Local News Archives

From the Associated Press — The U.S. Coast Guard says ships can’t drop anchor in the Straits of Mackinac unless they have permission. The area between Michigan’s two peninsulas has an oil pipeline, known as Line 5, as well as electrical cables. The Coast Guard says the goal is to prevent damage to the lines from anchors. There is an exception to the no-anchor zone in case of emergency. The policy starts October 31 and covers ships that are at least 131 feet long. The rule was published October 1 in the Federal Register. The legislature is working on a similar ban. Governor Rick Snyder in May approved an emergency rule barring anchors in the waterway, after a tugboat anchor struck
oil and electrical lines and caused an insulation spill.. ...Read Full Story

By Doug Cunningham. ...Read Full Story

With hunters now hitting the woods, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources is asking them to be on the lookout for bovine tuberculosis. DNR deer biologist Ashley Autenrieth tells WSJM News bovine TB is an ailment in deer that can sometimes be spotted when a hunter is dressing a deer. They’re asked to watch out for signs.. ...Read Full Story

A finalized code of conduct at Benton Harbor Area Schools and new security procedures are close to being implemented. District CEO Robert Herrera told WSJM News after a meeting this week the new school resource officer set to be provided by the Berrien County Sheriff’s Department should be in place in the next three weeks.. ...Read Full Story

St. Joseph Public Schools Superintendent Ann Cardon is hoping to help push for a change in how schools are funded in the state. This week, she spoke to the board of education about a report from the School Finance Research Collaborative on the model used in Michigan. Cardon told WSJM News 1994’s Proposal A was supposed to establish equality for school funding, but time has shown there are several factors that are not considered.. ...Read Full Story

October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month and the Domestic Violence Coalition of Van Buren County, located in Paw Paw is ready to help. The U.S. Department of Justice estimates 1.3 million women and 835,000 men are victims of violence by at partner every year. Domestic Violence Coalition Executive Director “Melanie” says they take many calls.. ...Read Full Story

Feeding America West Michigan is conducting a study on a possible community food center in Benton Harbor. Marketing and Development Director Pattijean McCahill tells WSJM News the organization helps relieve hunger in 40 counties, but right now only has two community centers.. ...Read Full Story

The early enrollment numbers for Benton Harbor Area Schools this year are down slightly. District CEO Robert Herrera told WSJM News this week the counts are showing a loss of about 70 students from last year, which he doesn’t think is nearly as bad as it could have been. Herrera says Benton Harbor Area Schools has been trying to re-establish credibility with the parents after a rough time last year.. ...Read Full Story

The latest financial audit has found St. Joseph Public Schools to be in good shape. At a meeting this past week, the board of education was told the district in the last year spent slightly less than what it took in, with both figures around $27 million. Superintendent Ann Cardon also told WSJM News they tucked some money away for a rainy day.. ...Read Full Story

A new report from the Michigan League for Public Policy shows a racial disparity in the state when it comes to the standardized test scores of students. The league’s Gilda Jacobs tells WSJM News the differences are stark in the latest M-STEP results.. ...Read Full Story

The Berrien County Office of Emergency Management is preparing to offer another round of Community Emergency Response Team training to the public. The Community Emergency Response Team, or CERT, is trained to help respond to disasters in the community. The CERT program teaches people things like fire safety, search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations. Using the training learned in the classroom and during exercises, CERT members can help others in their neighborhood or workplace following an event when professional responders aren’t immediately available. Many businesses also establish their own CERT teams. The next round of classes will run from October 16 through November 6. The classes are each Tuesday, and each is three hours. The classes are free, and you can register through the Berrien County Sheriff’s Department. Just click here.. ...Read Full Story

Lake Michigan College has named its new wine and viticulture center in honor of a Stevensville couple who has worked to help the college complete major projects. LMC President Trevor Kubatzke tells WSJM News the Welch Center will be named in honor of Mike and Lisa Welch.. ...Read Full Story

With the fall here, the Insurance Alliance of Michigan is reminding all drivers of the dangers posed by deer. The alliance’s Mark Fisk tells WSJM News deer are more active this time of year, especially at dusk and dawn. You should remember what to do if you see a deer in the road. It starts with slow down.. ...Read Full Story

