4 arrested after twins abducted • Apple orchard sued over racism • Marine vet at risk of losing home
WEDNESDAY NEWS HIT - Four suspects are now in custody after a kidnapping of infant twins led to an Amber Alert on Monday.
Montana and Matthew Bridges, who are 14 days old, were taken late Sunday and missing for hours before they were eventually turned into a Detroit police precinct Monday morning.
The abduction is still under investigation as police work to figure out what exactly happened.
"Every day and every minute it’s something different, there's new stuff coming in," said the boys' grandmother Yvette McDonald.
She said she was not surprised given what happened to the boys' father prior to the twins being taken. There was a violent break-in at his home, which led to the twins' parents staying at a hotel.
"Before that, they tried to come at my son’s house - that’s how they ended up at the Quality Inn," McDonald said.
McDonald said the parents went on social media looking for resources and help to take care of the newborns. She says people took advantage of the mom.
"(They) befriended her on Facebook like ‘we will help you, we will do this and that for you,’ but it’s fake," McDonald said.
Muslim family sues apple orchard after racist remarks
A Monroe County apple orchard is now facing a lawsuit after the owner was caught on video harassing a Muslim family.
"Every Muslim that comes in here steals from me," Steve Elzinga said to Joe Mahmoud at Erie Orchards. The exchange was recorded on a cell phone.
Mahmoud and his family visited the orchard to pick peaches. He said they bought some from the store before going outside. However, an employee said the peaches were picked over and that they could check, but the peaches would probably be rotten.
"And I told him the girls just want to go back there," Mahmoud said. "(I asked) If we do get a bag what do you want us to do? Pay at the front?' He said, 'Don’t worry about it, what you find will be rotten.'"
Mahmoud claims they did find a few rotten peaches and picked them anyway for the experience. As they started to leave, Elzinga approached his truck.
"Elzinga was holding them on the premises for $58 bucks - threatening police, but police were never on the way," said attorney Abdallah Moughni.
He claims there was a crime committed.
"It’s a 15-year felony for falsely imprisoning somebody and that is what this man did," Moughni said.
Elzinga later apologized and said he was frustrated with people stealing from the orchard.
3 suspects wanted in shooting of Detroit police officer arrested
Three suspects wanted after a Detroit police officer was shot earlier this month were caught, the department said.
Police were on patrol in the area and responding to a ShotSpotter call on Aug. 11. When police arrived, they were directed to an apartment building in the area by neighbors and witnesses.
When they started to approach the building, three suspects came running out with one of them shooting at the police officers, hitting one in the leg.
Officers returned fire but did not hit the suspects.
Marine vet at risk of losing home over roof damage
Bob Origel recently lost his wife, and now the Marine veteran is at risk of losing his home.
A large hole in his roof prompted the city of Monroe to say he cannot live in the house. A city inspector noticed the hole while checking a tree that had crushed his garage.
"I was ready to give up," he said. "First my wife passed, then they came up with this."
The city posted the notice to move out by Sunday. That got the attention of Jason Lawnichak who lives across the street from the Marine veteran.
"He served for us - why aren’t we serving him?" he said. "I think that’s the bottom line in everybody’s head right now — a man in need who served our country who’s had a rough last couple of years."
Now, neighbors are trying to help.
2 Michigan breweries named best in US
Michigan loves its craft beer, as exemplified by the dozens of breweries around the state.
And two of those are among the best in the country, according to USA Today.
City Built Brewing in Grand Rapids was listed No. 9 on this year's 10Best list of brewpubs, while Salt Springs Brewery took the 5th spot.
City Built at 820 Monroe Avenue NW includes a variety of beer styles, along with Puerto Rican-inspired food. Salt Springs Brewery serves up beer, wine, and cider as well as seasonal food menus out of an old church at 117 S Ann Arbor St.
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Ohio school bus crash leaves student dead, at least 23 hurt on first day of school
A school bus in Ohio "loaded" with dozens of elementary students on their way to the first day of classes crashed along a roadway Tuesday morning when a minivan sideswiped the bus, killing one child and injuring at least 23 others, authorities said.
The bus had 52 students on board as it made its route northeast of Dayton just around 8:16 a.m., Sgt. Tyler Ross of the Ohio Highway Patrol told reporters.
At that time, Ross said, a Honda Odyssey veered from the left lanes of Ohio State Route 41 into the side of the school bus, whose driver tried to avoid the minivan.