Advocates for gun legislation meet with lawmakers at the State Capitol. Allegan County's Prosecutor is appointed to a vacancy on the Circuit Court. WMU women's basketball clinches a home game to start the MAC tournament next week.
Members of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America swarmed the state Capitol Wednesday. Rick Omilian of Plainwell was among those seeking meetings with state lawmakers. His daughter was a victim of gun violence she was killed in a murder-suicide at Kalamazoo College in 1999. Omilian says he’s in favor of a bill currently waiting for a hearing. It would let a court take away a person’s firearms if they show red flags that they could be seen as a danger to themselves or others. Participants at the rally also want the Legislature to not pass measures that would expand the state’s concealed carry laws. Senate Majority Leader Arlan Meekhof is the sponsor of that bill. He says his legislation would help make schools safer. Meekhof’s bill passed the Senate, but it’s been waiting on House committee action since November .
Calhoun County’s Prosecutor says police were justified in a fatal shooting in Battle Creek in January. Josh Prough was killed when he was shot by members of the Michigan State Police on January 22nd. They were attempting to arrest the 36 year old Battle Creek man on multiple felony warrants. The Battle Creek Enquirer says that Prosecutor David Gilbert’s report finds that the officers acted in self-defense when Prough pointed a loaded shotgun at them, and refused orders to drop it.
Governor Rick Snyder has appointed Allegan County’s prosecutor to a vacancy on the circuit court. Snyder announced Wednesday that Robert Kengis will replace Judge Kevin Cronin who retired from the 48th circuit court last month. Kengis was elected Allegan County Prosecutor in 2016. He will have to seek election this November to serve the rest of the term on the circuit court.
Governor Rick Snyder signed legislation Wednesday that rescues the personal exemption on state income taxes from disappearing as a result of the new federal tax law. It also amounts to a net tax reduction as the state is scrambling for revenue to fix roads. The governor says it’s possible right now for the state to offer a tax cut and spend more on roads. But he says it will be tough to keep up with the damage. The Legislature is accelerating spending on road repairs this year. But that money will come from spending on roads in the future.
A Portage man has been arraigned on charges related to making a bomb threat on a Kalamazoo County Court facility. The Kalamazoo Gazette says 23 year old Joseph Geairn faces a charge of false report or threat of a false device. Kalamazoo Township police responded to a threat on Friday against the Kalamazoo County Court House Family Division on Gull Road. Two students face charges in Berrien County for threats against schools. The St. Joseph Benton Harbor Herald-Palladium reports that Berrien County Prosecutor Michael Sepic authorized the charges for threatening electronic communications in Watervliet Schools and Andrews Academy in Berrien Springs. The cases of the unidentified teens have been petitioned into Berrien County Juvenile court.
Western Michigan will open next week’s Mid-American Conference women’s basketball tournament with a home game, thanks to Wednesday night’s 74-66 win over Eastern Michigan. The Bronco seniors became the winningest class in school history with their 71st win over four years. Western will play its final regular season game at Northern Illinois on Saturday.
The private medical school affiliated with Western Michigan University says a $2 million-dollar gift will establish a new fund for research. The Martha G. Parfet Discovery Fund at the Homer Stryker MD School of Medicine is funded by a gift from Parfet’s estate. The long-time business and philanthropic leader in Kalamazoo passed away last year. Dean Hal Jensen said in a statement that the gift from the Parfet estate ensures that Western’s medical school becomes a beacon of medical education and research in Southwest Michigan.
The president of Grand Valley State University will step down next year. Thomas Haas became Grand Valley’s president in 2006. He announced Wednesday that he will retire on June 30th, 2019. Haas says that will give the board of trustees time to find the school’s next president. Board members say they will hire an executive search firm and appoint an advisory committee to look for Grand Valley’s fifth president.