UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN-ASSAULT LAWSUIT

Ex-Michigan students accuse professor of sexual misconduct

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — A lawsuit filed Monday on behalf of eight women alleges years of sexual harassment and assault by a former University of Michigan lecturer. Two former students recounted the alleged abuse on a Zoom call Monday. They described Bruce Conforth, who taught in the American Culture department, as the “cool professor,” who told stories of playing music with various rock stars, and said he would meet up with students at bars, advising them to follow their dreams. They said students felt lucky to get a spot in his class. Conforth did not respond to a message left by The Associated Press on his website.

MICHIGAN VOTING-BALLOT INITIATIVE

Ballot drive seeks to expand voting in battleground Michigan

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — A new Michigan ballot drive would make it easier to vote. The measure announced Monday would create more than a week of early voting, let all voters request an absentee ballot for future elections and require prepaid postage on return envelopes. The proposed constitutional amendment comes as Republicans in the battleground state circulate petitions for a veto-proof initiative to toughen ID requirements and ban the unsolicited mailing of absentee ballot applications. Organizers of the newly announced ballot initiative need roughly 425,000 valid signatures by mid-July to qualify for the November ballot.

ELECTION 2022-CANDIDATE FINANCES

Whitmer has nearly $10M for election, shifts funds to party

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s reelection campaign reports raising an additional $2.5 million over two months but also transferring out $3.8 million it can’t spend because Republicans’ longshot recall efforts failed. Entering the election year, the first-term governor’s account had about $9.9 million, according to a report filed Monday. That dwarfs all 13 Republican challengers. Kevin Rinke, who contributed $2 million toward his candidacy, led the GOP field with about $1.5 million in the bank. Whitmer had collected nearly $4 million in excess contributions above the limit under an exception to fight potential recalls. She transferred $3.5 million that wasn’t spent on recall-defense activities to the Michigan Democratic Party, and returned $250,000 to donor Mark Bernstein.

EX-LAWMAKER-INVESTIGATION

Michigan AG’s office assisting with Chatfield investigation

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — The Michigan attorney general’s office is now assisting local and state police who are investigating allegations of sexual assault and financial misconduct against former legislative leader Lee Chatfield. A spokesperson for Attorney General Dana Nessel said Monday the department won’t comment further “given this remains open and ongoing.” A sister-in-law of Republican ex-House Speaker Lee Chatfield filed a complaint alleging he sexually abused her starting when she was 14 or 15 and he was a teacher at her Christian school. He has denied it, saying their relationship began later and was consensual. Her lawyer has also levied broad allegations of financial improprieties against Chatfield but not not provided many details.

EMERGENCY LANDING-MICHIGAN

Plane makes emergency landing after smoke sensor comes on

FREELAND, Mich. (AP) — A plane bound for Minneapolis has made an emergency landing at a mid-Michigan airport after a sensor indicating smoke in the cabin came on. The plane with about 70 passengers on board landed without incident at MBS International Airport in Freeland before 3 p.m. Monday. The plane was being examined to see if it could continue on to Minneapolis. WJRT-TV reports the Delta flight operated by Skywest Airlines originated in Hartford, Connecticut. No injuries were reported.

BEAUMONT-SPECTRUM MERGER

Beaumont, Spectrum announce start of new health system

SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (AP) — Two of the state’s largest health care providers have merged to form a new nonprofit health system. Southfield-based Beaumont Health and Grand Rapids-based Spectrum Health are expected Tuesday to start operating the new system which will temporarily be known as BHSH System. BHSH System will have 11,500 physicians and more than 15,000 nurses. It will also operate 22 hospitals and more than 300 outpatient locations across the state. The new system’s board includes seven members appointed from Beaumont Health and seven from Spectrum. Spectrum Health President and Chief Executive Tina Freese Decker will serve in the same roles at BHSH System. Beaumont Health Board Chair Julie Fream will serve as the system’s incoming chair.

ELECTION 2022-CONGRESS-MICHIGAN

John James announces run for Michigan congressional seat

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan businessman, military veteran and two-time Republican Senate candidate John James says he will run for an open House seat in the Detroit area. The 10th District, newly created through redistricting, includes a chunk of Macomb County and a small portion of Oakland County and is considered competitive. In a video, James called himself “an open-minded, free-thinking conservative.” Democratic Reps. Andy Levin and Haley Stevens currently represent parts of the seat, but they are seeking to represent a new, Democratic district in Oakland County. If elected, James would be Michigan’s first Black Republican member of Congress. Democrats noted, however, that James twice lost the area that now includes the district when he ran for Senate in 2018 and 2020.

JUVENILE LIFER

Juvenile lifer who killed at 14 will get parole chance

STANDISH, Mich. (AP) — A man who was 14 years old when he killed a sleeping couple and stole their car in 1997 will get an opportunity to leave prison. A judge gave T.J. Tremble a new sentence last week in Arenac County. It’s the result of U.S. Supreme Court decisions that struck down automatic mandatory life sentences for teens who commit murder. The 39-year-old Tremble will be eligible for parole after serving at least 40 years in prison. Tremble was an eighth-grader in 1997 when he rode his bike to the Au Gres home of Ruth and Peter Stanley and killed them while they slept. He took some change and their car.

STATUE-YOUNG

Democrats want to replace Cass statue with Coleman Young

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Democrats in the Michigan Senate want to remove a statue of a former U.S. senator from the state who supported slavery. They instead want to unveil a statue of Detroit’s first Black mayor in the U.S. Capitol. Sen. Adam Hollier filed a resolution last week to recognize the life and work of Coleman Young by putting his likeness in Statuary Hall. Each state gets two statues there. Hollier wants to get rid of Lewis Cass. Cass was governor of Michigan before it became a state. He also owned slaves and removed Native Americans from tribal lands while serving in President Andrew Jackson’s administration. The Michigan Legislature, which is controlled by Republicans, must approve any change.

CRUISE SHIPS

Cruise ships to return to Muskegon after canceled seasons

MUSKEGON, Mich. (AP) — Cruise ships will visit Muskegon again this summer, after stops were canceled for two years due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Muskegon Chronicle reports 17 stops are planned for this summer, and more could be planned in coming years. Muskegon had busy cruise ship seasons scheduled before COVID-19 canceled plans. In 2020, 35 stops were planned, and there were 25 stops expected in 2021. The cancelations had an impact in Muskegon County, where tourism is a more than $300 million industry. This season, the first cruise ship is scheduled to stop on June 7. Muskegon County Community Development Director Robert Lukens says “It’s going to be a very, very busy summer.”