Another armed robbery took place in Manistee yesterday afternoon.  The incident took place at Admiral Discount Tobacco on U.S. 31.  A man walked in and pulled a handgun on the employee and demanded money.  The suspect then fled with an undisclosed amount of money leaving one employee and two customers unharmed.

The suspect is described as having a tan complexion, between 5'8" and 5'10", 150 pounds possibly with shorter blond hair and blue eyes. He was wearing a dark blue hooded sweatshirt and his face was covered with a black bandana.

Authorities also believe a 2003-2008 year model Ford Econoline van that was dark blue was used by the suspect.

Police ask anyone who has seen someone fitting this description or seen the suspect vehicle to contact the Michigan State Police Cadillac Post (231-779-6040) or the Manistee County Central Dispatch (231-723-6241).

Good news for history buffs and carferry and Coast Guard fans, Ludington could have its anticipated  maritime museum open in 2013.  According to Ron Wood, the executive director of the Mason County Historical Society, details are still changing but the basic plan for the museum is in place.  The maritime museum, which will have a focus on carferry and Coast Guard history,  will be located in the former Coast Guard station in Ludington. 

In a breaking story the federal Government has indicted eight health care professionals across the state of Michigan, those indicted are being accused of getting kick backs from Medicare patients.  The United States District Court filed the indictment yesterday  against a Mr. Rathod  of Ingham County and seven of his employees which includes several doctors.

Rathod is the owner of numerous medical offices, clinics, and home health care companies  across the state including Lakeshore Spine and Pain and U.S. Rehabilitation Services, both in Ludington.

The group is accused of violating the federal Anti-Kickback Statute.  Essentially the group tried to get rich by paying and receiving kickbacks for referring Medicare and Medicaid patients for certain procedures that were submitted to the government for payment.

The charges in an Indictment, as well as state charges, are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.

Frank Harold Pretty, a 66 year old Oceana County man was arraigned yesterday on counts stemming from an incident in which Mr. Pretty shot his bedroom TV.  Around 5:30 in the late afternoon Monday, at Pretty's home in Golden Township, Mr. Pretty was heavily intoxicated with a blood alcohol content of .24 and he was very upset with members of his family, so he decided to grab his high powered deer hunting  rifle and shot a bullet straight through his bedroom TV.

 Authorities later located the bullet lodged outside near a drain, the shot was strong enough to blast through the TV and continue through the house walls before stopping.

Shortly after the shot was fired authorities arrived at the scene but Mr. Pretty found himself too drunk to explain what even happened.  Pretty was arraigned on three misdemeanors stemming from the incident at his home: careless discharge of a weapon; discharging a weapon causing property damage; and assault and battery.

A preliminary hearing has yet to be scheduled.