Local News Archives

The deadline to apply for a Frederick S. Upton Foundation grant through the Berrien Community Foundation is quickly approaching. The foundation tells us the date is March 15 for those wishing to receive a grant in during the spring cycle. The Frederick S. Upton Foundation considers grant requests from a wide variety of non-profit organizations but focuses its efforts in Berrien County. This is the first year the Berrien Community Foundation is holding two grant cycles per year. The other will end in the summer. Any organization looking for more information can go to BerrienCommunity.org.. ...Read Full Story

State Representative Kim LaSata stopped by Benton Harbor City Hall this week to talk with city commissioners about recent action in Lansing that could affect the community. She told them about a plan to stop the former owners of blighted, abandoned properties from dumping the cost of a home’s demolition on cities and townships.. ...Read Full Story

All students at Eau Claire Public Schools have a couple of days off due to illness. Interim Superintendent David Waaso tells WSJM News lots of kids have flu-like symptoms, and they’re missing several days. At a certain point, the administration decided it was time to shut everything down while the buildings could be scrubbed.. ...Read Full Story

Benton Harbor Area Schools Superintendent Shelly Walker has been placed on non-disciplinary paid administrative leave pending an investigation by a law firm. At a Tuesday work session, the board of education voted unanimously to put Walker on leave effective immediately. Board President Marletta Seats proposed the resolution.. ...Read Full Story

The contract of Benton Harbor City Manager Darwin Watson will be the topic of discussion when city commissioners hold a special meeting on Wednesday. Watson received his performance evaluation at Monday’s commission meeting, but it was done in a closed session and commissioners took no action when they came out of it. They quickly adjourned over the objections of Commissioner Juanita Henry, who wanted more discussion. Commissioners will talk more openly about the manager at the special meeting on Wednesday. It starts at 7 p.m. at city hall.. ...Read Full Story

General Motors has posted an operating profit of $12.8 billion for 2017. CEO Mary Barra told Michigan News Network she expects a good year ahead with new crossover vehicles now on the market, and new pickup trucks coming.. ...Read Full Story

There could be a buyer soon for the vacant Alreco property in Benton Harbor. The place used to be an industrial site, and it’s now in the Berrien County Land Bank with it having been taken in foreclosure. The land bank is looking for a buyer, and Benton Harbor City Commissioners this week heard from realtor Robert Winters a Holland firm is interested in acquiring the roughly 10-acre parcel.. ...Read Full Story

The Berrien County Health Department wants everyone to know about the risks of hepatitis A as an outbreak of the disease continues in part of Michigan. Health department spokesperson Gillian Conrad tells WSJM News the situation is slowly spreading.. ...Read Full Story

The city of Benton Harbor is barreling toward the implementation of its new income tax. At a Monday meeting, commissioners approved the purchase of computer software to administer the tax at a cost of $65,000. They also approved hiring Secant Technologies to do a security assessment for the city so it can protect the personal information of the people who pay that tax. The cost of the contract is $14,000. City Manager Darwin Watson said there has to be very tight security for handling an income tax.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — Michigan State has hired Bill Beekman to be the school’s interim athletic director. Interim school president John Engler made the appointment Monday. Beekman will keep his role as vice president of the school and secretary of its board when the search begins soon for an AD. Engler says “no internal candidates will be considered” for the job. Beekman also has been executive director of the school’s alumni association. Former Michigan State athletic director Mark Hollis retired last week in the wake of the Larry Nassar sex abuse scandal and just before ESPN published a report detailing various allegations involving Michigan State football and basketball players, questioning how the athletic department handled those cases.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — Officials are preparing to remove a 90-year-old dam in southwest Michigan to help restore habitat for native fish. The Kalamazoo Gazette reports that the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality and other organizations will soon begin the $4 million project to remove the Alcott Street dam in Kalamazoo. The dam, which was built in 1927, no longer has a function. Instead, it prevents fish migration and holds contaminated sediment in place. Linda Williams is a contaminant specialist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service. She says the dam removal project is the highest priority project identified. She says removing the dam will improve habitat on both sides of the dam and give fish more space. The Natural Resource Damage Trustee Council will cover half of the project’s cost.. ...Read Full Story

The city of Benton Harbor will be working with the Southwest Michigan Community Action Agency to administer a home rehabilitation program. The home rehab program uses HUD money, and it’s been non-functional in Benton Harbor since 2011. Commissioners previously tabled working with the community action agency on it, but the organization satisfied most with a recent committee presentation. Mayor Marcus Muhammad said the task of helping residents fix housing problems can’t be further delayed, adding the city’s community development director will oversee the program.. ...Read Full Story

