WBCK News Headlines for Monday 3-28-2016

Social Media Threat Closes Lakeview Schools

Lakeview Schools were closed today due to threats made Sunday night on Facebook.  Battle Creek police say they have no evidence that the threat is credible. Calhoun County dispatchers received several calls from concerned parents about threats made on social media Sunday night.  The message stated that bombs were set to explode at the high school and students would be shot outside. Officers checked both Lakeview Middle School and Lakeview High School after the threats were found and nothing suspicious was located.

Boil Water Advisory

The City of Battle Creek has issued a “boil water advisory” for homes on Northside Drive between Hazel Street and Washington Avenue and on Hanover St between Helen Montgomery Avenue and Northside Drive.
Battle Creek Man Shot                                      

Battle Creek police continue to investigate a Sunday night shooting.  They say a Battle Creek man was shot in the hip on the first block of Jericho Road.   He’ll be ok, but police said he isn’t saying much so far.

Toddler Dead on Birthday

Kalamazoo Police continue to look into the suspicious death of a girl on Saturday, her 4^th  birthday.  Witnesses say there was an altercation involving the girl’s mother and another individual early Saturday at the residence on Douglas Avenue.   The girls’ grandfather thinks  the young girl may have been hurt in the scuffle.  She died a few hours later.  Police say no one has been charged yet, but the mother was placed under arrest on three outstanding warrants.  Police said more information will be released after an autopsy.

Gas Prices

AAA Michigan says gas prices statewide have fallen by about 5 cents a gallon in the past week, the first decrease in seven weeks.   The average price for self-serve regular unleaded gasoline was about $1.96 per gallon Sunday. That's about 49 cents less than it was at the same point last year.  Gas Buddy reports prices in Battle Creek this morning at around 1.84 per gallon.

Robber Dead in Martin Holdup

Two men who allegedly robbed a Martin gas station, crashed their getaway vehicle afterward, and one of the men shot and killed himself.  That’s the word from Allegan County deputies fired shots in arresting the other suspect.   It started about 3:45 Saturday afternoon at the Clark gas station in Martin.  The car crashed north of Martin in Bradley Township.   The clerk was not hurt.  Police fired shots in apprehending the second robber.

Governor Recall Petition

A group trying to recall Governor Rick Snyder for his handling of the Flint water crisis started gathering signatures on Sunday.  The group has only 60 days to gather the nearly 800,000 needed valid signatures to go on the ballot.  The governor said recall efforts against him are "part of the democratic process" and he is focused on responding to the crisis.

Obit: Hertel Sr.

Former Michigan House Speaker Curtis Hertel Sr. has died. Hertel, a Democrat, led an effort in 1994 in an historic rewrite of Michigan’s school finance system. Hertel was elected to the Michigan House in 1980. Curtis Hertel Sr. was 63.

(Obit: Harrison)

Michigan-born writer Jim Harrison has died at his home in Arizona. Harrison was best-known for writing “Legends of the Fall,” which was made into a movie starring Brad Pitt in 1994. Jim Harrison was 78.

Powerball

There were no grand prize winners once again in the Powerball drawing held on Saturday, Mar. 26, 2016. The next drawing is Wednesday, Mar. 30 with an estimated jackpot of $116 million and cash option of $75.6 million.   The next Mega Millions drawing is Tuesday, Mar. 29 with an estimated jackpot of $43 million and cash option of $27 million.