Work begins on renovations of Kalamazoo's Bronson Park. Recall petitions are approved for Bedford Township's Supervisor. Benton Harbor's School Board names an interim superintendent. A WMU infielder is the MAC's co-baseball player of the week.
The Fountain of the Pioneers isn't the only thing being removed from Kalamazoo's Bronson Park. The Kalamazoo Gazette says workers began removing bronze sculptures of children from a reflecting pool Monday. They'll eventually be relocated to another area of the park as part of a $2.8-million renovation plan. It also includes removal of the Fountain of the Pioneers, a feature built in 1940 that some consider racist and demeaning to Native Americans. No date for that part of the project has been announced. Both water features will be replaced by grassy areas.
A federal judge says the Michigan Department of Corrections cannot deny good conduct credits to former juvenile lifers who are now entitled to parole hearings. The decision revokes part of a state law adopted to comply with a 2012 U.S. Supreme Court decision. That decision said automatic life without parole sentences for juveniles are unconstitutional. The ACLU of Michigan says the state is making it too hard for inmates sentenced to life without parole as juveniles to win their freedom.
The state of Michigan has agreed to pay $4-million to screen Flint children for learning, behavior, and health problems. Greg Little with the Education Law Center, one of the groups that filed the lawsuit, says all kids will benefit, whether or not they had lead poisoning. Parents will need to opt in to the screening. Little says the lawsuit will also seek more money from the state for treatment for kids diagnosed with disabilities. (Michigan Radio)
A recall petition has been approved for Bedford Township Supervisor Adam Heikkila. The Battle Creek Enquirer reports that the Calhoun County Election Commission approved the language during a meeting Monday. The petition states that Heikkila failed to keep business hours at the township office, told township employees to dismiss an ordinance violation case pending against him and has created a hostile environment for township employees and residents. Heikkila, who was elected in 2016, plans to appeal the petition.
Benton Harbor School Board members have named an interim superintendent. The St. Joseph Benton Harbor Herald-Palladiumsays trustees named Assistant Superintendent Patricia Robinson to lead the district during a special meeting Monday night. Robinson’s appointment as interim superintendent is for what the board calls “an indefinite period of time.” Former Benton Harbor Superintendent Shelly Walker resigned last week. She was placed on “non-disciplinary administrative leave” in February. At that time, the school board said issues had been raised regarding student safety and board policies.
A federal lawsuit filed by a Michigan State University student says she was raped by three members of the men’s basketball team in 2015, and university employees persuaded her not to report it to authorities. The woman filing the lawsuit and the men she accuses of raping her are not named in court filings. The Detroit Free Press reports that the suit says the assault happened the evening of April 11th and early morning of April 12th of 2015. The woman said she reported the sexual assault at the school’s counseling center, but never went to police. The lawsuit claims the center failed to properly counsel her and implied that it would be in her best interest not to report the incident to law enforcement. University officials did not comment on the lawsuit.
Western Michigan University Junior Connor Smith has been named the Mid-American Conference co-baseball player of the week. Smith hit .571 as the Broncos won two out of three games from Northern Illinois over the weekend. He tied a school record with six hits in Sunday’s win over the Huskies. Western’s scheduled game against Goshen College Wednesday has been canceled due to weather. The Broncos will host Bowling Green on Friday.