NEWSPAPERS n o i t i d E l a i c e p S
POLICE WARN RESIDENTS OF JURY DUTY PHONE SCAM
EXPL RE
JUNE 14, 2023 candgnews.com
Oakland County papers
C & G NEWSPAPERS WILL BE FEATURING STORIES ABOUT NORTHERN MICHIGAN DESTINATIONS FOR OUR READERS TO EXPLORE. Photo provided by Steph Castelein, www.mackinacisland.org
BY MARY BETH ALMOND
malmond@candgnews.com
OAKLAND COUNTY — Police in Oakland County are warning residents to be wary of an uptick in phone scams from people impersonating local police and threatening residents’ arrest because they didn’t show up for jury service. In the past three weeks, Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said, at least a dozen residents have been contacted by callers posing as Sheriff ’s Office personnel. In each instance, the impersonator says there is an arrest warrant out because the victim didn’t appear for jury duty in either federal or state court. They say the only way to set the warrant aside is to pay a $900 cash bond — in either bitcoin or gift cards. The caller, Bouchard noted, often uses the actual name of a person who is a deputy or commander in the Sheriff ’s Office and provides the victim with a phone number they say will connect them to the Sheriff ’s Office. When the victim calls the provided number, a recorded message states the caller has reached the Sheriff ’s Office and all personnel are busy on other calls. The caller is then asked to leave a callback number, which the scammer uses to call them back, giving specific instructions as to how to make the necessary transaction, including providing an account number for the bitcoin deposit or the registration numbers for the gift cards. Bouchard said at least two of the victims in Oakland County did pay the requested $900. Earlier victims were told they must pay as much as $5,000 to avoid arrest. See SCAM on page 10A
MAKE THE MOST OF A DAY ON MACKINAC ISLAND BY GREG TASKER Spending a day on Mackinac Island is a rite of summer for many Michiganders. But most of us, I’m betting, aren’t making the most of that day. We scurry off the ferries right into the heart of downtown Mackinac Island, rent a bicycle for the traditional loop around the island, and then spend a few hours searching for souvenirs and fudge. We might grab a drink or a meal before heading back to the dock. While it’s always a fun outing, there’s so much more to this Michigan gem than fudge, bicycles and horses. Most of the car-free island is a state park with miles of trails to hike and bike. It’s steeped in centuries of Native American, European and American history. And while Mackinac evokes images of being lost somewhere in time, there’s always something new to check out. New this season, for example, are: Patrick Doud’s Irish Pub, named after a contractor of Irish descent who helped build a number of important buildings on the is-
land; the Mackinac Island Pizza Co., which serves Detroitstyle pizza and is among the restaurants operated by the Grand Hotel; and the Cedar Grove Bike Track, a dirt bike trail designed for children 12 and younger. In the last few years, a distillery, a brewery and a whiskey-themed restaurant and bar have opened as well. So how do you make the most of a day trip to the island, which was recently named Best Summer Travel Destination in the country by USA Today readers. Here’s a loose itinerary to make sure you enjoy the highlights.
9 a.m. — Join a horse-driven tour with Mackinac Island Carriage Tours
This might seem like a no-brainer, but it wasn’t until my third trip to Mackinac that I hopped aboard. What a difference. It’s a leisurely and nearly two-hour excursion that provides a better sense of the island. There are several stops, so you can get off and explore. The company bills See MACKINAC on page 4A