Ken Kolker
WOOD TV8
Grand Rapids, MI, United States
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Past articles by Ken:
Exonerated man walks free after 21 years in prison
A man the state now says was wrongfully convicted 21 years ago in a double murder in Kalamazoo County walked free from prison Friday. → Read More
Boyfriend’s tether off for hours when mom of 8 vanished
If detectives in Kalamazoo County are building a case against Heather Kelley’s boyfriend in her homicide, they may need to act quickly. → Read More
Timeline: The disappearance of Heather Kelley
Heather Kelley, a mother of eight, was last seen Dec. 10, 2022, and was reported missing the next day, about the same time her car was found on fire and with her blood and hair on the inside. → Read More
Plastics company will pay for PFAS cleanup under settlement
A plastics company will pay to clean up PFAS contamination around its former facility in southeastern Michigan under a settlement with the state. → Read More
‘Hard, but we got them’: Family cares for missing woman’s 8 children
As searches continue in Kalamazoo County for a missing mom, her eight children are staying with relatives struggling to not only protect them but also to clothe and feed them. → Read More
Divisive Ottawa Co. commission met with applause, criticism
Residents questioned the transparency of the Ottawa County Board of Commissioners during its meeting on Tuesday, its first since it approved a shakeup that including ousting board-appointed leaders. → Read More
Missing Portage woman’s mom: ‘I just want her to come home’
Nearly after a week after the disappearance of a Portage mother of eight, the missing woman’s mom said she hasn’t lost hope that she’s safe. → Read More
GRPD: Murder suspect killed self after shooting at officers
A man wanted for murdering his ex-girlfriend took his own life after shooting at police when they came looking for him Thursday, the Grand Rapids Police Department says. → Read More
Police warn women after series of parking lot robberies
Police in Kent County are warning shoppers to be vigilant after a series of robberies in store parking lots. → Read More
Ballpoint pens slow ballot tabulation at Grand Rapids Township precinct
Election workers in Kent County reported a handful of problems with Dominion voting machines jamming on Tuesday, though they say the problems were quickly fixed. → Read More
Sheriff: Detectives still ‘looking in all directions’ for Deanie Peters
The disappearance of 14-year-old Deanie Peters from her brother’s wrestling practice more than 41 years ago remains one of West Michigan’s biggest unsolved mysteries, but recently unsealed court records obtained by Target 8 show Kent County cold case detectives are still chasing down leads. → Read More
Missing family spotted at UP gas station Monday
A missing family was spotted earlier this week at a gas station in the Upper Peninsula, nearly 300 miles from their Fremont home, police confirmed. → Read More
‘Dark money’ expanding in Michigan politics
Through late August, the biggest single political donor in Michigan was a “dark money” fund that worked just two years ago to oust President Donald Trump. → Read More
2 dead in Battle Creek identified as mother, son
A mother and her teenage son who died in Battle Creek on Saturday have been identified as Teresa Osborne, 51, and Kaiden Osborne, 14. → Read More
Train jumpers: Amtrak riders bail on 19-hour trip across Michigan
The Amtrak train from the Detroit area to Chicago, which passes through Kalamazoo, is supposed to take about 5.5 hours. On Friday, it took about 19 hours, pulling in just after midnight Saturday. → Read More
New home, new hope: Muskegon Heights getting first new house in 17 years
After years of neighborhood decay and demolition, Muskegon Heights city leaders hope a single-family home now under construction is a turning point, or, perhaps, at least a start. → Read More
Deputies, FBI track 1995 murder suspect to Mexico
The killing of a man whose body was dumped near a vineyard near Decatur more than 25 years ago was never a mystery, the Van Buren County sheriff said on Wednesday. They identified the suspected killer almost immediately. It was just a matter of finding him. → Read More
Man charged in shooting of Right to Life volunteer
The man who shot and injured a woman who had stopped at his home to campaign against abortion has been charged. → Read More
$54 million settlement a surprise to some in PFAS zone
Some of the 1,700 property owners in northern Kent County who could be in line for some of the $54 million PFAS settlement from Wolverine World Wide and 3M said they had no clue they were on the list. → Read More
GRPD officer charged with murder of Patrick Lyoya
As the officer who shot and killed Patrick Lyoya during a traffic stop in Grand Rapids two months ago was formally charged with murder Friday afternoon, his attorneys said his actions were appropriate. → Read More