Local News Archives

Congressman Fred Upton has joined with his colleagues in the Michigan delegation in signing a letter to the chief administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency asking that the Chicago office of the EPA not be shut down. They say the rumored EPA office closure would threaten the Great Lakes, pointing to the office’s proximity to Lake Michigan. They also list some of the threats faced by the Great Lakes, including the spread of the Asian carp, and say continued vigilance is needed to keep them healthy. A total of 8 Michigan representatives have signed the letter.. ...Read Full Story

One person is dead following a three-vehicle crash on I-94 near Coloma on Friday afternoon. It happened shortly after 1:30 in the eastbound lanes of the highway near mile marker 37. Coloma police tell us the crash involved two semis and a pick-up. The driver of the pick-up was killed. The drivers of the semis were not hurt. The Michigan State Police Crash Reconstruction Team is still investigating the cause of the crash. None of the names of the drivers have been released.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — A judge has turned down a prosecutor’s request to hold one trial for a western Michigan man who is accused of killing two women and abducting a teen in three separate incidents. Muskegon County Judge William Marietti says the three cases have common
threads. But he said Friday that one trial would require “significant mental gymnastics” for jurors as they consider the evidence. Jeffrey Willis is charged with killing a gas station clerk in 2013 and a jogger in 2014. A teenager escaped his van and went to police last year. Defense attorney Brian Hosticka argued that the three incidents are “completely separate.” Nick Winberg, father of the slain jogger, Rebekah Bletsch, says he supports separate trials. He wants a “clean, crisp trial” in his daughter’s case.. ...Read Full Story

If you’re looking for a new pet, there’s another Empty the Shelters Day this Saturday at shelters throughout Michigan. It’s sponsored by the Bissell Pet Foundation, who’s paying the adoption fees at about 65 shelters including the Al-Van Humane Society in South Haven, Van Buren County Animal Control in Hartford, and Cass County Animal Control in Cassopolis. Cathy Bissell is the founder of the foundation.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — Names and logos of political parties no longer would be allowed on election ballots under two bills approved by Michigan’s state House. The legislation passed Thursday in Lansing and now heads to the GOP-controlled state Senate. Opponents of the current bills say party logos are necessary to help some voters identify the political parties of candidates appearing on election ballots. The two bills are sponsored by Republican Representatives Hank Vaupel of Fowlerville and Edward Canfield of Sebewaing. The bills were introduced last session to address a Senate bill that would have eliminated straight-ticket voting in Michigan. The Senate bill was signed into law in 2015 by Gov. Rick Snyder but later blocked by a federal district judge ahead of the 2016 November election.. ...Read Full Story

A murder investigation is underway in Benton Harbor. 37-year-old Tavaris Brummette was found badly wounded by gunshots in the Heyward Wells apartment complex this morning around 12:30 by public safety officers, and he died after being taken to Lakeland in St. Joseph. Several people have been interviewed by police, but no suspects have yet been identified. Authorities have not indicated what may have led to the shooting, and the investigation is ongoing. Anyone who has information is urged to call Benton Harbor Public Safety or Crime Stoppers.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — The Michigan Legislature is sending Flint $100 million in federal funding to address the water crisis. Then-President Barack Obama and Congress approved the aid in December. State lawmakers voted Thursday to officially pass the money along to Flint. The federal funding requires a $20 million state match, which will be provided from funding already authorized last year. The new money will be used to replace corroded pipes that leached lead and to update aging water mains and infrastructure. Water meters will be replaced and
an engineering study will be done. This week marked the three-year anniversary of the city’s fateful switch to using the Flint River for municipal water while under state management. Residents are still using water filters or bottled water.. ...Read Full Story

Lawmakers in Lansing are looking to help those who wait until the last minute to renew their license plate tabs. State Representative Curt VanderWall tells Michigan News Network renewing your tags online can have its downfalls. His plan would give folks more time to get their tages so they don’t get in trouble due to mail delays.. ...Read Full Story

A report from the AFLO-CIO finds the state should have tougher penalties for workplace safety violations. Spokesperson Zack Pohl tells WSJM News the average penalty for an OSHA violation is $763. He also says the state doesn’t have enough safety inspectors.. ...Read Full Story

A Stevensville-based manufacturer is getting a $135,000 Michigan Business Development Program grant to help with an expansion project. State Senator John Proos tells WSJM News Falcon Lakeside Manufacturing will invest $1.8 million in Berrien County. He thinks it serves the state well to work with businesses that might otherwise expand across the border instead.. ...Read Full Story

