Crumm's for Kalamazoo

New WMU Trustees Ronald Hall and Michelle Crumm were just sworn in.

Western Michigan University swears in new trustees Michelle Crumm and Ronald Hall

Crumm said that she enjoyed her first tour of campus in the snowstorm.

"I didn't know a lot about Western and had never been to Kalamazoo," said Crumm, when she got the call about the appointment.

WMU graduates in Ann Arbor, where she lives, have been getting her up to speed, said Crumm, calling their "enthusiasm and passion" for the university infectious.

Crumm has never even been to Kalamazoo before?  Why was she appointed again?

WMU Administration Resisting Contract Extension?

There's some hopeful news from Western.  It appears that the administration is resisting union contracts that would extend the unions' power to compel workers to give them money.  The article deals with the Part-time Instructors Union, but the principle should apply to the other unions too.

Western Michigan University union accuses administration of walking away from contract deal

Kalamazoo Public Schools Raise Taxes, Cover Up Crime

Kalamazoo Public Schools are demanding another tax increase.

Kalamazoo school board votes to put $62 million bond issue on May 7 ballot

They'll probably get it.  This blog doesn't remember the last time KPS had a tax increase turned down.

The timing isn't the greatest though, since KPS has apparently been covering up the true levels of crime in their schools.

I-Team: School Security - Part 1

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How Busing Wrecked Kalamazoo

WMU AAUP Approves Attack on Right to Work

Via Core Principles, here is the latest on the WMU AAUP's efforts to violate professors' freedom of association.

WMU Professors Union to Lock Members in for Ten Years?

“Colleagues, As the department’s elected representative to the WMU-AAUP, I wanted to let you know the results of today’s Chapter meeting. 

Union representatives today approved a motion to attempt to negotiate a new “Union Security Agreement” with administration at Western. This USA would effectively continue the existing contractual language with respect to the collection of union dues. 

“Right to Work” legislation will go into effect at the end of March (the exact date is being disputed) which will make it illegal to require anyone to pay for union representation, but this will not apply to any existing contracts. So WMU-AAUP is trying to reach an agreement with Western before this date at the end of March. 

The motion approved today was to begin negotiations with Western regarding a new USA that would take effect before the end of March. If the union leadership is successful in negotiating a new USA with Western, this agreement will need to be ratified by a vote of union memberships, just like any other tentative agreement reached with the administration. 

I just wanted to let you know what did today. You will be hearing more from WMU-AAUP about the proposed USA.”

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WMU-AAUP Conspiring to Thwart Right to Work?

Western Herald Seeks Student Subsidies

The Western Herald has been in increasing financial trouble over the past few years.  It has cut back publishing several times, and recently went all online.  Advertising revenue collapsed.  The university has been subsidizing it, but that is scheduled to end this summer.

Western Herald, WIDR-FM launch 'Save Student Media' campaign at Western Michigan University

So where does the Herald (and WIDR, which is also broke) turn for money?  The taxpayers, or in this case fee-payers, the students.  They are pushing a fee on every student on campus.  This would be on top of the Student Assessment Fee (SAF) and Sustainability fee.  The fee will likely pass with very low voter turnout.

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Decline of the Herald

Bill French, RIP

Former Kalamazoo County Drain Commissioner Bill French dies

Previous:
Bill French Removed
Drain Commissioner Update
Replacing Bill French

Upton Wants to Give Illegal Aliens "Legitimacy"

Congressman Fred Upton participated in a "live chat" with the Kalamazoo Gazette yesterday.

Live chat: Congressman Fred Upton takes your questions
After the chat video: Congressman Fred Upton talks immigration, fiscal cliff

One question addressed immigration.  Upton answered as follows.

Fred Upton
Yes, our current immigration system is broken and i truly am encouraged that we will see a bi-partisan piece of legislation by early summer. Though there may not be a specific pathway to citizenship, there should be a pathway to legitimacy. Both the House Senate have bi-partisan working groups participating and i think we will be able to view their drafts in the next month. I will be listening to the many voices of r district--businesses and agricultural interests as well as the Hispanic community as we move forward to real reform.

He did not explain what "legitimacy" means in this comment.

After the live chat, Upton took questions from Fritz Klug.  At 1:00 into the video, he briefly mentioned immigration in the context of jobs, and mentioned meeting with the Farm Bureau (uh oh).  At 9:30, Klug asked Upton what "legitimacy" means.  Upton explained that

"I would define it as saying that there's not a fear of deportation--we have some--we have a lot of non-citizens who live here, who maybe don't want to become citizens."

He then talked about legalizing an illegal restaurant owner, Ibrahim Parlak, who was threatened with deportation due to his ties to a Kurdish rebel group.

"So when we talk about a pathway to legitimacy, I mean, not a fear of all of a sudden being picked up and taken away and losing all..."

Legalization is amnesty.

"and be able to work and pay--still pay taxes but maybe not have all the rights of citizenship, voting and all that type--I do believe that you have to be a citizen to be able to vote."

Wow, bold stance.

So there we have it.  Upton supports amnesty.  Fortunately, Upton has been willing to vacillate on immigration in the past, so if enough patriots voice opposition to the amnesty schemes being cooked up in Congress, he may still decide it is in his political interest to oppose them.

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More Upton/Amnesty Chatter
Upton for Amnesty?
Upton on Immigration
Upton on Invasion

Getting Appoints Democrat Crony

Kalamazoo County Prosecutor Jeff Getting has hired Alan Harbaugh to work in his office.

Kalamazoo County Prosecutor Jeff Getting hires Alan Harbaugh as district court division chief

Harbaugh used to work in the prosecutor's office.  Why did he leave?

Getting, who worked with Harbaugh, would not comment on why Harbaugh left the office.

Well, why did Getting hire him?

Harbaugh ran for county prosecutor as a Democrat against Jeff Fink and received 44 percent of the vote.

This comes after Getting fired two veteran prosecutors for political reasons.

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Jeffrey Getting: Flip-flopper or Lying Weasel?
Jeff Getting Purges Political Rivals
Jeffrey Getting's Bad Math