guns locked away from kids.

"So many states do. There's 23 states plus Washington, D.C., that have some form of a secure storage law," Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said.

Will involuntary manslaughter be tough to prove?

"It's an unusual charge to bring," said Eve Brensike Primus, who teaches criminal procedure at University of Michigan law school.

Police said Ethan Crumbley emerged from a bathroom and started shooting other students in the hallway at Oxford High. A few hours earlier, he and his parents had met with school officials. A teacher had found a drawing on his desk with a gun pointing at the words, "The thoughts won't stop. Help me," according to the prosecutor.

Ethan, who had no disciplinary record, was told to get counseling but was allowed to stay in school. His backpack was not checked for a weapon, McDonald said.

Primus said authorities must show gross negligence by the parents and causation, or the act of causing something.

"The prosecutor is going to need facts to support the argument that these parents really knew there was a risk that their son would take a gun and shoot people dead," she said. "Not just that their son was troubled in some way. This is a homicide charge that carries years in prison. This is not a small charge."

In 2000, a Flint-area man pleaded no contest to involuntary manslaughter after a 6-year-old boy who was living with him found a gun in a shoebox and killed a classmate.

Why aren't parents charged more often?

A 2019 assessment by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security found that guns came from the home of a parent or close relative in 76% of school attacks where firearms were used. In about half, the firearms were easily accessible.

But laws aimed at restricting gun access are not always enforced and vary in strength, experts say.

"Our laws haven't really adapted to the reality of school shootings, and the closest we have are these child access prevention laws," said Kris Brown, president of the Brady gun control advocacy group

In 2020, the mother of an Indiana teen was placed on probation for failing to remove guns from her home after her mentally ill son threatened to kill students. He fired shots inside his school in 2018. No one was injured but the boy killed himself.

In Washington state, the father of a boy who killed four students at a high school in 2014 was convicted of illegally possessing firearms. He was not charged for the shooting, although one of his guns was used.

___

AP reporter Sophia Tareen in Chicago contributed to this story.

OXFORD TOWNSHIP, Mich. —

Ethan Crumbley, who is accused of killing four fellow students at a Michigan high school, will be tried as an adult and faces murder, assault and weapons charges.

He will also face one count of terrorism causing death, a rare charge for a school shooting.

The events unfolded Tuesday at Oxford High School when, law enforcement officials say, the 15-year-old shot at people in a school hallway, firing more than 30 shots at people and through classroom doors. Three people died Tuesday and another passed away at a hospital Wednesday.

Seven others -- six students and a teacher -- were wounded, Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said.

The county's top prosecutor addressed the terrorism charge.

"There is no playbook about how to prosecute a school shooting and candidly, I wish I'd never even had -- it didn't occur so I wouldn't have to consider it, but when we sat down, I wanted to make sure all of the victims were represented in the charges that we filed against this individual," Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald told CNN. "If that's not terrorism, I don't know what is."

She said there is a lot of digital evidence in the case -- video and things on social media.

"But you probably don't even need to see that to know how terrifying it is to be in close proximity of another student shooting and killing fellow students. I mean, it's terror," she added.

"Like every other child that was in that building, and I address that about the terrorism charge, we must have an appropriate consequence that speaks for the victims that were not killed or injured but also, they were affected, how do they go back to school?"

She said many students can't eat or sleep.

"Their parents are sleeping next to them and we shouldn't ignore that," she told CNN. "There are obviously four children who were murdered and many others injured but over 1,000 were also victimized as well."

At Crumbley's arraignment Wednesday, prosecutor Marc Keast said Crumbley came out of a school bathroom and started firing. Crumbley walked down the hall at a "methodical pace" and fired more shots.

This continued for another four or five minutes and he went to another bathroom, Keast said. When deputies arrived, Crumbley put the gun down and surrendered, the prosecutor said.

The judge entered a plea of not guilty per his attorney's request.

Michigan law defines an act of terrorism as a "willful and deliberate act that is all of the following:"

"An act that would be a violent felony under the laws of this state, whether or not committed in this state.

"An act that the person knows or has reason to know is dangerous to human life.

"An act that is intended to intimidate or coerce a civilian population or influence or affect the conduct of government or a unit of government through intimidation or coercion."

The criminal complaint against Crumbley refers to the third condition and says the act was committed against the Oxford High School community.

