Detroit Free Press from Detroit, Michigan • A4

The Detroit Zoo said Mon- day it was sending off its Syr- ian brown bear Polly and its North American black bear Migwan to a preserve to give more room to its trio of griz- zlies. The brown and black bears will have acres of space and opportunities for social interaction with other at a wildlife sanctuary in Colorado, ac- cording to a zoo news release. The brown bear Polly, 20, was rescued in 2000 from a roadside circus after in a small cage with a ham- ster-like performance which led to according to the release. Two years later, the black bear Migwan, 15, was discovered as a cub in Gladwin, with porcupine quills in her face. saved these bears from further suffering or death and provided them with great care over the said Ron Kagan, executive director and CEO for the Detroit Zoological Society.

recently learned of a sanctuary that can provide both bears with many acres of space, options for social part- ners if they want them and staff with ex- pertise in caring for animals who have experienced physical and psychological Kagan said in the release. The move is the latest of several ani- mal transfers that, in some cases were controversial, were prompted by con- cerns that the zoo was unable to provide humane living conditions because of a lack of space, the rigors of Michigan winters and other reasons. as we did with the ele- phants in 2004, when we dis- cover a place that can provide animals with an improved situ- ation, we have a responsibility to allow them to go from a good life to a great Kagan said. Unlike the current cramped habitat at the zoo, the Wild Animal Sanctuary in Kee- nesburg, has acres of rolling prairie, pools for swim- ming, climbing structures to play on, shady spaces for rest- ing, underground dens and secluded areas for the animals to have time away from each other as needed, the news release said. Moving the two bears out allows for expanding the space for three grizzly bear brothers Mike, Thor and Boo rescued as cubs from Alaska in 2011 af- ter a poacher killed their mother, the re- lease said.

Construction to expand and improve their habitat is to begin today. Contact Bill Laitner: Moving the bears to Colorado will let the zoo expand space for allows for these three grizzly bears brothers Mike, Thor and Boo who were rescued as cubs from Alaska after a poacher killed their mother. DETROIT ZOO BYE-BYE, POLLY AND MIGWAN Detroit Zoo sending 2 bears to sanctuary so they, others can have better life By Bill Laitner Detroit Free Press The bears Polly, left, and Migwan left for their new home Monday. It has acres to roam and playmates. DETROIT ZOO Fraser Mayor Joe Nichols, left, and Councilman Matt Hemelberg were ousted Monday night.

CHRISTINA FREE PRESS out. The Fraser City Council voted Monday night to remove Mayor Joe Nichols and Coun- cilman Matt Hemelberg from office after a two-hour tribu- nal hearing over accusations that the pair sexually harassed female city workers. Nichols called the tribunal kangaroo Hemel- berg, who said he and Nichols surprised at the out- come, told reporters outside City Hall that they would file an appeal in the court system. Some people who followed the former politicians from of- fice sang na na na, na na na na, hey, hey as they left. The unusual tribunal, al- lowed under the city charter, came days after a Macomb County Circuit Court judge de- nied the request to can- cel the hearing.

The tribunal included five witnesses called by the specially hired at- torney, Rob Huth, and one wit- ness by the attorney, Angela Mannarino. Among the five witnesses were three women who work for the city and interviewed with Thomas Fleury, a South- field attorney hired to investi- gate the allegations and pro- vide a report to city officials earlier this year. Two of the women, City Clerk Kelly Dolland and IT Di- Fraser mayor, councilman are out of office accused of harassment By Christina Hall Detroit Free Press See FRASER, Page 9A 4A WWW.FREEP.COM TUESDAY, SEPT. 19, 2017 METRO 313-222-6600 BIOFUEL BOOST? Michigan State University is using a federal grant to explore ways to boost the yield of a biofuel crop that could offer environmental and agricultural benefits. The East Lansing school says it will lead a $10-million U.S.

Energy Department grant to study the metabolism and genes of the camelina plant. Researchers say it require as much water or fertilizer as food crop species, or require special equipment to be planted or harvested. They add it can better resist pests and disease. Associated Press LANSING After more than two hours of impassioned tes- timony from more than 50 peo- ple, the Michigan Civil Rights Commission on Monday de- clined a request to reinterpret the Elliott Larsen Civil Rights Act to include protections for the LGBT community. were barred from mak- ing an interpretative state- said an obviously an- noyed commission chairwom- an Rasha Demashkieh, be- cause the Attorney Office said the commission have the authority to make such a statement.

perturbed that we have no re- course. In my mind, discrimi- nation is discrimination and no one should be discriminated The Civil Rights Commis- sion investigates complaints of discrimination and a rein- terpretation of the Elliott Lar- sen Civil Rights Act could give it the authority to investigate complaints on housing and job discrimination against the LGBT community. Commissioner Linda Lee Tarver wanted a clean refusal of the request. not here to expand law; it is not within our she said. Equality Michigan, a group that advocates for the LGBT community, asked the civil rights commission to clarify the Elliott Larsen Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination in hiring and housing based on religion, race, color, national origin, age, sex, height, weight, famil- ial status, or marital status.

