Polluter ordered to jail for illegally discharging untreated waste

POLLUTER JAILED: The president of a Flint company has been ordered to spend a year behind bars for illegally discharging more than 47 million gallons of untreated waste — enough to fill 72 Olympic-size swimming pools. Robert Massey pleaded guilty to violating the Clean Water Act over an 8½ year period between 2007 and 2015 for illegally discharging leachate from eight Michigan landfills, including ones in Clare and Saginaw counties. By Eric Freedman. FOR DETROIT, CLARE, GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS, CORP! AND ALL POINTS.

Michigan ranks average in reliance on federal funding, report says

FEDERAL SPENDING: Michigan ranks in the middle of states based on their reliance on federal money, a new analysis shows. That includes a lot of federal dollars in pandemic-related relief. We talk to a Northern Michigan University political scientist, the Department of Technology, Management & Budget and the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, in Midland. By Sheldon Krause. FOR MARQUETTE, SAULT STE. MARIE, CORP! GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS AND ALL POINTS.

Justice advocates praise move to close private federal prisons

PRIVATE PRISONS: President Biden’s executive order against renewing contracts with private companies to hold federal prisoners has anti-private prison advocates happy but could mean a hard financial hit to Baldwin, the Lake County community where the state’s only private federal prison is located. We talk to criminal justice experts at Grand Valley State, Oakland University and Wayne State. By Sheldon Krause. FOR LAKE COUNTY, LUDINGTON, MANISTEE AND ALL POINTS.

Michigan transit agencies react to new federal mask mandate

MASKED PASSENGERS: How will small and rural public transit systems enforce the new federal mask mandate. Bus drivers in Detroit and elsewhere in the country have been assaulted for trying to enforce existing requirements, but small systems in Michigan haven’t reported similar problems. We talk to officials at transit systems in Allegan, Delta and Schoolcraft counties and the Michigan Public Transit Association. By Samuel Blatchford. FOR MARQUETTE, SAULT STE. MARIE, HOLLAND AND ALL POINTS.

COVID-19 creates further financial burden: Will relief come?

While Congress and the White House put overturning the election ahead of COVID-19 relief, college students against across the country are waiting and struggling.

What would they do withe the money? Pay rent, pay down bills, be able to pay tuition to stay in school or get career-related exoerience.

Watch Focal Point: President Trump rallies in Lansing, enrollment down at MSU, and Spartan football prepares for game against U-M

On this edition of Focal Point, President Donald Trump visits Lansing for the first time ever. Our team meets supporters and protestors at the rally. With admissions down at MSU, Jacob Lothamer investigates how the school is handling a $54 million loss in revenue. We preview MSU football’s massive matchup with Michigan and catch up with Jalen Watts-Jackson. Those stories and more on Focal Point.