(Gongwer News Service) The Michigan Supreme Court has ruled in favor of two people falsely accused by the state of committing unemployment fraud by the state. The court says their claims against the state were filed on time and can go forward, though the Gongwer News Service reports that a court ruled that a third claim had been filed too late to continue. Thousands of Michigan employees were wrongly accused of unemployment fraud due to an error in the state’s computer system. That caused some to lose their tax refunds or to have their wages garnished.
(Gongwer News Service) - Only one Republican in Michigan's congressional delegation voted for a bill on violence against women. Congressman Fred Upton (R-Saint Joseph) sided with Democrats as the House approved the Violence Against Women Act Thursday. Upton was among only 33 Republicans supporting the bill to fight domestic abuse, dating violence, and sexual abuse. Among other things, it would allow police to confiscate guns from people convicted of abusing women. Other Republicans accused Democrats of "politicizing" the issue and say the bill will die in the Senate. Thursday's House vote comes after an earlier federal law on domestic violence expired in February.
(Kalamazoo Gazette) Kalamazoo public safety officers have cleared a camp in downtown Kalamazoo where a group of homeless people had been living for several months. The Kalamazoo Gazette reports that KDPS removed a large amount of trash from the site at Pitcher and Ransom Streets this morning and told campers they had to leave. The land belongs to the Norfolk Southern railroad according to the city. A KDPS lieutenant says his department made an effort to help residents find other housing resources. Kalamazoo cleared a homeless encampment in Bronson Park last September amid protests from residents who said the city needed to do more to fight homelessness.
(MPRN) - Michigan lawmakers in Washington want veterans to receive full coverage for health problems caused by exposure to PFAS. The industrial chemicals have been discovered in sites across Michigan, including the Battle Creek Air National Guard base. Congressman Dan Kildee (D-MI) is a sponsor of new legislation that would require the Department of Veterans’ Affairs to provide free services for veterans and their families who suffer from PFAS-related health conditions. Kildee said veterans are at a higher risk of exposure because so many military bases have PFAS contamination. More than 100 military sites across the country have discovered PFAS contamination, in part because the military uses firefighting foam containing the chemicals.
(MLive) - State officials have announced new screening standards for PFAS in Michigan. The state will now look for five kinds of the chemicals that have been used in everything from firefighting products to food wrappers. The State Department of Health and Human Services developed the new standards earlier this year and began using them Thursday, April 4. Governor Gretchen Whitmer says the state will also set maximum levels for PFAS chemicals in drinking water that will be lower than federal limits. Whitmer says the state has to act because the Environmental Protection Agency isn't moving fast enough.
(MLive) - A letter stolen from a plaque in Grand Rapids honoring former president Gerald R. Ford and first lady Betty Ford has been returned. A 19-year-old Indiana man gave the metal letter back Thursday after taking it last week while skateboarding with a friend. The vandalism caused about $400 in damage to the Fords' gravesite at the Ford Presidential Museum in downtown Grand Rapids. Police say it's up to Kent County prosecutors to decide if charges should be filed.
The economy in west Michigan is still recovering from the "Great Recession" in 2008 - slowly. That's according to Grand Valley State University economist Brian Long. He surveys the region's economy each month for the National Purchasing Management Association. Long says business leaders weren't as optimistic about the future last month as they were in February. He says lingering trade issues with China, Britain's looming "Brexit" from the European Union, and falling car sales are taking their toll. The new survey found a small dip in the number of jobs in the region.
(Detroit News) - Lawyers for former Michigan State University sports doctor Larry Nassar are renewing their call for him to be resentenced by a new judge. Nassar is serving a life sentence in prison after he was convicted on multiple state and federal counts of sexual abuse last year. But Nassar's attorneys say the Ingham County judge who sentenced him was biased. The Michigan Supreme Court refused to hear Nassar's appeal earlier this week. The State Attorney General's office says the court's handling of Nassar's case was fair and that there's no need to sentence him again.
(St. Joseph-Benton Harbor Herald-Palladium) Grass fire season is off to a strong start in parts of Southwest Michigan. That’s according to firefighters in Berrien County who say they’ve already seen four grass fires break out in just a couple of townships. The Saint Joseph-Benton Harbor Herald-Palladium reports that many of the blazes start with homeowners burning yard waste on windy days. Firefighters say anyone burning brush needs to verify that it’s legal in their area, get a permit if required and pay attention to the weather.
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