Starting Monday, the Michigan Department of Transportation will be replacing the westbound I-94 bridge over the Paw Paw River. MDOT Spokesperson Nick Schirripa tells WSJM News they did the eastbound half in 2015, and the other half of the work had to be delayed until this year.. ...Read Full Story

A Kalamazoo woman is in the Cass County Jail following a knife attack on her boyfriend at Southwestern Michigan College Thursday. The Dowagiac Police Department tells us officers were sent out to the dorms at SMC around 11:30 a.m. on a report that a woman was trying to stab herself. They got there and found a 20-year-old man who told them his girlfriend cut him while he was trying to get a knife away from her. Officers found the woman in her dorm and arrested her, while the victim was treated by EMTs. The 18-year-old woman was taken to a hospital to be checked out and then to the jail. She’s charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and domestic violence. Her name has not been released.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — A bill advancing in Michigan’s Legislature would change regulations in the charitable gambling industry after backlash over a state crackdown that charities say has restricted their fundraising. The legislation , approved 100-9 Thursday by the House, relates to casino-style events where nonprofits split cash proceeds with poker rooms that run their Texas Hold ‘Em and other fundraisers.
The bill would rescind rules and require the Gaming Control Board to implement new ones consistent with the legislation. The sponsor, Rep. Tom Barrett, says the agency has overstepped. The agency – given oversight of charitable gambling by Governor Rick Snyder – opposes the bill. It says it would limit its discretion to deny licenses and raise a limit on chips sold. The bill goes to the Senate.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — Authorities say bovine tuberculosis has been found in a cow in a small beef herd in western Michigan’s Lake County. The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development said Wednesday the infected, 3-year-old cow had been imported from an infected herd in Franklin County, Indiana, before that herd tested positive for bovine TB. The cow was euthanized. The agency says a three-mile surveillance area has been established around the affected farm in Lake County. Farms within the area will have six months to complete bovine TB testing. Indiana last year found two beef herds and one white-tailed deer positive for bovine TB, all within Franklin County in that state’s southeastern corner. Indiana and Michigan are among five states dealing with infected herds, along with New Mexico, South Dakota and Texas.. ...Read Full Story

The Senior PGA championship will soon be taking applications from those who want to serve as volunteers when the sporting event comes to Harbor Shores next year. The championship’s Rachel Wright tells WSJM News they’ve already got more than 700 folks who have previously helped out signed up.. ...Read Full Story

Michigan State Police will be holding another drug takeback event this weekend. Posts all over Michigan, including those in Paw Paw and Niles, will take part. State police team up with the Drug Enforcement Agency on the effort each spring, asking folks to stop by and drop off their unused and unwanted prescription medications so they can be safely disposed, rather than winding up in the ground water or in the wrong hands. During a one-day effort in October, MSP posts collected a total of 871 pounds of prescription drugs. The drop-off event this Saturday will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Just stop by any post and anonymously drop off any pills you have.. ...Read Full Story

(Traverse City, MI – AP) – A federal study says the most feared types of Asian carp would find plenty of food if they reached Lake Michigan. Scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey used computer models to estimate the lake’s suitability for bighead and silver carp. They have advanced up the Illinois River, which is linked to Lake Michigan by other waterways. Government agencies are using electric barriers and other strategies to block their path to the lake, where it’s feared the carp would out-compete many native species. Using satellite imagery, the scientists found that nearshore and bay areas of Lake Michigan have plenty of algae, the carps’ food of choice. Study leader Karl Anderson says that means if the carp reach the lake, they’ll likely congregate in coastal areas, where human activity is heaviest.. ...Read Full Story

The Berrien County Sheriff’s Department has announced its Deputy of the Year. Deputy Angela Baggett was picked by her collegues for the honor this time around. The department tells us Baggett goes above and beyond the call of duty when doing regular road patrols, and is admired by her co-workers for her work ethic. Baggett is one of the top complaint takers at the sheriff’s department, and also one of the lead instructors of the Rape Aggression Defense, or RAD, program. The sheriff’s department cites Baggett’s work to help talk someone out of suicide as a notable accomplishment in the past year.. ...Read Full Story

Students at Paw Paw Middle School will spend Thursday morning restocking the salmon population in the Paw Paw River. Teacher Kevin Oles tells WKZO News he hopes the work the kids are doing will make a difference.. ...Read Full Story

