Public radio from Western Michigan University 102.1 NPR News | 89.9 Classical WMUK
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Southwest Michigan Today: Wednesday July 18, 2018

Sign on the Michigan State University Campus, Branislav Ondrasik, Wikimedia Commons
Branislav Ondrasik
/
Wikimedia Commons

A meeting on PFAS contamination in Richland Township is tonight. MSU's new permanent athletic director gets a big raise. Ground breaking on the new bridge crossing between Detroit and Canada. A Southwest Michigan restaurant owner gets a reprieve in his deportation case. Michigan State University trustees approve hiring a new athletic director. 

(Kalamazoo Gazette) Residents of Richland Township say they plan to turn out to a meeting about PFAS contamination this evening. The Department of Environmental Quality has found high levels of the toxic chemicals in several drinking wells in the Richland area. The wells are near the site of the former Production Plated Plastics company. The Kalamazoo Gazette reports that until recently the state pumped water from the site into the Kalamazoo wastewater system, leading to PFAS being dumped in the Kalamazoo River. The DEQ is testing more wells around Richland for contamination. An open house is set for 5:30 this evening at the Living Hope Community Church in Richland Township. An informational meeting starts at 6:30.

(Detroit News) Michigan State University’s new permanent athletic director is getting a major raise. Bill Beekman was earning $400,000 a year as MSU’s interim athletic director. The Detroit News reports that as permanent director, Beekman will earn $750,000 annually not including possible bonuses. Former MSU athletic director Mark Hollis retired earlier this year during an especially turbulent phase of the Larry Nassar sexual abuse scandal.

(WDET) Michigan and Canadian officials broke ground Tuesday on the U.S. port of entry site for the Gordie Howe International Bridge. Workers are beginning roughly $150-million worth of pre-construction activities. Canada is providing all of the funding for the new span.

A Southwest Michigan restaurant owner at the center of a deportation case for more than a decade has been granted a stay for at least the next year. Ibrahim Parlak, who owns Café Gulistan in Harbert, and previously owned another restaurant in downtown Kalamazoo, has faced deportation back to his native Turkey. Parlak has said he could face torture or death if he is sent back to Turkey. In a statement West Michigan Congressman Fred Upton says the news brings a small sigh of relief. But Upton says a bipartisan solution is needed that keeps Parlak in the United States permanently.

(WKAR) Michigan State University has formally approved Bill Beekman as its new athletic director. Beekman has been the interim director since February, when former AD Mark Hollis stepped down in the wake of the Larry Nassar sexual abuse scandal. Beekman most recently served as secretary to the MSU board of trustees, whose vote to approve him as athletic director was unanimous. Beekman says the university has been reviewing all its policies and training to ensure every student has “the safest possible experience” at MSU.

In baseball, Battle Creek won at Wisconsin 12-0 Tuesday. The Bombers and Woodchucks will wrap up their two game series Wednesday night.

Kalamazoo lost at Wisconsin Rapids Tuesday night 13-3. The Growlers and Rafters will play again Wednesday night.

Image from Wikimedia Commons