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Rare gray wolf killed during hunt in Michigan, officials launch investigation

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Rare gray wolf killed during hunt in Michigan, officials launch investigation


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The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has launched an investigation after a hunter recently reported his harvest, which he believed to be a coyote — but after further genetic testing, the kill proved to be something far rarer.

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The DNR announced in a press release that the animal killed in Calhoun County, Michigan’s southern Lower Peninsula, was actually a gray wolf.

While the DNR does conduct searches in the Lower Peninsula, there have not been many signs of wolf presence since the population was reestablished in the 1980s, according to a DNR press release.

ENDANGERED SPECIES IN THE US: FAST FACTS ABOUT CREATURES AT RISK OF GOING EXTINCT

The DNR was not made aware of the discovery until the hunter’s prize started circulating on Facebook, Brian Roell, a wildlife biologist and large carnivore specialist with the Michigan DNR, told Fox News Digital.

An 84-pound gray wolf (not pictured) was shot and killed in Michigan’s southern Lower Peninsula after the hunter confused it for a coyote, according to the Michigan DNR. (iStock)

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The Facebook post revealed that a hunter had shot and killed a new world record coyote weighing 84 pounds. However, eastern coyotes typically weigh 25 to 40 pounds, the DNR’s press release said.

A local biologist reached out to Roell in late January and asked him to look at the photos that had been posted and after viewing those images, Roell immediately knew it was not a coyote, he said.

After further genetic testing, Roell’s hypothesis was proven correct, and the animal was identified as a gray wolf.

MONTANA PAUSES WOLF HUNTING IN CERTAIN AREAS AS OFFICIALS FEAR THREAT TO SPECIES

Roell said there is no reason to believe that the hunter was hunting illegally. Still, the local law enforcement division is “looking into” the incident, Roell explained.

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The hunter, according to the DNR, had reported that he harvested the large animal amid a legal coyote hunt.

This presence of a gray wolf in this region was a shock to the Michigan DNR and is currently under investigation. The wolf that was harvested is not pictured in this photo. (iStock)

While it is unusual for a gray wolf to be found in the Calhoun County area, Roell does not feel that anyone should be concerned.

“It doesn’t really mean anything. Folks are kind of jumping the gun, [thinking] this represents a population or range expansion,” he said.

“Wolves and all large carnivores have this ability to move long distances, [but] there really isn’t any suitable habitat there, so I don’t expect that there are more,” Roell added.

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The DNR has already launched an investigation to find out how the wolf ended up in the southern Lower Peninsula.

Roell said the wolf population in Michigan mainly exists in the north, where there are 600 to 700 wolves accounted for. (iStock)

The DNR notes that there were some other occurrences in 2004, 2011, 2014 and 2015 in which wolf or wolf-like animals were documented.

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There is a stable population of wolves in the Upper Peninsula with 600 to 700 wolves accounted for, Roell said.

Both law enforcement and the DNR are working on investigating the hunt in hopes of learning how the wolf (not pictured) ended up so far south. (iStock)

Gray wolves are protected under the Endangered Species Act in 44 states, including Michigan, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services.

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Michigan groom sentenced for killing his best friend on his wedding night

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Michigan groom sentenced for killing his best friend on his wedding night


FLINT, Mich. (AP) — A man in Michigan who got married and then ran over his best friend that same day, killing him, after an alcohol-fueled argument was sentenced Monday to least 30 years in prison.

“The only thing I can do for the rest of my life is express my apology and remorse. … I will forever be sorry,” James Shirah said in Genesee County court.

Shirah, 24, was driving when his vehicle struck Terry Taylor Jr. in Flint, about an hour’s drive northwest of Detroit, on Aug. 30, 2024. He and Savanah Collier were married earlier that day and the celebration had moved to a house.

James Shirah is sentenced to at least 30 years in prison during a hearing, Monday, May 11, 2026 in Flint, Mich. (Jake May/The Flint Journal via AP)

Shirah’s attorney had argued that the crash was not intentional. Prosecutors, however, said Shirah had left the scene and had time to reflect before returning and striking Taylor, MLive.com reported.

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“Mr. Shirah, I believe that you are not a criminal. You are, however, a killer,” Judge Khary Hanible said.

In April, Shirah pleaded no contest to second-degree murder and other offenses. He will be eligible for parole after 30 years.

“I hope that they throw the book at you,” Taylor’s cousin, Eren Taylor, said before Shirah received his sentence.

Shirah’s wife will be sentenced later in May for being an accessory.

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SW Michigan show returns as growing destination for vinyl collectors

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SW Michigan show returns as growing destination for vinyl collectors


BENTON HARBOR — Vinyl collectors and music fans are invited to dig through thousands of records and music collectibles at the Southwest Michigan Record Show.

The event is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 16 at Grand Upton Hall inside Lake Michigan College’s Mendel Center in Benton Harbor, according to a press release.

Now in its fourth season, the show features 25 vendors from five states, offering 70 tables filled with vinyl records, CDs, cassettes, record supplies and music memorabilia.

Free admission begins at 10 a.m.

General admission is free starting at 10 a.m., while early entry is available at 8:30 a.m. for $5. Door prize drawings are planned for 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., including $25 shopping certificates and record supplies from BCW Supplies. The first 75 attendees will receive free tote bags.

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A food truck will be on site, and cash is preferred for purchases. Some vendors may accept cards, PayPal, Venmo and other payment methods, but there is no ATM on site.

Vendors from across the Midwest and beyond

The show is expected to feature a wide selection of music genres, including classic rock, pop, ’80s, metal, punk, jazz, blues, R&B, country and soundtracks.

“This show is still being discovered, and that’s part of what makes it exciting,” event organizer Jeremy D. Bonfiglio said in the release. “We’ve built a strong group of experienced vendors, so whether you’re just getting into vinyl or digging for something rare, there’s a real opportunity here to find something unexpected.”

Free parking is available near the entrance of Mendel Center, 2755 Napier Ave.

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Future dates planned

The Southwest Michigan Record Show is also scheduled to return Sept. 19.

For more information, visit southwestmichiganrecordshow.com or follow the event on Facebook.

This story was created by reporter Cheryl Morey, with the assistance of artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing.



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Yes, you can play curling in West Michigan

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Yes, you can play curling in West Michigan


ALGOMA TOWNSHIP, Mich. — The spirit of curling is one of friendship.

While memory of the Winter Olympics may have long melted away in the minds of many Americans, there some whose curiousness for the sport of curling has extended all the way into the springtime.

“Everybody’s having fun,” said Paul Curran, league manager for the Grand Rapids Curling Club. “It’s a really weird sport in that it’s really friendly.”

The club, which plays at the Cedar Rock Sportsplex in Algoma Township, has seen a recent spike in interest in its beginners leagues and learn to curl classes.

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“We’re all here to curl and learn,” said beginner Aaron Schwieterman. “Everyone’s making mistakes, but still having a great time learning the sport and trying to mimic what the professionals do at the Olympics.”

“I recommend it to anybody who wants to try something different,” said beginner Margaret Steketee. “If I can do it, anybody can do it.”

For a period of time on the ice, these newcomers to the sport turn into competitors. Then, at the conclusions of their games, they revert to being friends.

“Largely, what you’ll find with curlers is that when they’re done curling, they want to be friendly and hang out,” Curran said. “Which is what our league is doing right now.”

As long as people are interested, Curran says the club will continue to put on beginners leagues and lessons.

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“The more people we get out here curling, the better,” he said.

For more information on ways to play and learn how to curl in West Michigan, visit the Grand Rapids Curling Club’s website.

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