In a update to a story we brought to you yesterday....The Newaygo County man who shot himself in the hand outside of the Department of Human Services building in Big Rapids Monday was arraigned in Mecosta Co. District Court Tuesday. 34-year old Robert John Groot was charged with Carrying a concealed weapon, Felony firearm, Firearm discharged from a vehicle. Police say Groot was attending a meeting at the DHS building when he became distraught, left went into the parking lot and retrieved his handgun and shot himself in the hand.

Ferris State University and the Michigan Education Association return to court today as the start of Right to Work in the state looms a week from Thursday. Ferris' Faculty Association wants to get an injunction from the Mecosta County Circuit Court after they approved a five year contract with the University, only to have that rejected last month by the college's Board of Trustees. An MEA attorney says the deal was negotiated in good faith between both sides and they're trying to ensure that the agreement is allowed to be carried out.

The Big Rapids Department of Public Safety is investigating an incident where a Newaygo Co. man shot himself in the hand outside the Department of Human Services building in Big Rapids Monday. Police say the 34-year old man was in a family planning meeting when he abruptly left, went to his vehicle in the parking lot and retrieved his gun and shot himself in the hand. His brother also present, took the gun away from him, secured it in his vehicle and called 911. The distraught man was found by police inside the building with a gunshot wound to the hand.

A 22-year old Ravenna woman suffered minor injures after she was struck by a pickup truck Thursday in downtown Big Rapids. Mecosta Co. Sheriff Deputies say the woman was walking on a walk signal when the the pickup was making a left turn onto Maple St from Michigan Ave.  The driver of the pickup, a 40 year old man from Big Rapids, did not see the 22-year old woman until just before the collision.  The driver of the pickup immediately stopped and rendered aid to the woman. The Revenna woman sustained minor injuries and was transported to the Mecosta County Medical Center for treatment. 

The Mecosta County Sheriffs Department continues to investigate a bomb threat that occurred Friday at Walmart in Big Rapids. Deputies say a white male subject had gone up to a Walmart employee and made a comment about a bomb going off in an hour or 2.  The building was evacuated for approximately  2 hours while deputies searched the building and investigated the incident. The remains under investigation.

A Big Rapids woman could face life in prison after she was arrested on drug charges for the second time in less than a year. 45-year old Arlitha Gidron, was two weeks away from being sentenced for her role in numerous crimes involving drugs in 2012 was arrested again on Feburary 28th by the Central Michigan Enforcement Team . She was officially charged in Mecosta Co. Court with one count of conducting a criminal enterprise and two counts of delivering morphine. Both charges carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

More information has been released from the Holland Police Department concerning a missing woman from that west Michigan city. 36-year old Emelene VanDyke has not been seen for more than two weeks now. She reportedly told friends that she was headed to a singles retreat in Traverse City, but was last spotted at the Gun Lake Casino in Allegan County on February 14. Police Captain Jack Dykstra reported that detectives have now determined that camping gear is missing from her home and it is possible she may have left the area to go camping.

A Reed City man faces 14-years in prison after he was arraigned in Mecosta County District Court on charges connected to a stabbing early Friday morning outside the Gypsy Nickel Lounge in Big Rapids. 22-year old Simon Shelton is charged with one count of assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder, and one count of felonious assault with a deadly weapon. Police say Shelton was extremely intoxicated when he was escorted out of the Big Rapids bar when an altercation occurred a short time later and Shelton stabbed the victim in the abdomen with a knife.

Town hall meetings will be held this month to learn and ask questions about the potential relocation of the Big Rapids Community Library to the Ferris Library for Information, Technology and Education at Ferris State University. The temporary relocation would occur while the community library building at 426 S. Michigan Ave. undergoes renovation.

A 22-year old Reed City man will be arraigned today in Mecosta County Court on charges connected to a stabbing in Big Rapids early Friday morning. Authorities say an altercation occurred outside of the Gypsy Nickel Lounge where the extremely intoxicated suspect pulled out a knife and stabbed the victim in the stomach. The suspect is currently being held in the Mecosta Co. jail on a felonious assault charge. Image by Salvatore Vuono