It’s a done deal. After weeks of meetings to hammer out details, the Benton Harbor Area Schools Board of Education has approved the district’s partnership agreement with the state. Superintendent Dr. Shelly Walker told us the department of education will look at several key areas.. ...Read Full Story

State Senator Tonya Schuitmaker this week saluted crime victims at an event at the state Capitol. On Tuesday, she took part in the 29th annual Michigan Crime Victims Vigil, organized by the Crime Victim Foundation. Schuitmaker tells WSJM News it’s only right to show support to those hurt by criminals.. ...Read Full Story

Plans are being drafted for the new headquarters of Lake Michigan College’s wine making program. LMC Vice President of Administrative Services Anne Erdman tells WSJM News they’re putting up a whole new building behind the Mendel Center to house the growing wine program. Exact details are still being hammered out.. ...Read Full Story

If you’ve got a lead foot, then you may be happy to learn the Michigan Department of Transportation is increasing the speed limit on 900 miles of rural state highway. Spokesperson Jeff Cranson tells WSJM News lawmakers ordered MDOT to look at where it would be safe to do so.. ...Read Full Story

School districts around Berrien County are receiving a special education reimbursement of more than $4.1 million from Berrien RESA this year. RESA Superintendent Dr. Kevin Ivers tells WSJM News his district collects special ed millage money, and then disburses the excess each year to the locals.. ...Read Full Story

Lake Michigan College has more than just a new president this year. They’ve also added a drum line. The college wants to get more students attending athletic events, and so LMC Music Director Dr. John Owens helped get some students together to liven games up.. ...Read Full Story

An amateur sports competition, the 2017 State Games of America, will be held in west Michigan this August. It will feature 48 sports, including figure skating, cycling, and soccer at venues throughout west Michigan. That’s according to events coordinator Eric Englebarts, who spoke with Michigan News Network.. ...Read Full Story

Congressman Fred Upton is hoping to see Great Lakes restoration funding included as part of a federal spending plan coming together this week. If it’s not approved by Friday, there could be a government shutdown. Upton tells WKZO News the Great Lakes funding the Trump administration has proposed slashing is a priority of lawmakers from all over the region.. ...Read Full Story

U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow continues to press the Trump administration to release a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plan on keeping Asian carp out of the Great Lakes. Following a bipartisan and bicameral meeting yesterday, Michigan’s senior U.S. senator called the White House suppression of the report “deeply irresponsible.” Stabenow says the plan needs to be made public and acted on quickly to separate the Chicago River system and the Illinois River from Lake Michigan, as the invasive carp are getting closer every year to the lake. The Corps report was due to be released in February, but has been indefinitely delayed by President Trump.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — A brewer that’s based in western Michigan is planning to open a second taproom on the other side of the state.
Founders Brewing Co. announced Tuesday that it plans to open a fully-operational brewery and retail taproom north of downtown Detroit.
Plans call for construction starting this summer on the 14,000-square-foot building, with a grand opening targeted for this winter. Grand Rapids-based Founders has partnered with Midtown Detroit Inc. and Invest Detroit on the development project.. ...Read Full Story

A police chase that started in Indiana and ended in Cass County has an Elkhart man facing fleeing and eluding charges, likely in both his state and Michigan. The 37-year-old was arrested shortly before 1 a.m. today in Cass County by Elkhart County deputies. Investigators with the Cass County Sheriff’s Department haven’t said what started the chase other than the man was wanted on outstanding warrants. The suspect is in jail in Cassopolis awaiting arraignment, and two women who were in his car were questioned and released.. ...Read Full Story

Should your own driveway count as an area in which to be convicted of drunk driving? That’s what the Michigan Supreme Court heard arguments about this week. The court was considering the case of a Northville man, Gino Rea, who was arrested after he drove his car out of his garage and back into it while drunk. A prosecutor says the driveway is considered open for traffic, but Rea’s attorney, Camilla Barkovic, disagrees.. ...Read Full Story

State lawmakers from all over southwest Michigan are invited to the 10th annual Legislative Forum on Senior Issues set for next week in St. Joseph. Christine Vanlandingham, with the Area Agency on Aging, tells WSJM News, each year, seniors come out to talk with their representatives from Berrien, Cass, and Van Buren counties. They get a good turnout.. ...Read Full Story