Charging an accused school shooter with terrorism is rare. In 2018, an Ocala, Florida student who shot through a door and wounded another student, was charged with terrorism and later pleaded no contest to that count and other charges.

That incident occurred two months after gunman Nikolas Cruz shot more than 30 people as he moved for more than 10 minutes through Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

Cruz was charged with 34 counts of premeditated murder and attempted murder. He did not face a terrorism charge. He recently pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing.

OXFORD TOWNSHIP, Mich. —

A 15-year-old boy was charged with murder and terrorism for a shooting that killed four fellow students and injured others at a Michigan high school, authorities said Wednesday, revealing that his parents were summoned just a few hours before the bloodshed.

No motive was offered by Oakland County authorities, a day after violence at Oxford High School, roughly 30 miles north of Detroit. But prosecutor Karen McDonald said the shooting was premeditated, based on a "mountain of digital evidence" collected by police.

"This was not just an impulsive act," McDonald said.

Indeed, sheriff's Lt. Tim Willis told a judge that Ethan Crumbley recorded a video the night before the violence in which he discussed killing students.

Crumbley was charged as an adult with murder, attempted murder, terrorism causing death and gun crimes. During his arraignment, he replied, "Yes, I do," when asked if he understood the charges. Defense attorney Scott Kozak entered a plea of not guilty.

"He deliberately brought the handgun that day with the intent to murder as many students as he could," assistant prosecutor Marc Keast said in successfully arguing for no bail and a transfer to jail from a juvenile facility.

Earlier, Sheriff Mike Bouchard told reporters that Crumbley’s parents were called to the school Tuesday "for behavior in the classroom that was concerning." The teen remained in school, and the shooting occurred a few hours later.

Keast said in court that Crumbley entered a bathroom with a backpack and came out holding a semi-automatic handgun, firing at students while moving down the hallway. The four students who were killed were identified as 16-year-old Tate Myre, 14-year-old Hana St. Juliana, 17-year-old Madisyn Baldwin and 17-year-old Justin Shilling.

Bouchard didn’t offer details about what had troubled school officials. He said investigators believe the gun was already in school.

"There is nothing that he could have faced that would warrant senseless, absolutely brutal violence on other kids," the sheriff said.

Deputies rushed to the school around lunchtime Tuesday and arrested Crumbley in a hallway within minutes of the shooting. His father bought the 9 mm Sig Sauer gun last week, according to the sheriff.

McDonald said charges were being considered against the parents.

"Owning a gun means securing it properly and locking it and keeping the ammunition separate," she said.

The shooting should be a wake-up call for new gun laws in a country that has become "desensitized to school shootings," McDonald told reporters.

"We have to do better," the prosecutor said without offering specific changes. "How many times does this have to happen? How many times?"

She said the terrorism charge also fits.

"What about all the children who ran, screaming, hiding under desks? ... Those are victims, too, and so are their families and so is the community," McDonald said.

Video posted on social media showed students rushing to get out of first-floor classroom windows rather than open a door to someone who claimed to be a police officer. The sheriff said he likely was a detective.

After the attack, authorities learned of social media posts about threats of a shooting at the roughly 1,700-student school. The sheriff stressed how crucial it is for such tips to be sent to authorities, while also cautioning against spreading social media rumors before a full investigation.

Isabel Flores, a 15-year-old ninth grader, told Detroit television station WJBK that she and other students heard gunshots and saw another student bleeding from the face. They then ran from the area through the rear of the school, she said.

A concerned parent, Robin Redding, said her son, 12th-grader Treshan Bryant, stayed home Tuesday after hearing threats of a possible shooting.

"This couldn’t be just random," she said.

Bryant said he had heard vague threats "for a long time now" about plans for a shooting.

___

Associated Press journalists Ryan Kryska, Mike Householder and David Aguilar in Oxford Township, Michigan; Kathleen Foody in Chicago; and Josh Boak in Rosemount, Minnesota, contributed to this report. AP researcher Rhonda Shafner in New York also contributed.

Someone opened fire at a high school north of Detroit on Tuesday and shot four to six people, though none were confirmed dead, authorities said.Police responded at around 12:55 p.m. to a report of an active shooter at Oxford High School in Oxford Township, a suburb north of Detroit.The suspected shooter was arrested and a handgun was recovered, according to officials the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office, which added that it doesn't think there was more than one attacker.Four to six people were wounded, but no fatalities have been reported, the sheriff’s office said.It wasn't immediately clear if the wounded were students.

