Local News Archives

From the Associated Press — The Michigan Civil Rights Commission has directed an agency to continue investigating complaints of discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity despite the state attorney general having
declared its interpretation of the law to be invalid. The commission made the decision Monday, three days after Bill Schuette said only the legislature or voters can expand Michigan’s civil rights law to provide LGBT protections. Michigan Department of Civil Rights Director Agustin Arbulu says the commission is an independent, constitutionally created body that isn’t bound by
Schuette’s opinion. He says the only recourse is for courts to decide the matter, and LGBT-based discrimination will continue to be investigated. A Schuette spokeswoman says his opinion is binding on state agencies, in part because he’s the attorney for all executive departments and agencies.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — Pfizer Inc. has been awarded $11.5 million in state incentives to build a new manufacturing facility in Michigan and add 450 jobs. The Michigan Strategic Fund Board approved the deal Tuesday. State officials said the pharmaceutical company headquartered in New York could have chosen one to expand in one of its 12 other facilities across the world. Pfizer plans to spend $465 million on a new sterile drug manufacturing facility in Portage near Kalamazoo. The facility – which will take eight years to construct – is needed so Pfizer can comply with new regulations from the federal government.
This is the first time the state is doling out special tax incentives under its “Good Jobs” program that was enacted last year.. ...Read Full Story

The Michigan elections bureau says enough voter signatures have been submitted by proponents of ballot drives to raise the minimum wage and require employers to provide paid sick time. The bureau released reports Tuesday, and the Board of State Canvassers could certify the signatures at a meeting Thursday. Business groups have challenged the petitions, but the challenges were rejected by the bureau. A lawsuit filed by restaurants opposing the minimum wage proposal is pending in the courts. If certified, the measures would go to the Republican-led Legislature. If it did not act, the proposals would be placed on the November ballot. Proponents want to gradually raise the minimum wage to $12 an hour and require a minimum amount of earned sick time, depending on the size of a business. Part of the minimum wage proposal would eliminate the lower wage for tipped workers and raise their pay to the standard minimum wage. Those who are opposed to that include bartenders and wait staff around the state, who argue it would be a massive pay cut with tips being eliminated.. ...Read Full Story

Standard and Poor’s has increased Michigan’s credit rating. Michigan Department of Treasury spokesperson Ron Leix tells WSJM News this is the first credit rating increase for the state in the past ten years. S&P has moved Michigan from AA-  to AA with a stable outlook. Leix says this means something for the state’s residents.. ...Read Full Story

An autopsy will be done in the next few days on the body of a Kalamazoo man pulled from the St. Joseph River. Berrien County Sheriff Paul Bailey says remains believed to be 35-year-old Michael Scott were found by bow fishermen with high-powered lights around 10:30 pm Monday near where he disappeared on Saturday. Scott had been reported missing by friends he was kayaking with on Saturday. Searches during the day Sunday and Monday were called off due to low visibility in the water. The autopsy and confirmation of the identity of the body will be done at Western Michigan University.. ...Read Full Story

City officials in St. Joseph are remaining tight-lipped about the sudden resignation on Friday of Public Safety Director Brian Uridge after a little less than two years on the job. City Manager John Hodgson wouldn’t address rumors that have been floating about the conduct of the former director. He did tell WSJM News there were some other issues, however.. ...Read Full Story

The city of Buchanan has opened its first dog park. City Manager Bill Marx tells WSJM News the Field of Dreams Dog Park, located at the south end of Clark Street and is part of the McCoy Recreation Area, is the result of a four year campaign by the dog park committee.. ...Read Full Story

Bronson Healthcare is opening a new walk-in clinic in South Haven. The Bronson FastCare location will be there for anyone seeking treatment without an appointment for minor conditions or illnesses like sore throats, flu, ear and sinus infections, pink eye, and allergies. It’s a way for someone to get quick care without having to go to an emergency room. Bronson says FastCare will take most insurances, and will honor the office visit co-pay determined by the patient’s insurance company. The facility will be located across the street from Bronson South Haven Hospital at 970 South Bailey Avenue. Its opening is set for Wednesday, August 1.. ...Read Full Story

If you don’t move over when approaching a traffic stop — or at least slow down — you could be on the wrong end of a ticket. That’s the message from Michigan State Police as a crackdown is underway. First Lieutenant Michael Shaw spoke with Michigan News Network about it.. ...Read Full Story

