I am writing today to announce the closure of the Michigan Messenger. After four years of operation in Michigan, the board of the American Independent News Network, has decided to shift publication of its news into a single site, The American Independent at Americanindependent.com. This is part of a shift in strategy, towards new forms [...]
An abstinence-only presentation provided to numerous school districts in Calhoun and Eaton Counties in October of this year provided false and misleading information to students about HIV, experts allege.
Two county registers of deeds filed a class action lawsuit Monday on behalf of Michigan’s 83 counties alleging that the Mortgage Electronic Registration Services owes millions of dollars in property title transfer taxes.
Despite evidence of the impact of mercury on children and public health, Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette last month joined with 24 other state attorneys general in filing a lawsuit to scuttle new EPA regulations that would reduce mercury emissions from power plants.
LANSING — A Lansing police officer has filed suit against the city of Lansing alleging she was the victim of sexual harassment, gender discrimination, retaliation for her participation in a sexual harassment investigation and of being harassed for being a whistle blower.
The suit was filed Wednesday in Ingham County Circuit Court.
In a six-page filing, dated April 21, 21-year veteran Lansing Police officer Michelle Burkhard alleges that she was subjected to unwanted sexual advances by the department’s legal advisor, Michael Matthis, in 2008. She alleges he took a “blue rubber glove,” placed it on his hand and, putting the glove near her face, then “squirted hand sanitizer/lotion into the glove and put a white substance into the glove to simulate sexual discharge.”
City sources say Matthis was reprimanded for the incident.
Burkhardt also alleges that as a woman she was treated to differently than male officers. She believes that the department was more forceful with her for various situations than male counterparts accused of similar violations.
In addition, Burkhardt alleges that, because she testified in a sexual harassment and workers compensation case for another female officer, she was subjected to retaliation and harassment. Finally, she alleges that when she overheard an officer state to the officer’s children, “I will kill you and get new kids,” she reported the incident to command, as she had been directed to. The suit alleges that Burkhardt was immediately placed on administrative leave for reporting the incident.
“It would be inappropriate for the Mayor’s office to comment on pending litigation,” said Randy Hannan, spokesman for Lansing Mayor Virgil Bernero, in an e-mail. “Please direct your questions to the City Attorney’s Office.”
“The matter has been referred to insurance defense counsel,” says City Attorney Brig Smith. “As matter of policy we don’t comment on pending litigation.”
The entire lawsuit can be read below:
AR-M355N_20100422_085502
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