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — In the wake of the death of a Michigan State University student last weekend, the school and the Pi Alpha Phi national organization have suspended the school’s chapter of the fraternity.

The student, identified as Phat Nguyen, died early Saturday at a residence off campus. An autopsy was conducted but the Office of the Medical Examiner at Sparrow Hospital said the cause of death would not be determined until toxicology results are completed in six to eight weeks. Authorities have said alcohol consumption may have been a factor and shortly after the incident the East Lansing Police Department said its officers had responded to the scene where four people were “passed out,” including one who was not breathing.

According to the Lansing State Journal, Nguyen’s death came one day after the fraternity posted on its Facebook page that he was one of four students who had just joined the chapter.

University spokesman Dan Olsen would only say that the student’s death “had a relation to the fraternity” as an explanation as to why the school had suspended the fraternity’s registered student organization status. And in an email, Pi Alpha Phi confirmed that the chapter had been “placed under interim suspension pending investigation upon the death of a student member last weekend.”

As a result, Olsen said the fraternity will not be allowed to host any events on campus, access any of its university funds or accounts, take part in campus events representing the chapter or recruit students on campus to join the fraternity.

“We are heartbroken by this loss to our Spartan community and our thoughts and prayers are with the student’s family and friends,” Olsen said.

Related video above: National Guard could be called up to help hospitals, New Hampshire governor says

With Michigan's COVID-19 case and hospitalization numbers hovering near all-time highs, the federal government will send doctors, nurses and others to support certain hospitals, the state health department said Wednesday.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer had asked for help, and the federal government agreed to "send two medical teams to local hospitals to relieve doctors and nurses as they treat COVID-19 and other patients," Michigan's health department said.

The 44 medical personnel — including doctors, nurses and respiratory therapists — will be split between Dearborn's Beaumont Hospital outside Detroit, and the Spectrum Health System in Grand Rapids, the state health department said.

The teams will arrive next week "and begin treating patients immediately, providing support for the next 30 days," the department said.

"I'm grateful that the federal government has granted our request to provide much-needed relief to the health care personnel who have remained on the front lines of this pandemic," Whitmer said Wednesday.

Michigan is reporting more new cases per capita than any state

Though COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in the United States dropped off at the tail end of a summer surge, they've risen over the past few weeks.

Michigan — along with some other states that weren't initially hit as hard as the South in the summer surge — has especially been under pressure.

Michigan recently reported its highest seven-day average of new daily cases for the pandemic, at 8,793 on Nov. 19. As of Thursday, the average was 8,470 a day — still more than double where the average was at the end of October, according to Johns Hopkins University data.

About 54.4% of Michigan's population was fully vaccinated as of Wednesday — tied for 27th among the 50 states for that metric, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

As of Thursday, Michigan was reporting more new cases per capita over the last week than any other state, with Wisconsin, Minnesota and New Hampshire not far behind, according to JHU data.

The number of COVID-19 patients in Michigan hospitals was 4,104 on Friday, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

That figure has generally risen since mid-July, and could soon rival Michigan's highest number of the pandemic: 4,468 on Nov. 30, 2020.

"Our teams are so burned out and struggling to keep up with the amount of patients coming through the emergency rooms, and the difference now is just the level of their sickness is so much greater in severity," David Claeys, president of Beaumont's Dearborn hospital, told CNN affiliate WXYZ.

Cases are generally rising in the US

Statistics are expected to be distorted over the next few days because many states did not report numbers on Thanksgiving. But as of Wednesday — the day before Thanksgiving — the country averaged 95,758 new COVID-19 cases each day across seven days, according to JHU data.

That's still below the summer 2021 peak of 171,123 daily reached on Sept. 13, but it has generally risen since late October, when the average dipped to near 70,000 a day, according to JHU data.

More than a third — 32,328 — of the country's average of new daily cases as of Wednesday was in the 12 states that the U.S. Census Bureau says comprise the Midwest.

More than 52,900 COVID-19 patients were in U.S. hospitals as of Friday, according to HHS. That's well down from a summer 2021 peak of 103,896 on September 1, but the figure is up from November 9, when it had dipped to around 48,600.

