Governor Whitmer makes her case for a road funding package as rural lawmakers worry about being shortchanged. Tests show groundwater contamination is spreading around a Kalamazoo County company. WMU women’s basketball loses in Mount Pleasant.
(WGVU) Governor Gretchen Whitmer was in Grand Rapids Wednesday, kicking off her “Road to Opportunity Tour.” In her state budget proposal released this week it includes raising $2.5 billion over 10-years to fix the state’s roads. One revenue stream is a 45-cents-a-gallon fuel tax hike. Some Republican lawmakers have said that’s too large a tax increase. Whitmer says she’s open to other funding ideas but that $2.5 billion dollars is what it’s going to take to get it done.
(MPRN) Meanwhile some lawmakers in rural Michigan say their residents would get shortchanged under Governor Whitmer’s road funding plan. Republican Representative Triston Cole says he doesn’t want rural areas, like his in northern Michigan, to get shortchanged. Cole says rural areas also face challenges with their road conditions and deserve to have a fair share of funding.
(Kalamazoo Gazette) Groundwater contamination around a Kalamazoo County company is spreading. The Kalamazoo Gazette says tests have found that a plume of vinyl chloride has drifted beyond the property of Burroughs Corporation on North Burdick Street in Kalamazoo Township. The company wants Kalamazoo County commissioners to prevent people and businesses from drilling water wells in the area. There aren't any there now, and county health officials say the contamination doesn't threaten public health. Burroughs says it's spent five million dollars on clean-up so far. It also says some of the problem may be caused by other businesses in the area.
(Detroit News) Michigan Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib says she'll file a resolution of impeachment against President Donald Trump. The Detroit News says Tlaib made the announcement Wednesday on Capitol Hill. The Detroit Democrat has long called for Trump's impeachment. Tlaib says Trump is - in her words - "dangerous to our American democracy." Democratic leaders in Washington have asked members to hold off on impeachment moves until special prosecutor Robert Mueller issues his report. But Tlaib says she'll introduce her resolution later this month.
(Detroit Free Press) $42-million in medical marijuana sales have been reported since licensed dispensaries opened in Michigan November first. The Detroit Free Press reports that the number is higher than expected because the state only has 54 medical marijuana dispensaries that have been open for a few months. Michigan voters approved medical marijuana in 2008 and voted to legalize recreational marijuana last year. The state says about 50 dispensaries operating without a license have until the end of the month to get a license or risk shut down.
(Michigan Radio) A congressional committee chairman says the federal government’s current funding for cleaning up PFAS contamination at military bases is “inadequate.” The comment came during a hearing on the issue Wednesday in Washington. The former Wurtsmith Air Force Base in Oscoda is among dozens of current and former military bases contaminated with the chemicals. They're linked to serious health problems.
In women’s basketball, Western Michigan lost at Central Michigan Wednesday night 88-57. Forward Jasmyn Walker led the Broncos with 16 points. Western will host Northern Illinois Saturday afternoon in the regular season finale.
Western Michigan had season highs in runs and hits Wednesday in a 22-1 win over Georgetown at the Snowbird Classic in Port Charlotte, Florida. The Broncos had 27 hits in their fourth victory of the baseball season. Western begins a three game series at North Florida Friday.