local government

KALAMAZOO, MI - Traffic stops by Kalamazoo police are down nearly half in the six months following release of a racial profiling study that found black motorists are more than twice as likely as whites to be pulled over.

A national debate has emerged in recent years over how to shore up government pension funds while at the same time not burdening today's workers and citizens with paying too much for past promises. Nobody claims fixing the problem will be easy. And nobody claims that fixing the problem won't hurt.

A new rental ordinance in Emmett Township may help solve problems for residents of Triangle Mobile Home Park.

OTSEGO, MI -- An outbuilding at the beleaguered former site of the Rock Tenn paper mill on Helen Avenue has collapsed under the weight of accumulated snow, but no one's complaining. "It may actually reduce the demolition cost for that particular building," said Dan Wedge, executive director of services for Allegan County.

The Holland Board of Public Works will be in debt to the tune of roughly $165 million by this time next month.At a Wednesday joint meeting of the Holland City Council and the BPW Board of Directors, the sale of up to $195 million in bonds was approved unanimously by each entity.Despite the higher figure, BPW General Manager Dave Koster expects that the true amount to be borrowed will be closer to $160-165 million.