ICU beds are more than three-quarters full around the country, more than one in seven of them for COVID-19 patients, according to HHS.

More people need to get vaccinated, Fauci says

The latest uptick in cases is "not unexpected," as people spend more time inside during the cold-weather season and as immunity wanes, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told CNN on Sunday.

And what happens with COVID-19 in the U.S. over the next couple of months depends on what Americans do, including whether more of the population gets vaccines and booster shots, Fauci told CNN on Friday.

"Right now, we have a tool, a very effective tool," he said Friday. "We have too many people ... who are eligible for vaccination, who are not vaccinated. We've got to get them vaccinated. There's no reason whatsoever not to vaccinate them."

About 59% of the total U.S. population is fully vaccinated, and 69.7% have received at least one dose. Among those eligible — people at least 5 years old — 74.1% received at least one dose, according to the CDC.

But that leaves more than a quarter of the eligible population — about 81 million people — without at least one dose, a CNN analysis of CDC data shows.

Unvaccinated people face a far greater risk of testing positive for COVID-19 than fully vaccinated people do, and the gap is even greater in terms of risk of hospitalization or death, according to the CDC.

Unvaccinated people were six times more likely than fully vaccinated people to test positive for COVID-19 and 14 times more likely to die of COVID-19, according to CDC data published Monday.

Fauci on Friday urged adults to get boosters at the recommended interval after full vaccination, saying they increase the level of protection "dramatically."

"You get a booster now, you can get into the winter and have a higher degree of protection," he said. "That's the reason why we're pushing so hard for people to: A) Get vaccinated in the first place if you're not vaccinated; and B) If you have been vaccinated and you're six months or more following an mRNA or two months or more following the J&J, go get your booster. It really is important as we enter into this colder, winter season."

On the same day the Michigan capitol building was flooded with protesters, some of whom openly carrying guns and tactical gear, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer extended a state of emergency for Michigan.

Meanwhile, the Republican-held legislature voted to sue the Democratic governor over the authority to issue a state of emergency in the state. This comes after the legislature did not approve its own state of emergency order.

The series of three executive orders Whitmer issued on Thursday largely keep intact some of the most stringent virus mitigation orders implemented nationwide. Retail operations, gyms, entertainment facilities and other non-essential businesses will remain closed in the state.

The orders will continue to allow the operation of essential services such as grocery stores, take-out dining, pharmacies, banks and daycares.

"COVID-19 is an enemy that has taken the lives of more Michiganders than we lost during the Vietnam War,” said Governor Whitmer in a news release. “While some members of the legislature might believe this crisis is over, common sense and all of the scientific data tells us we’re not out of the woods yet. By refusing to extend the emergency and disaster declaration, Republican lawmakers are putting their heads in the sand and putting more lives and livelihoods at risk. I’m not going to let that happen.”

While the decision to reopen the economy has become political nationwide, the political debate in Michigan has become bitter. President Donald Trump said it was time to “liberate” Michigan in a tweet earlier this month, as protests began to spread.

“Today, we offered our hand of partnership to the governor,” speaker of Michigan’s House of Representatives Lee Chatfield said. “No politics. We’re all in this together and we should all work together. We believe upholding the democratic process is best for Michigan people. She just said no. Very disappointing.”

The calls to reopen the economy in Michigan come as more than 1.25 million Michigan workers have filed for unemployment in the last six weeks.

But in a state that Trump won in 2016, and is once again a state he would likely need to win in 2020 to keep hold of the White House, Whitmer has received generally positive approval from the state’s Democrats and independents. A statewide poll conducted by the Detroit Chamber of Commerce last week showed that 57% of Michigan voters approved of her handling of the coronavirus response, compared to 37% who disapproved.

Meanwhile, 44% of Michigan voters approve of Trump’s handling of the virus response, compared to 50% who disapprove.

ADA, Mich. — An organic vegetable farm in West Michigan is now

adapting to the digital marketplace

and offering a new way to shop for local food.

Green Wagon Farm in Ada

has rallied farmers and producers to create an easy-to-use Facebook-based market in which customers can order and pick up their items once a week.

The

Reko Market

launched Thursday for the first time in West Michigan. Each week, small farms will post their products in the Facebook group, and then people can pick up the items the week after.