Lakeland Health has been named one of the 15 best small health systems in the nation. The distinction comes courtesy of Truven Health Analytics, a provider of information to health systems around the country. Lakeland was also recognized by Truven as a top 100 hospital in 2014. The top 15 study from this year looked at 337 health systems and nearly 2,300 hospitals. It than ranked the top 15 overall based on patient outcomes, the process of care, extended outcomes, efficiency, and the patient experience. It said Lakeland offers shorter emergency wait times, fewer in-hospital deaths, fewer complications, and shorter hospital stays than average. The winning hospitals were announced in the April 24th edition of Modern Healthcare magazine. You can learn more right here.. ...Read Full Story

Dr. Trevor Kubatzke is settling into his new role as the president of Lake Michigan College. He started about two weeks ago, and has been meeting with staff, the students, and the community ever since. Looking to the summer, Kubatzke tells WSJM News he wants to set some goals with the board of trustees.. ...Read Full Story

Everyone’s welcome to a meeting next week in St. Joseph to offer their input on the master plan for Riverview, Dickinson, and Whirlpool Centennial Parks. St. Joseph Public Works Deputy Director Greg Grothous tells WSJM News you can show up and suggest whatever you’d like to see in those parks.. ...Read Full Story

83 Michigan veterans of World War II and the Korean War have been able to see their memorials in Washington, D.C. thanks to the latest Talons Out Honor Flight. Talons Out Vice President Dan Moyle tells WSJM News they left Kalamazoo Saturday and had a great time. Then, there was a big reception when they came back the same night.. ...Read Full Story

The Firefighters of the Year have been honored by the Exchange Club of Southwest Michigan. The club held its annual awards Tuesday, recognizing firefighters from Benton Harbor, St. Joseph, and the surrounding townships. Royalton Township Fire Chief Ron Koebel said they let their own guys decide.. ...Read Full Story

04-25-17 WSJM News Now 5 PM. ...Read Full Story

Revenue was up in the first quarter for Whirlpool, but the world’s largest appliance maker missed Wall Street expectations when it somes to earnings per share at $2.50. The Benton Harbor-based company revised its full-year earnings guidance down, also falling under the expectations of analysts. Whirlpool released its earnings report Monday evening after the market closed, showing revenue growth of around 4% with the full-year earnings pressured by what it calls “temporary integration challenges” in the Europe-Middle East-Asia region.. ...Read Full Story

There’s an effort underway to get federal recognition for what would be known as the Lake Michigan Water Trail. St. Joseph Deputy Public Works Director Greg Grothous tells WSJM News organizers want the trail to be recognized by the National Parks Service all the way from Chicago to around Manistee.. ...Read Full Story

An update was given Monday night to Flint residents on progress in five class action lawsuits over the city’s water crisis. The suits are against the governor and state and federal officials. Attorney Cary McGehee tells Michigan News Network she’s frustrated with how long the process is taking.. ...Read Full Story

Tick season is just about here in Michigan. Michigan State University entomologist Howard Russell tells Michigan News Network the last few years have been bad when it comes to tick bites.. ...Read Full Story

Two people are facing charges following a drug raid in Cass County Monday. The sheriff’s department tells us it searched a home in the 60,000 block of Conrad Road in Howard Township on suspicion marijuana was growing there. Officers searched three buildings, and say they found marijuana, marijuana paraphernalia, and a marijuana grow operation. The sheriff’s department tells us it was not being conducted within the guidelines provided in the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act and was therefore illegal. A 62-year-old man and a 56-year-old man were both arrested, and now they’re facing drug charges. Their names have not been released.. ...Read Full Story

In a sign of the changing season, the Michigan Department of Transportation has lifted all seasonal weight restrictions on state roads. The restrictions were implemented in February when the weather started to get warmer. Now, it’s been warm long enough to make lifting them possible. Weight restrictions are placed on large trucks, ensuring they don’t exceed certain weights and cause major damage to the roads. MDOT may have lifted weight restrictions, but county road commissions set their own for non-state roads. Anyone looking for more information can check out Michigan.gov/Truckers.. ...Read Full Story

With the arrival of summer just around the corner, the Allegan County Sheriff’s Department is now signing people up for boating safety classes. Each year the department’s marine division offers the classes free of charge so boaters can remain up to date on the state’s boating laws. In order to legally operate a watercraft in Michigan, one must be at least 16 years of age and possess a boating safety certificate. The classes offered by the sheriff’s department help you get that. Different classes are being offered at different locations around the county starting April 29 and running through July 17.  Below is a list of them, along with a link to register.. ...Read Full Story

A staple of downtown St. Joseph is stepping down soon. On Monday night, city commissioners saluted Gloria Mance, who has worked at G&M Variety for 60 years. They declared May 1, 2017 Gloria Mance Day, and thanked her for all of her service on various city boards. Mance told WSJM News she plans to stay in St. Joe after retirement.. ...Read Full Story

