Michigan

Michigan Democrats request probe into Epstein’s ties to Interlochen

Published

4 months ago

March 18, 2026

Michigan Democrats request probe into Epstein’s ties to Interlochen

Lansing — A group of Michigan Democrats has asked the Republican chairman of the state House Oversight Committee to investigate the relationship between sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and the Interlochen Center for the Arts.

In a letter to Oversight Chairman Jay DeBoyer, R-Clay Township, seven Democratic members of his committee cited a trove of documents recently released by the U.S. Department of Justice and allegations that Epstein and his associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, used the northern Michigan arts school to “prey on girls.”

“It is our collective duty to ensure the safety of all children who have attended or will attend Interlochen by investigating these allegations to ascertain whether children attending this esteemed academy were exposed to Jeffrey Epstein, the extent of Interlochen’s awareness and response and how it intends to protect children from sexual predators,” the Democrats’ letter said.

Maureen Oleson, director of communications for the Interlochen Center for the Arts, said the nonprofit organization “has fully cooperated with all requests” related to federal investigations.

“We take these matters very seriously,” Oleson said. “We would respond to any additional inquiries from elected officials or oversight bodies as appropriate and remain committed to transparency.”

The center previously released a statement, saying it had conducted an internal review and found “no record of complaint or concern about Epstein.”

“We are appalled at what we have learned about the scope of conduct by Epstein and his co-conspirators, and we expect that a more comprehensive understanding of the full scope will continue to evolve,” the center’s past statement said.

The center, which is located on 1,200 acres in Grand Traverse County, is home to summer arts camps and what it describes as the “nation’s premier arts boarding high school.” The center’s website says it’s “the global destination for artists and arts enthusiasts of all ages.”

Documents related to Epstein and released by the federal government last year included a lawsuit that claimed he met his first known victim at Interlochen in the 1990s.

Epstein attended Interlochen in the summer of 1967 and was a donor to the organization from 1990 to 2003. His giving included the donation of a cabin on the campus that was referred to as the “Jeffrey E. Epstein Scholarship Lodge,” the House Democrats said in their new letter.

“Documents and survivor accounts appear to show that Epstein utilized the lodge on numerous trips to Interlochen over the 1990s,” the letter said.

In 2019, Epstein died in jail in New York after being charged with sex trafficking.

The Democrats’ letter said the House Oversight Committee should “utilize all necessary powers and processes to examine and investigate the Interlochen Center for the Arts and its relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.”

During a Tuesday House Oversight Committee meeting, DeBoyer acknowledged he had received a letter from Rep. Penelope Tsernoglou, D-East Lansing, and others regarding an investigation request. DeBoyer said there would be a discussion in the coming days about how to move forward.

Later Tuesday, House Speaker Matt Hall, R-Richland Township, said he wasn’t aware of the request and would have to look at it.

Asked by a reporter whether it would be concerning for a pedophile to have a relationship with a school, Hall replied, “I am not familiar with what the subject is. So I’d have to look at it.”

cmauger@detroitnews.com

Staff Writer Sarah Atwood contributed.

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Michigan

Huntington Bank to close 13 Michigan branches by the end of August — see full list here

Published

10 hours ago

July 18, 2026

Press Room

Huntington Bank to close 13 Michigan branches by the end of August — see full list here

Huntington Bank announced this week that it will be closing 13 branches across Michigan by the end of next month.

The closures span multiple counties in Michigan, including Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Monroe, Kent, Grand Traverse and Saginaw counties.

A spokesperson for the bank confirmed with Local 4 that the closures are a result of the company’s latest review of its distribution network, noting that the review also includes renovations at existing branches and new branch openings in addition to consolidations and closures.

“Customers from consolidating locations will continue to have convenient access to Huntington, including a nearby branch, as well as ATMs, digital banking and phone-based support,” the spokesperson said. “Every Michigan branch being consolidated has another Huntington branch within approximately 10 minutes.”

Huntington Bank — which operates more than 280 branches across the state — has not specified whether there will be layoffs as a result of the closures, however the spokesperson says they intend to “make efforts to place impacted colleagues in other roles.”

The majority of the branches slated to close will shutter by the end of August, while the Troy and Traverse City branches will close in early to mid-November.

The Michigan branches closing include:

Lake Orion – 4983 S Baldwin Rd.
Clinton Township – 19100 Hall Rd.
Mount Clemens – 1310 South Gratiot Ave.
Royal Oak – 1811 Crooks Rd.
Royal Oak – 30955 Woodward Ave, Woodward Corners
Temperance – 7405 Lewis Ave, Temperance Sterns
Freeland – 230 N Main St.
Eastpointe – 17011 E Nine Mile Rd.
Dearborn Heights – 25488 Michigan Ave.
Troy – 2301 W Big Beaver Rd, Troy West
Grand Rapids – 6455 Division Ave S, Cutlerville
Grand Rapids – 2185 3 Mile Rd NW, Walker Main
Traverse City – 14 St: 613 W Fourteenth St.

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Michigan

Two from Colombia extradited, face federal drug trafficking charges in West Michigan

Published

22 hours ago

July 17, 2026

Press Room

Two from Colombia extradited, face federal drug trafficking charges in West Michigan

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Two Colombian nationals are facing charges after being accused of conspiring to move large amounts of cocaine into the United States, according to the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey.

