A boil water advisory for everyone on the Battle Creek water system. State House Republicans say they agree on the need for road and water infrastructure. Three years after a shooting spree in Kalamazoo County, land is still being sought for a memorial.
Everyone who gets their drinking water from the City of Battle Creek should boil it first. The city issued the unusual general advisory Tuesday. Officials say it follows damage to a large water line near the Verona Pumping Station. The advisory also includes people in Springfield as well as Bedford, Emmett, Leroy, and Pennfield townships. The city says the problem could reduce water pressure, allowing contamination to get into the water. It says the boil-water advisory, which is in effect until further notice, is a precaution.
(MPRN) State House Republican leaders say they’re ready to work with Democratic lawmakers and Governor Gretchen Whitmer to address Michigan’s infrastructure challenges. State Representative Aaron Miller sits on the House Appropriations Committee. It helps set budget priorities. The Sturgis lawmaker says Republicans and Democrats agree Michigan needs safe water and better roads. Miller says that means lawmakers face tough choices to re-direct existing revenue, come up with new money, or a combination of both. Governor Whitmer is supposed to lay out her budget plans in early March.
Three years ago Wednesday night six people were killed and two others were seriously injured in a shooting spree in Kalamazoo County. The Kalamazoo Forever Strong Foundation says it’s still working on plans to build a memorial. In a news release, members of the foundation say they are hoping to secure land at the now closed Cracker Barrel restaurant in Texas Township. Four of the victims were killed there on February 20, 2016 and Abigail Kopf, who was 14 at the time was shot and critically wounded. The Forever Strong Foundation says it has yet to get a response from Cracker Barrel headquarters.
(MPRN) State lawmakers want to go to the Michigan Supreme Court to find out if something they did in their last session is legal. Attorney General Dana Nessel is considering a request for a formal opinion. Some Democratic lawmakers want to know whether the Republican-led Legislature’s adopt and amend tactic used last year is okay. Lawmakers adopted two ballot proposals – and then made major changes to them – instead of letting voters decide. A Republican Representative has introduced a measure to ask the state Supreme Court for its opinion. Democrats in the state House say they welcome the Supreme Court’s input and have no doubt the court will rule the move was unconstitutional. The state Senate also plans to introduce and vote on a similar measure Wednesday.
(Michigan Radio) Flint is joining the long-list of Michigan communities suing drug companies for damages related to opioid abuse. Flint officials say they are seeing a rising number of opioid-related deaths and overdoses. Kalamazoo County, Detroit and Grand Rapids are among dozens of Michigan cities and counties who’ve also filed lawsuits against drug companies.