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LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) – A pawn shop owner in south Lansing caught a thief on-camera stealing more than $2,000 worth of diamond jewelry from his store, while the thief's three accomplices kept the storeget more >> Surveillance video catches a suspected thief stealing more than $2,000 worth of diamond jewelry from a Lansing pawn shopget more >> JACKSON, Mich. (WLNS) - A 30-year-old woman could be in front of a judge Monday to face charges for the death of a man believed to be her boyfriend. Officials say the incident happened Saturday at anget more >> Neighbors commented that the suspect and the victim had a noticeably abusive relationshipget more >> Crime Stoppers of Mid-Michigan is asking for the public's help in one incident and locating two men wanted for felonies. On Thursday, March 7 around 11:30p.m., officers were dispatched to the 200 blockget more >> If you have any information, you're asked to call Crime Stoppers at 517-483-STOPget more >> JACKSON, Mich. (WLNS) - The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is looking for information on a man they say stole several firearms and silencers. It happened on May 8 at the Schupback'sget more >> They say after the store closed, a man came out of hiding and stole several firearms and silencersget more >> MOORE, Okla. (AP) - The Oklahoma Medical Examiner's Office says 37 people have been killed by a tornado that hit suburban Oklahoma City on Monday afternoon. Officials at two hospitals say they're treatingget more >> Death Toll Expected to Climb After Massive Tornado Flattens Moore, Okla.get more >> @City Council says they've approved a balanced budget, but the mayor says he has his veto pen ready.get more >> The City Council says they've approved a balanced budget, but the mayor says he has his veto pen ready. get more >> NORTON SHORES, Mich. (AP) - Police looking for a 25-year-old woman who disappeared from her job at a West Michigan gas station last month say they're investigating high-priority tips received over theget more >> Heeringa disappeared April 26 before she was set to close the station in Norton Shores, near Muskegonget more >> LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) -- Several former employees of a Lansing-based production company say for months, the business often skipped payday, and sometimes didn't pay at all. Five former employees of Lifeget more >> Former employees of a Lansing-based production company say the business often skipped payday, and sometimes didn't pay at all.get more >> AMBER ALERT: The Detroit Police Department has issued an Amber Alert for 3-year-old Alonna Anderson. Alonna was last seen at her home in Detroit. She has brown eyes, black hair and was wearing a shirtget more >> The girl was found safeget more >> A newly married Detroit-area youth minister has died in a traffic crash in Ohio while he and his wife were on the way to their honeymoon.get more >> A newly married Detroit-area youth minister has died in a traffic crash in Ohio while he and his wife were on the way to their honeymoon.get more >>
LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) - Safety in schools is front and center for many on Tuesday, after lawmakers consider changing how schools can spend their "sinking funds" for more building security. "Sinking funds" are usually reserved for building construction or repairs, not security purposes. Under current law, schools cannot hire guards with the money, but the bill that will be introduced is expected to clarify what schools can spend the dollars on, which could include security guards.
Okemos High School is just one of the schools in the area increasing its security. Over the winter break, officials installed a total of nine new cameras, bringing the campus camera total to 15. Officials say those cameras are recording what's going on inside and outside the school 24/7.
Michigan Association of School Administrators Executive Director William Mayes supports expanding how schools spend "sinking funds," but doesn't believe it should be limited to just building security locks and systems.
"We feel it sould be expanded to allow for technological and for transportation use and security use. Making sure students have safe buses is equally important as making sure we have security cameras," he says.
Mayes says there's no band-aid you can put on school security and that it'll take a comprehensive plan to make schools safer like "beefing up mental health, beefing up relationships with the police department and having a plan when a security problem enters a school."
This is all being proposed in the aftermath of the Newtown Connecticut School Shooting.
