Goodwill Industries of Southwest Michigan is providing assistance for people in who have been affected by recent flooding. Goodwillsays it will provide vouchers of up to $100 for people who call or show up at one of their stores. The vouchers are good for one shopping trip only, and must be used by March 30th.
The city of Saugatuck will cut ties with the combined police department it has with the city of Douglas. The Holland Sentinelreports that Saugatuck’s city council voted to end its agreement with Douglas Monday night. The city will contract with Allegan County Sheriff’s Department for police services. Supporters of the change say Saugatuck can save over 200-thosand dollars a year, and that other communities served by the Allegan County Sheriff have reported they are satisfied with the service. Opponents of the change say they are concerned about public safety.
The U.S. Supreme Court has ended a lawsuit over the Gun Lake Casino by upholding a lower court ruling dismissing a land owner’s lawsuit. David Patchak sued in 2008 after the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Potawatomigot approval to build the casino near his property. He challenged the Secretary of the Interior’s authority to approve placing the land in trust for the casino. This is the second time that the case has come before the nation’s highest court. In 2014, the lawsuit was allowed to go ahead. But Congress than passed new legislation that removed the court’s jurisdiction to hear the case, and the lawsuit was dismissed. The Supreme Court affirmed the suit’s dismissal in a 6-3 decision released Tuesday.
The Kalamazoo River fell below ten feet Monday afternoon and is expected to return to normal levels by Thursday. City officials say some streets will remain closed until it drops below its flood stage of nine feet. Kalamazoo Public Safety officials say they've identified the man who's body was discovered floating in floodwaters Sunday morning. The Kalamazoo Gazette says he's 48-year-old James Jackson of Kalamazoo. Jackson's car was found underwater nearby on Riverview Drive. Officials say the cause of Jackson's death is still under investigation.
State House Democrats are calling for universal free community college. That’s part of a list of priorities they’ve set for 2018. The plans also include shifting Michigan from a flat-rate income tax to a graduated income tax. State Representative Fred Durhal is the ranking Democrat on the House budget committee. He says the current system isn’t fair. “And as a result, working families are forced to pay a higher portion of their income in state and local taxes than billionaires and corporate CEOs. Michigan’s working families deserve a better deal.” With Republicans in control, Democratic priorities aren't likely to get a hearing. Democratic leaders say they’re willing to negotiate, but also plan to make these differences election campaign issues as Democrats seek to win House control.
Survivors of sexual abuse by former MSU sports doctor Larry Nassar joined with lawmakers Monday to rollout new legislation. It's aimed at fighting sexual misconduct at colleges and universities. The bills range from extending the statute of limitations for criminal and civil cases to requiring that coaches and athletic trainers report suspected abuse. Lawmakers say that would deter potential perpetrators and ensure victims are heard if it doesn’t. Rachael Denhollander was one of the first women to come forward about Nassar’s abuse. She says Michigan isn’t doing enough to provide justice for victims, but, “I am proud to say that the legislative package will become a blueprint for our country.” Denhollander called on the legislature and the governor to approve the legislation before summer.
Michigan State University faces another federal investigation into the Nassar case. U.S. Education Secretary Betsy De Vos says her department will look into possible violations of Title Nine because its handling of sexual abuse by Nassar. The university already faced a separate inquiry by the department into whether it violated the Clery Act on campus safety. De Vos says she expects Michigan State to cooperate with the new investigation.
Withdrawing large amounts of groundwater would be a lot easier under legislation moving through the State Capitol. MLive says the plan sponsored by Republican Representative Aaron Miller of Sturgis is on a "fast track" in the House. It would prevent the public from getting information about the amount of water pumped by farms. It would also make the permit process a lot faster. Critics say the plan would hurt Michigan's groundwater by removing government protections. Miller says it's intended to help farms meet growing demand for seed crops, especially corn.
Most parts of southwest Michigan have recovered from the "Great Recession" of 2008. That's according to a new report by the Upjohn Employment Research Institute. It says the Kalamazoo area now has slightly more jobs than it did before the downturn started. And home prices have recovered. The report says Battle Creek's employment level is up even more, compared to 2009. But the number of new homes being built in the Battle Creek area is still lower than it was before the recession.
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