SAGINAW COUNTY, MI – A longtime local educator and Saginaw High School graduate has published a book for young students that is now available for purchase.
In other local news, the Frankenmuth woman who inspired rock band Greta Van Fleet’s name died last week at age 95.
For more information on last week’s stories and other Bay County news, see the headlines below.
Saginaw man charged with ‘faking’ child for being gay
A Saginaw man is accused of assaulting a child in his care because he was gay.
Prosecutors allege that Tony H. Morgan, 53, forced the underage girl to undress on May 11 and then repeatedly hit her with a belt. Prosecutors wrote in their bail recommendation that Morgan was upset because the victim is an openly gay man.
Prosecutors said Morgan told the girl, “God will never forgive her.”
The girl had multiple signs of being punched, prosecutors wrote.
Read the full text here.
This Saginaw educator spent years watching students miss out on job opportunities, so he wrote a book to fix it
Laticia Whitehead, assistant principal at Saginaw Career Complex, has published a children’s picture book aimed at inspiring young students to think about their future careers.
“You Can Be Anything!” is the story of an elementary school teacher who uses positive affirmations to build confidence in her students while introducing them to different career paths. The story focuses on a “Career Week” classroom where children learn about different professions and opportunities available through career and technical education programs.
“As an administrator, I support career and technical education and early career awareness and exploration,” Whitehead said in a statement. “I think students should be exposed to career paths from elementary school.”
Read the full text here.
One of Saginaw’s historic neighborhoods hosts a free summer festival featuring food, music and a 100-year-old band
Saginaw’s annual Jazz on Jefferson Festival will return on Wednesday, June 3, where attendees will hear free live music and participate in community activities along the historic South Jefferson Avenue District.
The street festival will be held from 4:45 p.m. to 8 p.m. along South Jefferson Avenue, which runs from Federal Avenue to the Cathedral of the Assumption, organizers said.
The event features musical performances, food stalls, and activities throughout the historic district.
The Saginaw Eddy Band, celebrating its 100th season, will headline the evening with a performance at the First Congregational Church, 403 Jefferson Avenue, starting at 8 p.m.
Read the full text here.
State Senate candidate Jason Tunney seeks $150,000 in damages in deepfake lawsuit
A Republican candidate for the Michigan Senate is asking a judge to order him to pay six-figure damages to a controversial right-wing figure for tarnishing his reputation with an AI-generated deepfake video.
Jason Tunney ran for election in the 35th election.th The district seat is up for a May 5 special election to end the term of Kristen McDonald Rivett. He lost to Democrat Chedric Greene. He has now filed as a candidate to run for the same seat in the 2026 general election.
Ms. Tunney filed a civil lawsuit in Saginaw County Circuit Court against 23-year-old Jayden D. Scott during her campaign in January. Scott created a Facebook page called “Trannys for Tunney,” where he posted a series of videos that “purported to depict behavior that (Tuney) never engaged in,” according to the complaint.
Read the full text here.
5 things to know about the new welcome center opening at Dow Gardens in the Midlands
Dow Gardens will open its new Welcome Center on Friday, June 19, marking a major expansion of the 110-acre botanical garden that has welcomed visitors in Midland for more than a century.
Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation officials announced that a ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held at the 22,000-square-foot facility at 1809 Eastman Avenue in Midland from 11 a.m. to noon. During this public event, guests can stroll through the Welcome Center’s gift shop and cafe until noon.
The facility is designed to accommodate 200,000 to 250,000 visitors per year with expanded parking, drop-off lanes, and improved traffic flow. The spacious windows offer views of the surrounding gardens.
Read the full text here.
Saginaw murderer’s getaway driver charged with possession of ghost gun, fleeing from police
At age 21, Emilio G. Zamora was sentenced to prison for being the getaway driver for two men who killed a man during a Father’s Day block party.
Zamora, who was released after serving less than two years in prison, now faces 14 charges for allegedly fleeing from police, crashing a vehicle and possessing a “ghost gun.”
At approximately 3 a.m. on Sunday, May 17, Michigan State Police troopers attempted to stop a vehicle allegedly being driven by Zamora in Remington near Sheridan in Saginaw. Prosecutors say the officers were clocking the vehicle as it traveled between 79 and 80 mph in a 35 mph zone and passed several traffic lights.
Read the full text here.
95-year-old bluegrass musician who inspired Greta Van Fleet’s band name dies
The inspiration for the name of one of the most famous bands formed in mid-Michigan has passed away.
Gretna VanVleet passed away on Monday, May 18, at the age of 95 at the Frankenmuth senior living community, her obituary states.
The former bluegrass musician lived a “fulfilling life blessed with many talents,” her obituary said.
Her name is still associated with the Grammy-winning rock band Greta Van Fleet, whose members also hail from Frankenmuth.
Read the full text here.
Four key points and four tables showing Saginaw County’s population trends this century.
New U.S. Census Bureau estimates show 2025 marks the fourth consecutive year of Michigan population growth, but most Saginaw County municipalities lost residents between 2024 and 2025.
The Saginaw County municipality that experienced the steepest decline was also its largest community, the city of Saginaw. This is a trend that goes back several decades, including throughout the 21st century.
However, some county communities experienced growth from 2024 to 2025.
The census provides an accurate count of the population every 10 years (most recently in 2020).
Read the full text here.
Two Saginaw teens arrested after post-prom party ends in crash, guns recovered
A large post-prom party at a Kochville park has led to criminal charges against two teenagers.
At approximately 12:30 a.m. on Sunday, May 17, Saginaw County Police responded to a large gathering at Crossroads Park and Rainbow’s End Playground, 5650 Bay Road.
The sergeant said he tried to stop a silver Mazda sedan that pulled up in front of the patrol car and nearly hit him, but the Mazda made a U-turn and fled. Matt Oswald.
The sergeant observed the Mazda driving alongside a blue Ford sedan in the parking lot of the adjacent Walmart Supercenter. Oswald said it appeared the drivers of the two vehicles were trying to race each other.
Read the full text here.
Buena Vista leaders share how (and when) they hope their $1.4 million initiative will transform the aging housing market
Michelle McGregor is ready for a Buena Vista renaissance.
The town’s community development official said a $1.4 million state-funded initiative will help spur a housing recovery in Saginaw County communities, with both home improvement and construction projects planned to begin later this year and span more than a year.
“This is important not only to Buena Vista, but to the entire Saginaw County community,” McGregor said. “This will allow our aging population to continue living in the homes they want to live in with new upgrades. And for manufactured housing, it will allow us to build homes where homes used to be, helping to stabilize the composition of some neighborhoods.”
Read the full text here.
#Woman #inspired #Greta #Van #Fleets #band #dies #Saginaw #educator #publishes #book #local #news