16 former Kent County Jail inmates file federal suit against Aramark over...
A group of former inmates at the Kent County Jail is suing the sheriff in federal court. The case also blames the food service company Aramark for what inmates called a “mass poisoning.” The case stems...
View ArticleFederal judge says he cannot force state, county to recognize gay couple’s...
A federal judge in Grand Rapids will not order the state of Michigan to immediately recognize the marriage of a gay couple from East Grand Rapids. Brian Morgan and Bruce Merrucci got married in New...
View ArticleKent County landlords encourage members to get voluntary certification in...
The landlord association in Kent County is teaming up with Grand Rapids police to try and reduce crime. They’re offering a new training program for their 1,400 members on how to react to, reduce, and...
View ArticleHere's a concept: Have voters actually inform our politicians
The Next Idea Let’s face it: The unsettling truth is that too many of us aren’t really sure whether democracy works anymore. We are marinating in a bitter rhetorical sauce of claims that “Lansing is...
View ArticleNew U.S. Census data reveal Grand Rapids growth, Wayne County decline
New Census figures show the Grand Rapids area is the fastest growing metro area in Michigan. The numbers released Thursday by the U.S. Census Bureau say the Grand Rapids area, which includes Barry,...
View ArticleProposed Kent County tax increase would fund zoo, museum
It will be up to Kent County voters to decide a proposed tax increase to fund the John Ball Zoo and Grand Rapids Public Museum. Last Thursday, county commissioners voted to include the millage proposal...
View ArticleKent County surprised how much methane coming from closed landfill
It's going to take more time and work than originally expected to fix a methane problem at an old Kent County landfill. In August, county officials discovered during routine tests that the methane from...
View ArticleLessenberry on local elections, ballot proposals, and Line 5
Last night (May 2) voters in Ann Arbor and Kent County approved funding for schools. Two proposals that would have allowed the construction of wind farms spanning several townships in Huron County were...
View ArticleVoters approve funding for schools, reject wind farms
On May 2 Ann Arbor voters approved a new millage that will be used to renovate the city's public schools. The millage will raise more than $200 million over 10 years. The majority of the money will be...
View Article$500K grants will help Grand Rapids area nonprofits supply affordable housing
Two Grand Rapids area nonprofits will use new grant money to help supply affordable housing . The grants came from Project Reinvest: Neighborhoods, a program of the Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit...
View ArticleGrand Rapids turns over police officer tapes to media
The Michigan Court of Appeals has ruled that the city of Grand Rapids must release recordings in connection with the crash of former Kent County assistant prosecutor Josh Kuiper. The recordings are...
View ArticleLead poisoning on the rise in Kent County
Lead poisoning in Kent County is up nearly 31% from 2014 to 2016. According to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, 615 children in the county had elevated blood-lead levels last year....
View ArticleKent County public works staff to meet with community about plan to reduce waste
Kent County wants community input on a plan to recycle more of its waste. The Kent County Department of Public Works says 75 percent of its waste can be recycled into usable products, but it currently...
View ArticleKent County meets with community to discuss sustainability, recycling plans
The Kent County Department of Public Works met with community members Tuesday night to gather feedback on sustainable waste management plans. Currently, the county recycles only 10% of its waste. The...
View ArticleKent County recycling facility to temporarily close
Kent County is closing its recycling facility temporarily. But this is a good thing in the long run, according to the Department of Public Works. Kristen Weiland, marketing and communications director...
View ArticleKent County's mental health authority looks to cut programs after $9.7...
The community mental health provider in Kent County wants the state to expedite the process of figuring out how to adequately fund its mental health programs. Scott Gillman, the CEO and Executive...
View ArticleKent County sees “sustainable business park” as a way out of the landfill...
As population increases so does waste, filling up landfills at a faster rate. One solution to this problem is to rethink the old ways of managing solid waste. The Kent County Department of Public Works...
View ArticleWhere to turn when your child has a mental health crisis? In Kent County,...
There are few moments more stressful than witnessing your child in the grips of a mental health crisis. In Kent County, parents who are in the middle of that situation can turn to the Children's Crisis...
View ArticleTwin sisters running for county office in opposing parties talk polarized...
There's a unique story playing out in West Michigan politics. Twin sisters are both running for seats on the Kent County Board of Commissioners for opposing parties. Since they live in different...
View ArticleDemocrats argue Schuette is moving too slowly to sue 3M over PFAS
Has Attorney General Bill Schuette done enough to fight PFAS contamination in Michigan? Some people don’t think so. Tracy Breihof, a Belmont resident who lives near the Wolverine Worldwide House Street...
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