The United Way of Southwest Michigan is bringing a different kind of fundraiser to the Haymarket Brewery in Bridgman next week. The United Way’s Ryan Cheevers tells WSJM News they’re holding a pop-up giving event where those who attend will get to choose which local organization will get support for its project. Three are competing next Thursday for dollars.. ...Read Full Story

When Michigan voters head to the polls next month, they’ll consider a proposal that would legalize marijuana, and one group is partnering with law enforcement to encourage the voters to just say no. Scott Greenlee with Healthy and Productive Michigan tells WSJM News one can just look to Colorado to see why legalizing marijuana is a bad idea. He says drugged driving deaths increase in recent years, noting there’s no easy way to field test a driver for pot. Speaking about the pro-legalization claim that more than $100 million in new tax revenue would be generated each year by legalizing, he notes that is a small fraction of 1% of the state budget. He also believes costs will come with legalizing marijuana.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — A large swath of dunes and forest known as Ottawa Sands in western Michigan is opening to the public next week. MLive reports visitors to the property bordering a section of the Grand River in the Ferrysburg area will have access starting Monday to four miles of marked trails and catch-and-release fishing. Ottawa County Parks and Recreation says more features and amenities are planned. The project includes preserving a section of Lake Michigan dunes and linking nearby parks and preservation areas. County Parks Director John Scholtz says it’s “one of our more exciting land acquisitions” and has “a lot of elements.” The property was the site of an inactive sand mining operation. Included within the property is designated critical dune areas, Grand River frontage and a man-made lake.. ...Read Full Story

An old video of Bill Schuette has surfaced that some say is creepy, and Schuette says shows what a bad sense of humor he used to have. Shot in 1989 while he was a member of the U.S. House, he’s seen smiling at a woman off-camera and making a suggestive comment as she asks him to move closer to a lamp in the video frame as she is preparing to interview him.. ...Read Full Story

Set for this Saturday is the first ever Lake Michigan College Homecoming Fall Fest. LMC Intercollegiate Athletics Director Melissa Grau tells us the event will be a way to check out some Red Hawks athletic events with the Women’s Soccer team and Basketball team both with games starting at 1 p.m. There will also a variety of other activities throughout the Benton Township campus.. ...Read Full Story

Super Hits 103.7 COSY FM is once again collecting personal care items for those in need with its Project Personal Care. COSY’s Paul Layendecker tells WSJM News they’re out at the Family Dollar in South Haven all day Friday and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday asking people to donate common hygiene items.. ...Read Full Story

The final Berrien County free household recycling event of the year will be this weekend. Environmental Property Manager Jill Adams tells us Berrien County residents will be able to drop off a variety of unwanted items this Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon at the Southeast Berrien County Landfill Recycling Center in Buchanan. Adams told us last month the county holds these free events several times a year to help residents clear out their basements and garages.. ...Read Full Story

Berrien County is looking at contracting out the medical examiner’s office. That’s because current Medical Examiner Rick Johansen is stepping down from that post at the end of the year. Johansen will remain Berrien County’s medical director, and is just leaving the examiner post. County Administrator Bill Wolf told WSJM News what’s next.. ...Read Full Story

The Michigan Department of Transportation is about to begin a repaving project on M-51 from north of Niles to Dowagiac. MDOT tells us the work from Impala Drive to Pokagon Street starts Monday and will continue through Wednesday, October 24. The project will require single lane closures, so drivers who take that route should give themselves a bit of extra time. You can stay on top of all of MDOT’s construction projects at Michigan.gov/Drive.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — Thousands of absentee voters were mistakenly sent instructions on how to vote a straight-party ticket even though that’s not an option in next month’s Michigan election. The Lansing State Journal reports Meridian Township Clerk Brett Dreyfus says about 5,000 ballots were sent before the problem was discovered. Dreyfus blamed a vendor for sending incorrect instructions but acknowledged his office should have caught it before mailing absentee ballots in the Lansing-area community. The township noted the error in a posting on its website. A federal appeals court last month revived Michigan’s ban on straight-party voting . Voters must go line by line if they want to vote for candidates in partisan races. In the past, a single mark could automatically count for candidates of a single party, from governor to county commissioner.. ...Read Full Story

