SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (FOX 2) – A man found dead in a Macomb Community College vent told family he was hiding from police, according to authorities, Diamondback Music Hall opened last month after closing last December as Diamondback Saloon, and a ‘National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation’ pop-up bar opened in Royal Oak this week: here are the top stories from FOX 2’s Week in Review.
1. Man found dead in Macomb Community College vent told family he was trying to escape police A man told his family he was hiding from police before his body was found inside a vent at Macomb Community College, authorities said. Jason Thompson, 36, was found in the ventilation system at the Macomb Center for the Performing Arts on Center Campus in Clinton Township last Sunday. Thompson was reported missing Nov. 1.
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Man found dead in vent told family he was hiding from police
Jason Thompson, a man found dead in a vent at Macomb Community College, texted his family before his body was found and told them he was hiding from police, possibly in an HVAC system, authorities said.
2. Body found in vent at Macomb Community College Police found a body in the ventilation system at Macomb Community College while looking for the source of a foul odor last Sunday night. According to the college police department, the body was discovered in a vent at the Macomb Center for the Performing Arts on Center Campus.
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3. Diamondback Music Hall opens in former popular country bar space Music is playing again at Diamondback in Belleville, this time under a slightly different name and new venture. Diamondback Music Hall opened earlier this month after undergoing renovations since Diamondback Saloon closed last December. The closure of the saloon along the I-94 Service Drive followed the previous owner’s retirement. Diamondback Saloon opened in 1985 and became a staple for line dancing classes and live country bands.
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Diamondback Music Hall while undergoing renovations (Photo: Diamondback Saloon) <!–>
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4. ‘National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation’ pop-up bar opens this week in Royal Oak A pop-up bar dedicated to “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” opened this week in Royal Oak. Griswold’s Hideaway was first announced earlier this month. The pop-up will be in the basement of the newly opened Bandit Tavern. Late last month, Jolly Pumpkin in Downtown Royal Oak closed briefly and reopened as Bandit, a southern-style restaurant that also features favorites from previous establishments.
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5. Drugs, rifles seized from Michigan hunters on opening day of firearms season Three Michigan hunters were arrested on the first day of firearms season after state officers seized multiple grams of cocaine while on patrol earlier in November. The hunters were suspected of being inebriated while possessing loaded firearms, leading to other charges of operating a vehicle and possessing a firearm while intoxicated.
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6. Adult-only night planned at holiday-themed immersive Glenlore Trails Glenlore Trails is hosting a special night for adults only this winter. On Dec. 15, walk through the immersive Aurora forest surrounded by holiday lights and music. There will also be a taco truck and adult beverages.
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(Photo: Glenlore Trails) <!–>
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7. 2 girls jump out of 5th floor window after man sets fire to Detroit apartment After their fifth floor apartment was set on fire, a 14-year-old girl broke both her ankles and one wrist jumping to safety from the window. Her eight-year-old sister leaped out before her and was unharmed. Neighbors used a mattress and their bodies to cushion the fall for the two girls, while the mother waited to be saved by firefighters.
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2 girls jump out of 5th floor apartment in Detroit to escape fire
Two girls were forced to jump out of their fifth floor apartment window to escape a house fire caused by a man with a history of arson.
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8. 12-year-old steals forklift from Ann Arbor middle school, flees police A 12-year-old in a stolen forklift averted Ann Arbor police and Washtenaw County Sheriff’s deputies before eventually being arrested last Saturday evening. Police were called to Forsythe Middle School around 6:45 p.m. on reports of a juvenile trying to steal a construction vehicle. A few minutes later, they spotted the vehicle driving south on Brooks near Pearl without lights.
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12-year-old takes police on nearly 1-hour chase in stolen forklift
During the pursuit, police say the 12-year-old boy went through the Georgetown Boulevard neighborhood and hit about 10 parked vehicles.
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9. Detroit boy’s missing emotional support dog found safe after being gone for 71 days Little Abi’s emotional support dog, Noodles, has been found after being missing for more than 71 days. After an exhausting search and countless false sightings, Noodles was finally found.
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“I’m checking the ears; the ears are floppy enough. I’m checking the nose, the splotches on the nose and the mouth are correct, and I couldn’t believe it… somebody actually found Noodles,” said Edgar Cardenas, Abi’s dad.
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Emotional support dog found safe with help of FOX 2 viewer
It was just a few days after Noodle’s story was featured on FOX 2. A viewer saw her in the area of Evergreen and Lyndon in Detroit and recognized her from our story.
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10. 39 staff at Wayne-Westland School District laid off after discovery of major budget shortfall Close to 40 employees at the Wayne-Westland School District received pink slips Friday as the board sought to reduce its staff after falling into a massive financial hole. Recently-discovered budget discrepancies revealed the district had overspent by a whopping $28 million. Now, teachers, custodians, and hall monitors will lose their jobs as the school board reconciles with what one education official calls “reckless, gross overspending.”
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Budget shortfall leads to layoffs at Wayne-Westland district
Some 39 staff from teachers to custodians received pink slips Friday as the school district they worked for in Wayne County began cutting back spending to account for a massive shortfall.
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