Kalamazoo State Representative Jon Hoadley and other Democrats call for an investigation of Detroit area church offering gay conversion therapy. A state board will consider another recall petition Tuesday for Branch County's Prosecutor. The K-Wings three game winning streak ends with a loss to Indy. WMU Softball goes 2-4 at a season opening event in Arizona.
Kalamazoo state Representative Jon Hoadley is among the lawmakers asking for an investigation of a Southeast Michigan church offering gay conversion therapy. Five Democratic representatives signed the letter to Attorney General Bill Schuette calling for an investigation of the sessions provided by FORGE Ministries hosted by Metro City Church in Riverview, south of Detroit. They ask Schuette to investigate whether the church violated Michigan’s Consumer Protection Act. The Detroit Free Press reports that legislation has also been introduced to ban gay conversion therapy in Michigan.
The Michigan Board of State Canvassers will consider a second petitionTuesday to recall Branch County Prosecutor Ralph Kimble. The board rejected the first petition at the end of January. Kimble has been named in a lawsuit by a former employee alleging sexual harassment. The Coldwater Daily Reportersays that Kimble has called the lawsuit retaliation by a disgruntled employee after she was fired for an illegal marijuana growing operation that was found in her house. If petition language is approved, a little more than 2,800 signatures would have to be gathered in 60 days to put the recall on the ballot in Branch County.
A Battle Creek police officer is on administrative leave after being arrested for drunk driving while off duty over the weekend. A news release from the city of Battle Creek says the officer was arrested after a single car vehicle in Springfield early Sunday morning. There were no injuries. The Calhoun County Sheriff’s office is handling the case. Battle Creek police chief Jim Blocker says the officer is expected to cooperate with the investigation and will not receive special treatment of any sort.
A national group which has fought legalizing marijuana in other states will oppose a ballot proposal to make pot legal in Michigan. The Detroit News reports that the Healthy Productive Michigan Committee raised $150,000 according to the most recent campaign finance reports. All of that money came from Smart Approaches to Marijuana of Virginia. The Coalition to Regulate Marijuana like Alcohol has submitted 365,000 signatures. If elections officials determine that at least 252,523 of those signatures are valid, the proposal will be on the November ballot.
In softball, Western Michigan lost to Oklahoma State Sunday 21-5. The Broncos finished with two wins and four losses during a four day event in Tempe, Arizona to open the season. Western will next play five games over three days in Chattanooga, Tennessee beginning February 23rd.
In hockey, Kalamazoo lost to Indy Sunday 4-2. That ended the K-Wings’ three game winning streak. Kalamazoo will host Quad City on Wednesday for the annual “pink ice” game on Valentine’s Day at Wings Event Center.