SAGINAW, MI -- Here are a few headlines from Saginaw County last week that attracted reader interest.
Changes to State Police Secure Cities partnership under discussion
A Michigan State Police program that partners with local police departments in mainly urban areas could see some changes.
The state police have been in talks with local departments, including Flint, about the future of the Secure Cities Partnership, which has been in place since 2012. No decisions have been made about the future of the program and state police officials declined to comment on the discussions, saying only the agency remains "committed to the safety and security of these cities."
Read more here.
After euthanasia violation, Saginaw County Animal Control director receives 'counseling memo'
Last summer, a veterinarian alleged Saginaw County Animal Care & Control Center's unqualified staff were improperly euthanizing animals, violating state law in the process. His claims prompted an investigation, which concluded this happened on one occasion.
Animal Control Director Rachel Horton was issued a "counseling memo" to address this and ensure such actions don't happen again.
Read more here.
Ex-Déjà Vu dancers say customer dispersed fentanyl in club before his friend died of overdose
Nearly three years since a local basketball trainer died from a drug overdose in a Saginaw County home, the man accused of providing him with the fatal batch is finally facing trial.
According to several former employees of a local strip club, the deceased man wasn't the only one to suffer ill effects from drugs dispersed by the accused.
Marvin N. Stone, 41, is charged with delivery of a controlled substance causing death, a life offense. The charge stems from the death of Logan M. Parks, 28, who was found deceased in the early morning of April 16, 2022, at a residence in the 200 block of East Harcourt Street in Thomas Township.
Read more here.
SVSU, Delta College get Narcan 'rescue boxes' to combat opioid crisis
Two mid-Michigan colleges are now outfitted with lifesaving Narcan in hopes of holding back the opioid crisis.
The opiate antagonist is available at the main campuses of Saginaw Valley State University and Delta College, as well as at SVSU's Riverfront Center, 200 S. Washington Ave. in downtown Saginaw. The institutions newly have the Narcan due to a collaboration between them and Face Addiction Now (FAN), formerly Families Against Narcotics.
Narcan, generically naloxone, is designed to rapidly reverse the effects of an opiate overdose.
Read more here.
Florida nurse charged with trying to kill man by stabbing him in groin at Saginaw bar
A Florida man -- who is also a registered nurse -- is charged with trying to kill a man by stabbing him at a Saginaw bar between Christmas and New Year's Eve.
Police responded to the stabbing at Big Ugly Fish, 1418 State St., on the night of Dec. 28. Witnesses said a man was causing problems within the bar, calling the bartender vile names and being generally belligerent.
Customers assisted staff in kicking out the man. Once they had him outside, the disruptive customer pulled a knife and a Taser and stabbed a 63-year-old man in his groin, prosecutors allege.
The Saginaw City Council approved a contract to repair a stage that has hosted many of the city's top concerts this century.
At its Monday, Jan. 13, meeting, the council unanimously approved a $198,376 contract with Merrill-based Mid-State Builders to restore the island's amphitheater.
The company was the lowest bid -- by a difference of more than $30,000 -- out of four proposals, all from Saginaw County-based contractors, city records showed.
The contract vote represents one of the final chapters of the nine-member governing body's long pursuit of the stage repairs.
Read more here.
Warmth melted Saginaw's ice-skating dreams in recent years. Do 2025 forecasts carry better news?
Cold January forecasts are met with a warm reception in Jeanne Conger's world.
The planning-to-retire-soon director of Positive Results Downtown Saginaw, which hosts the annual series of outdoor ice-skating sessions on Saturdays in Hoyt Park every January and February, depends on Mother Nature to keep the temperatures cold for the event to move forward.
In recent years, above-average temperatures resulted in the cancelation of many of those sessions. The last two years, for example, all but two of the 10 planned Saturday ice-skating sessions were canceled because relatively-warm weather kept ice from forming at necessary levels for skating.
So, what might Mother Nature have in store for this year's events?
Read more here.
Co-founder of Saginaw silo mural retires from arts board
Larry Preston, chairman of the board of directors that oversees both The Temple Theatre as well as the Saginaw Arts Museum and Garden, will retire at the end of May.
Preston, co-founder and former chief executive officer of Tri-Star Trust Bank, made headlines in recent years after teaming with retired Michigan Sugar Company President Mark Flegenheimer to organize the creation of a mural painted on ex-grain silos in Old Town Saginaw in summer 2024.
The mural is among the nation's largest of its kind and has become an iconic piece of art in the community.
Read more here.
Teen suspect in 'unprovoked' knife attack inside Saginaw gas station surrenders to police
A teenager accused of trying to stab a man inside a Saginaw gas station has surrendered to police.
The assault occurred about 7:30 a.m. on Jan. 9 within the Sunoco station at 1607 S. Michigan Ave. A 43-year-old man was buying beverages and smoking products at the front counter as a teen wearing eyeglasses, a black hooded sweatshirt, and gray jeans stood in an aisle several feet behind him.
Several seconds later, the teenager reached forward, grabbed the older man's jacket, and lunged at him with a knife in his right hand. The victim fended off his assailant, who fled outside. His victim briefly pursued him outside before returning to the store, saying he did not know his attacker.