Only one street in Kalamazoo is still closed because of recent flooding. City officials say that's Crosstown Parkway between Park and Rose streets. Officials in Kalamazoo County are trying to find out how many people have been affected by the floodwaters. They say residents who need help should call 211 to get on the assessment list. Goodwill Industries of Southwest Michigan says it's offering help to people in the region who've been affected by flooding. Goodwill says it will provide vouchers of up to $100 for people who call or show up at one of its stores. The vouchers are good for one shopping trip and must be used by March 30th. The Red Cross and the Salvation Army are offering flood clean up kits from noon to 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Lakewood Fire Station, 3100 E. Lake Street.
Western Michigan University’s medical school says a two-million dollar gift will establish a new fund for research. The Martha G. Parfet Discovery Fund at the Homer Stryker MD School of Medicine is funded by a gift from Parfet’s estate. The long-time business and philanthropic leader in Kalamazoo passed away last year. Dean Hal Jensen said in a statement that the gift from the Parfet estate ensures that Western’s medical school becomes a beacon of medical education and research in Southwest Michigan.
The Portage City Council has delayed a decision on medical marijuana. The Kalamazoo Gazette says Council members want more time to consider new ordinances. They would allow medical marijuana sellers, growers, and distributors to stay open while they wait for state licenses. Council members say they want to look at issues like how far medical marijuana facilities should be from churches and other religious buildings. The issue will come back for a vote on March 13th.
The president of Grand Valley State University will step down next year. Thomas Haas became Grand Valley’s president in 2006. He announced Wednesday that he will retire on June 30th, 2019. Haas says that will give the board of trustees time to find the school’s next president. Board members say they will hire an executive search firm and appoint an advisory committee to look for Grand Valley’s fifth president.
A state lawmaker says he's working on a bill that would let teachers and other school workers carry guns. The Gongwer News Service says Republican Representative Jim Runestad's bill would arm teachers and other school employees who volunteer to get special training. Runestad says that would help prevent massacres like the one at a Florida high school earlier this month. Several other states are considering measures to arm teachers and President Donald Trump says he supports the idea. But critics say putting guns into schools isn't the answer.
Gun raffles in Michigan are getting more attention in the wake of the recent mass shooting at a high school in Florida. The Detroit Free Press says an AR-15, the same kind of gun used in Florida, was offered as a prize at a recent fundraiser for a high school football team in South Lyons. It was canceled after people objected. State officials say they don't know how often firearms are offered as prizes at raffles. Charities that do offer guns as prizes must work through licensed dealers who do background checks before winners can claim their prize.
Bills to extend time limits on filing sex assault lawsuits have cleared a state Senate committee. That's part of the state’s response to the Larry Nassar scandal and the issue of sexual misconduct on college campuses. Survivors of abuse by the former Michigan State University sports doctors abuse were among those who testified for the bills on Tuesday. The legislation would also require adults who work with student athletes to report suspicions of abuse. Civil liberties groups and the Catholic church are among those who’ve raised concerns the proposed new rules would be too punitive and, maybe, unconstitutional. But those arguments didn't sway Senate Judiciary Chairman Rick Jones. He says coaches, trainers, and others who work with student athletes take on a responsibility. “They know what they need to do. And if they can’t do it, they need to sit in a prison cell next to Larry Nassar." The bills now go the full Senate, where they could be voted on as soon as next week.
The U.S. Supreme Court has ended a long-running court battle over an Indian casino in Allegan County. It upheld a lower court's ruling that dismissed a landowner’s lawsuit against the Gun Lake Casino near Wayland. David Patchak sued in 2008 after the Gun Lake Band of Potawatomi got federal approval to build the casino near his property. He challenged the Interior Department's authority to put land into trust for the casino. This is the second time the case has come before the nation’s highest court. In 2014, the lawsuit was allowed to go ahead. But then Congress passed new legislation that removed the court’s jurisdiction to hear the case, and the lawsuit was dismissed.
The City of Saugatuck will cut ties with the combined police department that also serves the neighboring City of Douglas. The Holland Sentinel says Saugatuck’s city council voted to end its agreement with Douglas Monday night. The city will contract with the Allegan County Sheriff’s Department for police services instead. Supporters say that will save more than $200,000 a year. And they say other communities served by the sheriff have been satisfied with the service. But opponents of the change say they're are concerned about its effect on public safety.
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