News@noon: A tearful reunion; a new home; a DPS plan
Today is Thursday, June 9, 2016, and it's the first full day of freedom for Davontae Sanford in eight years. The 23-year-old was freed from Bellamy Creek Correctional Facility in Ionia on Wednesday afternoon after being sentenced for a quadruple murder he didn't commit.
We were there for the emotional reunion with his mom and siblings at their east side home.
Kym Worthy spoke about the case earlier today. Here's what she had to say.
Here's what else is making news today:
A new home
- More Syrian refugees have settled in Michigan than any other state since the Syrian civil war started five years ago, and more are expected to arrive this summer despite the state’s desire to restrict them.
- The subject of Syrian refugees has been a lightning rod across Michigan and much of the country. Some say allowing them to settle in the U.S. opens up the possibility of attacks by terrorists posing as refugees. Others argue those concerns are overblown.
A plan for DPS
- Michigan legislators worked late into the night Wednesday to approve a $617 million plan to help Detroit Public Schools pay off debt and avoid a bankruptcy filing officials fear could be even more costly for the state. Gov. Rick Snyder hailed the bailout and restructuring as an “unprecedented investment” in Detroit’s children.
- In addition to all the district's other problems, DPS also has the highest rate of chronic absenteeism among the nation’s largest 100 school districts, according to discouraging new figures released Wednesday on how many students are habitually missing school.
Emergency landing
- A Delta flight serving 244 passengers flying from Detroit to San Francisco had to make an emergency landing at Detroit’s Metro Airport this morning.
Kalamazoo in mourning
- Prayer services. A makeshift memorial. Unanswered questions. For Kalamazoo, the scene was sadly familiar Wednesday.
- Just four months after six people were killed in a shooting spree, the city was grieving anew. Five people died Tuesday night when a Chevrolet pickup plowed into a group of bicyclists just north of the city. Four others were injured.
Role reversal
- A series of drug dealers-turned-informants are expected to take the stand Thursday to testify against two Detroit police officers in a federal extortion trial involving alleged fake arrests and stolen drugs, money and property.
Not just a 'man's job'
- Engineman? Yeoman? Not so fast. Now that women will be allowed to serve in all combat jobs, the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps are dropping “man” from some of their job titles to make them inclusive and gender-neutral.
'Everyone I owe'
- One night in 2011, 18 Detroit-area bands descended upon PJ’s Lager House for a split-stage performance called “URGH! A Detroit Music War,” filmed with the intent of becoming a feature-length DVD. At the time, 77 backers pledged $5,428 via Kickstarter to get the project off the ground. But the film itself? Nowhere to be seen. Now they're getting a second chance to make it happen.
A sentient phone?
Suppose your smartphone is clever enough to grasp your physical surroundings — the room’s size, the location of doors and windows and the presence of other people. What could it do with that info? People are about to find out.
The strangest museum
A chicken claw. An FDR pin. A crucifix. A toy sheriff’s star. Those are some of the weird items that have been removed from kids’ throats, nostrils and ears by doctors at Boston Children’s Hospital and are included in a macabre, yet important, display.
Detroit News at noon is a daily roundup of the most talked-about stories on detroitnews.com. For more anytime, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter, Instagram (@detroitnews), Snapchat (Search for "Detroitnews") and LinkedIn.
Don't forget: You can enter the Celebrate Michigan photo contest by sending us your best photos from around the state. We pick four finalists every Wednesday (here are last week's). Winners will get some pretty great prizes (including a first-place prize of a two-night stay for two at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island). If you need some more inspiration, here are last year's winners and finalists.
Dish & Design is also back, and this time it comes with a "taste of Italy." Treat yourself to an evening of food, wine and home decor on June 22 from 6-9 p.m. in Bloomfield Hills. Join us as experts from Hillside Furniture, EuroAmerica Design and more show you how to bring a little bit of Italy to your home. Food and wine is included. You can enter to win tickets here. Or don't wait and get tickets here for $10 each.