Dr. Jim Hines is on the move. He’s currently polling in fourth among the four Republican gubernatorial candidates and has begun a ten-day blitz across the lower portion of the state. The 11-county swing is titled the “Hines Mobile 10 Day Tour.” He spoke with Michigan News Network about the trip.. ...Read Full Story

The Berrien County Sheriff’s Department continues its search for a missing kayaker out of Kalamazoo. 35-year-old Michael Scott was reported by friends as missing shortly before 7 p.m. Saturday near the Jasper Dairy Road boat launch along the St. Joseph River in Royalton Township. The sheriff’s department marine unit and dive team searched the river Saturday and Sunday, using aerial and underwater drones. The search was called off Sunday afternoon due to dangerous conditions. Those conditions were reported as being the same on Monday. Assisting in the search now are the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and members of a kayaking club of which Scott was a part. A Michigan State Police cadaver dog will be brought in on Tuesday for the search is nothing has turned up by then.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — DTE Energy says it has plans for 50 to 70 wind turbines in southern Michigan’s Branch County.
The Daily Reporter says the utility made a presentation Thursday to county commissioners in Coldwater. Commission Chairman Ted Gordon says any key decisions about the placement of turbines will be made by townships. Michael Sage of Detroit-based DTE says 180 people have signed agreements so far, covering 31,000 acres. He says the project is in the
“development stage” and could take a few more years. Critics of the wind project carried signs outside the courthouse and filled
the meeting. Pam Reed told commissioners that the economic benefits from DTE wind farms in Michigan’s Thumb haven’t been as good as promised.. ...Read Full Story

The St. Joseph City Commission is expected to approve a pair of changes tonight to top personnel in the city. City Manager John Hodgson is requesting the commission approve the appointment of Deputy Public Safety Director Steve Neubecker to the post of interim director, while Public Works Director Tom MacDonald is expected to be approved as the acting assistant city manager. The moves are the result of the abrupt resignation Friday of Public Safety Director Brian Uridge. The official explanation from Hodgson is Uridge is leaving for a private sector opportunity, but the resignation was effective immediately. WSJM News is aware of rumors surrounding the exit of the now-former director, but Berrien County Prosecutor Michael Sepic tells us there is no criminal investigation underway, and he knows nothing more than has been reported today about the situation.. ...Read Full Story

State Senator Tonya Schuitmaker of Lawton is upset that her opponent in the race for the Republican nomination for attorney general is ducking a debate. Schuitmaker has agreed to a televised debate on PBS affiliates in the state prior to the Michigan Republican Party’s state convention later this summer, at which the nominee will be chosen. House Speaker Tom Leonard’s camp, however, is dismissing the idea without giving an explanation as to why. Both are term-limited in their respective legislative offices, though Leonard is eligible to serve two terms in the Senate if he were to run. The attorney general’s office is open this fall as Bill Schuette has served his two terms and is ineligible for another. He’s instead running for governor. On the Democratic side, Dana Nessel is likely the A.G. nominee after former U.S. Attorney Patrick Miles dropped out of the race earlier this year when he didn’t get enough support at a delegate convention. The Democrats will also officially nominate a candidate later this summer for the office, as it’s one of the few state offices that is not on the primary ballot in August.. ...Read Full Story

The Berrien County Sheriff’s Department is looking for the suspect of an armed robbery in Royalton Township.. ...Read Full Story

The Michigan Department of Transportation has shut down a bridge near Union Pier for some construction work. Spokesperson Nick Schirripa tells WSJM News as part of construction on five bridges over I-94 near the Michigan-Indiana state line, the Union Pier Road bridge over I-94 closed on Wednesday and will remain closed through August 12. A detour is posted. Schirripa says MDOT grouped the five summer bridge projects together.. ...Read Full Story

Applications are now being accepted by Berrien County to fill the vacant Register of Deeds office. That elected office was left by the death this summer of Lori Jarvis, whose elected term ran through December 31, 2020. A committee made up of Probate Judge Mabel Mayfield, Berrien County Clerk Sharon Tyler, and Prosecutor Michael Sepic will review the applications. Those interested should be at least 18, be registered to vote in Berrien County, and ideally have experience managing a small staff and an office budget along with being familiar with real estate matters. The deadline to apply is 4 p.m. on August 17. To do so, send a completed application, available on the county’s website, along with a cover letter and resume to: Berrien County Clerk Sharon Tyler, Courthouse, 811 Port Street, St. Joseph, MI 49085.. ...Read Full Story

