Victims from afternoon fatal car/deer crash identified.

September 29, 2016

#MasonCountyNews #BranchTownship. By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief.  BRANCH TOWNSHIP — The Mason County Sheriff’s Office has released the name of the 31-year-old man who died Thursday afternoon after a deer crashed through the windshield of the vehicle he was riding in. Michah David Miller of Wellman, Iowa, died following the crash that occurred about 12:30 p.m. on US 10 near Taylor…

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Man dead after deer crashes through windshield.

September 29, 2016

#MasonCountyNews #BranchTownship. By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief.  BRANCH TOWNSHIP — A 31-year-old man died following a car/deer crash Thursday afternoon on US 10 near Taylor Road. Mason County Sheriff Kim Cole said the man was not a resident of Mason County. The crash occurred when the Dodge Caravan minivan was traveling west on US 10 around 12:30 p.m. The vehicle struck…

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Baby Kate’s mother testifies in trial.

September 29, 2016
Baby Kate’s mother testifies in trial.

#MasonCountyNews #BabyKate By Allison Scarbrough. Editor. LUDINGTON — Katherine Phillips’ mother, Ariel Courtland, 24, was called to the stand in 51st Circuit Court Thursday, Sept. 29, as the first of 60 witnesses slated to testify in the three-week murder trial of the baby’s father, Sean Phillips. Courtland’s testimony followed opening statements by Prosecutor Donna Pendergast of the Michigan Attorney General’s…

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Baby Kate murder trial testimony begins.

September 29, 2016
Baby Kate murder trial testimony begins.

  #BabyKate LUDINGTON — Testimony in the 51st Circuit Court murder trial against Sean Michael Phillips began Thursday morning at the Mason County Courthouse. MCP will post an update on the trial later this morning. Here is a video featuring a segment of prosecutor Donna Pendergast’s opening statement.

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Jury seated in Baby Kate case.

September 28, 2016
Jury seated in Baby Kate case.

#BabyKate #MasonCountyNews By MCP’s Rob Alway and Allison Scarbrough. LUDINGTON — A jury of seven men and seven women were selected during the third day of jury selection Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 28, in the 51st Circuit Court during the murder trial of Sean Michael Phillips. At the end of the trial, two of the jurors will be dismissed. Opening arguments…

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Branch man arrested on 6-count CSC warrant.

September 28, 2016
Branch man arrested on 6-count CSC warrant.

#MasonCountyNews #MasonCountyPoliceNews PERE MARQUETTE TOWNSHIP — A 23-year-old Branch man was arrested by the Mason County Sheriff’s Office on a six-count felony warrant Tuesday, Sept. 27, at 5:30 p.m. in the 5100 block of West Sixth Street for criminal sexual conduct (CSC) issued by the Ludington Police Department. The suspect faces three counts of first-degree CSC and three counts of…

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Day three of jury selection in Baby Kate murder trial continues Wednesday.

September 27, 2016
Day three of jury selection in Baby Kate murder trial continues Wednesday.

#BabyKate #MasonCountyNews By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief. LUDINGTON — The second day of jury selection in the 51st Circuit Court murder trial of Sean Michael Phillips ended Tuesday with 69 jurors out of 250 being dismissed. More people will be report to jury duty at the Mason County Courthouse Wednesday morning. Phillips is on trial for allegedly murdering his 4-month-old daughter, Katherine…

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WSCC offering business and community education courses.

September 27, 2016
WSCC offering business and community education courses.

#MasonCountyEducation VICTORY TOWNSHIP — Community members interested in participating in West Shore Community College’s Business and Community Education (BCE) fall 2016 season programming can enroll online for the upcoming classes, events and workshops. Each season, WSCC’s BCE program provides enjoyable, practical learning opportunities for everyone, and this season, the college is offering more non-credit classes at the Manistee County Education Center.…

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Crashes keep police busy Monday.

September 27, 2016
Crashes keep police busy Monday.

#MasonCountyNews #MasonCountyPoliceNews Law enforcement responded to several minor crashes Monday, Sept. 26, including the following: 8 a.m., (Michigan State Police, Hart post), car/deer crash, Chauvez and Hogenson roads, Riverton Township. 1:55 p.m., (Mason County Sheriff’s Office), two-vehicle crash, no injuries, Pere Marquette Highway south of US 10, Pere Marquette Township. 3:08 p.m., (MCSO), two-vehicle crash, no injuries, US 10 west…

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City council approves Stearns Park veterans’ memorial.

September 26, 2016
City council approves Stearns Park veterans’ memorial.

