Around the Mitten This Week: Woman Hit by Train; Plus Lots of Snow Business and a $10,000 Fish

A Dearborn city employee was clearing snow from sidewalks in west downtown,  when she got her tractor stuck on train tracks and was hit by an Amtrak train. Amazingly, she survived and sustained only broken bones.

Elsewhere, Around the Mitten:

A Trenton woman who gained national attention after taunting a 7-year-old girl dying of Huntington's disease on Facebook pleaded guilty and was sentenced Tuesday to an assault and battery charge at the Frank Murphy Hall of Justice in Detroit. Judge Carole Youngblood sentenced Jennifer Petkov, 33, to 18 months probation.

Touchdown! Local Marine Sergeant Goes to Super Bowl

Plymouth resident Anica Coate won a chance to cheer on the Green Bay Packers Sunday at Cowboys Stadium. She was selected by the Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps out of 130,000 active duty enlisted marines to be awarded an all-expenses paid trip to the Super Bowl in Dallas.

Man vs. Snow

Wonder about the drivers who plow your roads? We did. So we went for a ride with one in Rochester Hills. That driver told us his pet peeves (hint: don't shovel your snow into the road) and explained why he has to leave that annoying pile of snow at the end of your driveway.

Bullets Hit Commuters' Cars on I-696

Michigan State Police and the Oak Park Public Safety Department are investigating three reports of bullets lodged in vehicles that drove along Interstate 696 between Woodward Avenue and Coolidge Highway during the past month, an official confirmed last week. 

Two Catholic Schools to Close in Wyandotte

Wyandotte has been in a furor since news broke late Monday that two Catholic elementary schools in town will be closing at the end of the school year. They will merge with a third to become a regional Downriver Catholic school.

At Oakland University's O'Rena on Friday night, the crowd wore gold. Or blue. They picked a side — and they let their spirit show. Here are a few scenes of Rochester school spirit at its finest.

Relay for Life kicked off its Royal Oak campaign with a party for volunteers and future participants. In only its fifth year in Royal Oak, organizers hope to attract at least 30 teams this year. The Relay is a 24-hour event raising money for the American Cancer Society and will take place May 14-15.

Ladies: Ready, Aim, Fire!

A group of fierce women took aim at a new challenge on Jan. 31 by learning how to safely handle and shoot a pistol. Learn about an introductory pistol shooting class at the Detroit Sportsmen's Congress in Macomb County.

Detroit resident Robert Taylor, 18, was sentenced Thursday to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the kidnapping and fatal shooting of Chesterfield Township resident Matthew Landry. Landry, 21, was leaving an Eastpointe sub shop when he was randomly targeted by Taylor and Ihab Masalmani to carjack because the pair didn't want to ride their bikes back to Detroit on a hot August 2009 day.

Community Rallying to Help Freshman in Cancer Battle

The Hartland community is coming together to help a high school freshman and his family as he battles Rhabdomyoscarcom, a rare form of cancer.

It is all about community in St. Clair Shores, where a hearty group of volunteer Sno Commandos took to the streets Wednesday to clear the snow from the homes of seniors and other residents in need.

Fenton residents went fishing for a specially-marked pike, which was tagged by the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, worth $10,000 if caught. No one hooked the prize fish, but Chris Leonard earned first place with a 36-inch pike, good enough for $750.

Birmingham's Principal Shopping District board wants a review of the city's 2007 bistro ordinance, worried that too many of the small restaurants are moving downtown and crowding out other businesses.

Farmington Kids See the Future

The O.E. Dunckel Middle School Future City team took home the Construction Association of Michigan's "Most Creative Use of Materials" Special Award from Monday's 16th Annual Future City competition in Novi. Teams from around the area competed by building model cities of the future, which were judged by volunteers. The event was sponsored by the Engineering Society of Detroit.