The market allows people to avoid grocery stores while supporting local businesses.

"We are excited to offer this online option to shop local and hope to provide easier access for customers to support their local economy," said farm manager Heather Anderson. :With this pandemic, we see the benefits of offering online payment, having shorter lines at a less busy market and knowing where your food comes from."

Vendors include bakeries and a local ice cream shop in addition to farms producing vegetables, meats, eggs, tea, herbs, and honey.

A list of vendors can be found

online.

This story was originally published by

WXMI

in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Residents of two Michigan counties have been ordered to evacuate after the breach of two dams, prompting Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to declare a state of emergency for the area.

At 5:44 p.m. Tuesday, Midland County dispatch and emergency management reported that the Edenville Dam on the Tittabawassee River had collapsed, according to the National Weather Service.

Life-threatening flash flooding is moving through the area from the dam failures. The warning is in effect until 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, and is for the Tittabawassee river from the Sanford Dam, to the Chippawassee school area in East Central Midland County. The National Weather Service warns that if you are living in low lying areas below the Edenville Dam, you should move to higher ground immediately. Also, do not attempt to drive across flooded roadways.

Just after 8:30 p.m., county dispatch said that failure of the Sanford Dam was imminent. By late Tuesday, the dam was breached. People down stream of the Sanford Dam were told to seek higher ground immediately because the impact of the situation could be deadly.

In response to the dam break, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued an emergency declaration for Midland County.

"The State Emergency Operations Center is already activated and fully engaged in the response," according to a statement from the governor's office. "State officials from multiple departments have been on-site throughout the day. We will share additional information as it becomes available.”

A police chief in

Michigan

is on paid administrative leave while officials investigate whether he authored tweets that promoted police brutality.

Before the Twitter account @sheepdawg711 was deleted, it featured Shelby Township Chief Robert J. Shelide’s name and likeness.

The charged tweets that are now being investigated targeted those who’ve taken to the streets across America, protesting police brutality following the brutal death of George Floyd caught on video.

“Trump threatening to deploy the military,” read one tweet. “I have a better idea: unleash the real cops and let them take care of these barbarians. I promise it will be over in 24 hours.”

In another tweet about looters in New York City, @sheepdawg711 wrote: “Wild savages. I wish to God I would have been there. Body bags for these vicious subhumans. Oh, on another note, I dare you to try and drag me out of my vehicle.”

The township said they learned of the tweets this morning.

“Shelby Township is aware of allegations made against Police Chief Robert Shelide,” said Community Relations Director Brad Bates. “Shelby Township follows our country’s principles of equal protection under the law, freedom of speech, freedom of expression, due process and the presumption of innocence.”

Repeated voicemails and text messages left on Shelide’s cell phone have not been returned.

Just before 5 p.m. Thursday, the township board voted unanimously to place Shelide on administrative leave pending an investigation.

“Has anyone asked the chief, did you send these tweets,” asked Channel 7’s Ross Jones.

“I don’t know what stage the investigation or the information gathering process is at,” Bates replied.

As recently as May 7, Shelby Township’s own police department Twitter account referred to the @sheepdawg711 as “Boss” in a tweet about wearing masks.

Reached by phone today, Trustee John Vermeulen said he was skeptical that Shelide wrote the tweets.

“I don’t think he would say anything like that,” Vermeulen said.

“Chief Shelide is pretty reserved and I would be very surprised and I doubt he would say something like that," he said. "I think someone is spoofing it to try and deny him his reputation. He is very well liked by the citizens, and I don’t think he would say anything like that."

If Shelide did write the tweets, Vermeulen would not comment on whether he should keep his job.

He later voted in favor of placing Shelide on administrative leave.

To most, at first glance, Paige Workman's bracelet would seem to be nothing more than an accessory.

But for her, it has a deeper meaning, a meaning that she’s kept close since she was four years old.

"It's like a piece of me now," said Paige.

That bracelet is a reminder of her father’s commitment to his country.

"I went in the military right out of high school. I was 17 when I joined up. I did four years of active duty. When I got out of active duty, I joined the Army Reserves," said Lt. Paul Workman.

Paul Workman is now a lieutenant with the Oakland County Sheriff's Office, but back in 2008, he was deployed to Afghanistan. Paige was just four years old at the time.

