Governor Whitmer signs an emergency declaration because of the winter storm. Private money will keep a moose-wolf study going on Isle Royale, even if the government shuts down again. After two weather delays, the Kalamazoo City Commission meets and approves a budget. Weather delays games this week for WMU men’s and women’s basketball.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer has signed an order declaring a state of emergency in response to the winter storm. In a message sent Monday night on Twitter, Whitmer says that will allow the state to address threats to public health and safety caused by heavy snowfall and sub-zero temperatures. The governor is also activating the State Emergency Operations Center at the Michigan State Police Headquarters in Dimondale. The center will coordinate response of state agencies and local governments.
The weather has not been kind to City of Kalamazoo commission meetings recently, but with the legal deadline for passing the city budget approaching, members did meet at noon Tuesday to get the work done. The commission planned to vote on the approximately $182 million appropriation last week. That meeting got canceled due to bad weather, and so did the rescheduled session set for Monday night. The city’s finances have been bolstered in recent years by a public-private partnership, the Foundation for Excellence. Commissioner David Anderson says this year’s budget is meant to build, in his words, “a foundation for a future for everyone in Kalamazoo.”
(MPRN) The Senate will start the oversight process for some of Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s state department appointees. The state Senate has 60 days to object to certain Whitmer appointees, otherwise the appointee is automatically confirmed. The Senate Advice and Consent committee will meet on Wednesday to consider the appointment of Paul Ajegba. He’s been selected This week the committee will also consider Whitmer’s pick for the Michigan Children’s Ombudsman.
(WNMU) The National Parks of Lake Superior Foundation has come up with a plan to allow a moose-wolf study on Isle Royale to continue, federal shutdown or not. The island was off-limits to researchers who wanted to transport wolves from Ontario to the park during the partial government shutdown. Rolf Peterson, with Michigan Technological University and a longtime researcher on the predation project, says the Foundation is committing private money to pay for relocating the wolves and monitoring them afterward so the two projects can move forward despite any future shutdown. The National Park Service is now waiting on a weather window to move Canadian wolves to Isle Royale—just in time for mating season.
Western Michigan senior Seth Dugan has been named the Mid-American Conference West Division’s co-men’s basketball player of the week. Dugan scored 23 points and pulled down 15 rebounds at Ohio, then had 29 points and 10 rebounds against Eastern Michigan. The Broncos game against Kent State that had been scheduled for Tuesday night has been postponed until Thursday due to weather. Western’s game against the Golden Flashes will start at 6:00 Thursday night in University Arena.
The winter storm has also delayed a Western Michigan women’s basketball game one day. The Broncos were to play at Northern Illinois Wednesday. Western’s game against the Huskies is now scheduled for Thursday night.
Two Western Michigan players have been honored by the National Collegiate Hockey Conference for their part in the Broncos’ sweep of Denver this past weekend. Senior Trevor Gorsuch has been named goaltender of the week and Junior Cam Lee the NCHC’s defenseman of the week. The Broncos will play at Omaha Friday and Saturday night.