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VOL. 60, NO. 27
THURSDAY, JULY 1, 2010
Middle school students caught ‘sexting’ By Art Aisner Special Writer
Washtenaw County prosecutors are currently reviewing whether to file criminal charges against two Saline Middle School students accused of recently sending inappropriate photographs to one another via cell phone. Saline police investigated the matter after school officials reported a 13-year-old girl told them she sent a boy a picture of herself naked from the chest down May 26, according to police reports. It was the first of two similar, but unrelated incidents involving Saline Middle School students and inappropriate text messages before the end of the school year, police reports indicate. The girl said she and the boy, also 13,
were friends and texted each other frequently. He asked her to send her naked photos and she said she felt pressured to do it, even though she quickly realized it was wrong, according to reports. Her friends reportedly encouraged her to come forward to school officials once rumors about the photo began to circulate among their classmates. School officials spoke with the boy and determined that the photo was deleted, but not before two other boys saw it on the recipient’s cell phone. Saline police submitted the case to the Juvenile Division of the Washtenaw County Prosecutor’s Office as required upon completing their investigation, Detective Don Lupi said. Officers were called to the school again shortly after 2 p.m. June 7 after
a 14-year-old girl said she sent a topless photo of herself via cell phone text to a classmate. The boy, also 14, sent photos of himself shirtless and of his genitalia in response during a thread of text messages over a short period of time, reports stated. The phones were confiscated and school officials notified the students’ parents, who also spoke with investigators. Police reports indicated the parents intended to discipline their children for their activity. Lupi said that could help deter further incidents, but believes parents can play a bigger role in preventing this type of behavior. “I encourage parents to read texts and get services to monitor text messages for the safety of your children,” he said.
“It violates their privacy, but if something is wrong or they’re up to no good, it’s worth it. “Invading a child’s privacy is a tough thing to do, and it’s almost unfair. However, you’re a parent and you have a job to do.” Lupi said the second incident remains under investigation and that forensic examinations of the cell phones are under way. Steve Laatsch, assistant superintendent of instructional services and spokesman for the Saline Area Schools, said administration and middle school officials, including the media center specialist, have addressed the dangers of such activity, commonly known as
Special Writer
The sound of the word literally made his stomach turn. “Mayday!” shouted at the scene of a working structure fire is never what those fighting the flames want to hear. But Pittsfield Township Fire Capt. Greg Payeur found himself in that situation June 18 after the living room floor of a York Township home that caught fire after a lightning strike gave way at about 11:15 p.m. Firefighter Joe Yurkunas, who was handling the hose
By Steven Howard Heritage Newspapers
The Bid for a Cure will take place at the Brecon Grille in Saline beginning 11 a.m. Thursday, featuring a group of Detroit Tigers who will be on hand to sign autographs and meet with fans. Listed as signing autographs from noon to 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. will be Brandon Inge, Brennan Boesch, Austin Jackson, Max Scherzer and bullpen coach Jeff Jones. Jeff Backus of the Detroit Lions is also attending. The event will include both a live auction and a tin can raffle, with all proceeds to benefit the Susan G. Komen 3-Day breast cancer walk. Here are the basic times and details for the various attractions at the event as listed on
■ All-Star football game ■ Chelsea Sights & Sounds ■ Doc Fletcher talks canoeing at Saline library ■ Ann Arbor Relay for Life
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the official Facebook page. What: Bid for a Cure Where: Brecon Grille When: 11 a.m. to midnight Tin Can Raffle: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Live Auction: 8 p.m. Up for bid: “Various items will be up for a tin can raffle and live auction, including sports memorabilia, 16-person luxury suite and on-field batting practice for a Tigers game, Detroit Loins experience packages and more.” Auction items recently added: “The Smile Makeover. This will include 10 veneers or crowns as well as a post-op neuromuscular orthotic to protect the veneers.” The value of this item is said to be $17,000 and will be performed at the office of area dentist Dr. James Olsen “Two tickets to Toad and the
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nozzle to extinguish hot spots, plummeted into the basement and a roomful of furniture and debris followed. The four-year department veteran was conscious and remarkably escaped serious injury in the fall. But he was pinned from the waist down by hundreds of pounds of flooring debris and a large wooden bookcase stocked with books. “The whole floor just collapsed,” Payeur said. “(Yurkunas) slid down the floor and then everything in
Tigers at local fundraiser
Make sure to click on www. heritage.com around the clock for in-depth coverage of Washtenaw County. Our “Most Viewed” story this week is “Area residents turn out to fight cancer in Relay for Life”
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Saline firefighters save their own while fighting blaze By Art Aisner
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Author takes audience on a trip down the river By Steven Howard Heritage Newspapers
Regional author and canoeing and kayaking expert Doc Fletcher shared some of his favorite river trips with a packed house inside the Brecon Room of the Saline District Library June 23. Fletcher’s presentation of slides and stories elicited strong interest and the sharing of personal stories from the crowd of river paddling. Fletcher said the response was pretty typical. “The people who come to these things usually are avid canoers and kayakers,” he said. Fletcher chronicled five Michigan river trips, as well as two from Wisconsin, given the neighboring state is the subject of his latest book. One of the Michigan trips was of local interest, as it’s comprised of 81⁄2 miles of the Huron River in and around Hudson Mills Metro Park.
“When we paddle down the river in the fall, it really paints a nice picture,” Fletcher said of the local water and foliage. Following his book format of presenting a river plan, a Detroit Tigers radio affiliate and a local pub, where paddlers can end the day, Fletcher cited Connor O’Neil’s in Ann Arbor as a good place to have a beer and talk about shared experiences. A much more unconventional, but, perhaps, just as rewarding boat trip is located in Wayne County on the Rouge River, he said. Fletcher said though the Rouge River has long since had a reputation of being an
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BRIEFLY... ■ Local blogs linked from webiste: Heritage Newspapers offers links to blogs written by area residents. Visit www.heritage.com/blogs. ■ Safety Town starts July 6: Heritage Safety Town, set to begin July 6, will be sponsored by Saline Community Education in cooperation with the Saline Police Department. Topics include pedes-
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www.salinereporter.com trian safety, police officers, bicycle safety, riding a school bus, safety at home and play, fire safety, stranger danger, seat belts and water safety. Safety Town will be held at Liberty School, and the fee is $75. For more information, visit www.salineonline. org or call at 429-8020. ■ Tae Kwon Do to be offered to beginners: “Beginning Tae Kwon Do –– Karate 4 Kids” will be offered beginning July 6 through Saline Community Education. The introductory martial arts class
E-mail: editor@salinereporter.com provides self-defense, confidence, fitness, coordination and basic techniques through tae kwon do. If students progress at the class pace and meet requirements, they will have the opportunity to test for the next belt level. Uniforms are included in the price. The class is for kid ages 7 through 10 and will be held from 9 to 9:50 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Liberty School Choir Room. The fee is $150. For more information, visit www.salineonline.org or call the Saline Community Education Office at 429-8020.
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