Minneapolis Bridge Collapse

As I'm sure you've been reading and seeing on the news, the I-35W Bridge in Minneapolis collapsed yesterday. So far, there are 7 confirmed dead and at least 60 injured.

For reference, you can see some pictures of the collapse here.

You can find out more about the structure and composition of the bridge, when it was built, and the highlights of a 2003 National Bridge Inventory report that cast doubt on the bridge's stability by clicking here.

BREAKING: Fatal Crash in Union Township

The Isabella County Sheriff's Department responded to the scene of a two-car accident at the intersection of River Road and Meridian Road. The investigation revealed that a 1999 Jeep Cherokee driven by 42 year-old Darryl James Trainor was traveling southbound on Meridian Road, ran the stop sign at River Road, and broadsided a 2001 Chevrolet Venture mini-van dirven by Timothy McQuay. Mr. McQuay had been traveling eastbound on River Road. Both vehicles came to rest in a cornfield.

Timothy McQuay was pronounced dead on the scene. Darryl Trainor was transported to Central Michigan Community Hospital for minor injuries. He was treated and released a short while later. Drugs and alcohol are not believed to be a factor in the accident. Both individuals were wearing seatbelts, and the airbag in Timothy McQuay's minivan deployed.

We'll have more information on this story for you as we get it, so stay tuned to WCZY and check back during the John Sebastian Morning Show for a full report.

So You Think You Know Your Presidents?

Since it's the Thursday following a holiday and your day is probably going rather slowly, I figured I'd pass along a link to a really fun little history quiz. The object is to name all 43 U.S. Presidents in 10 minutes. I got something like 36 or 38 my first time out. I've done it three times and I always come up missing one or two. So it's not easy, but it is fun, and hey - at least you're learning something.

Check out the game here: http://www.sporcle.com/games/presidents.php

Stay Safe This Fourth of July

As many of you prepare to head out for your Fourth of July activities, it seems to be as good a time as any to pass along a few safety tips to keep your celebrations from turning into tragedies. These tips, like the break-in prevention tips last time, come to us from Sheriff Leo Mioduszewski and the rest of the folks at the Isabella County Sheriff's Department, who want you to stay safe when using fireworks this Independence Day.

There are two classes of fireworks: Class B is manufactured for use in professional displays, like those put on by cities or townships. These fireworks are illegal in the state of Michigan without a permit. Class C fireworks, however, are the kind commonly sold in stores for consumer use. Examples of these include paper caps, toy trick noise makers, sparklers, fountains, toy snakes, and toy smoke devices. Those are legal.

The litmus test to determine whether or not your fireworks are Class B or Class C is simple: if it makes a loud bang or leaves the ground, it is illegal.

Here are some further guidelines for the safe use of fireworks for at-home displays:

• Stay away from illegal explosives.
• Obey the local laws and use common sense.
• Read the fireworks instructions and follow them - if an item appears damaged, don't use it!
• Buy fireworks only from reputable, established dealers. Legal fireworks are tested as to quality and safety. You should never attempt to build your own fireworks or use illegal explosives such as M-80s or "Cherry Bombs".
• A responsible adult should supervise all fireworks usage. Children should watch, but not handle, fireworks. When used properly, all fireworks can be safe.
• Fireworks are meant to be used one at a time. Do not attempt to combine or mix fireworks at the same time, as fuses have different burn rates.
• Fireworks should never be pointed at or thrown at anyone. Make sure that people and animals are a safe distance away from fireworks being set off. Use them only outdoors, and away from houses and vehicles.
• Alcohol and fireworks don't mix.
• Caution is important. use protective eye wear and keep a water hose nearby. Don't try to re-light a dud; soak it in water and let it sit for fifteen minutes before disposing of it.

Keep it safe and fun this Independence Day. If you have any other questions or for more information, contact Sheriff Leo Mioduszewski at (989) 772-5911.

Keep Your Home Safe

With the 4th of July holiday ahead, a lot of you are probably planning on heading out to visit friends and families this weekend, leaving your home unattended. Some great common sense tips to keep your home safe were faxed to us this morning thanks to Sheriff Leo Mioduszewski and the rest of the fine folks at the Isabella County Sheriff's Department, and I felt it was a good idea to pass them along.

