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Portage School Bond Approved

Photo of vote sign by Andy Robins, WMUK
Andrew Robins
/
WMUK

Portage Schools District voters have approved a $176-million bond issue. The money will be primarily used to replace five aging elementary buildings, and to remodel a sixth school. The district will also use the money to upgrade busses and technology. The full project is expected to take 10 years. The Portage bond passed by a comfortable margin.

There was a different result in Van Buren County. A $54-million bond issue for school improvements in the Paw Paw school district was narrowly rejected by voters. It fell 45 votes short of passage.

Elsewhere, funding issues for park improvements in the Village of Paw Paw and a new fire station in Paw Paw Township both passed. In Calhoun County, by a 4 to 1 margin, voters in Emmett Township renewed a public safety millage.

State Representative Mark Huizenga narrowly won the Republican primary for a vacant state Senate seat in Kent County. Huizenga and two other candidates were separated by less than 300 votes. The vacancy was created in the 28th state Senate district when Peter MacGregor was elected Kent County Treasurer. Huizenga will face Democrat Keith Courtade, who won his party's primary Tuesday, in the November general election.

All results are unofficial until canvassers meet later this week.