The rash of schools being closed due to illnesses has come to southwest Michigan. Eau Claire Public Schools says in a Facebook post its buildings will be closed through Thursday with many students missing class. During the closing, staff will work to disinfect the buildings. We’ll catch up with Eau Claire administrators on the coming day to learn more.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — A 24-year-old man who pleaded guilty to reckless driving in connection with a freeway crash that killed a fire chief in southern Michigan has been sentenced to 3.5 to 15 years in prison. Brandon Clevenger of Battle Creek learned his punishment Monday in a Kalamazoo courtroom and said he accepted “full responsibility.” Investigators say Clevenger was driving nearly 90 mph (145 kph) and was distracted by his cellphone just before striking a median wall last June. His vehicle crossed lanes of Interstate 94 in Comstock Township, 135 miles west of Detroit. Comstock Township Fire Chief Edward Switalski died after being struck as he responded to another crash. Switalski worked for more than three decades at Pleasantview Fire District in suburban Chicago before becoming Comstock Township chief in 2013.. ...Read Full Story

Phase two in the construction of a new park in the South Haven area is now underway. The South Haven Recreation Authority tells us work at the Pilgrim Haven Natural Area throughout this year will include a fence installed along the northern property line, as well as a control gate for the site’s parking area. Once that work is done, the park can be opened to the public. The Pilgrim Haven Natural Area is just north of the Van Buren State Park, and is 27 acres of woods, dune grass prairies, and shoreline along Lake Michigan. It’s to be maintained through a partnership of the recreation authority, South Haven Township, the city of South Haven, and South Haven Public Schools. The current phase should be done this year, allowing for the park to be opened to the public. After that, they’ll start phase three, which is set to include new walkways, pit toilets, benches, and a place to pull out and secure kayaks and canoes.. ...Read Full Story

A South Bend man is facing a murder charge in the death of a Decatur woman. The Van Buren County Sheriff’s Department tells us the body of 31-year-old Jessica Lynn True was found in a Decatur home following a fire in November of last year. Police determined at the time the fire was an arson. Now taken into custody is 32-year-old Glenn Russell Tett, Jr. He’s facing charges of open murder and second degree arson in the case. Tett was arrested last Thursday and arraigned on Friday. His bond is set at $5 million. The investigation into the arson and murder is ongoing.. ...Read Full Story

A Buchanan woman who admitted to embezzling nearly $2 million from her employer also faces up to five years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000 in a tax evasion case. The United States Attorney’s office in Grand Rapids this week announced Lori Pawielski has agreed to plead guilty to one count of attempting to evade or defeat taxes in 2009 through 2015. The government had alleged in March of 2016, Pawielski prepared a false Form 1040, claiming taxable income of $149,000 when in fact she’d made $330,000. The U.S. Attorney says she should have paid more than $80,000 in taxes, and not about $28,000. She also admitted to embezzling more than $1.9 million from a former employer in her plea deal. That was handled in a separate state case. Pawielski will be arraigned next month.. ...Read Full Story

The Berrien County Sheriff’s Department is investigating a break-in at Roger’s Foodland last month. It tells us around 1 a.m. on January 11, four men entered the Royalton Township business by prying their way through the front door. They went straight to the pharmacy and stole a large amount of prescription medications. Police ask anyone with information on the crime to contact them or Crimestoppers. Information leading to an arrest could be worth up to $1,000. Crimestoppers can be reached at 1-800-342-STOP.. ...Read Full Story

Last year, the state of Michigan increased its intake of solid waste, or trash, by 3.1% over 2016. That’s a somewhat projected figure, according to Tiffany Brown with the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. She spoke with Michigan News Network about the state’s recycling goals.. ...Read Full Story

Michigan Budget Director Al Pscholka is not going to get into the race for the 21st District state Senate seat currently held by John Proos.. ...Read Full Story

Michigan State University and others have been in the spotlight with high-profile cases of sexual assault. A new report doesn’t dispute the big problems on campus, but it makes the point that women who don’t attend college are at even greater risk. The six-year study found that one in four women will experience “forced intercourse” by age 44. Researcher Bill Axinn, a University of Michigan professor, says there’s no question it’s deeply disturbing that the risk of sexual assault is as high as 20% per year for undergraduates.. ...Read Full Story