First, a few things you should know about burglars, according to the good Sheriff:

• Professional burglars are few and far between, and most break-ins are crimes of opportunity, i.e. because a door or window is left unlocked.
• A recent study showed that 38% of the time, burglars get in through an unlocked door or window.
• In most cases, a burglar will attempt to enter a home while the homeowner is away, giving the thief more time to enter, locate, and remove valuables from the home.

So how can you protect yourself?

• Check all doors and windows in your home before you leave. Most of us lock the door behind us when we leave, but what about those back doors or bedroom windows? Make sure that all possible points of entry are locked.
• Make sure your home looks occupied even if you aren't in it. You may want to have timers set so the lights come on one at a time to create the illusion that someone is moving from room to room at dusk.
• You may also want to consider having a radio tuned to an all-talk station (may I suggest our sister station, WMMI AM 830?) to further the illusion. Timers set on radios and television will help create a more convincing illusion.
• Arrange with friends and neighbors to have your newspapers and mail collected daily. If that's not possible, fill out a vacation hold card with the local post office and ask the newspaper to temporarily suspend delivery.
• Doors are often the point of entry for most burglars. They'll either kick the door open, break out the window to reach in, or pry the door open with a tool. Preventing these methods of entry can be as painless as installing a deadbolt lock and using it every time you leave the house.
• If you decide to use a deadbolt, however, keep in mind that burglars can still obtain entry by breaking the window and flipping the deadblot lock open. A double-keyed deadbolt (which requires a key from each side of the door) can solve that but it will also keep anyone from getting out, which could be deadly in case of a fire. These types of doors should be replaced and in the interim the window should be covered with plywood.
• If you've got a sliding door, simply placing a cut-off broomstick or other piece of wood in the track will make any attempt to break the normally flimsy lock on these doors pointless. The same trick will work on windows that slide open from side to side.
• Keep bushes and trees near potential entry points trimmed so the burglar doesn't have anything to hide behind as they attempt to enter your house.
• Keep the yard free of clutter and your garage door shut. The absence of a vehicle is an obvious sign to a burglar that nobody is home.

By following these simple steps, you can substantially reduce your chances of becoming a victim of a break-in. If you have any questions or would like more advice on protecting your home while you enjoy your vacation, you are invited to contact Sheriff Leo Mioduszewski at (989) 772-5911.

BREAKING: Two-Vehicle Accident in Isabella County

The Isabella County Sheriff's Department responded to the scene of a two-vehicle collission that occurred on North Winn Road at West Weidman Road last night at 10:50 PM. A 1996 Dodge pickup driven by 66 year-old Gerold Clark Brady was travelling northbound on North Winn Road when he failed to yield at the stop sign at Weidman Road, and pulled into the path of a 1993 Chevrolet Blazer driven by 21 year-old Brad Allen Danielski traveling eastbound on Weidman Road.

Brady had non life-threatening injuries and refused treatment. Danielski was flown by Flight Care to St. Mary's Hospital in Saginaw. As of this writing, the extent of his injuries are unknown. Brady was wearing his seat belt; Danielski was not. It is unknown whether or not alcohol or drugs were a factor in the crash.

We'll have more information for you on Lite Hits 104.3 WCZY with Josh Price at 4:00 PM and tomorrow morning on the John Sebastian Morning Show, so stay tuned.

BREAKING: Isabella County Sheriff's Department Arrests Four In String of Break-Ins

WCZY can confirm that the Isabella County Sheriff's Department has arrested four individuals charged with at least seven breakings and enterings in Isabella County. Among the break-ins the group has been charged with:

• MacLean Construction Company construction trailer, S. Isabella Rd. near the U.S. 127 Business Loop (Union Twp.)
• A-1 Mini Storage 1067 N. Mission Rd. (Isabella Twp.)
• Isabella County Animal Control, 1105 S. Isabella Rd. (Union Twp.)
• Baumann's IGA, 4130 E. Rosebush Rd. (Isabella Twp.)
• Jack's Auto Glass, 1198 S. Mission Rd. (Union Twp.)
• Hydroponics Store, 1012 W. High St. (Mt. Pleasant)
• All Decked Out Store, 802 E. Palmer St. (Mt. Pleasant)

The following is a list of the suspects and a partial list of their charges.

