🌱 Local Ambulance & Plow Truck Crash + Local Sentenced For DUI Deaths

Hello. I'm back in your inbox this morning with everything you need to know about what's happening in town.

But first, your local weather:

• Monday: Cloudy, snow showers; cold. High: 34 Low: 18.
• Tuesday: Cold with sun and some clouds. High: 34 Low: 15.

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Here are the top three stories in Kalamazoo-Portage today:

1. A Life EMS ambulance and a Michigan Department of Transportation plow truck collided on the I-94 business loop in Kalamazoo County on Mar. 10. A baby, another patient, and five ambulance personnel were all in the ambulance at the time of the crash. Police are investigating the crash and said injuries were reported. According to Nick Schirripa, Michigan Department of Transportation spokesman for the Southwest Region, the ambulance clipped the plow truck which caused the ambulance to roll on its side. (MLive.com)
2. On Mar. 10, 28-year-old Ezra Phillips was sentenced to 20-30 years in prison for two counts of driving while intoxicated causing death in Kalamazoo County. Joel Shaffer, 83, and his wife, Dolores Shaffer, 84, were killed on May 7, 2021, when Phillips crashed his car into their vehicle. The Shaffers were cornerstones of their community and high school sweethearts with three children, 10 grandchildren, and 15 great-grandchildren. (MLive.com)
3. The City of Kalamazoo will demolish the aging playground structure at the Arcadia Creek Festival site. According to officials, the equipment cannot be repaired and once it is removed, the area will return to crushed concrete. Discussions are underway about what to do with the area, including whether to build a new playground or not. (WKZO)

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Today and tomorrow in Kalamazoo-Portage:

Monday, March 13

• Music And Memories At Oshtemo Branch Library (10:45 AM)
• Wowza In Kalamazoo, New Standards Men, Apparitions, and Josh Miller At Factory Coffee (7:30 PM)

Tuesday, March 14

• GLAMA Slow Jam At Kalamazoo Public Library (5:30 PM)

From my notebook:

• Vickie Brown was located at a business on Gull Road, thanks to the vigilance of the community! Kalamazoo Public Safety thanked everyone who shared the information that led to her being located and safe. (Kalamazoo Public Safety via Facebook)
• The City of Kalamazoo is digging up bricks that were placed on Ransom Street more than 100 years ago! The Ransom Street project, which will reconstruct the street, will start in the spring and is expected to take about two years. (FOX 17 West Michigan News)
• Looking for your dream home or just curious about housing prices near you? Check out the latest homes for sale in the Kalamazoo-Portage area, including a three-bedroom on N. Drake Road for $325,000! (Kalamazoo-Portage Patch)

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Featured events:

• March 2023 Audubon Society of Kalamazoo Program: RIPPLE EFFECTS OF WOLF RESTORATION IN ISLE ROYALE N (March 27)
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That's it for today! See you soon for your next update.

— Michelle Paul

About me: Michelle Paul is a Utah-based writer and photographer with a professional background in content management and registered nursing. When not working on projects ranging from photo editing to copywriting, they enjoy traveling, video games, and expanding their skills.