A Lapeer County man hit a $300,000 jackpot playing the Michigan Lottery’s 20X Wild Time instant game. The 58-year-old bought his lucky ticket at Village Station in Columbiaville, about 25 miles northeast of Flint. He first thought he was mistaken when he saw the prize and had his wife double-check it on the Lottery app. After confirming, he celebrated wildly and says the win will help him live debt free and take a trip. So far, the 20X Wild Time game has paid out over $35 million in prizes.

Reporting for WGRT – JP bZet

In Port Huron, a heartbreaking case moves forward as Amanda Maison and Maurice Houle face murder charges for the ’18 death of Amanda’s 3-year-old son, Matthew. A judge ruled there’s enough evidence for a trial in circuit court. Matthew suffered fatal blunt force trauma and asphyxiation, with visible bruises and a black eye. Both admitted to witnessing abuse but didn’t intervene. After a cold case, new interviews led to their arrests in April. No trial date is set.

Reporting for WGRT – JP bZet

In Port Huron, Mayor Anita Ashford’s attempt to overhaul City Manager James Freed’s evaluation process fizzled out at Monday’s city council meeting. Despite her push to modernize the decade-old review system, council members, including Jeff Pemberton, blocked the discussion, sticking to the usual June evaluation format. Freed, who supports annual reviews, insists any changes need full council approval. The debate, ongoing since April, remains unresolved, with the next review set to follow the traditional format.

Reporting for WGRT – JP bZet

In St. Clair County, a federal judge has approved new ways for the Sheriff’s Office to reach a key witness in a lawsuit filed by former Lieutenant Scott Jones. Jones claims he was forced to resign after reporting a conversation about the sheriff’s brother’s DUI arrest. The Sheriff’s Office says Jones leaked details through ex-deputy Joshua Goodrich, who allegedly shared them online. After failing to contact Goodrich directly, the judge now allows the sheriff to send a subpoena through his lawyer, mail, or email. A pretrial conference is set for August 19th.

Reporting for WGRT – JP bZet