A group called "Save Nazareth" hopes to save the chapterhouse at the former Nazareth College from demolition. Portage Mayor Patricia Randall will run for a second term. Drivers in the City of Kalamazoo will have to stop for pedestrians in crosswalks, even when there's no stoplight. State Representative Larry Inman has been voted out of the State House Republican Caucus. An anti-abortion group has a plan for circumventing the governor's veto on a measure that would make most abortions illegal. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer praised Fiat-Chrysler's plans to build a new plant in Detroit.
Opponents of a plan to tear down an historic building on the old campus of Nazareth College aren’t giving up. A group called “Save Nazareth” wants Kalamazoo City commissioners to stop the project – at least for now. The Sisters of Saint Joseph plan to demolish its chapterhouse to free up money to meet other community needs. But "Save Nazareth” spokeswoman Anne Zemlick says the building should stay.
“We know the buildings are sound, we know they can be used. We are also aware that there are parties, nonprofit organizations who are very interested in utilizing those buildings for the betterment of this community.”
Zemlick says her group hopes the city will put a moratorium on demolition to give it and the Sisters of Saint Joseph time to work out an agreement. But Kalamazoo City commissioners didn’t act on the request Monday. Earlier this year, they ordered the city’s Historic Preservation Commission to stop work on a proposed historic district at Nazareth that would have made tearing the building down more difficult.
Portage Mayor Patricia Randall will run for a second term. Randall, a former Portage City Council member was elected mayor in 2017. Randall says that on her watch, the city has cut its debt while also cutting taxes and service fees for residents. Randall says if she’s reelected she’ll work to build a community center for seniors and help lead the replacement search for Portage’s city manager when he retires.
Drivers in Kalamazoo must stop for pedestrians at crosswalks without traffic lights starting June 1st. That's when a new city ordinance approved earlier this year takes effect. It requires motorists to yield to people on foot or bicycles at marked crosswalks where there aren't traffic signals. But pedestrians and bicyclists have to obey traffic signals at other crossings. The new ordinance also allows people to ride their bikes on sidewalks in most areas. It also requires pedestrians and those on two wheels to stop and look before entering a crosswalk.
(MLive) A bill in the State House would make it illegal to film someone who’s legally hunting or fishing and does not want to be recorded. Sponsor John Reilly, a Republican of Oakland Township says he wants to protect hunters and anglers from harassment, specifically from activists who post videos on the internet. Mlive reports that the bill would ban the recording of a hunter or fisher with an intent to harass that person. Michigan law already makes it illegal to interfere with legal hunting, including with a drone. The bill is in a House committee that deals with outdoor recreation.
(Detroit Free Press) As the Ford Motor Company prepares to lay off thousands of workers, some financial experts say the cuts don’t go far enough. The Detroit Free Press reports that one Morgan Stanley analyst says Ford needs to lay off about 23,000 employees, and soon, to reach its profit goals. Ford plans to let about 7,000 employees go from its operations around the world this summer, a number that another analyst suggested was far too low to improve the company’s profitability. Ford will be telling about 500 Detroit-area employees about the layoffs in the next few days, and more workers will be getting notice in the coming weeks.
(MPRN) Representative Larry Inman has been kicked out of the state House Republican caucus. Two thirds of his fellow Republicans say Inman needs to go. That’s after he was indicted last week on charges he solicited campaign donations in exchange for his vote on a labor issue. The lawmaker from near Traverse City is also accused of lying to the FBI. House Speaker Lee Chatfield says he also believes Inman should leave the Legislature.
“I have asked Representative Inman to resign in his official capacity as state representative, and I’m still hoping he does the right thing,” he said.
Inman did not attend Tuesday’s House session. But he has said he has no intention of quitting. House Speaker Chatfield says he’s not ready to talk about expelling Inman.
(MPRN) A group is hoping its controversial ballot initiative won’t actually make it to voters. The Michigan Heartbeat Coalition filed ballot petition language Tuesday. It would ban abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected. The group says if it gets enough signatures, it wants the Legislature to adopt the measure – making it law without a statewide vote and without the governor’s signature. Democratic Senator Mallory McMorrow is against the move.
“The attempt to circumvent the governor, I mean it’s very frustrating. And what we’ve seen is none of my constituents asked for this. This is an onslaught that’s taking place on the national level to slowly chip away at women’s rights,” she said.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer has said she will veto anti-abortion legislation that reaches her desk.
(MLive) Taxpayers in Flint might have to pay the legal bills for state officials accused of mismanaging the city’s drinking water. MLive reports that although the state appointed the former emergency managers, more than one-and-a-half million dollars in lawyers’ fees have gone directly to Flint city hall. Michigan Senate Minority Leader Jim Ananich, a Democrat from Flint, says the state, not the city, should pay the lawyers for the former emergency managers. So far the state’s agreed to reimburse only a fraction of the costs.
(MPRN) Governor Gretchen Whitmer says plans by Fiat-Chrysler to build the first new auto plant inside Detroit city limits in decades is good news for the entire state. She says more car production in the city means more direct hiring by Fiat-Chrysler and more work for Michigan-based auto suppliers.
“These jobs will have a sweeping ripple effect throughout our economy. It will strengthen our economy and working families will benefit across Michigan,” she said.
Whitmer says the “multiplier effect” could mean as many as eight times as many jobs expected to be directly created at the new plant. The Michigan Strategic Fund approved a generous package of incentives as part of the effort to win the project.
