8 prison workers charged in inmate's death • 100-year-old bakery closing • Pontiac man's neighborhood watch
Alger Correctional Facility in Michigan's Upper Peninsula
WEDNESDAY NEWS HIT - Eight Michigan prison employees, including a former warden from a far-north correctional facility have been charged in relation to an inmate's death from 2019.
A former acting warden, an assistant deputy warden, two corrections officers, and four nurses were all charged with various felonies including involuntary manslaughter.
The inmate that died, Jonathan Lancaster, had stopped eating or drinking while he was imprisoned at the Alger Correctional Facility. He was placed in an observation cell with restraints where he remained for three days.
He reportedly lost more than 50 pounds in 15 days before dying. According to the Michigan Attorney General, there was widespread knowledge of his deteriorating state within the facility.
"This death was a preventable tragedy that played out over days and under the defendants’ supervision," said AG Dana Nessel. "These are serious, and numerous, charges that reflect the broad culpability the defendants shoulder in the death of Johnathan Lancaster."
"The eight defendants had a responsibility for the care and well-being of those in their custody, and my office will continue to rigorously pursue accountability when that is not met."
The defendants include:
- Former Acting Warden Scott SpraderOne Count – Involuntary Manslaughter, a 15-year felony
- One Count – Involuntary Manslaughter, a 15-year felony
- Former Assistant Deputy Warden Benny MercierOne Count – Involuntary Manslaughter, a 15-year felony
- One Count – Involuntary Manslaughter, a 15-year felony
- Registered Nurse, formerly MDOC, Paul ZelenakOne Count – Involuntary Manslaughter, a 15-year felony
- One Count – Involuntary Manslaughter, a 15-year felony
- Registered Nurse, formerly MDOC, Nathan MoserOne Count – Involuntary Manslaughter, a 15-year felony
- One Count – Involuntary Manslaughter, a 15-year felony
- Registered Nurse, formerly MDOC, Barbara BedientOne Count – Involuntary Manslaughter, a 15-year felony
- One Count – Involuntary Manslaughter, a 15-year felony
- Registered Nurse, formerly MDOC, John CraneOne Count – Involuntary Manslaughter, a 15-year felony
- One Count – Involuntary Manslaughter, a 15-year felony
- Former MDOC Sargent Jason DenmanOne Count – Misconduct in Office, a 5-year felony
- One Count – Misconduct in Office, a 5-year felony
- MDOC Officer Shawn BrinkmanOne Count – Misconduct in Office, a 5-year felony
- One Count – Misconduct in Office, a 5-year felony
The prison is located south of Munising in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The investigation was conducted by Michigan State Police
Oak Park's Star Bakery closing
Oak Park's Star Bakery plans to close July 2. The owners of the bakery made the decision to close because of a combination of labor and ingredient costs, along with lingering impacts from the Covid pandemic.
"It's been here a long time. It's been in this location since 1954. It's been in Detroit. It began in 1915," said Stacy Fox, one of the owners. "My heart is breaking, too." Star Bakery serves Jewish-style baked goods, including rye bread, challahs, rolls, rugelach, seven-layer cake, and Mandel bread.
"This bakery I've been going to practically my whole life," customer Red Scanlan said. Though Star is closing, Diamond Bakery, a West Bloomfield Township bakery with the same owners, will continue serving some favorites from Star.
"It was a very hard decision to close, and we did everything we could to try to save Star Bakery and make it profitable," Daniel Buckfire, one of the owners, said in a press release . "Wholesale was always a significant part of the business at Star Bakery, and we determined that we were no longer competitive on this side of the business."
Pontiac man's neighborhood watch vow
Colten McAuley hasn't lived in Pontiac long, but enough to know he intends to help stop crime in the community. "I'm sick of seeing vulnerable people getting targeted," said McAuley. "We need to protect other people's property also."
On the same day McAuley decided to start a neighborhood watch, he learned of a shooting at an apartment just one and half miles away. A 22-year-old was killed and three other men shot and in the hospital with no arrests.