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources stocked the state’s inland lakes with more than 830,000 fish in the fall of 2017. The numbers were released on Monday, and DNR Fish Production Manager Ed Eisch tells WSJM News the species dropped into Michigan lakes include trout, salmon, and walleye. He notes the state has been stocking lakes with fish since the late 1800s.. ...Read Full Story

State Senator John Proos says the planned closure of a state prison this spring in Muskegon is a sign that efforts to reduce crime and prevent repeat offenses among inmates are working. He tells WSJM News the March shuttering of the West Shoreline Correctional Facility in Muskegon will save millions of dollars.. ...Read Full Story

This year’s Lake Michigan Shore Wine Festival will be held in a different venue. Traditionally, the event has been held each summer at Weko Beach in Bridgman, but the Michigan Tourism Council tells us it’s being moved this year to Warren Dunes State Park in Sawyer to accommodate bigger crowds as the event grows. The date remains the same. The event has always been the third Saturday in June, with this year’s date falls on Saturday, June 16. Organizers tell us the Lake Michigan Shore Wine Festival brings all of the wineries of the Lake Michigan Shore Wine Trail together in one location for guests to sample wines. That includes southwest Michigan wineries like Contessa Wine Cellars, St. Julian Winery, and Lemon Creek Winery. Moving the festival to Warren Dunes this summer will also give attendees a chance to go exploring the dunes. Tickets are already on sale, and you can find out more at LakeMichiganWineFest.com.. ...Read Full Story

The southwest Michigan housing market finished 2017 continuing to sizzle. According to the latest numbers from the Southwestern Michigan Association of Realtors, 2017 home sales in the region were up 4% over 2016. However, the market did slightly slow down in December, with monthly sales slipping 7% from December of the previous year. The assocation tells us housing inventory in December slipped to an all-time low, falling to a 4.4 months supply of houses for sale the final month of 2017. When comparing 2017 to 2016 as a whole, the average selling price in the region was up 9%, and the average price in just December of 2017 was up a whopping 16% over December of the previous year. The Southwestern Michigan Association of Realtors tells us it enters 2018 excited to be well past the recession. The group adds in its latest report, it’s “been a long road back from the 2006, the previous peak year.”. ...Read Full Story

The Bosch Community Fund is giving more than $50,000 to southwest Michigan schools this year to help students study STEM subjects. Karri Withrow with the St. Joseph plant tells WSJM News the grants include $7,500 to support the FIRST Robotics team at Benton Harbor Area Schools.. ...Read Full Story

Girls on the Run is the recipient of a $5,000 grant from the Frederick S. Upton Foundation. Girls in the Run is a program that works with girls in the third through the eighth grades, teaching them proper health and life practices while helping them develop a strong sense of self-worth. It all culminates in a 5 K run each spring. The organization tells us the $5,000 grant aligns with the Frederick S. Upton Foundation’s mission “To Love Our Community.” Girls on the Run Southwest Michigan anticipates hosting 60 sites with 105 teams serving 1,400 girls during the 2018 spring season. Anyone who wants to know more about the organization can go to GOTRSWMI.org.. ...Read Full Story

The Krasl Art Center is planning a special bike ride for this month to help everyone get out of the house and take in some art. Krasl’s Amber Erickson tells WSJM News the Krasl Cupids Art & Love Ride will be the morning of Sunday, February 11.. ...Read Full Story

Congressman Fred Upton is hailing this week’s House passage of legislation designed to protect athletes from sexual predators. He tells us the Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization Act of 2017 passed 406 to 3 on Monday. Upton says the Larry Nassar scandal is an example of what can go wrong in an athletic program.. ...Read Full Story

Coming up this spring in Van Buren County will be another round of Skywarn severe weather training. The Van Buren County Sheriff’s Department tells us the class will be held at Paw Paw High School on March 9. Anyone who attends can learn how to become a weather spotter. A representative of the National Weather Service will be on hand to teach the class. Everyone’s welcome to the event. Anyone with questions can contact the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Department’s Office of Domestic Preparedness at 269-657-7786.. ...Read Full Story

How would you like to live in a 102 square foot house? Lake Michigan College is offering you chance to get one. It tells us in addition to the annual Winner’s Circle Benefit Auction set for March 3, the Lake Michigan College Foundation is now accepting bids online for a fully-functional tiny house built by students a few years ago as they learned about sustainable construction practices. The house is on a 7 by 14 foot trailer, and is built according to plans from Tumbleweed Tiny Houses. It comes equipped with a full kitchen, bathroom, loft/bedroom, and living room. Bids on the tiny house begin at $1,000, and should be submitted through LakeMichiganCollege.edu/Auction. Bidding ends the same time as the Winner’s Circle Benefit Auction, which is 9 p.m. on Saturday, March 3.. ...Read Full Story

