Bay City Commission hears three hours of comments on prevailing wage, casts same votes as two weeks earlier

The Bay City Commission heard about three hours of public comments Monday night on "PH3" — the second and final reading of an amendment to repeal the city's prevailing wage ordinance. One by one, audience members left their seats in the packed State Theatre, stepped to the microphone, recorded their names and addresses in a ledger, removed their hats and spoke for up to five minutes — some for, some against, many emotional. Mayor Chris Shannon finally called for a 10-minute recess, after which there were only a few more speakers. At about 10:50 p.m., commissioners voted exactly as they had on Jan. 23, and 5-4, prevailing wage was no more.

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Read Trenton Robinson's complaint against Bay City police officer

In his citizen’s complaint against a Bay City police officer, Michigan State University football star Trenton D. Robinson claimed his civil rights were violated when he was pulled over Dec. 22. Robinson filed the complaint against Officer Keath Bartynski on Dec. 24. Bartynski pulled over Robinson around 5:45 p.m. as he drove a 2003 Buick in the area of North Van Buren and Third streets. In his narrative, a copy of which was obtained by The Times via a Freedom of Information Act request, Robinson states Bartynski told him he initiated the stop due to a suspicion of having needles in his car, implying drug activity. Bartynski had Robinson exit his car and “aggressively use[d] unnecessary force to command my body in motions that I was uncomfortable with,” Robinson states.

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Bay City NAACP celebrating Black History Month with State Theatre show

February is Black History Month and the Bay City NAACP is going to celebrate it with a free concert at the State Theatre in downtown. The concert takes place at 6 p.m. Saturday Feb. 11. The event's theme is “Continuing A Historical Celebration Through Music.” Admission to the concert is free, although seating is limited, and tickets are available at the State Theatre Box Office, the Bare Bones BBQ & Pizza, a few select barber shops and the State’s members. If seating is available at the event people are not going to be turned away.

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Michigan State Police confirm one fatality in M-13 crash Thursday night

The Michigan State Police confirmed today that Thursday night’s pedestrian accident on M-13 resulted in one fatality. The state police confirmed the death of 53-year-old Randall Pierson of Pinconning. According to a news release, Pierson was walking in the roadway when he was struck by a northbound 2004 GMC Envoy sport-utility vehicle driven by an unidentified 21-year-old female. A witness to the aftermath of the crash confirmed an attempt by rescuers to perform CPR on Pierson at the scene before he was taken by ambulance to McLaren-Bay Region Medical Center. He was later pronounced dead.

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Bay City Public Schools eliminating Young Fives program, focusing more on services for kindergarten classes

A common concern parents and guardians have when a child ready to enter kindergarten is whether or not the child is old enough. Parents and guardians, especially those with children considered young five, may not think their child is mature enough or academically advanced enough to handle a kindergarten classroom. With an increased amount of support for students, Bay City Public Schools is hoping to put those fears to rest. Starting next year, the district plans to enroll all kindergarten-eligible children into classes at the district's eight elementary schools and provide additional services and support, said Adair Aumock, K-12 curriculum director for the district.

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Accused Bay City killer Stephen Ashley should be honest about alleged involvement in Lonnie Houston's death, father says

As Stephen P. Ashley Jr. tried to set himself on a new path, drugs began to interfere, his father said. “I didn’t know he did cocaine, but I knew he drank and smoked pot,” Stephen P. Ashley Sr. said. “I gave him advice not to do those things and not to be getting into trouble. You can give your children all the advice you want. It doesn’t necessarily mean they’re going to listen to you.” Codefendant Kaleb S. Rosin said Ashley Jr. had a cocaine problem and that he owed 27-year-old Lonnie L. Houston Jr. money for cocaine. Ashley Jr. telephone Houston in the early morning hours of Nov. 14 in an effort to buy more of the drug, Rosin said.

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Matt Costello website launched to push Michigan State signee for Mr. Basketball

Matt Costello isn't big on titles. But Mr. Basketball has a nice ring to it. The Bay City Western basketball phenom is taking his game into rare air this season, averaging 25.3 points, 19.2 rebounds and 5.6 blocks per game. And that's a level of performance that just might vault him to the pinnacle of prep hoops. Now Costello's soaring notoriety is getting an extra boost with the launch of a website that promotes the 6-foot-10, 240-pound senior for Mr. Basketball, the highest individual honor in the state of Michigan.

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