A "smart" 911 system for Kalamazoo County. U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow will be well-funded for her re-election campaign. Kalamazoo City Commissioners approve a new master plan.
A new system will allow people in Kalamazoo County to pre-register with its 911 emergency dispatch system. County officials announced yesterday that they're joining the national "Smart 911" program. The free service lets residents sign up with critical personal information before there's an emergency. The system works with home and mobile phones. County officials say it will help speed up response to emergency calls. They say the information is only available when someone makes a 911 call. (Kalamazoo Gazette)
U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow has nearly $7-million dollars for her re-election campaign. The Democrat will seek a fourth term in the Senate next year.The Detroit News says campaign finance reports show that Stabenow raised $1.7-million in the third quarter. One of Stabenow’s potential Republican opponents, West Michigan Congressman Fred Upton has $1.1-million in the bank. Upton is considering running for Senate next year, but has not announced if he will challenge Stabenow, or run for re-election to his House seat.
The Kalamazoo City Commission has approved a new master plan, which calls for making better neighborhoods, improving life downtown and better transportation for pedestrians, bicycles and cars. The Kalamazoo Gazette says the commission unanimously approved the plan during its meeting last night. The city held several input sessions for Imagine Kalamazoo 2025. State law requires cities to review their master plans every five years and to update them every decade.
A campaign committee has been formed to oppose a ballot initiative to change Michigan’s redistricting process. An attorney for People to Protect Voters Rights tells the Gongwer News Service(subscription) that the proposal by Voters Not Politicians is a “license to gerrymander” to get more Democrats elected to office. Voters Not Politicians has been collecting petition signatures for a proposal that would put a commission in charge of drawing the lines for Congressional and state legislative districts. Currently those lines are drawn by the state Legislature. Voters Not Politicians says it has collected nearly 260,000 signatures. 315,000 signatures from registered voters are needed to put a proposed amendment to the Michigan Constitution on the statewide ballot.