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.
The Detroit News reports Tuesday that 14 year old Huron High School student Samantha Kelly committed suicide Monday after being taunted by classmates.
The taunting arose after Kelly was identified as the victim of an alleged sexual assault by an 18-year-old Joseph Tarnopolski, also a student at Huron High School. Tarnopolski was charged with Third Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct by Wayne County Prosecutors. He was out on bond at the time of the suicide, and as a result of the death of Kelly, the charges have been dropped.
Tarnopolski had been tweeting about the allegations, the News reports.
On Sept. 28, he tweeted, “All girls are, are liars and backstabbers! I hate you all. Way to ruin my life. Seriously, now this will be on my record for life!”
Four days later, on Oct. 1, he tweeted, “I’m facing a sentance (sic) of prison time. Up to 4 years seeing as how I am 18 years of age now …”
Then, on Oct. 3, Tarnopolski wrote, “You say I (expletive) your life up, but your the one who lies to everyone because your scared to get in trouble! You threw this upon me! Your idea.”
A Fox 2 News story allegedly identified the victim, and students are Huron began taunting Kelly as a result.
Kelly becomes the ninth confirmed suicide resulting from bullying in Michigan.
Legislation to address bullying by forcing schools to hold a public hearing about bullying policies and then implement them has stalled in the GOP controlled Senate. Leaders from the Senate have told Michigan Messenger the legislation is unlikely to be taken up in the lame duck session.
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