Good morning, Portage.

News Channel 3 marked its 75th anniversary by sharing a special report on key events in West Michigan from its first broadcast in 1950 to today.

The report recalls milestones such as a major tornado in 1980, a highway pileup in 2015, mass shootings, and recent events like a Portage FedEx facility collapse and a record tornado count in June 2025 — showing the region’s hard-won history.

Commissioner Tami Rey was arrested on May 24 for alleged domestic violence with the father of her child and spent one night in jail—her case is now under review by a special prosecutor who may file misdemeanor charges.

Portage Public Schools will welcome Johnny Edwards as the new superintendent on July 1.

He served as assistant superintendent since 2021 and will replace retiring Mark Bielang while spending his first 90 days talking with teachers, staff, and students—planning ways to improve the schools.

On Monday, community members walked the halls of Woodland Elementary from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. as a farewell before the building will be demolished later this month.

A new facility will open in fall while students attend classes at Haverhill Elementary until then.

Residents in Portage will be able to enjoy free permits for fishing, boating, and off-road riding during Michigan's Three Free Weekend on June 7-8 as the DNR waives park and fishing license fees.

The event will offer access to more than 4,000 miles of trails—while all regular regulations still apply.

Sturgis' girls track team won its first state title on Saturday at Hamilton High School—Keyanna O’Tey led the winning relay teams—while several local athletes earned all-state honors with personal bests and career milestones.

The victories mark a historic achievement for the program and highlight strong performances from the Kalamazoo area.

During Saturday’s high school state track events at Baldwin Middle School in Hudsonville, athletes from the Kalamazoo area won seven state championships and 43 earned all-state honors.

Key winners included Jeremy Dixon from Kalamazoo Central, Mason Mayne from Lawton, and Marek Butkiewicz from Kalamazoo Hackett.