James Craig paying more than $900 per day for armed guards in unusual campaign expense

Republican gubernatorial candidate James Craig has spent nearly $34,000 of his campaign funds on security, something veteran politicos say is an unusual use of donor dollars even for a high-profile former law enforcement official. “I’ve never had a candidate that required security and I have had a sheriff and I’ve had two district attorneys that on the campaign side of things, didn’t have a security detail,” said Jason Roe, principal of campaign and communications consulting firm Roe Strategies. READ MORE
►James Craig is officially a candidate for governor, and ‘refuses to be boxed in’ by race, politics, past
►James Craig speaks over protestors to make a brief announcement: ‘I’m running for governor’

In a packed courtroom, the parents of the 15-year-old boy accused of killing four of his peers in the Oxford High School shooting made their first public appearance since their arraignment on manslaughter charges. James R. Crumbley, 45, and Jennifer L. Crumbley, 43, on the afternoon of Tuesday, Dec. 14, appeared before Oakland County District Judge Julie A. Nicholson for a probable cause conference. It was the couple’s first court appearance since their Dec. 4 arraignment on four counts of involuntary manslaughter. READ MORE

►Oxford schools closed Tuesday after threat made regarding middle school

Kick off New Year’s 2022 with ‘First Day Hikes’ at Michigan state parks

No matter what your New Year’s resolutions may be, spending time in nature is a great way to start 2022 on the right foot. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is encouraging folks to kick off the New Year with First Day Hikes, a national initiative to get people outdoors on New Year’s Day. Last year the program saw nearly 55,000 people nationwide collectively hiking more than 133,000 miles on January 1. READ MORE

►Bob Ross-themed 5k run returns in 2022, benefits Michigan state parks

Jim Harbaugh, assistants due more than $2M in bonuses after Michigan’s Big Ten title run

Jim Harbaugh and two of his top assistants are in line for more than $2 million in bonuses thanks to Michigan’s run to the Big Ten championship.

Harbaugh, who signed a new five-year contract in January that docked his annualized base pay, has earned bonuses totaling $1.575 million so far. The 57-year-old head coach earned $500,000 after the Wolverines won the Big Ten’s East Division, another $1 million for winning the conference championship, and an additional $75,000 for earning national coach of the year honors. READ MORE
►Jim Harbaugh to redirect bonus money to U-M athletic department workers who took pay cut
►Michigan State football posts program-record 45 Academic All-Big Ten selections