Teen Funeral

The funeral was scheduled Thursday for a Kalamazoo County teen killed in a reported murder/suicide. 16-year old Tanika Heard will be laid to rest a week after she was shot to death by 67-year old Nicholas Arbutina. Heard’s foster sister, 15-year old Brianna Washington was also shot, but is recovering. She tells police Arbutina tried to sexually assault Heard, then shot them both when she fought him off. He then turned the gun on himself. The teens had been working for Arbutina for about a year, doing chores around his house prior to last week’s violence.

Foley To Be Tried

A Branch County man accused in the shooting death of his wife will stand trial. A judge ruled yesterday that there is sufficient evidence to try Tom Foley for the murder of Dee Dee Foley, a popular Union City teacher who was gunned down in her home near Girard in February. Foley’s attorney argued his client is accused simply because police failed to find any other suspects. The Branch County Prosecutor says several other leads in the case were investigated by detectives and eliminated.

Troubled Teen In Jail

A Kalamazoo teen at the center of a controversial civil suit is in the Kent County Jail. This week, the City of Kalamazoo paid 175-thousand dollars to a trust for 17-year old Michael Goldman. A multi-million dollar excessive force and racial profiling suit was filed after Goldman was injured by a public safety officer last year. Goldman had some 20 arrests on his record…some for serious charges, but he had never been convicted because he was a juvenile and was ruled incompetent. Now he’ll be charged as an adult after a reported felonious assault at a youth treatment facility in Kentwood. Goldman is also being investigated in a sexual assault.

Slowdown At Ovonic

United Solar Ovonic is temporarily closing its solar panel production factories in Greenville and Auburn Hills. Beginning May 17, workers at the two Greenville plants will be furloughed for four weeks while employees at a plant in Auburn Hills will be laid off for three weeks. The company is also offering voluntary severance packages. Spokesman Mark Trinske says the installation of four new lines in Greenville and equipping and hiring for a new Battle Creek plant will be delayed until business picks up. Tthe Rochester Hills-based company believes the projects will resume when the economy improves.

Election Results

Turnout was light Tuesday as just over 6-percent of registered voters in Calhoun County went to the polls. In the race for Kellogg Community College Board of Trustees, Jill Booth and Matthew Davis were elected. Kirk Lee won the Democratic Primary for the 7th District County Commission seat. Karen Helen-Reid Evans and William Burton were selected for the Battle Creek School Board. Other winners were David Ousley and Glen Thompson for the Mar-Lee School Board, Peggy Damon and Dorothy Dilsaver in Pennfield, Bill DeSmet in Marshall and Dennis Spooner and David Spoor in Union City.

The recreation millage renewal in Albion passed. The operating millage renewals for the Climax-Scotts Community Schools, Marshall Public Schools and Union City Schools were all approved. The operating millage proposal for the Harper Creek Community Schools was defeated.

Cuts To Hurt Battle Creek

Governor Jennifer Granholm’s executive order budget cuts will mean less money for Battle Creek. The reduction in revenue sharing announced yesterday translates into a loss of 180 to 200-thousand dollars for Battle Creek’s current budget year. The city made a 50-thousand dollar budget adjustment earlier this year, which will offset some of the reduction. But another budget adjustment may be required in the near future to make up for the expected remaining shortfall of 130 to 150-thousand dollars.

Suspect To Face Trial

The suspect accused of shooting a fellow group home resident in Branch County will stand trial. 50-year old Kenneth Kalasz was ruled competent Tuesday to face an open-murder charge in the death of 55-year old Donald Miller, who was shot and killed February 10th. Police arrested Kalasz at the scene, the Country Meadows foster care facility near Reading. Investigators said he admitted shooting Miller, saying he didn’t like him. A preliminary examination is scheduled for June 18th.