"It's kind of like the biggest memory of him being in the military because it was such a young age for your dad to leave for a year," Workman said. "It was a tough year. I had a lot of separation anxiety from my dad, but I was really proud of him. I still am to this day."

Before he left, family friends gifted Paige a green bracelet.

"It says 'Paul' and then 'Blessed are the Peacekeepers,'" said Paige.

And it was in that silicone bracelet that she found comfort in the absence of one of her biggest role models.

"I put it on and I told my family 'I'm not going to take it off until my dad comes back home' and I had this notion that it would kind of keep him safe. It was irrational, but I was young," said Paige.

But after he returned home, her commitment didn’t end.

"When he came back home a year later, I was five and I decided to keep it on until all the other soldiers that overseas came home," said Paige.

Her dad thought it was a phase at first.

"You know, as if most things as adults, we don't commit to something that long, right? So we're like, 'OK.' And then it just kept going on and on," Lt. Workman said.

Since Paige was 4, she has worn that bracelet 24/7, through sporting events, school dances, senior pictures.

"I wanted it to be part of those special moments with me because it's been part of my life for so long," she said.

Her first bracelet lasted nine years before it snapped; she was able to put another one on that same day.

But now Paige is a freshman at Central Michigan University in the ROTC program. And, recently up at school, on her 18th birthday, she got an unwelcome surprise.

"I put my finger under it to move it up and it just snapped off. It flew across the room and ... I immediately started crying. I was like, 'oh no,' and I called my dad," said Paige.

Lt. Workman knew how much the bracelet meant to her, but before he could overnight another one, word started to spread within the Oakland County Sheriff's Office.

"What went through my mind was how proud I am of, not only our Lieutenant Workman but the kind of values he's instilled in his family and his daughter, specifically," said Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard.

So with the encouragement of the Sheriff and Lt. Workman's colleagues, he arranged a surprise visit to Paige’s ROTC class, bracelet in tow.

"I did start crying ... it was a really sweet moment," said Paige.

Now she has a new bracelet, and a spare up at school, just in case, because while the bracelets wear down and break over time, Paige’s commitment remains steadfast.

"I mean, from a very young age ... I've been so in awe of him and what he did for our country ... everybody that serves, it's such a courageous decision and it's always been in the back of my head. My dad's always been one of my biggest role models. I think he's one of the strongest people I know," she said.

Alexandra Bahou at WXYZ first reported this story.

WASHINGTON —

It's one of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's favorite sayings, a guidepost for Democrats in trying times: "Our diversity is our strength. Our unity is our power."

But as Democrats try to usher President Joe Biden's expansive federal government overhaul into law, it's the party's diversity of progressive and conservative views that's pulling them apart.

And only by staying unified does their no-votes-to-spare majority have any hope of pushing his rebuilding agenda into law.

Biden will travel to Michigan on Tuesday to speak directly to the American people on his vision: It's time to tax big business and the wealthy and invest that money into child care, health care, education and tackling climate change — what he sees as some of the nation's most pressing priorities.

Together, Biden, Pelosi and other Democrats are entering a highly uncertain time, the messy throes of legislating, in what will now be a longer-haul pursuit that could stretch for weeks, if not months, of negotiations.

"Let me just tell you about negotiating: At the end, that's when you really have to weigh in," Pelosi said recently. "You cannot tire. You cannot concede."

"This," she added on a day when negotiations would stretch to midnight, "this is the fun part."

The product — or the colossal failure to reach a deal — will define not only the first year of Biden's presidency, but the legacy of Pelosi and a generation of lawmakers in Congress, with ramifications for next year's midterm elections. At stake is not only the scaled-back $3.5 trillion plan, but also the slimmer $1 trillion public works bill that is now stalled, intractably linked to the bigger bill.

As Democrats in Congress regroup, having blown Pelosi's self-imposed Friday deadline for passing legislation in the House amid bitter finger-pointing, they now face a new one, Oct. 31, to make gains on Biden's big plans. The $3.5 trillion package is being chiseled back to around $2 trillion and final approval of the Senate-passed $1 trillion public works bill is on hold, for now.

Attention remains squarely focused on two key holdouts, Sen. Joe Manchin and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, who along with a small band of conservative House Democrats are the linchpins to any deal.

