A state official takes a plea deal in a Flint water crisis case. Portage moves to "streamline" its City Council meetings. Michigan sees its biggest population gain since 2001, and more.
A former state employee has become the fourth person to take a plea deal while facing charges after the Flint water crisis. MLive reports that Adam Rosenthal pleaded no contest today to a misdemeanor charge involving public records. Rosenthal is a water quality analyst at the Department of Environmental Quality. Before the plea deal he faced four charges including two felonies. But the prosecution now says Rosenthal played a minor role in the crisis. Fifteen individuals in total have been charged in the tainted-water crisis in Flint.
Michigan has seen its biggest population gain in more than 15 years. That’s according to an analysis of Census data that came out on Wednesday. The state gained about 29,000 people from July 2016 to 2017. While thousands of people also left Michigan, the net population growth was about 0.3 percent. That’s the biggest gain since 2001. Demographers say it’s a sign that the state’s fortunes are turning around. The Detroit News reports that Michigan is still likely to lose a seat in the US House after the next Census, as other states have grown faster.
For the first time since the 1970s the Portage City Council has changed its meeting time. Council meetings will now begin at 7 at night instead of 7:30. It’s one of several moves that a majority of Portage Council members says will make meetings more efficient. Other changes include shortening public comment time from four to three minutes per person. And the Kalamazoo Gazette reports that the board will no longer read individual items on the Consent Agenda. That drew opposition from members Terry Urban and Claudette Reid. Reid said residents watching at home might miss important information if the consent agenda is not read out loud.
A long-time Western Michigan University Business Professor has been named the dean of the school’s Haworth College of Business. Satish Deshpande is a professor of Management, who first joined the faculty in 1990. He has served as interim Dean of the College since 2016, and before that was Associate Dean. A news release from Western says Deshpande’s selection follows a national search. His appointment as dean of the college of business is effective January first.
Janesville Acoustics is brining 79 jobs to Battle Creek. The Battle Creek Enquirer reports that the company which makes acoustical and thermal fiber insulation for the auto industry is consolidating operations by closings its facility in Richmond, Indiana. Janesville, which is a subsidiary of Jason Industries plans to start moving operations to Battle Creek in early 2018 and complete the transition by August.
In women’s basketball, Western Michigan beat Goshen College Tuesday night 87-36. It was the 100th career victory for Bronco head coach Shane Clipfell. Western is now 7-5 on the season, and have won all four games at home. The Broncos are off until December 30th when they begin Mid-American Conference play at Bowling Green.