Is he a sexual predator or simply someone moving on to his next professional position? it's hard to guess, now that Michigan's university athletic officials and various global church officials have been put on alert that they are being monitored for horrific abuses of power. WMU is not saying why track and cross country coach Kelly Lycan is on leave, or when the decision was made. A WMU spokesperson refused to elaborate, saying it's a personnel matter and they cannot comment. We can only hope that he is not another white, male coach abusing college athletes. 

Published: February 26, 2019

Over 35 years after 16-year-old Erik Cross was found dead outside his parent's Vicksburg home, the Michigan Attorney General's office is set to step in to review the unsolved homicide investigation. The Kalamazoo County Sheriff's Office and Kalamazoo County Prosecuting Attorney's Office released a joint statement Monday, saying the state's AG office will review the open investigation. “At the request of Kalamazoo County Prosecutor Jeff Getting and the Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Department, the Office of the Attorney General is doing a very preliminary review of the Erik Cross cold case homicide but have not made any determination regarding the next steps," Kelly Rossman McKinney, communications director with AG's office, said in a statement Monday.

Published: February 26, 2019

WWMT: Kalamazoo city commissioners gave the green light to a plan to help address the chronic flooding issues in the city. Commissioners approved a $1.08 million plan Monday to dredge the Crosstown ponds and nearby Axtel Creek. Leaders said it's the first step of many that are needed to fix the problem. The plan calls for the dredging and disposal of 11,140 cubic yards of sediment from the South Crosstown Pond and the twin culverts from the east pond discharge to the confluence channel with the Portage Creek.

Published: February 25, 2019

Guns where they aren’t supposed to be in Kalamazoo last week: A 23-year-old Kalamazoo man was arrested for carrying a concealed weapon, felony firearm and possession of cocaine. A 33-year-old man from Paw Paw was arrested for a warrant and for carrying a concealed weapon. A 32-year-old man from Rockford was arrested for carrying a concealed weapon, felon in possession of a handgun and ammo. 

Published: February 25, 2019

A 12-year-old girl admitted she made up a story that a man tried to lure her into his car while she walked home from school, Village of Richland Police Chief Jeff Mattioli said. Her detailed description of the alleged assailant – he was a short, heavyset black man wearing a red-and-white flannel shirt, black pants and a gold necklace with a dollar-sign pendant – became even more detailed when police re-interviewed her Thursday, the chief said Friday, Feb. 22. Mattioli said his department, along with the Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Department, invested a lot of hours into the investigation.

Published: February 22, 2019

WKZO: Meeting with students, and sampling some beer along the way, Governor Gretchen Whitmer made a stop in both Kalamazoo and Battle Creek for her "Home for Opportunity" tour.  At Kalamazoo Valley Community College's Culinary and Allied Health Center in Kalamazoo, she met with students, toured the building, and even had a chance to try some craft beer made by students in KVCC's brewing program. Learn more about KVCC's sustainable brewing program at their link, below. 

Published: February 21, 2019

Western Michigan University will not be known as a “Tree Campus USA” this year. The decision comes after Western cut down about 60 trees amid student and faculty protests last fall. Tree Campus USA is a conservation program run by the nonprofit Arbor Day Foundation. Participating schools apply for Tree Campus status each year, based on their merits for the previous year. Western is a longtime participant in Tree Campus USA. But last year the school controversially cut down dozens of trees at a development site on the South Side of its main campus. An investigation by WMUK found that the university had not lived up to Tree Campus USA’s standards.

Published: February 21, 2019

Stating that it “will not be the permanent owner of the location,” Cracker Barrel corporate said no to an appeal from Kalamazoo’s ForeverStrong Memorial Foundation to donate the site – where James Dalton killed four people – for a memorial park. Whether this means a sale is in progress or the company is simply waiting for an attractive offer is unclear. WOOD was present when ForeverStrong got the news. The org’s site provides its history and more details of the planned memorial.

Published: February 21, 2019

WWMT: After a natural disaster, or a problem with a water line, water might not be safe to drink. In such cases, local health and government officials are tasked with issuing advisories - for drinking, cooking and general use of the water. So, Michigan Department of Health & Human Services encourages all residents to follow the guidelines listed below. Health officials also warn that water contaminated with fuel or other toxic chemicals cannot be made safe by boiling nor by disinfecting with bleach.

Published: February 20, 2019

KPS: Due to the large number of snow days this school year, Kalamazoo Public Schools will be adjusting the days for the second trimester. So far, the second trimester has been reduced by 10 days, so the district will extend instructional time in the second trimester for another week. Exams will be moved to the week of March 18-22. These changes affect only the high schools. Detailed schedule at the link. 

Published: February 20, 2019

WWMT: A plan to pump water out of Eagle Lake and Crooked Lake into Bass Lake in Kalamazoo County has created controversy between the residents. The Michigan Department of Environment Quality (DEQ) could decide as soon as Thur., Feb. 21, if they will approve a permit to allow communities to pump water out of Eagle Lake and Crooked Lake at a rate of 3,000 gallons per minute and into Bass Lake, which would raise water levels there by one foot. The Rota-Kiwan Scout Reservation is located at Bass Lake, and Executive Scout Don Shepard said there are many concerns about the plan. “If the result is Bass Lake level rises and we flood, it seems like a problem is being moved from one location to another.”

Published: February 19, 2019

Western Michigan University's Evaluation Center has received a five-year, $4.9 million grant from the National Science Foundation to extend and expand its work to support evaluation within the NSF's Advanced Technological Education program. The University's renowned Evaluation Center is tapped by nonprofit organizations, state and federal agencies, and colleges and universities around the country to conduct program evaluation as well as training.

Published: February 13, 2019

The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality held a Kalamazoo community meeting on February 11. At issue are rising water levels that are affecting hundreds of homes and that have driven some residents out of their homes. The proposed solution involves pumping of water out of lakes, which is supported by many residents but opposed by some downstream, who might suffer adverse effects. MLive covered the meeting and provides a thorough account. 

Published: February 12, 2019

The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality will hold a meeting at KVCC on February 11, at 7pm, to address the proposed plan to alleviate chronic Texas Township flooding by pumping water from Eagle and Crooked lakes. Some 400 residents are affected by the high water. Earlier articles by WWMT and WOOD provide background. The DEQ link provides meeting details. 

Published: February 07, 2019