New recruits are being sought by the Michigan State Police. Trooper Kellie Shaffer with the Paw Paw Post will be hosting a recruitment seminar on July 28, and says they’re always looking for people interested in joining the force.. ...Read Full Story

The Berrien County Sheriff’s Department will resume its search for a missing kayaker on Monday. It tells us 35-year-old Michael Scott of Kalamazoo was reported by friends as missing shortly before 7 p.m. Saturday near the Jasper Dairy Road boat launch along the St. Joseph River in Royalton Township. The Berrien County Sheriff’s Department Marine Unit and Dive Team searched the river Saturday and then resumed the search Sunday. The sheriff’s department tells us an advanced aerial drone was used in the search Sunday along with an underwater drone. The search was considered high risk due to high water, fast flowing water, and debris. Underwater visibility was described as low. The search will resume on Monday and police say Scott is considered missing.. ...Read Full Story

Benton Harbor City Commissioners this week signed off on a couple of budgets for federal Community Development Block Grants. At a meeting on Monday, the commission heard unused funds from 2014 through 2017, totalling about $1.1 million, will go to priorities including a master plan update, repairs to the Armory, the Hull Park basketball court, and Dial a Ride. Commissioner Juanita Henry wasn’t entirely pleased with the plan. ...Read Full Story

Former Vice President Joe Biden will kick off the 75th season of the Economic Club of Southwestern Michigan’s Speakers Series. Biden will address members at the Mendel Center on the Lake Michigan College campus in Benton Township on Tuesday, October 16. You’ll remember the club also landed former President George W. Bush for his first speech after leaving office. Robin Hood CEO, best selling author and Army veteran Wes Moore will speak on November 14, followed by NBC News political director and Meet the Press host Chuck Todd on March 26. Founder and CEO of Girls Who Code Reshma Saujani will be the season’s final speaker on April 9.. ...Read Full Story

There’s a new principal at Bridgman High School. Superintendent Shane Peters tells us the board of education on Monday voted unanimously to hire Gerald Heath for the position. He replaces Sam Stine, who became the Bridgman Public Schools Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Special Education this summer. Heath has served as the middle and high school principal at Lake Michigan Catholic. He’s also been an assistant principal and athletic director at Lake Michigan Catholic and a high school math teacher. Heath will officially begin his duties on July 23, and the district is making arrangements for the public and students to meet him. He says he’s excited to begin the new job.. ...Read Full Story

A new study from the University of Michigan has found the Jobs for Michigan’s Graduates program has a major effect on the students who participate. Youth Solutions Director Kristin Harrington tells WSJM News the 10-year-old program helps young people finish high school, guides them toward post-secondary education, and teaches them soft skills for the workplace.. ...Read Full Story

St. Joseph Department of Public Safety Director Brian Uridge has resigned. He submitted his notice of resignation Friday, indicating to city officials he is returning to the public sector and a private life. Uridge told city staff that he has enjoyed working for St. Joseph and getting to know the community. Uridge, who also served as the assistant city manager, added he believes “We have achieved the goals I and the City had set for us when I joined Saint Joseph government. Now it is time for me to move on to new challenges.” St. Joseph City Manager John Hodgson tells us the city commission will consider related issues — such as appointing an acting/interim director — on Monday.. ...Read Full Story

The South Haven City Council this week adopted Phase 1 of the new Short Term Rental Amendments. Assistant City Manager Kate Hosier has the specifics says the old one-time $20 fee is shooting way up to an annual fee of $200 once the ordinance has been published, which is expected in about ten days.. ...Read Full Story