According to an indictment, from November 2024 through June 24, 2025, Carlos Andres Rueda Ipia, or “Indio,” and Manuel Augusto Munoz Orozco, or “Gordo,” conspired with each other and others to distribute and import five kilograms or more of cocaine into the United States from Colombia.

The pair are also accused of distributing five kilograms or more of cocaine in Colombia on March 13, 2025, “having reasonable cause to believe the cocaine would be unlawfully imported into the United States.”

“We worked with our international law enforcement partners to extradite these two men to face justice here because we want to send this message: if you send drugs into our community, we will come for you no matter where you are,” VerHey said. “I look forward to proving the guilt of these two defendants before a West Michigan jury.”

Rueda Ipia and Munoz Orozco were extradited to the United States on Thursday, and made their first appearance in court in Grand Rapids on Friday.

If convicted, the pair face a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, according to VerHey.

“Let this be a warning, if you choose to traffic cocaine into the United States, you should expect to be hunted down, arrested, and brought into an American courtroom—no matter where you try to hide,” DEA Detroit Division Special Agent in Charge Joseph O. Dixon added. “The DEA will relentlessly pursue transnational drug traffickers, dismantle their criminal enterprises, and ensure they face the full weight of the American justice system.”

For Kent County Sheriff’s Office Undersheriff Bryan Muir, working with federal and international partners is necessary to keep people accountable.

“Drug trafficking on this scale crosses jurisdictions and international borders, and working with our federal and international partners is necessary to hold those responsible accountable,” he said. “Having a KCSO detective assigned to the DEA Task Force gives us a direct role in these investigations, improves information sharing, and helps keep dangerous drugs out of West Michigan.”

The DEA is investigating this case with help from the Kent County Sheriff’s Office, the Grand Rapids Police Department and Michigan State Police.

International assistance includes DEA offices in Bogota, Colombia, and Vienna, Austria, as well as the Colombian National Police, the Austrian Bundeskriminalamt and the Austrian Landeskriminalamt, according to the attorney’s office.

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Michigan

Michigan’s upcoming Aug. 4 primary: What’s on my ballot?

Published

1 day ago

July 17, 2026

Press Room

Michigan’s upcoming Aug. 4 primary: What’s on my ballot?

In Michigan’s Tuesday, Aug. 4 primary, voters will set the stage for the November general election, picking the Democratic and Republican nominees who will face off in the fall in major races, including nationally watched U.S. Senate and governor’s races.

Here’s a look at what’s on the ballot:

Key races on Michigan’s primary ballot

Governor: Gov. Gretchen Whitmer cannot run again due to term limits. The Democratic primary includes Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson. The Republican primary includes former Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox, U.S. Rep. John James, of Shelby Township and businessman Perry Johnson. (Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt, R-Porter Township, is on the ballot, but he has dropped out of the race and endorsed James.)
U.S. Senate: The Democratic primary to represent Michigan in the U.S. Senate includes former Wayne County and Detroit health director Abdul El-Sayed and U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens, of Birmingham. (State Sen. Mallory McMorrow, D-Royal Oak, dropped out of the race but still appears on the ballot.) The GOP primary is uncontested, with only former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, of White Lake, on the ballot. U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, D-Bloomfield Township, decided not to seek reelection, creating an open race to fill his seat.
U.S. House of Representatives: Michigan has 13 congressional districts. Incumbents are seeking reelection in all but two of them. With James running for governor, there is an open race to fill his seat for Michigan’s 10th Congressional District. (Republican Robert Lulgjuraj – a Macomb County prosecutor – has ended his campaign in the 10th District, but his name still appears on the ballot.) There is also an open seat for Michigan’s 11th Congressional District, with Stevens running for U.S. Senate.
Michigan Senate: All 38 seats in the Michigan Senate are up for election this year. Some metro Detroit voters will vote for the first time in newly drawn districts following court-ordered changes.
Michigan House of Representatives: All 110 seats in the Michigan House of Representatives are also up for election this year.
Local races and proposals: Voters across the state will also weigh in on races for local offices and proposals.

You can’t vote in both primaries

Unlike presidential primaries in Michigan, voters in the state do not need to request a specific party’s ballot to vote in the upcoming primary. The partisan section of the August primary ballot features Democratic and Republican sections. Voters must pick one party’s primary. For instance, a voter cannot vote for a Democrat in the U.S. Senate primary and a Republican in the gubernatorial primary.

Where can I find a sample ballot?

Michigan voters can go to michigan.gov/vote and click on “What’s on the ballot?” where they will be directed to a page to enter details about their voting jurisdiction to view a sample ballot. Alternatively, they can enter their voter information on the “Am I registered page?” to view a “Ballot preview.”

When can I vote in Michigan’s election?

Michigan voters can request an absentee ballot now. Early voting will run statewide Saturday, July 25 through Sunday, Aug. 2, but communities may offer longer early voting periods. Check out the “Where do I go to Early Vote?” page on michigan.gov/vote to find early voting locations.

Voters can also vote in person on Tuesday, Aug. 4 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voters in line to vote by 8 p.m. will be allowed to cast a ballot. Voters voting absentee must return their ballot by 8 p.m. on Election Day. Military and overseas ballots postmarked by Election Day will still count.