The University of Notre Dame has an annual impact of $2.46 billion on the economy of northern Indiana. The study by Econsult Solutions, however, only looked at how Notre Dame affected Elkhart, Marshall, and St. Joseph counties and ignored Berrien and Cass counties just over the border in Michigan. Notre Dame is credited with supporting nearly 17,000 jobs and home football game Saturdays are also big money makers for northern Indiana. Over the course of the season, Fighting Irish football fans are credited with pumping $185 million into the economy with $133 million of that on hotels, food, transportation and retail purchases. You can check out the numbers here.. ...Read Full Story

The leaves are starting to change color all over Michigan, but they’re hitting their peak in some areas, according to Travel Michigan vice president Dave Lorenz.. ...Read Full Story

The focus of a three-day Halloween period in Detroit is changing from anti-arson efforts to celebrations aimed at families. Mayor Mike Duggan unveiled plans for “Halloween in the D” yesterday.. ...Read Full Story

Republican U.S. Senate candidate John James is riding the momentum among GOP and independent voters following the bruising confirmation battle of US Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. A new poll by Mitchell Research and Communications done as that fight was ongoing shows the West Point graduate and Iraq war veteran has slashed the lead of Democratic U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow in half, from 18 to 9 points. Pollster Steven Mitchell says the surge is despite this year shaping up to be a worst-case scenario for a lot of GOP candidates.. ...Read Full Story

Set for this month is the 2018 Trunk or Treat Harvest Fest at T.K. Lawless Park in Cass County. Not far from Cassopolis, the park will be the site of hayrides, face painting, zip lines, bonfires, and more on October 20. The event is organized by Cass County’s Michigan State University Extension office, and anyone who wants to sign up to have a trunk as part of the trunk or treating should give its 4H program a call. Friends of the Cass County Parks are arranging for food to be available at the park. The Harvest Fest on October 20 will run from 2 to 5 p.m. and everyone’s invited. Admission will be $1 per person, or the donation of a canned good. You can find out more right here.. ...Read Full Story

The early enrollment numbers for Benton Harbor Area Schools this year are down slightly. District CEO Robert Herrera told WSJM News this week the counts are showing a loss of about 70 students from last year, which he doesn’t think is nearly as bad as it could have been. Herrera says Benton Harbor Area Schools has been trying to re-establish credibility with the parents after a rough time last year.. ...Read Full Story

With hunters now hitting the woods, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources is asking them to be on the lookout for bovine tuberculosis. DNR deer biologist Ashley Autenrieth tells WSJM News bovine TB is an ailment in deer that can sometimes be spotted when a hunter is dressing a deer. They’re asked to watch out for signs.. ...Read Full Story

The Berrien County Office of Emergency Management is preparing to offer another round of Community Emergency Response Team training to the public. The Community Emergency Response Team, or CERT, is trained to help respond to disasters in the community. The CERT program teaches people things like fire safety, search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations. Using the training learned in the classroom and during exercises, CERT members can help others in their neighborhood or workplace following an event when professional responders aren’t immediately available. Many businesses also establish their own CERT teams. The next round of classes will run from October 16 through November 6. The classes are each Tuesday, and each is three hours. The classes are free, and you can register through the Berrien County Sheriff’s Department. Just click here.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — Central Michigan University says it has kicked a fraternity out of school after many allegations of sexual misconduct and hazing and the death of a member. Vice President Steven Johnson says the allegations against Phi Sigma Phi show a “significant threat to the safety” of students. He says the university has been frustrated by witnesses who have been uncooperative or unwilling to discuss certain matters. In a statement Tuesday, Johnson says Phi Sigma Phi is “officially removed from CMU forever.” The fraternity’s national president says CMU is turning its back on students and alumni. Travis Steinke says the university wouldn’t participate in a fair investigation. A 21-year-old student from suburban Detroit was found dead at the bottom of a staircase in April. Johnson says the house was being used by Phi Sigma Phi for a
party.. ...Read Full Story

