Fewer bus stops will be available in Kalamazoo County. Some medical marijuana businesses in Michigan could be shut down later this week. The state reports an increase in absentee ballots cast, compared with the 2014 midterm election.
(Kalamazoo Gazette) Some changes are coming to Kalamazoo County’s bus system. The Kalamazoo Gazette reports that the plan approved by the Central County Transportation Authority will reduce the total number of bus stops by 16%. Under the plan 196 stops will be removed, 88 will be added and another 54 will be relocated. Central County Transportation Authority Executive Director Sean McBride says the new plan is designed to address changing transit needs and be more efficient.
(WKAR) People in Michigan who use medical marijuana may have to find another place to get their medicine come Thursday. Monday was the last day for medical marijuana businesses to potentially receive a state license before the October 31st deadline. Businesses that didn’t receive the state’s blessing will be shut down on Thursday. So far, the state has granted 37 provisioning center licenses from close to 200 such applications. People who didn’t receive a state license Monday have an opportunity to be approved at the next Medical Marijuana Licensing Board meeting on November 8. The state says there are close to 300,000 medical marijuana patients in Michigan.
(WCMU) State officials say the number of people casting an absentee ballot in the upcoming midterm election is approaching the figures seen for the 2016 presidential election. A week before the 2016 election roughly 685,000 absentee ballots had been cast. This year nearly 590,000 voters have already submitted their ballots. Fred Woodhams with the Michigan Secretary of State. says the absentee ballots returned are vastly higher than in 2014 when 350,000 absentee ballots were cast. The deadline for obtaining an absentee ballot is November 5th.
(Michigan Radio) Vice President Mike Pence stumped in Michigan Monday for Republican candidates. He appeared at a rally in Waterford for Congressional candidates Mike Bishop and Lena Epstein. The Vice President also attended a rally in Grand Rapids for gubernatorial candidate Bill Schuette, and Senate candidate John James.