The group believes that the definition of sex discrimina- tion should include sexual ori- entation and gender identity. But Ron Robinson, an assis- tant in the Attorney Office, told the commission that only the Legislature could reinterpret the civil rights act. should the commission issue a ruling contrary to the Attorney General, the com- mission would give up its gov- ernmental immunity and would be subject to a The commission also re- quested a formal opinion on the matter from Attorney Gen- eral Bill Schuette and left the issue on the table for future discussion. Nathan Triplett, director of public policy for Equality Michigan, said he sur- prised by the decision. again we see Attor- ney General Bill Schuette us- ing his position of public trust and power to intervene on the side of discrimination and against he said.

the attorney general is going to have to say with cer- tainty what the state of the law The decision came after more than two hours of testi- mony on both sides of the is- sue. Those opposed, including many pastors from churches around the state, spoke out mostly on religious grounds. have the author- ity to do this. Even if Elliott Larsen was changed by the Legislature, we would not fol- low said Rusty Chatfield, pastor of the Northern Michi- gan Baptist Bible Church in Burt Lake. believe all peo- ple were created in im- age.

There are two sexes, male and female. We will not bow, we will not obey that Others were opposed be- cause of their belief in the sep- aration of powers in state gov- ernment. you stand on the issue, the rule of law has to matter. When someone makes up a law and the governor signs it, if you want to change the law, the Legislature is the one that must do said William Wagner, a lawyer with the Great Lakes Justice Cen- ter, which sent a letter to the commission on behalf of 11 Re- publican state lawmakers op- posing an expansion of EL- CRA. State Sen.

Patrick Colbeck, R-Canton, said everyone in- volved in state government has to play their own roles and up to the Legislature to make or change laws: wise we devolve into a pee-wee hockey Those hoping for a change in the definition of sex in the ELCRA said that everyone de- serves to be protected from discrimination, whether they are gay, straight or transgen- der. had things thrown at me. been asked to leave restaurants and bars. lost more jobs than I can count or been denied said Carol Bacon, a transgen- der woman from Clinton Township. hap- pen in this And Glenna DeJong, who with her partner Marsha Cas- par was one of the first same- sex couples to marry in Michi- gan, said discrimination is not one of values.

here with my soul mate of 30 years. not beasts. LGBT civil rights law protection still on hold By Kathleen Gray Detroit Free Press See LGBT, Page 9A Six months after a Univer- sity of Michigan doctoral stu- dent mysteriously vanished while piloting a plane which eventually crash-landed in Canada a woman who says she is his wife is asking a judge to declare him dead. Xin Rong, who was 27 at the time of his disappearance, has been missing since March 15. The downed Cessna he had been flying was found in a densely wooded area in Ontar- io the same day he rented the aircraft from a flying group at the Ann Arbor Airport.

But Rong was not there, there were no footprints in the snow and the plane was out of fuel, au- thorities have said. A spokesman with the On- tario Provincial Police previ- ously said authorities believe Rong jumped from the plane at some point during the flight. At the time, police said suicide was suspected. In a petition to have death established by a Washte- naw County probate judge, Su- rong Ruan, who says in court filings that she is his wife, wrote: the evidence indi- cates the aircraft was operat- ing normally and crashed be- cause it ran out of fuel, and at some point prior to the crash, the pilot exited the aircraft. As ground searches were nega- tive, no parachute or life vests on the plane and the aircraft was cruising at around 9000 ft altitude, I believe Xin Rong ex- ited the aircraft and have a chance of being A hearing on the petition is scheduled for next month.

An official with the court said such petitions ask for the court to establish the cause, date and location of death. His wife sought an earlier hearing in the case rather than waiting months to publish notices of the hearing in a newspaper but online court records indicate her request was denied. In a letter to Judge Julia Owdziej dated May 31, she wrote that she lives in San Francisco and parents live in China and said she is trying to take care of his prop- Xin Rong vanished in March. NAMUS VIA MICHIGAN STATE POLICE Wife of missing pilot wants him declared dead By Gina Kaufman Detroit Free Press See U-M, Page 5A.