A Detroit woman is facing charges after being arrested for drunk driving early Saturday morning in Van Buren County. The Van Buren County Sheriff’s Department tells us a deputy was on his way to work around 5 a.m. when he spotted a vehicle swerving erratically on westbound I-94 near the Paw Paw exit. He pulled the vehicle over, and the 31-year-old woman behind the wheel told him she was on her way to Detroit from a party in Kalamazoo. The deputy told her she’d been going the wrong way and administered a blood alcohol test which found her to be three times the legal limit. After getting the woman to jail, sheriff’s deputies learned the woman had given them a false name and did not have a valid driver’s license. The woman had three boys in the vehicle with her — a 10-month-old, a 2-year-old, and a 7-year-old. Their father was called to come and get them. The woman is now facing charges of drunk driving, child endangerment, possession of marijuana, possession of cocaine, driving on a suspended license, and giving false information to police. Police say the woman also had three warrants out in Detroit. Her name has not been released.. ...Read Full Story

More than $117,000 in For Good Grants were announced this week by the Berrien Community Foundation. The foundation’s Susan Matheny tells WSJM News the For Good Grants come from interest off the organization’s endowments so the grants can last forever. The grants announced this week go to 24 non-profits.. ...Read Full Story

There’s a new trustee in place at Lake Michigan College. At a meeting this week, the LMC Board of Trustees voted to appoint Joan Smith to a vacant seat. The position was formerly occupied by Judy Truesdell, who retired last month. Smith has been the chair of LMC’s Campaign for Tomorrow, which raised money for the new Hanson Tech Center. She’s also served on the LMC Foundation Board. She tells WSJM News she believes in the mission of community colleges.. ...Read Full Story

Benton Harbor City Commissioners have voted to put the community’s trash collector on notice. At a meeting this past week, they talked at length about how to correct problems reported with the service provided by We-Cycle Industrial Sanitation since the company was hired last year. Those problems include a lack of trash cans for residents and rude workers. The commission considered a resolution to send a 60-day contract termination notice to We-Cycle. Commissioner Ruthie Haralson spoke at Monday’s meeting.. ...Read Full Story

Michigan soybean growers are being hit by the Trump administration’s new tariffs on China. Michigan Farm Bureau Field Crops Specialist Kate Thiel tells WSJM News direct sales of soy to China are expected to drop by 23%.. ...Read Full Story

The Van Buren County Road Commission is hoping to fill in the public next week about its need for new road funding. The last of three public information meetings on an August ballot proposal for a new millage will be Tuesday, July 24 at the Van Buren Conference Center in Lawrence. The meeting will run from 6 to 8 p.m. The road commission tells us on hand will be engineers who will give a Power Point presentation regarding the proposed millage, along with a review of the current road conditions, the current road funding, and the intent of the millage. The road commission is asking voters for an additional three mills for 12 years. That would work out to about $15 per month for the average property owner. The Van Buren County Road Commission tells us road funding is grossly inadequate under old models still in place. Right now, about 67% of the roads in the county are classified as being in poor condition. Everyone is invited to next Tuesday’s meeting to hear more.. ...Read Full Story

Future visitors to South Haven’s South Beach will most likely be enjoying a splash pad. The public has asked for it and the city’s parks and recreation department is now working on engineering studies. That’s according to Assistant City Manager Kate Hosier. She spoke with WSJM News about the project.. ...Read Full Story

Berrien County Treasurer Bret Witkowski is thanking Honor Credit Union for making an effort to promote its new property tax savings accounts. Witkowski tells WSJM News he worked with some local banks to create the accounts taxpayers can use to have a portion of their earnings put aside each month for property taxes later in the year.. ...Read Full Story

Matt Wesaw has been elected as the Tribal Council Chairman of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi. Wesaw was picked for the post in the tribe’s general election on Saturday, July 14. This is Wesaw’s third election as tribal chairman with the previous elections being in 2008 and 2012. In October 2013, Wesaw announced his retirement from the council to become the executive director of the Michigan Department of Civil Rights. At that time, current Chairman John P. Warren was chosen in a special election to serve out the remainder of the term and was re-elected in 2015. With Wesaw now once again serving as tribal chairman, he’ll also serve as CEO of the Pokagon Gaming Authority Board, which oversees the band’s casino properties in New Buffalo, Hartford, Dowagiac, and South Bend. Also elected July 14 were Kelly Curran as secretary, Colin Wesaw as elders representative, and Gary Morseau, Sr. as member at large. The Pokagon band includes around 5,600 citizens.. ...Read Full Story

The Mendel Center at Lake Michigan College is saluting its Volunteers of the Year. Mainstage Director Grace Kelmer tells us they held their annual volunteer appreciation dinner this month, and named Larry and Linda Becker as the recipients of the award. Kelmer tells us the Mendel Center relies on volunteers.. ...Read Full Story

