After a quarter-century behind bars for a murder he was eventually found to be wrongfully convicted of, Desmond Ricks has been ordered to return more than a million dollars to the state. It's part of a Court of Appeals decision after a separate lawsuit paid him more than $7 million.

Watch Simon's report in the video player below

Man wrongfully convicted of murder ordered to return more than $1M to state

For roughly 25 years, Desmond Ricks was an inmate in state prison, where he always maintained his innocence for the crime of murder. But after being freed, Ricks was among those to receive funds, under the state's Wrongful Imprisonment Compensation Act, also known as WICA, roughly $50,000 a year for each year served.

One of his attorneys was Wolf Mueller.

Desmond Ricks endured the worst harm and suffering you can imagine," Mueller said. 25 years in a cage for a crime he didnt commit. The compensation under the state, a million and a quarter, doesnt come close to the harm he suffered.

Ricks then settled a suit with the City of Detroit for $7.5 million. That's when the state wanted him to repay their 1 million dollars to the WICA fund.

The law requires that you pay back if a third party issues compensation. In the case of Desmond Ricks, it was the city of Detroit. Ricks sued to keep the WICA money, but the state court said he couldn't keep it.

State Senator Joe Bellino from Monroe said the matter is more complicated than simply paying out WICA funds and moving on.

To be specific, after the state's fund ran low years ago, he said it's been even more crucial to get money returned, in the event that Ricks and others, also wrongly convicted, sue file lawsuits against municipalities and police agencies and win.

This was a bipartisan bill. If it comes up again, well vote not to let him do that," Sen. Bellino said. "Theres no way in the world I would vote to let someone get that money, and then get 7.5 million or whatever he got. The state isnt a huge bucket to double-dip when there is a mistake made.

In this case, Ricks's additional lawsuit was against the City of Detroit and two officers, and accused them of falsifying evidence involving bullets back in 1992. With dozens of similar cases, Mueller said it's time for the WICA rules to be amended to allow former inmates to keep that money and any else they receive in a lawsuit.

No amount of money can make up for harm of a quarter century and your entire adult life lost, so to say 50K a year was paid is peanuts compared to the harm? Mueller said.

Ricks previously pointed out that he not only lost years of his life, but also the chance to see his two daughters grow up.

I also reached out to another attorney for Ricks for an interview; I'm still awaiting a response.

Bloomfield Township police are putting out a message about stepped-up enforcement against drunk driving and distracted driving.

Watch Simon Shaykhet's video report: Bloomfield Twp. police to step up drunk driving & distracted driving enforcement

As the holidays approach, they tell me the department plans to use additional grant funding to pay for extra police units to be out patrolling.

Chief James Gallagher said this is the time of year when people should be extra careful and celebrate responsibly as they head out to gatherings and holiday parties.

Also, police said it's a time for law enforcement to really emphasize what's important before it's too late.

There always seems to be one or two tragedies this time of year," Gallgher said. Historically the holidays bring more traffic. More impaired driving on the roads. More distracted driving. Well put extra cars on the roads. Specifically, looking for that type of driving behavior.

Police said evenings are often when they see the most cases of impaired driving, and that's when all drivers need to pay extra attention to potential dangers.

A boom in transit across Oakland County in the past two years is leading to a new study recommending more bus routes that run more often and with more technology.

Watch Simon Shaykhet's video report: Study highlights increase in transit, need for more bus routes in Oakland County

It's a hot issue and part of a 10-year plan.

Oakland County leaders say a half million-dollar study is giving them a lot of new ideas how to improve service.

More routes, more places that would be available would help us for sure, one bus rider said.

In the heart of Pontiac, SMART bus passengers shared thoughts about county leaders pledging to further expand access to transit.

I think it would be a great idea to expand, more locations, routes, another bus rider said.

After learning of the study recently done by consulting firm HNTB, I asked Oakland County Board of Commissioners President David Woodward about the impact of investing more in transportation since a millage passed in 2022.

I would say a 300% increase in ridership is proof-positive that people want it, Woodward said.

He says some parts of the county have seen an overwhelming increase in use of buses. Woodward told me from Novi to Royal Oak to Rochester Hills to Wixom and beyond, research shows transit providers including SMART can benefit from going even further, with state funding and millage funds approaching $150 million annually.

We're going to have better transit here, we're going to eliminate holes and we're going to have more reliability and higher quality of service, Woodward said.

Oakland County Commissioner Bob Hoffman says he also supports transit but wants more input by the other board members and providers.

They need to come and talk to the people that are providing service. This should be a team effort, not someone pays half a million and just implement something, Oakland County Commissioner Bob Hoffman said.

Woodward told me a final plan based on findings will take shape early next year.

I also contacted both SMART and the North Oakland Transit Authority. Both shared enthusiasm over a boost in ridership and their ability to deliver high-quality service across the county.

Evans says she wants to see the trend continue. I take my daughter to school, job hunting, she said.

Riders told me they hope to have their input included in future plans.

The Road Commission for Oakland County is rolling out 34 state-of-the-art snowplows just in time for metro Detroit's first expected snowfall this weekend, marking a significant investment in winter road safety.

Watch Simon Shaykhet's video report: Oakland County unveils 34 new snow plows ahead of first snowfall

Each truck carries a price tag of more than $400,000, representing what officials call an investment in safety to replace aging 20-year-old vehicles currently parked in Waterford Township.

"That helps us be more efficient and move through the county at a quicker pace," said Steven Guerra, fleet manager for the Road Commission for Oakland County.

The new trucks feature GPS tracking, advanced salt measuring systems and high-tech radios that give drivers an added edge during winter operations. The vehicles also deliver increased capabilities with specialized equipment.

"Some of the hardware is the underbody scraper that allows for plowing. Along with side and wing plow. Front plow," Guerra said.

The road commission was able to save money by purchasing all trucks at once to avoid higher costs due to tariffs.

Meanwhile, residents across metro Detroit are preparing for winter weather. At Weingartz in Farmington Hills, customers are already getting outfitted for the season.

Sean Najjar, who runs a snowplowing company serving Southeast Michigan, emphasized the importance of early preparation.

"Perfect day for getting caught up and preparing is when we do have inclement weather," Najjar said.

Store manager Alex Jovanovski advised customers to test their equipment early and ensure they have the right tools in place.

"Having a unit in place, to get that snow out of the driveway. Parts and services are a big part of our game. Making sure it's ready to start," Jovanovski said.

For those still completing fall cleanup, Najjar noted the timing challenge: "You hope the temperature isn't cold enough to retain snow on top of leaves."

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