MichiBlogger

WOW: Michigan woman approaching 111th birthday

Nellie Jones was born in 1897.

Jones, who is to celebrate her 111th birthday on Wednesday, is one of Michigan’s oldest residents and is believed to be among the 50 oldest people in the world, The Grand Rapids Press reported Monday.

“What? I’m how old?” Jones, who lives at Heritage Nursing and Rehabilitation Community, asked after being offered birthday greetings. “I’m really getting old.”

People are amazing creatures.

UMMM, I’ll PASS: Man receives 96 percent APR loan offer

In GR:

The unsecured loans available are relatively small - $1,000 to a maximum of $3,000. But at 96 percent APR, that $3,000 loan with 24 monthly payments of $284.93 comes out to a payback of $6,838.32.

The offer was from an out-of-state lender. Michigan lenders are limited to a maximum APR of about 13% for unsecured loans.

OORAH: Pickpocket whupped by Marine pleads guilty

Jesse Daniel Rae, who was beaten up by a older Marine while he was trying to rob him, plead guilty to assault with intent to rob Wednesday.

Rae tried to rob Bill Barnes, 72, at a convenience store in Alpine Township in early summer. Barnes quickly got the upper hand on Rae, 27, and the incident was caught on surveillance cameras.

Rae will be sentenced January 28 and faces up to 15 years in prison.

SOMETIMES BORING IS GOOD: Criminal elements check out of Wyoming library

By limiting access to MySpace and similar Internet sites, the library has become a safer place. So say police and library officials who note gang tagging, furniture damage and adolescent sexual encounters have declined in recent months.

“We’re just not as much fun as we used to be,” said Mary Hollinrake, manager of the Wyoming branch of Kent District Library.

After a number of incidents earlier in the year, the library added a security guard and limited access to a number of popular social web sites on a six-month trial basis.

COULD BE COOL: Concerts at Millennium Park?

DIDN’T MANAGE TO GET TO THE GUN SHOW TODAY, but I’ll be there tomorrow. More info here, and don’t forget the coupon for $1 off admission.

HERE’S THE MSU VS. BOSTON U MATCHUP at College Hockey News. Looks like the Spartans have their work cut out for them.

Puck drops at 8:30 tonight at Van Andel Arena in GR.

BUT HE WON’T PLAY A GAME: New Wing Bertuzzi to practice with Griffins.

In Murdoc’s humble opinion, Bertuzzi is a punk.

LAKERS AT FIFTH THIRD BALLPARK for their September 29 home game against Wayne State:

“There are three reasons why we want to do this,” said GVSU athletics director Tim Selgo. “No. 1, we want to bring our great Laker football program to Grand Rapids, if you will, and play in Fifth Third Ballpark while giving an opportunity to some folks to watch us play there as opposed to Lubbers Stadium.

“Second, we want to pair up with the Whitecaps, one of the best franchises in all of minor league sports. Together, we know we can put on a first-class event.

“The third reason we want to do this is because part of the proceeds go to the Grand Rapids Public Schools to fund their city-wide student council program, which promotes leadership, development and community awareness.”

THIS IS RIDICULOUS: Another teen causes trouble at bus station:

Some Grand Rapids school leaders say they are “at a loss about what to do” after a student was arrested Tuesday at The Rapid bus terminal — the sixth teenager taken into custody there in two weeks.

Well, “at a loss about what to do” is actually an improvement from when this issue first broke. Back then it was along the lines of “we haven’t seen any proof that these are actually students who are causing the trouble”.