Biden is expected to be in touch as the senators return Monday to Washington. Pelosi has been in conversations with both West Virginia's Manchin and Arizona's Sinema.

"The president wants both bills and he expects to get both bills," Biden adviser Cedric Richmond said on "Fox News Sunday." "We're going to continue to work on both."

The inability to win over Manchin and Sinema to support Biden's broader vision contributed to the collapse last week of a promised House vote on their preferred $1 trillion public works bill, which they had negotiated with Biden.

Tempers flared and accusations flew over who was to blame. Progressives lashed out at the two senators for holding up Biden's big agenda; the centrists blamed Pelosi for reneging on the promised vote; and progressives were both celebrated and scolded for playing hardball, withholding their votes on the public works bill to force a broader agreement.

Ultimately Biden arrived on Capitol Hill late Friday afternoon to deliver a tough-love message to all of them — telling centrists they would not get their vote on the bipartisan deal he helped broker until the progressives had a commitment on the broader package and warning progressives the big bill's price tag would likely come down to around $2 trillion.

In many ways, the weeks ahead are reminiscent of the last big legislative undertaking by Democrats pushing the Affordable Care Act toward the finish line during the Obama administration.

No one doubts Pelosi — and Biden — can do it again. But the fight ahead is certain to be politically painful.

With no support from Republicans who deride Biden's vision as socialist-style big government, Democrats must decide among themselves what size package can win over support in the 50-50 Senate and narrowly held House.

Paid for by raising taxes on corporations and the wealthy, those individuals earning more than $400,000 a year, or $450,000 for couples, the measure, Biden insists, will carry an overall price tag of "zero."

Still, private discussions about trimming back various programs have now delved deeper into conversations over wholesale cuts that may need to be made. It's all on the table.

For example, will the push from Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., to expand Medicare to include dental, vision and other health care benefits survive? Or will those benefits have to be scrapped or reduced?

What about the new child care subsidies or COVID-19-related tax credits for families with children — will those be able to run for several years or have to be scaled back to just a few?

Will free community college be available to all, or only those of lower incomes, as Manchin proposes?

Can Biden's effort to tackle climate change be extended beyond the money already approved for electric vehicles and weather-resilient buildings in the public works bill?

"What we have said from the beginning is, it's never been about the price tag. It's about what we want to deliver," said Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., a leader of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, in a Sunday interview on CNN.

"The president said this to us, too. He said don't start with the number. Start with what you're for," she said.

Pelosi has been working the phones to win over Manchin and Sinema, who in many ways are outliers among Democrats in the House and Senate who lean more progressive.

The two senators' prominence has morphed beyond the beltway into popular culture — Sinema was lampooned on "Saturday Night Live" over the weekend, while a flotilla of kayak-activists recently swarmed Manchin's D.C. houseboat.

Pelosi and Sinema had a prickly relationship when the Arizonan first joined Congress, but they now share a common interest in tackling climate change.

Manchin and Pelosi have a warmer alliance, and she showered the senator with praise as someone with whom she shared values as Italian Americans and Roman Catholics. "We're friends," she said.

But Pelosi has made it clear she is prepared to fight to the finish for a bill she called the "culmination of my service in Congress."

At a private caucus meeting last week, when one lawmaker suggested she had gone back on her word to have the infrastructure vote, she said that was before some among them were joining with the senators to reject Biden's broader plan, according to a person who requested anonymity to recount her private remarks.

"Let's try to at least stick together," Pelosi implored the Democrats.

Watch the video above for more on this story.

Murder charges were dismissed Thursday against a man who spent 15 years in prison for the fire-related deaths of five children in suburban Detroit, the climax of an investigation that found misconduct by police and prosecutors.

Juwan Deering will not face a second trial, Oakland County prosecutor Karen McDonald said. A judge granted her request to close the case a week after Deering's convictions and life sentences were thrown out at her urging.

Wearing a three-piece suit, Deering, 50, walked into court shackled at the waist but departed as a free man with no restraints.

“It’s been a hard uphill battle... The sun couldn't shine on not a brighter day. This is the brightest for me," Deering said moments later as family members clung to him on a cloudless morning and other Detroit-area men exonerated of crimes stood nearby.

Deering praised the new prosecutor for her “exceptional” work.

“I told her it took a lot of strength to step up against the status quo,” he said.