1. Joshua Lee Brown, 20 year-old Mount Pleasant male. Charged with Conducting Criminal Enterprises (20 year felony and/or $100,000 fine), 4 counts of Breaking & Entering (10 year felony), Felony Firearm (2 year felony). His bond is set at $400,000/10%.
2. Richard Lee Davis, 19 year-old Mount Pleasant male. Charged with Conducting Criminal Enterprises (20 year felony and/or $100,000 fine), 4 counts of Breaking & Entering (10 year felony), Felony Firearm (2 year felony). His bond is set at $400,000/10%.
3. David Anthony Hosler, 25 year-old Mount Pleasant male. Charged with Conducting Criminal Enterprises (20 year felony and/or $100,000 fine), 3 counts of Breaking & Entering (10 year felony). His bond is set at $300,000/10%.
4. Lisa Marie Brown, 18 year-old Mount Pleasant female. Charged with Conducting Criminal Enterprises (20 year felony and/or $100,000 fine), 4 counts of Breaking & Entering (10 year felony), and Felony Firearm (2 year felony). Her bond is set at $50,000/10%.

The case remains under investigation. We'll have more information and word from Sheriff Leo for you on the John Sebastian Morning Show.

Part-Time Legislature, Full-Time Headache

My close personal friend* Tim Skubick wrote a column a couple weeks ago in the Lansing State Journal that you can read by clicking here. In it, he addresses the issue of a part-time legislature, one of the most common solutions that is offered as way to plug budget holes. On surface, the idea makes sense: why not save some cash by making elected service a part-time, rather than year-round pursuit? Certainly, there is money to be saved. The efficacy of such a solution, as far as an impact on the budget, cannot be overstated.

And certainly we have seen a groundswell of public support for such an idea. A story we covered on the morning show last week shows that a poll of 600 likely Michigan voters resulted in 51 percent of those asked favoring the idea, 33 percent opposing the change, and 16 percent undecided (Thanks to the Michigan Radio Network). While I have never personally looked at polls as the end-all and be-all of political attitudes, there is no doubting their usefulness for coloring in some of the blank spaces in Michigan’s political picture. So we have a solution that logistically saves money and people like. So far, so good, right?

The sociopolitical concerns, however, cannot be overlooked. As soon as we solve the issue of whether or not money can be saved by asking our elected officials to only do their jobs on a part-time basis, we open the door for a great deal of discussion on term limits and issues associated with them.

State government, much like the federal government, is predicated on a balance of power between the branches. By instituting a part-time legislature, we effectively weaken the legislative branch and thereby strengthen the other two. Unless we want to make the executive and judicial branches part-time as well, there’s no way such a solution could be considered constitutionally viable.

One could argue, anyhow, that we have already effectively weakened the legislative branch via term limits. Now, incoming legislators who do not have a background in Lansing are expected to learn the dance in the political equivalent of a few hours and are then expected to lead it for the remainder of their terms. This idea is the catalyst for the phenomenon that political scientists call the “permanent campaign”, in which prospective legislators spend the first weeks, months, or years of their campaign learning the ropes of how to draft legislation, who to talk to, etc. and are then forced to run again in order to actually do anything. This in turn creates legislatures that have difficulty getting anything done with any great speed or efficiency, because a majority of legislators are in the process of either learning how to do their jobs or running for re-election.

So if that’s our current system, imagine how making the legislature part-time would exacerbate it. It’s difficult enough for our legislators to get work done as it is: imagine the difficulty in balancing the budget for next year’s presumed shortfall with a legislature that wouldn’t meet full-time! Naturally, of course, such a move would not take place immediately – it would have to pass both houses and then get put on the ballot, and that seems rather unlikely – but we’ve gotten into a problem here in Michigan where state government is so concerned with the short-term benefits that we forget about the long-term problems.

The odds of a part-time legislature taking effect are low. But the consequences to this proposed solution certainly bear thinking about. Already, we are seeing legislation being introduced at the state level to lengthen term limits. From a pragmatic perspective, this is a viable solution to governmental efficacy; the philosophical arguments against term limits are better saved for another time. My point, however, is that this is a more viable solution for the greater good of the state. There’s seldom, if ever, a perfect solution in the world of government. Oftentimes, we just have to pick something and hope for the best.

