Wednesday, May 9, 2018 View Online
 
 
     
 
 
 
Testimony begins as Jeffrey Willis faces murder charge in death of Jessica Herringa
Jessica Herringa disappeared April 26, 2013 from the Muskegon County gas station where she worked. Her body has never been found. On Tuesday, the trial began for the man prosecutors have charged with her murder. Jeffrey Willis, who already has been convicted of murder in the death of Rebekah Bletsch, faced testimony and evidence. A teenager took the stand and identified Willis as the one who abducted her in 2016. The prosecution then showed how that abduction investigation uncovered evidence related to the Herringa case. Evidence presented Tuesday included a description of the search of Willis' van, which uncovered a tool box 'rape kit', a bottle of insulin and syringes, and a diagram of a human figure labeled with injection sites. MORE  
 
 
NEWS
 
 
Controversial village president ousted during Tuesday's elections
 
Voters in 66 of Michigan's 83 counties went to the polls Tuesday. The majority of ballot measures were schools related. Residents in Kalkaska, however, voted for village president. Jeff Sieting, who held the office since 2010, made national headlines last year when incendiary posts against Muslims and members of Black Lives Matter showed up on his personal Facebook account. He refused to back down or apologize for the controversial posts, and faced a recall vote because of them. Sieting was ousted by a 326-215 vote. MORE 

 
BUSINESS
 
 
Order up! Restaurant industry concerned about server shortage
 
Running a restaurant is a tough gig. Low profit margins, the vagaries of public palates and prima donna chefs (right?) are just a few issues facing those in the industry. However, the biggest problem facing restauranteurs in Michigan is a growing labor shortage. A recent survey of restaurant owners found 61 percent of respondents said trouble hiring workers was their top concern. It is a problem that doesn't have an easy, or quick, solution. MORE    

 
 
DETROIT
 
 
Tiger Stadium $30 million apartment development breaks ground
 
The venerable corner of Michigan and Trumble in Detroit is getting a new lease on life. The former Tiger Stadium site and once home of the Detroit Tigers will become home for 111 multifamily apartment units. The four-story building will include ground-floor retail along Michigan Avenue. Affordable housing units and reduced rent retail space are part of the $30 million development. MORE     
 

 
TRAVEL
 
 
'Michigan's most beautiful mile' upgrades to be completed this year
 
Here's a trivia question: Where is "Michigan's most beautiful mile?" If you guessed the Tunnel of Trees, Copper Country Trail (U.S. 41) or M-22, good on you! Each undoubtedly are spectacular drives. You also are way off. The answer we were looking for is Veteran's Memorial Park causeway in Muskegon. The roadway and park it surrounds were constructed during a six-year period nearly 90 years ago. It was once a pretty big deal. Upgrades to the park, which had lost some of its luster, are scheduled to be finished this fall. MORE      
 

 
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