Michigan’s largest teachers union is getting a new leader. Mike Shoudy takes over as executive director of the Michigan Education Association on March 1. He spoke with Michigan News Network about the big issues facing the union.. ...Read Full Story

The Van Buren and Cass District Health Department is planning some flu shot clinics for next week in Hartford and Dowagiac. Van Buren and Cass Medical Director Larry Wile tells WSJM News it’s pretty late in the season to get the flu vaccine, but the shot is still recommended. It may only be 30% effective, but Wise says it can reduce the severity of symptoms.. ...Read Full Story

A woman is dead following a snowmobile crash in Hagar Township. Just after 1:30 Saturday morning first responders were dispatched to a wooded area in the 4700 Block of Carmody Road for a reported single unit snowmobile crash. When they arrived, they were guided to the deceased body of a 43 year old female from Owosso. Initial investigations suggest the female passenger was ejected from the snowmobile and received a fatal head injury. A 41 year old Owosso man was the driver of the snowmobile and he received serious injuries to his back and pelvis. He was transported to Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo and is listed in serious but stable condition. Both the driver and passenger were not wearing helmets. Police say a preliminary investigation suggests alcohol may have been a contributing factor. The investigation is ongoing and names are being withheld pending family notification.. ...Read Full Story

Faculty at Southwestern Michigan College have some extra work to do now that they have voted to unionize. In a vote tallied Friday, SMC’s 58 full-time employees opted to sign up with the Michigan Education Association. The MEA’s David Crimm told WSJM News what’s next.. ...Read Full Story

Nine linemen from Indiana Michigan Power will be working 12 to 16 hours per day, seven days a week for the next month. That’s because they’re in Puerto Rico helping to restore power following September’s hurricane. I&M spokesperson Schnee Garrett tells WSJM News they’re in a hard-to-reach place.. ...Read Full Story

A doctor’s office in South Haven has been raided by the Southwest Enforcement Team. Officers searched the unnamed office in the city Thursday. Police tell us the initial investigation indicated normal prescription practices involving scheduled narcotics were possibly not being followed, so a judge granted the Southwest Enforcement Team a search warrant. The DEA’s Drug Diversion Unit and Southwest Enforcement Team detectives are now sifting through documents they seized. No criminal charges have been sought at this point, as this investigation still continues. The name of the doctor has not been released pending a review by the prosecutor.. ...Read Full Story

At least eight representatives of the St. Joseph Coast Guard station will be on hand for the next meeting of the St. Joseph City Commission to discuss the possibility of life rings at the north pier. Coast Guard Petty Officer Lazaro Lopez tells WSJM News he just wants a dialogue.. ...Read Full Story

A 17-year-old girl from Benton Harbor is facing charges after a chase with police in Niles this week. The Niles Police Department tells us deputies with the Berrien County Sheriff’s Department were called to the Walmart on South 11th Street in Niles Township around 5 p.m. Thursday on a report of shoplifting in progress. When they arrived, they spotted the suspect running through the parking lot away from Walmart loss prevention officers. She got into a 2006 Mercury and took off. The Mercury hit three parked vehicles as the suspect pulled out into South 11th Street. She didn’t stop for the sheriff’s deputies when they turned on their lights. A chase ensued and ended when the Mercury crashed into another vehicle on Ontario Road. That’s when the 17-year-old suspect gave up. She’s now facing charges of retail fraud, reckless driving, and fleeing and eluding.. ...Read Full Story

Some FIRST Robotics students from Berrien County testified this week in the Michigan Senate about legislation co-sponsored by state Senator John Proos to require better vision testing for students in the state. Members of the CW Tech Robotarians, a FIRST Robotics team that includes kids from Coloma, Watervliet, and Lake Michigan Catholic, were there Wednesday. They and their coach talked about a CW Tech robotics teammate who was diagnosed with an eye disorder that makes it difficult to read. The students who testified this week were in support of Senate Bill 411, which would require a comprehensive eye and vision exam for a child who fails their already-required grade school vision screening. Proos tells us catching and treating vision problems in children early can help improve their academic performance.. ...Read Full Story