*Not actually true. But I have met and talked to him on a few occasions. And we do carry his news reports on the station occasionally. So, in a way...

The World's Ugliest Dog

We mentioned the World's Ugliest Dog just now on the morning show. For the curious, information on the dog, as well as a picture, can be found by clicking here. Please make sure your breakfast is in no danger of coming back up.

BREAKING: Stolen Property Recovered From Last Week's Construction Site Break-In

10:05 AM

According to information we received minutes ago, WCZY can confirm that the Isabella County Sheriff's Department has recovered all of the stolen equipment that was taken from a construction trailer in Mount Pleasant last week.

The recovered goods are valued at $85,470 and included GPS equipment, laser equipment, and various tools. An Isabella County detective, in cooperation with a Michigan State Police detective, were able to put together enough information to locate the stolen equipment from last week's breaking and entering. The property was located in a shed on East Pickard Road in Chippewa Township.

Arrest warrants will be requested from the Isabella County Prosecutor in the next day or two. No suspects have been named at this time.

We will have more information for you as it becomes available, as well as a full update tomorrow morning on the John Sebastian Morning Show.

How To Balance a Budget

I have refrained from talking about the Michigan state budget on this forum for two reasons:

1) I am by no means an economic expert.

2) The whole issue is like an angry, angry bear and I fear that all I would be doing is poking it with a stick and pulling back a stump.

Of course, when you see articles like this one, it becomes difficult not to have an opinion. The budget and the economy are so bad, Michigan's credit rating dropped. What does that mean? Well, if you want to borrow money, it's going to cost you a lot more.

But let's add into that the stories we've been reporting on over the last few days. The legislature is cutting over $90 million out of the higher education budget. That alone is bad enough, but then there's the news from the Michigan Radio Network that next year's deficit is going to be worse, due in large part to the way that the legislature has been trying to "solve" the problem. Oops.

The issue, as I see it, is this. The Republicans and the Democrats - and do not for a moment believe that either party is blameless! - have turned this into a grandstanding political issue. The Republicans have outright refused to support any sort of tax increase, and the Democrats aren't real fond of cutting programs either. Now, a rational legislature would try to compromise, and to be fair both sides did compromise to come up with a solution for this year.

Granted, it was an awful solution, but let's give credit where credit is due.

It is the steadfast, bullheaded commitment to "core beliefs" on both sides that has made finding an actual solution difficult. The short answer is this: there will need to be a tax increase, or new taxes, to fill the gap - and not just a new tax to replace the defunct Single Business Tax. However, it's going to be necessary to cut some programs as well, and make the government leaner overall.

Unfortunately, all the areas that should not be cut seem to be the ones that are being cut. The legislature may have dodged the looming spectre of Granholm's promised "$125-per-kid-cut", but in doing so they've hamstrung higher education as well. Part of the problem with the current economic situation in Michigan is that we just aren't turning out (or keeping) enough of the best and brightest. One would assume that if we continued to support higher education, that would help at least contribute to keeping said "best and brightest" in the state. It's simple logic: if other states offer educational opportunities that we don't, the kids that would be the future of the Michigan economy are going to leave. Moreover, advanced and well-funded universities attract businesses looking to expand and hire new, capable employees.

But all of this is hypothetical. The title of this post is not "Why Certain Things Should Not Be Cut", but rather "How To Balance a Budget". Understanding that a replacement for the SBT is an inevitability, there are still lots of ways to not only bring more money into the state, but also keep vital programs (like higher ed) from getting cut and also keep we the tax payers from having to pay more out of our incomes.

A couple ideas off the top of my head.

1) Beer and liquor tax. It is true that liquor and beer are already quite heavily taxed. But I'm not talking about anything ridiculous. How about a tax of two or three cents per glass at the bar? Or maybe ten cents added on to the cost of a six pack? These are not bank-breaking taxes, and most people who will drink are going to do so anyway. Moreover, even if a few people decide not to buy alcohol, that makes the roads that much safer. It's a win-win for the Greater Good.
2) Cigarette tax. See above. Cigarettes are even more ridiculously taxed, but honestly? I don't care. It's not good for people to smoke, and it costs the state and the general public a lot of money to pay out for health care. Add a few more cents onto a pack and put it in the general fund. Again, a win-win.
3) Sweets tax. Why not fight obesity and make a little money for the state while we're at it? Tack a one-cent tax onto candy bars, ice cream, fast food, etc. and that will contribute some cash too.
4) Advertising. I'm not for a minute suggesting that Granholm should pose for a Nike ad, though that's just hilarious enough to make me consider a Photoshop. But small logos from businesses (and respectable ones, mind you) on things like state brochures and pamphlets for parks and the like might not be a bad idea. Or maybe little banners at highway rest stops.

