Advertisement

State

Kalamazoo City Commission tables Safe Routes to School contract amid public pushback

Commissioners voted unanimously to table the item and revisit it at a future meeting. City staff said they plan to prepare additional information, including visuals, and hold a meeting to gather resident feedback before returning to the commission. “If we postpone it to one more meeting, it’s not going to have a delay on receiving the funds,” Commissioner Jae Slaby said. “It will not jeopardize these funds. It will not jeopardize the contract. So why not just have the due diligence done and send the message to the community that we are hearing their concerns?”

Advertisement
Latest in State
Journalists and advocates gather in Kalamazoo to discuss affordable housing

Panelists included journalists who regularly cover housing and community issues — Watershed Voice editor-in-chief and founder Alek Haak-Frost, Brad Devereaux of MLive, Jordyn Hermani of Bridge Michigan, and freelance journalist Al Jones, project editor for On the Ground Kalamazoo — as well as housing advocates Gwendolyn Hooker of Kalamazoo-based Hope Through Navigation, Shanay Settles of the Calhoun County Health Department, and Patsy Moore of Mount Zion Baptist Church and Legacy Senior Living.

Michigan mental health service shift blocked by Court of Claims

The dispute began last fall, when the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) issued a request that would have consolidated Michigan’s 10 Prepaid Inpatient Health Plans (PIHPs) regions—funded primarily through Medicaid behavioral health dollars—into three “super-regions.” Regional PIHPs later learned that they, as the current providers, were excluded from bidding because they are statutorily restricted to operating within their designated regions. The PIHPs filed a lawsuit, arguing the RFP violated Michigan law and threatened locally administered mental health care that has existed since the 1990s.

Watershed Voice: Year in Review

Before our three-week publishing pause, Watershed Voice invites our readers to take a look back at the past year in local news. For Watershed Voice, it was a year marked by change, as we transitioned from one staff writer — Najifa Farhat for the first half of the year — to another, Maxwell Knauer, for the second half of the year. No matter the author of our stories, we aimed to bring prompt, fact-based, independent reporting to Southwest Michigan. Here’s a look at some of our favorite, most impactful, and most-read stories of 2025.

Michigan state senator moves to guarantee marriage equality in Michigan constitution

Because the Michigan Constitution can only be amended through a voter-approved ballot measure, Senate Joint Resolution F, must first secure a two-thirds majority in both legislative chambers. In the Senate, that means 25 votes. Democrats hold 19 seats, and Sen. Jeremy Moss said all have co-sponsored the resolution, leaving six Republican votes needed for passage. If approved by the Senate, the resolution would move to the House, where a two-thirds vote is also required – 73 votes total. Republicans currently hold a 58–52 majority.

Michigan misses budget deadline, passes short-term funding to avoid shutdown

Lawmakers already missed the July 1 deadline when the legislature is required to pass school aid funding, typically alongside a full budget.

Meeting primer: Lockport Township Planning Commission

This month’s meeting is drawing heightened attention as commissioners consider a proposed Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) text amendment. Some residents have raised safety and land use concerns about allowing large battery storage units alongside solar facilities, pointing to risks such as fire hazards and changes to rural character.  Township officials, however, are urging residents to “slow down and know the facts,” according to a statement on the township’s website.

Residents urge Kalamazoo to ‘deflock’ as commission reviews city manager search

Community members called for the removal of Flock cameras, and city staff provided an update on the search for a new city manager during Monday's Kalamazoo City Commission meeting.

Michigan residents left waiting for lawmakers to decide future of key services ahead of October 1 deadline

If lawmakers fail to strike a deal by October 1, Michigan could face a government shutdown — a reminder of how closely Lansing’s choices are tied to services local residents depend on, like access to critical mental health services, addiction treatment, and autism support programs.

Joel Potrykus on Michigan, music, and truly independent filmmaking

“We’re always looking for the dead trees, the dirty water — the ugly spots nobody else is pointing a camera at. Because when I say I’m a Michigan filmmaker, it’s absolutely not in the vein of Pure Michigan tourism ads. That’s not it.”

A NOTE FROM OUR EDITOR

Become a monthly donor today

A monthly donation of $5 or more can make a difference.