There another movie being shot around southwest Michigan. Filmmaker John Hancock, the director of Prancer and 2015’s The Looking Glass, could be seen with his crew in downtown St. Joseph on Thursday shooting scenes for The Girls of Summer. The movie is about a female country rock band, and the crew was out at the Howard Band Shell with about 50 extras. St. Joseph Mayor Michael Garey tells us the movie was shooting at Tiscornia Beach on Wednesday, and the crew will be back at the Silver Beach Carousel later. They’re also shooting around South Bend and Laporte. The movie is expected to premiere next year, and you can follow its progress at its Facebook page. Garey says the movie appears to be family-friendly, and he thinks it’s good promotion for the city. But don’t worry. Garey told us he doesn’t believe St. Joe is going Hollywood.. ...Read Full Story

In theory, more than 400 miles of shoreline in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Canada would be impacted by a potential oil spill from Enbridge Energy’s Line 5 pipeline in the Straits of Mackinac. The report was put together by a Michigan Tech University professor. Michigan Department of Natural Resources spokesperson Ed Golder spoke with Michigan News Network about the report.. ...Read Full Story

A Decatur man is facing charges of assault with a dangerous weapon and possession of a firearm while under the influence following an incident early Friday in Sister Lakes. The Van Buren County Sheriff’s Department tells us deputies were sent to the Lakeview Inn around 1:40 a.m. on a report of an assault. They learned a 26-year-old man had been thrown out of the establishment due to his behavior. He then allegedly retrieved a loaded semi-automatic rifle from his vehicle, returned to the patio, and pointed it at the person who had removed him. That person and some bystanders wrestled the weapon from the man and held him until police arrived. The suspect has been identified as Alanzo Gasca. He was arrested and arraigned on Friday. His bond was set at $50,000.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — Democrats running for Michigan governor have held their second and final televised debate weeks before the Aug. 7 primary. Abdul El-Sayed, and Gretchen Whitmer sparred Thursday night over the influence of corporate money in politics. El-Sayed accuses Whitmer of using “Republican gimmicks” because an allied outside group airing pro-Whitmer ads can use “unlimited corporate money” and has not disclosed its donors. Whitmer counters that El-Sayed – who rejects corporate political action donations – has received $170,000 in donations from corporate executives, and “you can’t be half-pregnant on this one.” The sharp exchange punctuated a debate in which the candidates, including businessman Shri Thanedar, answered questions about business taxes, roads, tariffs and abortion rights.. ...Read Full Story

More than $117,000 in For Good Grants were announced this week by the Berrien Community Foundation. The foundation’s Susan Matheny tells WSJM News the For Good Grants come from interest off the organization’s endowments so the grants can last forever. The grants announced this week go to 24 non-profits.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — Michigan officials want Congress to approve legislation that would boost funding for fish and wildlife conservation. Pending bills would allocate $1.3 billion a year to the Wildlife Conservation Restoration Program. The money would be generated through energy development on federal lands and waters. State Department of Natural Resources Director Keith Creagh says the federal program would be similar to the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund. It uses
royalties from the sale or lease of state-owned minerals to buy or improve public lands for recreation. The DNR estimates Michigan would receive $31 million per year if the federal initiative were approved. It could be used for efforts such as habitat
restoration and fighting invasive species. More than 300 wildlife species in the state need protection to prevent them
from becoming endangered.. ...Read Full Story

The task of finding a new chief public defender for Berrien County is one the county commission hopes to complete soon. Berrien County Chief Public Defender Carl Macpherson will be stepping down July 31 after leading that office since its creation in 2015. Berrien County Board of Commissioners Chair John Hinkelman tells WSJM News the search is on.. ...Read Full Story

The dredging of the outer harbor in St. Joseph has started for the year. St. Joe City Manager John Hodgson tells WSJM News the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers started this week and should be finished by the end of the weekend.. ...Read Full Story