The Michigan Liquor Control Commission is reminding bars, stores, and restaurants of their responsibilities this Super Bowl weekend. The commission’s David Harns tells WSJM News there are rules those who sell alcohol must follow.. ...Read Full Story

The next lineup of the South Haven Speaker Series has been announced. Speaker Series President Mark Odland tells WSJM News the first engagement will be this April when Hope College Associate Professor of History Fred Johnson speaks about the struggles of black Americans. The following month, former Detroit Mayor Dennis Archer will stop by.. ...Read Full Story

The 14th annual Magical Ice Fest takes place this weekend in downtown St. Joseph. St. Joe Today’s Daniele Crevier tells WSJM News it kicks off Friday evening with the first ice sculptors, followed by the Fire and Ice display.. ...Read Full Story

Michigan State Police are investigating a multi-vehicle crash on westbound I-94 near Hartford Friday morning. It happened around 9:20 a.m. during periods of heavy lake effect snow. The crash involved 17 semis and 12 passenger cars, and an exact number of injuries is still being determined. At least one individual was pinned in his vehicle for a short period of time.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — A judge says there’s “no way” she’ll punish a father of three victims of Larry Nassar after the dad tried to attack the former sports doctor in a Michigan courtroom. Randall Margraves apologized Friday, a few hours after he charged toward Nassar
during a sentencing hearing in Eaton County, Michigan. Judge Janice Cunningham says a punishment isn’t appropriate based on the crimes committed by Nassar and the anguish felt by families. But she also says it’s wrong to “combat assault with assault.” Cunningham could have given Margraves a jail sentence or fine as she considered whether to hold him in contempt of court. Nassar must listen to scores of victims before he’s sentenced next week for sexual assault. He’s admitted molesting young gymnasts. He’s already been sentenced to 40 to 175 years in prison in another county.. ...Read Full Story

Forbes has released its latest diversity rankings of large U.S. employers, and coming in 13th nationwide is Michigan’s Consumers Energy. Consumers also topped the rankings for the state. Company spokesperson Brian Wheeler tells WSJM News they aim to have a diverse workforce.. ...Read Full Story

A new mobile app has been released by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services for those who use the Women, Infants and Children program. Spokesperson Lynn Sutfin tells WSJM News the WIC app will make it easier for potential and current clients to access benefits, schedule appointments, and find other program information. She says WIC has about 235,000 clients in Michigan.. ...Read Full Story

With Super Bowl Sunday this weekend, AAA of Michigan is asking all sports fans to remember the dangers of driving drunk. Spokesperson Gary Bubar tells WSJM News it’s your responsibility to arrange for a ride if you’re consuming alcohol. There are also responsibilities for those who throw parties.. ...Read Full Story

You’re running out of time to visit the Target store in Benton Harbor. The location’s final day of business is this Saturday. At 10 p.m. it will shut down for good. Target announced back in November it was shuttering the store, along with another one in Kansas. The shelves have been getting empty as the closing date approaches. The Target closing isn’t the only big retailer shutting down in that area of Benton Township. We learned this week the Carson’s at the Orchards Mall will close in the next 12 weeks or so.. ...Read Full Story

Students, parents, and community groups are being asked to help Benton Harbor Area Schools address concerns about discipline and safety. It was a packed house Thursday at McCoy’s Memorial Church of God In Christ for a town hall where Superintendent Shelly Walker outlined ideas for maintaining order. They include the creation of safe zones within the schools, the establishment of offsite alternative programming, and a new effort to listen to students. School Board President Marletta Seats told WSJM News that’s not all.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — Scientists at Chicago’s Field Museum are studying a piece of the meteor that broke apart earlier this month over Michigan. The meteorite, the size of a peach pit, arrived Wednesday. NASA scientists say the 6-foot-wide meteor broke apart about 20 miles over Earth on Jan. 16. It created a bright light and what sounded like thunder in the sky. Museum associate curator Philipp Heck believes the meteorite came from an asteroid orbiting between Mars and Jupiter. Meteorite hunter Robert Ward found it on a snow-covered lake near Hamburg, Michigan, and donated it to the Field Museum. A meteoroid is a small chunk of asteroid or comet. When it enters Earth’s atmosphere it becomes a meteor, fireball or shooting star. The pieces of rock that hit the ground are meteorites.. ...Read Full Story