While McAuley comes from a rural town that had crime, he said it was a break-in at his sister's home this week that pushed him to do more. While learning more, he came to understand the break-in was just a part of life in the neighborhood.
"Saying that it's normal for this to happen is kind of disgusting to hear that," he said. So to curb crime, he started a neighborhood watch program. He plans to speak with the city council and sheriff's office about the initiative soon.
Grosse Pointe Schools settle on budget
Tuesday night, the Grosse Pointe Public School System Board of Education voted on a $103 million annual budget, which cuts about $4.6 million from the previous year's spending. Along with the cuts is the elimination of 15 teaching positions.
There was also the end of Spanish classes in elementary school. The district did approve funds for marketing and branding to help draw more kids back into the district. Many have seen the budget cuts as a result of declining enrollment.
The vote was the latest in a months-long debate over how the district should deal with falling financial prospects, with meetings going as long as 9 hours sometimes.
A 4-3 vote was cast at 10:39 p.m. Tuesday. The board had previously authorized the need for cuts at another meeting, making the latest developments less of a surprise.
World Refugee Day picnic held in Troy
World Refugee Day was Tuesday - designated by the United Nations to honor refugees around the world. In Troy, there were burgers on the grill, a game of cornhole, and a gathering of families who now call Metro Detroit home at the United Community Family Services picnic.
Kristen Olmedo is president and CEO of United Community Family Services and Chaldean American Ladies of Charity. "Everybody who had to give up their lives and flee their home countries from persecution or war and they've made their way to Metro Detroit," she said. "And we're here to celebrate them."
Stories of people leaving their loved ones and home country behind are abundant at the picnic. That includes Nawal Ayoub, who was at the picnic with her husband and 82-year-old mother. It's been almost seven years since they fled Iraq.
World Refugee Day celebrates those who have fled home countries from war or persecution
Tuesday was World Refugee Say - designated by the United Nations to honor refugees around the world. In Troy, there was burgers on the grill, a game of cornhole, and a gathering of families who now call Metro Detroit home at the United Community Family Services picnic.
"When they called me - today you will travel - I told them oh I will go to America - but I can't - how can I leave my kids?" Ayoub said. "They told me mama - please go, don't feel sad, maybe you will do something for us."
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Daily Forecast
It's the first official day of summer and Wednesday is looking like it'll show its quality with temperatures in the mid-80s and plenty of sun to light the way.
What else we're watching
- The Dearborn Heights School District board is expected to meet Wednesday amid drama over its superintendent being placed on paid leave. Protests are also expected outside Annapolis High School
- University of Michigan Health C.S. Mott Children's Hospital was ranked best in the state by U.S. News & World Report Wednesday.
- According to data from the National Transportation Research Nonprofit, traffic fatalities decreased slightly in 2022 compared to 2021, but rates remained 15% higher than before the pandemic. The figures come as pre-Covid travel has returned to normal levels.
- The USS Carl M. Levin is scheduled for commissioning into the U.S. Navy this weekend. Named after former Michigan Senator by the same name, it's set to be initiated into the branch Saturday, June 24, at 10 a.m. in Baltimore Maryland.
- A Detroit man was found with a gunshot at a Southfield parking lot Tuesday morning. A 32-year-old Oak Park man was arrested in connection to the shooting, police said.
Praise be to AI: Hundreds attend church service generated by ChatGPT
The artificial intelligence chatbot asked the believers in the fully packed St. Paul's church in the Bavarian town of Fuerth to rise from the pews and praise the Lord.
The ChatGPT chatbot, personified by an avatar of a bearded Black man on a huge screen above the altar, then began preaching to the more than 300 people who had shown up on Friday morning for an experimental Lutheran church service almost entirely generated by AI.
"Dear friends, it is an honor for me to stand here and preach to you as the first artificial intelligence at this year's convention of Protestants in Germany," the avatar said with an expressionless face and monotonous voice.
The 40-minute service — including the sermon, prayers and music — was created by ChatGPT and Jonas Simmerlein, a theologian and philosopher from the University of Vienna.