Future visitors to South Haven’s South Beach will most likely be enjoying a splash pad. The public has asked for it and the city’s parks and recreation department is now working on engineering studies. That’s according to Assistant City Manager Kate Hosier. She spoke with WSJM News about the project.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — Students, staff and faculty at Michigan State University will get free on-campus bus service for a year starting in late August. The East Lansing school says it’s amended its contract with the Capital Area Transportation Authority for the 2018-19 academic year. The free service will go into effect August 27, when fall semester classes start, and will run on a trial basis for a year. Details of the CATA routes included are posted online. CATA has provided on-campus service to the university since April 1999. Last year, there were 3 million rides taken on campus routes. The school will evaluate the free ride program after the end of the trial period, looking at usage and student satisfaction.. ...Read Full Story

Deputies with the Cass County Sheriff’s Department are looking for a dark-colored SUV involved in a hit-and-run crash around 6 a.m. today. It happened in Marcellus, and witnesses tell police an Hispanic man crashed into a utility pole and a stop sign after going over the center line on Main Street near Jones Street. No one outside of the vehicle was hurt, and the man had driven off by the time authorities arrived. Anyone who knows of an SUV with damage that would be consistent with such a crash is being asked to call Crime Stoppers or the Cass County Sheriff’s Department.. ...Read Full Story

Applications are now being accepted by Berrien County to fill the vacant Register of Deeds office. That elected office was left by the death this summer of Lori Jarvis, whose elected term ran through December 31, 2020. A committee made up of Probate Judge Mabel Mayfield, Berrien County Clerk Sharon Tyler, and Prosecutor Michael Sepic will review the applications. Those interested should be at least 18, be registered to vote in Berrien County, and ideally have experience managing a small staff and an office budget along with being familiar with real estate matters. The deadline to apply is 4 p.m. on August 17. To do so, send a completed application, available on the county’s website, along with a cover letter and resume to: Berrien County Clerk Sharon Tyler, Courthouse, 811 Port Street, St. Joseph, MI 49085.. ...Read Full Story

A push to alter the Endangered Species Act continued Tuesday at a hearing in the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. The draft bill from Wyoming Senator John Barrasso would give state and local officials more power on species recovery teams, prioritize state scientific studies over the feds, and exempt federal listing decisions from judicial review. The Endangered Species Coalition’s Melissa Smith tells us, in recent years, many states have sided with industry in arguing against protections for certain species.. ...Read Full Story

The annual Mike Yore Memorial Car Show will be this Friday in St. Joseph. St. Joe Today’s Amy Zapal tells WSJM News the event will feature more than 200 cars 25 years old or older lined up along the bluff downtown.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — Authorities say a young husband and wife have died in a crash in western Michigan just a few weeks after they were married. The Allegan County sheriff’s office says three vehicles were involved in Tuesday’s crash in Heath Township. The sheriff’s office says 24-year-old Logan Thunderland Allbaugh and 22-year-old Hannah Mae Kwekel died in the crash. A statement from the office said they’d been married for two weeks, but a registry under their names listed a June 23 wedding had been planned. Preliminary information indicates the Holland, Michigan-area couple’s vehicle was struck by a vehicle that apparently failed to obey a stop sign. The couple’s vehicle then was struck by another vehicle. One of the other drivers had minor injuries and the other wasn’t hurt. The crash is under investigation.. ...Read Full Story

A new study from the University of Michigan has found the Jobs for Michigan’s Graduates program has a major effect on the students who participate. Youth Solutions Director Kristin Harrington tells WSJM News the 10-year-old program helps young people finish high school, guides them toward post-secondary education, and teaches them soft skills for the workplace.. ...Read Full Story

“Justice finally prevailed.” That’s what Ibrahim Parlak is thinking after a federal immigration judge this week approved his application for deferral of removal under the Convention Against Torture. The Kurdish immigrant and Berrien County restaurant owner has been fighting deportation to Turkey since not long after 9/11, and tells WSJM News this week’s decision gives him a break.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — Federal education officials say Michigan is the only state in the U.S. that needs intervention after failing to meet federal special education requirements this year. The Detroit News reports that the U.S. Department of Education determined the need for intervention after evaluating Michigan’s compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act for the 2016-17 school year. Education experts say Michigan’s rating reflects its high drop-out and low
graduation rates for students with disabilities. Federal officials say 29 percent of Michigan children with disabilities dropped out of school and 63 percent graduated with a regular high school diploma. Michigan ranks alongside Washington, D.C., Palau and Northern Mariana Islands, a U.S. Commonwealth. Michigan Department of Education officials say they’re still reviewing the federal report. The U.S. Department of Education declined to comment further on findings.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — Michigan officials say propane users should lock in fuel prices now, even though heating season is months away. The Michigan Agency for Energy says U.S. propane stocks are slightly higher now than they were a year ago. But they’re 27 percent below levels seen in 2016. Executive Director Anne Armstrong Cusack says customers should sign contracts
soon instead of waiting until winter, when demand is higher. More than 8 percent of Michigan households use propane as their primary heating fuel. Michigan leads the nation in total residential propane consumption. Propane prices are not regulated. But the energy agency monitors supplies. And it reports statewide average residential prices weekly on its website during the
heating season, beginning October 1. The agency also has online information on selecting a provider.. ...Read Full Story

