US religious group says 17 missionaries kidnapped in Haiti
A group of 17 U.S. missionaries including children was kidnapped by a gang in Haiti on Saturday, according to a voice message sent to various religious missions by an organization with direct knowledge of the incident.
The missionaries were on their way home from building an orphanage, according to a message from Ohio-based Christian Aid Ministries.
“This is a special prayer alert,” the one-minute message said. “Pray that the gang members would come to repentance.”
The message says the mission’s field director is working with the U.S. Embassy, and that the field director’s family and one other unidentified man stayed at the ministry’s base while everyone else visited the orphanage.
No other details were immediately available.
$5K reward offered for information in double-fatal hit-and-run on Detroit’s west side
A local family wants justice after two women were hit and killed while crossing the street early Saturday morning.
Detroit police said they found the car but are still looking for the driver.
“She got four kids. The youngest is three. The oldest is 19. They want their mother. They miss their mother,” said Antonio Pickett.
Right now Pickett is trying to figure out how to tell his grandchildren that their mother is dead.
“It’s going to be hard giving them answers,” said Pickett.
Answers, Picket said, he just doesn’t have. The last few hours have been tough for his family. He learned early Saturday morning someone hit and killed his daughter, 38-year-old Erica Yancey and her sister-in-law, Brittany Jones, who was in her 20s.
They were both walking across Schaefer Highway after leaving a banquet hall at about 2 a.m. Saturday. Detroit police said the driver was in a dark color Kia Soul. The driver kept going.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer vetoes another set of bills aimed to change Michigan elections
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer vetoed two bills Friday that aimed to make sweeping changes to Michigan’s elections.
The bills were the latest of dozens Whitmer has vowed will stop at her desk. Even if they never become law, leaders -- such as Rep. Brenda Lawrence -- said they are taking the bills personally.
Before the vetoes Friday, Lawrence said she had real concerns and has been closely watching as the bills have made their way through Lansing.
Dozens of court cases and audits have proven the 2020 U.S. General Election was secure, which prompted Lawrence to ask colleagues across the aisle about their motives.
“We validated that there is no fraud, that all the votes were counted, so what are you doing?” Lawrence asked. “Why are you doing this? And the horrific thing about that is that it is based on a lie.”
Read: Trust Index: Fact-checking claims regarding Michigan’s 2020 election
Read more: Gov. Gretchen Whitmer vetoes several election-related bills
Weather: Chilly Sunday morning, milder afternoon for runners and residents
COVID in Michigan 🦠
Michigan reported 8,297 new cases of COVID-19 and 104 virus-related deaths Friday -- an average of 4148.5 cases over the past two days.
Friday’s update brings the total number of confirmed COVID cases in Michigan to 1,081,525, including 21,563 deaths. These numbers are up from 1,073,228 cases and 21,459 deaths, as of Wednesday.
The deaths announced Friday include 58 identified during a Vital Records review.
Testing has increased to around 30,000 diagnostic tests reported per day on average, with the 7-day positive rate at 11.46% as of Wednesday, an increase from last week. Hospitalizations have been steadily increasing for several weeks.
The state’s 7-day moving average for daily cases was 3,729 on Friday -- the highest it has been since early May. The 7-day death average was 36 on Friday. The state’s fatality rate is 2.0%. The state also reports “active cases,” which were listed at 106,600 on Wednesday -- the first time it has surpassed 100,000 since May.
Michigan has reported more than 10 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine administered as of Tuesday, with 68.1% of 16+ residents having received at least one dose while 60% of 16+ residents are considered fully vaccinated.
Michigan COVID: Here’s what to know Oct. 17, 2021
Here’s a look at more of the data:
