Two Kalamazoo Public School teachers have been honored for their work. The Kalamazoo County’s Prosecutors Office says Kalamazoo Public Safety officers were justified in a fatal shooting last month. MSU’s former president will return to court in June.
A Kalamazoo art teacher is in the running for Michigan teacher of the year. Doug Duncan, who teaches at Indian Prairie and Prairie Ridge Elementary Schools has been named the Region 7 Teacher of the year. He was one of 400 teachers nominated across the state for 10 regional awards. Duncan, and the other winners are now finalists for state teacher of the year. Another KPS teacher, Kharen Warfield Shelton has been named the 2019 instructor of the year by the Michigan Restaurant Association. Shelton began working with KRESA’s culinary arts program before becoming a teacher in the Kalamazoo district. Shelton and other state winners are finalists the National Educator of Excellence Award.
(Kalamazoo Gazette) The Kalamazoo County Prosecutor’s office says Kalamazoo Public Safety officers were justified in a fatal shooting in downtown Kalamazoo last month. The Kalamazoo Gazette says no charges will be filed against the officers. Brandon Stacey was shot and killed in the Biomat USA donor center on March 12th. Officers exchanged gunfire with Stacey, and one Brendan Westrick was struck three times, including two shots that hit his bullet proof vest. Officer Emily Weston ordered Stacey to drop his weapon, and shot the suspect when he did not. Kalamazoo County Prosecutor Jeff Getting says the officers had reason to believe that they and others were in immediate danger at the time.
(Kalamazoo Gazette) Kalamazoo County Commissioners have voted to move forward on a new justice facility to be constructed near the county administration building downtown. The Kalamazoo Gazette says commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to authorize the administration to move forward on the design of a new facility that would include courts and the prosecutor’s office. They set a project budget of $90-million.
(MPRN) The former president of Michigan State University will be back in court in June. Lou Anna Simon is charged with multiple counts of lying to law enforcement. Police say Simon lied about what she knew and when about a 2014 complaint against former university sports doctor Larry Nassar. Nassar will spend decades in prison for sexually assaulting multiple patients. Tuesday was day four of a hearing to determine if there is enough evidence to send Simon to trial for two felony and two misdemeanor charges.
(MPRN) A state lawmaker wants to make sure consent is taught as part of sex education classes. State Senator Curtis Hertel is a Democrat whose district includes Michigan State University. He says students need to learn about sexual assault and consent before they graduate from high school and go to college. A Kaiser Foundation-Washington Post survey from four years ago found confusion and wide disagreement among college students about what constitues consent. At least one study shows the likelihood of sexual assault is even higher among young adults who don’t go to college. Governor Whitmer supports the bills.
Western Michigan University has announced a road football game at Wisconsin in 2026. The Broncos and the Badgers have played five times, most recently in the 2017 Cotton Bowl. Western’s one win over Wisconsin came in 1988. The Broncos will play at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison on September 5th, 2026. Western will open the 2019 football season against Monmouth August 31st in Waldo Stadium.
In softball, two Western Michigan pitchers combined on the team’s fourth shutout of the season as the Broncos won at Purdue Fort Wayne Tuesday 3-0. Western will play at Valparaiso Wednesday afternoon.
In baseball, Western Michigan lost at Valparaiso Tuesday 11-1. The Broncos play another non-conference game Wednesday afternoon, they will host Grace College.