October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month and the Domestic Violence Coalition of Van Buren County, located in Paw Paw is ready to help. The U.S. Department of Justice estimates 1.3 million women and 835,000 men are victims of violence by at partner every year. Domestic Violence Coalition Executive Director “Melanie” says they take many calls.. ...Read Full Story

By Doug Cunningham. ...Read Full Story

St. Joseph High School is hoping to attract more students who play more than one sport in the coming year. So says Athletic Director Kevin Guzzo, who gave his annual athletics report to the board of education this week. He said the sports picture has looked good this past year.. ...Read Full Story

A new report from the Michigan League for Public Policy shows a racial disparity in the state when it comes to the standardized test scores of students. The league’s Gilda Jacobs tells WSJM News the differences are stark in the latest M-STEP results.. ...Read Full Story

A finalized code of conduct at Benton Harbor Area Schools and new security procedures are close to being implemented. District CEO Robert Herrera told WSJM News after a meeting this week the new school resource officer set to be provided by the Berrien County Sheriff’s Department should be in place in the next three weeks.. ...Read Full Story

St. Joseph Public Schools Superintendent Ann Cardon is hoping to help push for a change in how schools are funded in the state. This week, she spoke to the board of education about a report from the School Finance Research Collaborative on the model used in Michigan. Cardon told WSJM News 1994’s Proposal A was supposed to establish equality for school funding, but time has shown there are several factors that are not considered.. ...Read Full Story

Berrien County’s tax software will be offline on Wednesday. Below is a message from Berrien County Treasurer Bret Witkowski.. ...Read Full Story

By Doug Cunningham.. ...Read Full Story

Dr. Matt Longjohn is the Democrat challenging Republican incumbent U.S. Rep. Fred Upton in Michigan’s 6th congressional district on November 6th. In an interview with WSJM News Director Doug Cunningham, Longjohn lays out wha the says is a very different vision of healthcare than Rep. Fred Upton’s.. ...Read Full Story

Audrey Niffenegger is a name you might not be familiar with. She is an author born in 1963 in South Haven, with her debut novel, “The Time Traveler’s Wife,” being published in 2003. It was made into a 2009 movie starring Rachel McAdams, Eric Bana, and Ron Livingston, but it didn’t always stay true to the novel. The book is a love story about a man with a genetic disorder causing him to time travel without notice, and his wife who is an artist that tries to deal with her husband often being absent. It’s getting a second life thanks to HBO, which is producing a series based on the book, and producers have been scouting parts of South Haven for filming. It’s currently in the very early stages of production.. ...Read Full Story

The St. Joseph City Commission is looking into becoming the 45th local government in Michigan to enact its own anti-discrimination ordinance to protect the LGBTQ community, as efforts in the state Legislature to expand the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act to that end have fallen short for decades. Commissioners heard from OutCenter Executive Director Mary Jo Schnell last night, who urged them to look into the issue.. ...Read Full Story

South Haven Police are looking for two suspects accused of an armed robbery shortly before 11:30 Sunday night at the Shell gas station in the 400 block of Broadway. One is a black male about 6-feet tall with a medium build who was in a hoodie and light colored sweats. The other was shorter, dressed in a dark hoodie and sweats, and police don’t know if that person is male or female. Both had their faces covered by bandanas. One pulled a handgun on the clerk while the other stole several packs of cigarettes. They also got away with cash and other undisclosed items from the store.. ...Read Full Story

With this being Fire Prevention Week, South Haven Area Emergency Services is planning to hold its annual Fire Safety Fun Night on Thursday. Executive Director Ron Wise tells WSJM News everyone’s welcome to bring the kids down to Fire Station 3 on Blue Star Highway from 5 to 8 p.m.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — Eager to snap and post an online photo of your Michigan ballot in the November 6 election? Think again. A lawsuit over photos in polling places still hasn’t reached the finish line – more than two years later. Next year seems likely. A voter in the Kalamazoo area sued in 2016 to try to stop Michigan rules and laws that bar people from taking a photo of their marked ballot or publicly exposing it. Federal Judge Janet Neff granted an injunction, clearing the way for so-called ballot selfies. But a higher court stepped in and said a change just days before the Trump-Clinton election would be a “recipe for election-day confusion.” Joel Crookston’s lawsuit against the secretary of state still is ongoing while another election approaches. Crookston says his free-speech rights are being violated.. ...Read Full Story