Dozens of survivors of sexual abuse by former Michigan State University and USA Gymnastics sports doctor Larry Nassar are gathered in Los Angeles today. They will be given the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at ESPN’s ESPY Awards tonight. Former gymnast Kaylee Lorincz of Macomb Township says it was very difficult to go before the world and Nassar in the courtroom and admit the abuse and she has suffered depression since, but she hopes some good will come from it.. ...Read Full Story

The new CEO of the Benton Harbor Area Schools says his installation at the helm of the district is in effect a state takeover. Dr. Robert Herrera spoke to our partners at WNDU NewsCenter 16 about his role.. ...Read Full Story

The Van Buren County Road Commission is hoping to fill in the public next week about its need for new road funding. The last of three public information meetings on an August ballot proposal for a new millage will be next Tuesday at the Van Buren Conference Center in Lawrence. The meeting will run from 6 to 8 p.m. The road commission tells us on hand will be engineers who will give a Power Point presentation regarding the proposed millage, along with a review of the current road conditions, the current road funding, and the intent of the millage. The road commission is asking voters for an additional three mills for 12 years. That would work out to about $15 per month for the average property owner. The Van Buren County Road Commission tells us road funding is grossly inadequate under old models still in place. Right now, about 67% of the roads in the county are classified as being in poor condition. Everyone is invited to next Tuesday’s meeting to hear more.. ...Read Full Story

There’s a new principal at Bridgman High School. Superintendent Shane Peters tells us the board of education on Monday voted unanimously to hire Gerald Heath for the position. He replaces Sam Stine, who became the Bridgman Public Schools Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Special Education this summer. Heath has served as the middle and high school principal at Lake Michigan Catholic. He’s also been an assistant principal and athletic director at Lake Michigan Catholic and a high school math teacher. Heath will officially begin his duties on July 23, and the district is making arrangements for the public and students to meet him. He says he’s excited to begin the new job.. ...Read Full Story

A judge has ruled in favor of a Berrien County restaurant owner fighting deportation from the United States. The office of Congressman Fred Upton issued a statement Tuesday night, saying Ibrahim Parlak’s application for deferral of removal under the Convention Against Torture has been granted. Parlak, a Kurdish immigrant who owns Cafe Gulistan in Harbert, has been facing possible deportation for years. Congressman Upton has long been a Parlak supporter, repeatedly introducing legislation to stall Parlak’s deportation. Upton’s office tells us an immigration judge ruled Tuesday Parlak will not be deported. Upton writes, “Justice has prevailed,” adding, “supporters can begin to rest easy as we’re hopefully turning the page on this chapter for good and finally done wasting taxpayer dollars.” He offers to help Parlak in any way he can moving forward, and calls Parlak a “fantastic father, local business owner, and friend to many families here in Southwest Michigan.” Parlak was granted political asylum in the U.S. from his native Turkey in the 1990s, but things changed when the U.S. State Department declared a group he was affiliated with in Turkey, the PKK, to be a terrorist organization. He’s been fighting to stay in the U.S. ever since. He feared he would be tortured or worse if sent back to Turkey.. ...Read Full Story

There’s a new trustee in place at Lake Michigan College. At a meeting this week, the LMC Board of Trustees voted to appoint Joan Smith to a vacant seat. The position was formerly occupied by Judy Truesdell, who retired last month. Smith has been the chair of LMC’s Campaign for Tomorrow, which raised money for the new Hanson Tech Center. She’s also served on the LMC Foundation Board. She tells WSJM News she believes in the mission of community colleges.. ...Read Full Story