#MasonCountyNews #Ludington #MasonCountyVeterans. By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief. LUDINGTON — The Ludington City Council approved a request Monday night by local citizens and veterans groups to construct a veterans’ memorial at Stearns Park. The memorial would be located adjacent to the existing war memorial, which is in the middle of Stearns Park. It would include a sculpture, flags of each of…

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City passes permanent ORV, golf cart ordinance.

September 26, 2016
City passes permanent ORV, golf cart ordinance.

#MasonCountyNews #Ludington By Rob Alway. Editor-in-Chief. LUDINGTON — The Ludington City Council passed an ORV and a golf cart ordinance during its regular meeting Monday night , both by the vote of 5-1. See related story here. A temporary one year ordinance was passed in July 2015. Councilor Gary Castonia reported that there have been no complaints or problems with…

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Police respond to crashes, MDOP over weekend.

September 26, 2016
Police respond to crashes, MDOP over weekend.

  #MasonCountyPoliceNews. Law enforcement responded to several crashes over the weekend, and also recovered a stolen vehicle. Saturday, Sept. 24 9:49 a.m.: Mason County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO), three vehicle crash, no injuries, US 10 and Jebavy Drive, Pere Marquette Township. 12:15 p.m., MCSO, two vehicle hit and run crash, no injuries, US 10-31 and Brye Road, Amber Township. 9:15 p.m.,…

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Jury selection in Baby Kate trial begins. 

September 26, 2016
Jury selection in Baby Kate trial begins. 

#BabyKateLUDINGTON — The trial of Sean Michael Phillips began this morning in 51st Circuit Court at the Mason County Courthouse. Phillips is accused of murdering his 4-month-old daughter, Katherine Phillips, in June 2011. Over 200 people have been summoned to jury duty and the selection process is scheduled to take one to three days. During jury selection Judge Peter Wadel…

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Recent death, reported Sept. 26, 2016.

September 26, 2016
Recent death, reported Sept. 26, 2016.

#MasonCountyDeaths The following recent deaths have been reported to MCP from area funeral homes. Virginia Lee Saya, 77, of Scottville passed away unexpectedly on Monday September 26, 2016 at home. Arrangements by Oak Grove Funeral Home & Cremation Center, Ludington. See full list of 2016 deaths here. 

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Shaken, Not Stirred: ‘It felt like you were on fire.’

September 25, 2016
Shaken, Not Stirred: ‘It felt like you were on fire.’

Shaken, Not Stirred. A blog by Jim Bond. Sponsored by Pro-Master Carpet Cleaning, 231-757-9061, promastercarpetcleaning.com. Writers note: Many people have commented on last week’s column, either directly to me or through Mason County Press Editor-in-Chief Rob Alway. The story was very personal to me, centering largely on a close friend’s death as a result of Agent Orange. It was hard…

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Obituary: Lois Lemcke, 67, Mt. Pleasant.

September 23, 2016
Obituary: Lois Lemcke, 67, Mt. Pleasant.

#MasonCountyDeaths. Lois Ann (Barnard) Lemcke, 67, longtime resident of Mt. Pleasant, passed away peacefully at her home on Thursday, September 22, 2016. Lois was born on February 18, 1949 in Saginaw to Harry and Ella Barnard. During the first year of her life, the family moved Lois and her older brother, Roger, to Scottville where she was raised until graduating…

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Domestic violence, OWI among arraignments.

September 23, 2016
Domestic violence, OWI among arraignments.

#MasonCountyNews #MasonCountyCourtNews By Alan Neushwander, Contributing Writer. LUDINGTON — The following were recently arraigned in 79th District Court: Misdemeanors -Janyl Sylvia Breitfeld; 24, 4851 N. Cleveland St., Fountain; September 15; Mason County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO); domestic violence. Pretrial: October 3 at 2 p.m. Bail: $2,500/10 percent. -Brennan Nicole Verhoeven; 45, 8955 E. Ehler Rd., Sheridan Township; September 17; MCSO; operating…

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79th District Court sentencings.

September 23, 2016
79th District Court sentencings.

#MasonCountyNews #MasonCountyCourtNews By Alan Neushwander. Contributing Writer. LUDINGTON — The following were recently sentenced in 79th District Court: -Rion Christopher White, 22, 8943 S. Bonney Rd., Chase, Michigan, pleaded guilty on September 13 to third-degree retail fraud (shoplifting) and was sentenced to 18 days in jail with credit for 18 days already served, 93 days discretionary jail for one year,…

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