The latest financial audit has found St. Joseph Public Schools to be in good shape. At a Monday meeting, the board of education was told the district in the last year spent slightly less than what it took in, with both figures around $27 million. Superintendent Ann Cardon also told WSJM News they tucked some money away for a rainy day.. ...Read Full Story

Lake Michigan College has named its new wine and viticulture center in honor of a Stevensville couple who has worked to help the college complete major projects. LMC President Trevor Kubatzke tells WSJM News the Welch Center will be named in honor of Mike and Lisa Welch.. ...Read Full Story

Feeding America West Michigan is conducting a study on a possible community food center in Benton Harbor. Marketing and Development Director Pattijean McCahill tells WSJM News the organization helps relieve hunger in 40 counties, but right now only has two community centers.. ...Read Full Story

WSJM reporter Andrew Green interviewed U.S. Rep. Fred Upton on his healthcare votes and views, including Upton’s vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act known as Obamacare. Upton defends his vote against Obamacare, despite record enrollments in 2018 and polls showing a majority (54%) support Obamacare.. ...Read Full Story

Fifteen fire departments from Berrien and Cass counties are getting together tonight in Baroda for a large scale multi-fire department exercise. The training is designed to practice and test the ability to provide a constant flow of at least 2,000 gallons per minute through a ladder truck for 30 minutes. That’s used in fighting rural fires, as hydrants aren’t as available in most of Baroda and Berrien County. The departments will begin the training at 7 tonight at the Baroda Fire Department.. ...Read Full Story

The Michigan House has approved a resolution from state Representative Mary Whiteford to declare September PACE Awareness Month. The Casco Township Republican tells us PACE, or Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly, helps keep senior Michiganders from having to live in nursing homes.. ...Read Full Story

The old Michigan State Police Post in South Haven is owned by the city and they lease out the building. The property around the building, however, is still owned by the state and they want the city to buy it. City Manager Brian Dissette spoke with WSJM News about the deal.. ...Read Full Story

An opioid overdose prevention training event is set for this month in Benton Harbor. This time organized between the Berrien County Suicide Prevention Coalition and the Voice Change Hope Alliance, it will be offered in the afternoon so more people can attend. The Suicide Prevention Coalition’s Trent Watford tells WSJM News opioid overdoses and suicide are often related.. ...Read Full Story

A new website has been launched by the Michigan Department of Treasury for residents to search for unclaimed property. Treasury’s Terry Stanton tells us the department receives unclaimed properties like dormant bank accounts, life insurance policies, stocks and bonds, and even safe deposit box contents. The state has held on to as much as $1 billion in unclaimed property over the years, and the new website makes finding those things easier.. ...Read Full Story

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has awarded 211 schools with the MI HeartSafe School designation for the current year. Spokesperson Lynn Sutfin tells WSJM News the HeartSafe program was created five years ago to reduce cardiac deaths in schools.. ...Read Full Story

The percentage of uninsured adults in rural Michigan dropped by 22 points since the state expanded Medicaid, according to a recent study by Georgetown University and the University of North Carolina. The state Legislature passed a bill this summer to require people on Healthy Michigan to work 80 hours a month, nine months a year, in order to maintain coverage. But Emily Schwarzkopf, a policy analyst with the Michigan League for Public Policy, calls that a “one step forward, two steps back” approach and predicts people will fall off the insurance rolls.. ...Read Full Story

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is applying lampricides to the Campbell Creek system in Van Buren County for about the next week. They started last Tuesday and will continue through this coming Thursday. Administrator Scott Grunder tells WSJM News the goal is to fight the invasive sea lamprey, an effort that has been underway for about 60 years. The service applied lampricide to the Paw Paw River in Van Buren County last year, and Grunder says next week’s operation is related. He tells us the sea lamprey are a threat to Great Lakes fish.. ...Read Full Story