The southwest Michigan housing market finished 2017 continuing to sizzle. According to the latest numbers from the Southwestern Michigan Association of Realtors, 2017 home sales in the region were up 4% over 2016. However, the market did slightly slow down in December, with monthly sales slipping 7% from December of the previous year. The assocation tells us housing inventory in December slipped to an all-time low, falling to a 4.4 months supply of houses for sale the final month of 2017. When comparing 2017 to 2016 as a whole, the average selling price in the region was up 9%, and the average price in just December of 2017 was up a whopping 16% over December of the previous year. The Southwestern Michigan Association of Realtors tells us it enters 2018 excited to be well past the recession. The group adds in its latest report, it’s “been a long road back from the 2006, the previous peak year.”. ...Read Full Story

$1.2 million in federal credits will be going to a low-income housing development in Niles. This week, Congressman Fred Upton announced the Low Income Housing Tax Credit for the Four Flags Plaza Apartments in Niles. He spoke with WSJM News about it.. ...Read Full Story

From ABC News — A public apology to a victim of former sports doctor Larry Nassar from Meridian Township officials on Thursday. They say they didn’t believe then 17-year-old Brianne Randall-Gay in 2004 when she reported Nassar sexually assaulted her during a visit for a back problem. The police department took a complaint from her, but didn’t seek criminal charges after Nassar told them he’d performed a legitimate procedure. An emotional Meridian Township Manager Frank Walsh apologized to Randall-Gay and her family, vowing to improve.. ...Read Full Story

The winners of this past weekend’s St. Joseph Today Downtown Chili Tour have been announced. Taking home the Chili Pepper Award — determined by a panel of judges — was the St. Joseph High School Culinary Team. Their entry was titled, “Netflix and Chili,” and it was featured at Caffe Tosi for last Friday’s chili tour. The high school culinary team was comprised of students Logan Borah, Daniel Okonski and Ali Koehler. Meanwhile, Bistro on the Boulevard Sous Chef James Galbraith won the People’s Choice Award for his “Kimchi(li)” served at Baroda Founders Tasting Room. For the fourth year in a row, the St. Joe Today Chili Tour also featured a charitable give back through a $2 suggested participation donation. A portion of those proceeds will be donated to the Benton Harbor Soup Kitchen.. ...Read Full Story

How would you like to live in a 102 square foot house? Lake Michigan College is offering you chance to get one. It tells us in addition to the annual Winner’s Circle Benefit Auction set for March 3, the Lake Michigan College Foundation is now accepting bids online for a fully-functional tiny house built by students a few years ago as they learned about sustainable construction practices. The house is on a 7 by 14 foot trailer, and is built according to plans from Tumbleweed Tiny Houses. It comes equipped with a full kitchen, bathroom, loft/bedroom, and living room. Bids on the tiny house begin at $1,000, and should be submitted through LakeMichiganCollege.edu/Auction. Bidding ends the same time as the Winner’s Circle Benefit Auction, which is 9 p.m. on Saturday, March 3.. ...Read Full Story

Michigan’s largest teachers union is getting a new leader. Mike Shoudy takes over as executive director of the Michigan Education Association on March 1. He spoke with Michigan News Network about the big issues facing the union.. ...Read Full Story

A coalition working to protect the Great Lakes says Governor Rick Snyder has sidestepped leadership on a major water issue by refusing to shut down the oil pipeline beneath the Mackinac Straits. Last month, the Michigan Pipeline Safety Advisory Board urged the governor to temporarily shut down Enbridge Line 5 until it can be inspected for gaps and repaired. Snyder rejected that proposal this week, saying it could cause a propane shortage. Sean McBrearty, with the coalition Oil and Water Don’t Mix, says the state is delaying the inevitable.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — A Michigan bar will undergo mandatory diversity and sensitivity training following an incident involving a watermelon on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The Lansing State Journal reports that a biracial employee of Darb’s Tavern and Eatery in Mason received a watermelon from her co-workers and boss on MLK Day. Kelly Martin Aimery, the employee’s mother, posted on Facebook saying the words “Happy 1/2 MLK” and “Happy black day” were written on the watermelon. The bar’s owner and manager Rob Hearit issued a statement Monday that said the action was mean to be a “friendly joke” but was in “poor taste and offensive.” Hearit says he will undergo diversity and sensitivity training along with his staff. Aimery declined to comment to the newspaper. Her daughter couldn’t be reached for comment.. ...Read Full Story

The Bosch Community Fund is giving more than $50,000 to southwest Michigan schools this year to help students study STEM subjects. Karri Withrow with the St. Joseph plant tells WSJM News the grants include $7,500 to support the FIRST Robotics team at Benton Harbor Area Schools.. ...Read Full Story