The state of Michigan is using this week to remind all parents of newborns of the importance of getting their babies vaccinated. Michigan Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson Jennifer Eisner tells WSJM News vaccine rates have been going down in the state.. ...Read Full Story

Police continue to investigate a weekend crash in Berrien Springs which resulted in the deaths of two motorcyclists. The Berrien County Sheriff’s Department tells us David and Christine Cox, both from Granger, Indiana, were killed Saturday when their motorcycle collided with a vehicle making a turn at Garr and Shawnee Roads. The driver of the other vehicle has been identified as 80-year-old Charles Habenicht. Police haven’t said if he’ll be charged in the crash. They’ll release more information once the accident reconstruction has been completed.. ...Read Full Story

The American Lung Association has issued a new report on air quality in the United States. Spokesperson Janice Nolan tells WKZO News air quality nationwide has been improving, and Michigan is making particular progress. That’s not to mean the state doesn’t still have problems, though.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — The Supreme Court has turned away an appeal from General Motors seeking to block dozens of lawsuits over faulty ignition switches that could expose the company to billions of dollars in additional claims. The justices on Monday left in place a lower court ruling that said the automaker’s 2009 bankruptcy did not shield it from liability in the cases. A federal appeals court ruled last year that GM remains responsible for ignition-switch injuries and deaths that occurred pre-bankruptcy because the company knew about the problem for more than a decade but kept it secret from the bankruptcy court. The company said well-established bankruptcy law allowed the newly reorganized GM to obtain the old company’s assets “free and clear” of liabilities.. ...Read Full Story

There is a lot of debate in the state over Nestle wanting to increase the amount of groundwater it’s pulling for its Ice Mountain bottled water plant in Mecosta County, which has prompted a “Detroit Free Press” report into the top water users in the state. The entity which uses the most water in Michigan is the DC Cook Nuclear Plant in Bridgman at over 765-billion gallons in 2015. Plant spokesman Bill Schalk says the plant “absolutely” is the largest water user on the Great Lakes.. ...Read Full Story

AAA Michigan says gas prices statewide have risen by about 2¢ per gallon in the past week. The Dearborn-based auto club says early Monday the average price for self-serve regular unleaded gasoline was about $2.53 per gallon. That’s about 35¢ more than it was at the same point last year.. ...Read Full Story

Formal charges are expected to be filed soon against a 27-year-old Dowagiac woman who had an outstanding warrant after she took police on a chase over the weekend. She fled a traffic stop early Sunday morning, with the chase ending when she crashed her car on Johnson Street. The woman then ran and hid in some thick underbrush and weeds near the scene and was found by a Cass County Sheriff’s Department K-9. She was taken to the Cass County Jail after being evaluated at Borgess-Lee Memorial Hospital. She is facing charges including fleeing and eluding, driving without a license, marijuana possession and leaving the scene of a crash along with the original charge for which she was wanted.. ...Read Full Story

Michigan Lieutenant Governor Brian Calley is signaling his candidacy to be Michigan’s next governor. Early this morning, he launched a website with a one-minute online ad in which he talks about his daughter’s autism and how the experience helped him to help others. He also touts right-to-work and tax laws enacted by Republicans.. ...Read Full Story

Lakeshore Schools Superintendent Phil Freeman is making his pitch to the community for a more than $20 million improvement bond. At a Thursday meeting, he told WSJM News the 2013 bond was just for the first part of work recommended in a 2012 facility study.. ...Read Full Story

A state law designed to help protect the safety of unwanted newborns is being highlighted this week. As part of Child Abuse Awareness Month, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is reminding everyone of the Safe Delivery of Newborns Law. Spokesperson Bob Wheaton tells WSJM News it allows a new parent to leave a baby with police, firefighters, or nurses within 72 hours of its birth, no questions asked.. ...Read Full Story

Police are investigating a double-fatal crash in Oronoko Township between a car and a motorcycle. The Berrien Springs-Oronoko Township Police Department tells WSJM News David Allen Cox and Christine Marie Cox, both from Granger, Indiana, were killed when their motorcycle was hit by a vehicle driven by a 79-year-old Buchanan man who was turning left from Shawnee Road to Garr Road. Both victims were pronounced dead at the scene. Police have not said if the driver of the vehicle the motorcycle hit will face any charges or was ticketed for the crash. The Saturday afternoon accident is still under investigation.. ...Read Full Story