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SAGINAW COUNTY, MI – The Saginaw Children’s Zoo has announced that Marahouté, a female bald eagle, has died more than 25 years after first being taken in by the zoo. Meanwhile, Saginaw is bidding farewell to a 5-star rated restaurant, I Heart Mac & Cheese, which closed permanently this past week. Learn more about these stories and other Saginaw County news with these headlines from the past week: Saginaw Children’s Zoo mourns death of beloved bald eagle Marahouté The Saginaw Children’s Zoo is mourning the death of Marahouté, a female bald eagle that first arrived at the zoo in 1998 after suffering traumatic injuries in the wild. Over the years, Marahouté became a beloved member of the zoo’s family and will be missed by staff, volunteers, and visitors, according to zoo officials in a statement on Wednesday, Oct. 29. Marahouté was euthanized following a rapid decline in her health, which was linked to age and potentially genetics, according to a necropsy. Read the full story here. Man testifies he killed Saginaw library security guard in self-defense A Saginaw man has claimed that he was acting in self-defense when he fatally shot his brother-in-law in a library parking lot more than a year ago. Derrick J. Grant, 38, testified during his trial on Thursday, Oct. 30, that he shot the victim, 38-year-old Henry J. Ford of Bridgeport Township, five times. However, Grant said he did so because he was in fear for his life. Ford worked as a security guard at Hoyt Library in Saginaw, which is where the shooting occurred. Read the full story here. Hemlock Schools, SVSU launch partnership for robotics scholarships Hemlock Public School District and Lockwood STEM Center are partnering with Saginaw Valley State University to expand opportunities for students beyond K-12 education. Through the partnership, SVSU will award a $3,000 scholarship each year to students who complete the Lockwood STEM Center’s robotics program. In addition to expanding robotics access, the initiative aims to improve college pathways for students and promote careers in STEM. The collaboration also includes plans to partner with local employers. Read the full story here. Saginaw restaurant I Heart Mac & Cheese shuts doors permanently I Heart Mac & Cheese has closed its doors for good, marking the end of the 5-star-rated restaurant’s more than three and a half year run in Saginaw. Restaurant officials did not cite any reason for the closure, which was effective Oct. 26. “Thanks for making our restaurant a special place and a part of your memories,” the I Heart Mac & Cheese team said in a letter to community members. The restaurant, located at 4588 State Street in Green Acres Plaza, offered a menu featuring mac and cheese as well as grilled cheese. Read the full story here. Saginaw man convicted in machine gun ambush of teenagers in 2024 A Saginaw man has pleaded no contest to charges stemming from a shooting that occurred in July 2024 and left two teenagers injured. On Monday, Oct. 27, Christopher P. Ramirez pleaded no contest in Saginaw County Circuit Court to assault with intent to rob, assault with intent to do great bodily harm, and two counts of felony firearm. Ramirez, 26, had already been convicted and sentenced at the federal level for possessing a machine gun.