McDonald, a former judge who was elected in 2020, took a fresh look at Deering's case at the request of the University of Michigan law school's Innocence Clinic.

Favorable evidence, including statements by a fire survivor, was not shared with his defense lawyer before the 2006 trial, and jurors didn't know that jail informants were given significant benefits for their testimony against Deering, McDonald said.

Deering has insisted he was innocent in a fire that killed children in his neighborhood in Royal Oak Township in 2000. No one could identify him as being at the house. Authorities at the time said the fire was revenge for unpaid drug debts.

The prosecutor said a dozen law enforcement professionals last week unanimously determined there was insufficient evidence to tie Deering to the fire. The investigation between 2000 and 2006 was “totally compromised by misconduct,” McDonald said.

“There is only one ethical and constitutional remedy,” she said in dropping the case.

Law students earlier had been trying to get a new trial for Deering, arguing that the fire analysis was based on “junk science.” Those requests were unsuccessful in Michigan’s appellate courts.

McDonald said it's possible the fire was not an arson as Deering's legal team has long maintained. She said state police are investigating it again.

“Once there was a belief that it was intentionally set, it was solve it at all costs. There was an unchecked culture here,” said Imran Syed of the law school. “Cutting corners has enormous consequences.”

Deering could be eligible for more than $700,000 from the state, under a law that pays $50,000 for every year spent in prison if new evidence is cited in a wrongful conviction.

LANSING, Michigan — Kenny Turner from Lansing recently found a letter, a 70-year-old love letter, mailed with intent.

"Dearest Darling, I received your sweet letter today and was more than thrilled to hear from you," he read from it, sitting on the steps of what was once Lansing's downtown train station. "I'm doing fine and hope you all are likewise."

Adam Fakult

The letter is wrapped in the amination to shield it from any unwanted exposure. Turner pointed to the upper right-hand corner.

"He was living at the time at 910 William St. in Lansing, and this was April 11, 1951," he said. "Yeah, you can see it. My dad had excellent penmanship."

In cursive, the letter is written by Turner's father, William Turner, which they don't teach in schools anymore.

Sarah Grimmer, 2021

"I want you now. I didn't want to leave you. Those two nights and days with you taught me more than the whole three years I spent courting you. Had I known married life would be that sweet, you would have been my wife before even that," he wrote.

Turner claims his dad was not the romantic type, but the letter shows a softer side his children didn't always see.

Following the sweet words are detailed instructions.

"Its name is The Georgian. Catch it. It leaves about 10 minutes after The Hummingbird gets there. It will bring you to Chicago, and then you catch the Grand Trunk Western, get a Red Cap to carry your bags, and tell them which train you want to catch. That train will bring you to Lansing."

Sarah Grimmer, 2021

It's in this letter that William Turner gave his wife, Vellmerie Turner, the step-by-step instructions she needed to leave her small hometown in Alabama for the first time.

She was leaving to head North and meet William in Lansing.

"I just couldn't believe it," said Turner. "I never knew that letter existed. My mom never said anything about it, and I really wish I had a chance to sit down with them to discuss that whole migration."

The means the Great Migration. Turner's family letter is remarkable for many reasons, but it's historic because it represents a trip, a risk many Black families took in the mid-1900s.

Sarah Grimmer, 2021

"That was something that happened all over the United States in the big cities, Chicago, Detroit, Philadelphia, New York, as part of the Great Migration, which occurred from about 1913 till about 1970, and that was the influx of Southern African Americans coming to the North for good jobs and actually to escape Jim Crow," said Bill Castanier, president of the Historical Society of Greater Lansing.

"We got so many families here," said Turner. "The Culpeppers, Byers, Looneys, Wills, and Davis. I mean, all those families moved up here."

There were just over 3,200 Black residents of Lansing in 1950, according to the U.S. Census. By 1970, it was more than 12,000.

Sarah Grimmer, 2021

The carefully penned instructions on the love letter are a testament to the journey and fight of thousands.

As Kenny Turner walks on the same Michigan Avenue train tracks, Vellmerie Turner arrived on 70 years ago, and he murmured, "I can feel your presence."

The Turner family letter will be blown up and used as part of a display about the Great Migration at The Knapp's Center in downtown Lansing starting on Sept. 24.

Sarah Grimmer at WSYM first reported this story.