Now, it's not that I particularly like these ideas. But they are just a few ideas I've had. If you've got some others, I'd love to hear them!

Thor's Warriors

Thanks to Chris Wright from Thor's Warriors for coming on the morning show (all the way from California - he was up earlier than we were!) and talking to us about the very important issue of animal abuse and neglect. If you'd like to help, you can go, of course, to www.ThorsWarriors.com or you can donate time and money through the Humane Animal Treatment Society.

Maybe this wasn't the best idea

In the wake of the Virginia Tech shootings, it is understandable that many schools would want to make sure their students and their disaster readiness plans are up to snuff on what to do in such a situation.

What is significantly less understandable is teachers staging a fake gun attack on a class field trip.

The article from USA Today can be read by clicking here. The short version of the story, if you don't want to read the article, is that Tennessee elementary school staff members on a class trip decided it would be a good lesson to teach the kids how to react in case someone with a gun showed up in their classroom. This is perfectly fine, and probably not a bad idea.

Not telling the kids that the "lesson" isn't real? That's more than a bit of a stretch. The staff members, apparently including the assistant principal of the school, convinced the kids there was a gunman on the loose and were told to lie on the floor or hide under tables and stay quiet. To add to the illusion, one teacher, who was disguised in a hoodie, pulled on the locked doors from the outside.

The kids - who, again, had no idea - were terrified, many reduced to tears and fearful for their lives. The ordeal lasted about five minutes during the week-long state park trip, after which the kids discussed with the staff what to do in such an occurrence. Parents are understandably upset, and there's no word yet on whether or not the staff members will face punishment.

The question now, of course, is "should they?" Certainly, the intent of this exercise was noble, as I haven't honestly believed a teacher was out to get me since middle school. It is the execution, and the resultant fear it inspired in the kids, that is the real problem. The whole problem could have been alleviated by simply letting the kids know what was going on. On another note, wouldn't it also have made sense for them to do this in the classroom rather than on a field trip?

This is a dumb move, pure and simple, and I think there should be some punishment handed down. I would stop short of firing the offending staff members, but some sort of consequence is in order.

What do you think?

Upcoming Special

I've touched all the bases and gotten all the necessary folks rounded up. Wednesday on the John Sebastian Morning Show, we're going to be doing a special report on animal neglect and abuse, featuring interviews with Chris Wright from ThorsWarriors.com and representatives from the Isabella County Humane Animal Treatment Society. Chris will be on at about 8 AM, the HATS folks at about 8:15.

Please tune into the show May 16th and find out what you can do to help on this important issue.

A dog of a story

I will admit to watching American Idol last night. Not because it was my choice, mind you. No, seriously. Why would I lie?

It was a pretty by-the-book reality talent contest episode, with all the prerequisite movie tie-ins from the parent company and the once-great talent that has not aged well (Barry Gibb sans high-pitched falsetto is sort of like Neapolitan ice cream without the chocolate - what's the point?). Apart from the wound to state pride I felt when young miss Lakisha was set home, nothing about the show grabbed my interest.

The commercials, though? That's an entirely different matter. Imagine my surprise when pictures of emaciated, sad-looking Labradors started appearing on the screen in the middle of the bright, happy battle of the songsters, with somber narration informing us that the poor pups we were looking at were the result of neglect at a kennel that had its license revoked and then re-awarded within two months. My reaction, I would assume, matched that of others in the audience - at first, it was sadness at the images, then a yeahbuhwah? at the commercial's revelation of licensing impropriety. You can watch the ad here. The important thing is that it led me to ThorsWarriors.com, a website run by established author and former radio personality Chris Wright née Jonathan Rand née Christopher Knight.

