Perrigo says the government owes it $164 million; the Michigan Court of Appeals declines to un-freeze funds the state intended for private schools' expenses; and Republican lawmakers disagree that the state's civil rights law prohibits discrimination because of sexual orientation or gender identity.
Perrigo has filed a lawsuit seeking the return of $164 million the company says it wrongly had to pay to the government. The Allegan County-based generic drug company says the Internal Revenue Service overcharged it for several years. MLive reports thatthe taxes, penalties and interest in question related to legal battles and other issues around the company’s omeprazole products. That’s a drug used to treat acid reflux. Perrigo filed the lawsuit in US District Court in Grand Rapids.
Michigan’s Court of Appeals has denied the state’s request to lift a temporary freeze on reimbursements to private schools. Two-and-a-half million dollars in state funds were originally earmarked for health and safety mandates for those schools. But a coalition that includes Kalamazoo Public Schools sued the state. They said that it would violate a constitutional ban on using public funds for private education. The court of claims froze the funds. The state appealed that decision. But MLive reports tha in its Monday ruling, the Court of Appeals said the state had failed to persuade it. Michael Steinberg of the ACLU applauded the court’s ruling. The Claims Court could permanently bar the funds.
Some Republican state lawmakers say the Elliot-Larsen Civil Rights Act’s protections do not extend to LGBT residents. The Michigan Civil Rights Argument is considering whether they do. It’s investigating because of a request from the nonprofit group Equality Michigan, which says it believes the law’s ban on sex discrimination does apply to sexual orientation and gender identity. But the Detroit News reports that some G-O-P lawmakers have told the commission they disagree. They say Equality Michigan is trying to change the law without going through the legislature.
A Kalamazoo Public Safety officer has been reprimanded because of an incident last month. Public Safety Chief Jeff Hadley says he took the action against Sergeant Derrick Turner after reviewing body camera video and other evidence. Hadley a Kalamazoo man acted in an aggressive way toward the officer. But he says Turner's actions violated the department's policy on use of force. (Kalamazoo Public Safety news release)
Vicksburg has a new police chief. Scott Sanderson has been with Kalamazoo's Department of Public Safety for 25 years. Sanderson is currently the supervisor of Kalamazoo's K-9 unit. He'll take over Vicksburg's police department in October. Vicksburg's former police chief - Eric West - left when the village council voted not to renew his contract last May. No reason for the decision was announced. (Kalamazoo Gazette)
If you were planning to get special safety glasses to watch the solar eclipse on Monday from the Kalamazoo Public Library, you're out of luck. Library officials say they've handed out all of the two-thousand pairs of eclipse glasses in stock. During the eclipse, the moon will cover slightly more than 80-percent of the sun in southwest Michigan. (Kalamazoo Gazette)
The Village of Vicksburg is in hock to the state to the tune of nearly $49,000. The Kalamazoo Gazette says the village owes unpaid sales tax revenue since it bought the Angels Crossing golf course in 2009. With fines, Vicksburg could end up paying as much as $70,000. But Vicksburg Manager Jim Mallery says that will come from the golf club, not from taxpayers. He says policies are being reviewed to prevent similar problems in the future. (Kalamazoo Gazette)
In baseball, Battle Creek will play for the Northwoods League World Series championship. The Bombers beat Wisconsin Rapids 6-1 Tuesday night. The best of three championship series will begin at St. Cloud Wednesday night. Game two will be in Battle Creek Thursday and if necessary the Bombers will host game three on Friday. (Battle Creek Bombers)