The website crafts an interesting and wholly disconcerting tale of animal abuse and neglect which is difficult to sum up in a brief paragraph. It begins when a Labrador is found in a car port in Crawford County in an emaciated and neglected state by what appears to be a concerned neighbor. Wright decides to write an article on the dog for a magazine he contributes to, only to discover that the watchful citizen is the mother of the man who ran the kennel the dog came from, and presumably was trying to cover up the activities at her son's business. It gets worse from there, but you should probably start at the beginning and read it for yourself.

The reporting is occasionally over-sentimentalized and angry, but then again this is the sort of issue that would inspire such feelings, and the website is not intended to be an impartial journal of record. We're going to be getting Mr. Wright on the morning show next time some week to talk about the issue alongside some representatives from local animal welfare organizations, but I felt this was an important enough issue to bring it up right here on the blog. Things of this nature happen all the time whether we'd like to admit it or not, and the sad truth is that it's not limited by geography. Even here in Mount Pleasant, there could be animals being starved, beaten, or otherwise neglected as I write this. It's not a comforting thought, but it's a reality. But more than that, if these accusations Mr. Wright makes are truthful - and, given the wealth of supporting documents and evidence he provides, it's difficult to say otherwise - then the discussion goes beyond helping animals and questioning the actions of elected public officials.

So we'll be keeping tabs on the development of this story and hopefully talking with Mr. Wright soon. Until then, feel free to let me know what you think of the story by responding to this post. Also, if you want to help some local animals, the Isabella County Humane Animal Treatment Society is a great place to donate time and money.

Balance the Budget Yourself!

With all the talk in Michigan lately of budget deficits and who's to blame, there has been no shortage of would-be solutions to the problem. I know I've got more than a few ideas as to how to fill the gap and I'm sure you do as well. This is great - it shows we're thinking. There's just one thing we have to keep in mind:

Balancing a state budget is hard.

See if you can do any better by trying out this game, which tasks you with trying to solve a state budget deficit. It's not as easy as one might think, but then again neither is trying to find over $600 million to cover state expenditures.

'Round The World Roundup #1

Michigan

Home Health Care Advocates Protest Cuts (Lansing State Journal)
"About 150 home health care workers and advocates gathered Thursday in Lansing to protest budget cuts that would reduce their pay."

Ford to shut down Ohio plant, keep another one closed for a year (The Detroit Free Press)
"Ford Motor Co. said Monday it will close its casting plant in Brook Park, Ohio, outside of Cleveland, in 2009. The plant employs 1,218 hourly and salaried workers."

National

Searchers look for trapped tornado victims (CNN.com)
"A top official of a Kansas town destroyed by a deadly tornado said Monday that it was
possible victims still remained trapped under debris from the disaster."

Bush to host Queen Elizabeth at white-tie dinner (CNN.com)
"The British monarch and her husband, Prince Philip, are being greeted Monday morning with a 21-gun salute and a parade by the U.S. Army's Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps attended by 7,000 guests on the White House's South Lawn."

Recovering New Jersey governor resumes duties (Houston Chronicle)
"Jon S. Corzine resumed his duties as governor Monday, nearly a month after a high-speed crash on the Garden State Parkway almost killed him."

World

Double suicide bombings in Iraq kill 20 (Associated Press)
"Two suicide car bombers attacked a market and a police checkpoint on the outskirts of Ramadi, killing at least 20 people and dealing a blow to recent U.S. success in reclaiming the Sunni city from insurgents."

France's Sarkozy seeks parliament allies (Associated Press)
"French president-elect Nicolas Sarkozy plans to waste no time making France a friendlier place for business — and a less inviting place for criminals and would-be immigrants — but first he must win control of parliament in new elections next month."

Hezbollah says it is near freeing Israeli captives (MSNBC.com)
"Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said Sunday there has been progress in negotiations to free two Israeli soldiers whose abduction by the militant group sparked a 34-day war in Lebanon last summer."

Welcome

Hello, and welcome to the WCZY/WMMI news blog! I'm Bryan Carr, the News Director for Lite Hits 104.3 WCZY and WMMI AM 830. I'll be updating this blog daily with news stories from around the Mid-Michigan area and the world, so after you catch the newscast on 104.3 FM or 830 AM check back here for additional news and commentary. Feel free to post your thoughts and comments, as well!