Local News Archives

President-elect Donald Trump has added a well known Michigan Charter School advocate to his administration. Betsy Devos has been named Secretary of Education. Michigan News Network Lansing Bureau Chief Tim Skubick says many public educators in the state aren’t going to take this appointment well:. ...Read Full Story

The Berrien County Sheriff’s Department is warning everyone about a new scam. It says it’s gotten reports of well-dressed young men, ages about 16 to 22, hanging around the parking lots of some Benton Township area shopping centers, claiming to be selling candy bars to raise money for the Tigers football team or the Boys and Girls Club. They will sometimes say they don’t have change to get bigger donations. Both Benton Harbor High School and the Boys and Girls Club have told the sheriff’s department they’re not currently holding any such fundraisers. The department has also gotten a tip the scammers come up from Indiana. It asks folks to report any suspicious activity they see while out and about shopping.. ...Read Full Story

The government wants smartphone makers to lock out most apps when the phone is being used by someone driving a car. The voluntary guidelines unveiled Wednesday are designed to reduce crashes caused by drivers distracted by phones. The National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration also wants automakers to make infotainment systems easy to pair with smartphones. Traffic deaths spiked 10.4 percent in the first six months of this year. That followed a 7.2 percent increase in 2015. The agency says 10 percent of fatal crashes last year involved distracted drivers. Drivers could still make calls but the phones and automaker systems would lock out the ability to enter text. Internet browsing, video not related to driving, text from books and photos also would be locked out. Navigation systems would be permitted.. ...Read Full Story

A Michigan appeals court has found that the state’s 2014 wolf hunt was unconstitutional and the law allowing it should be struck down. The Detroit Free Press reports a three-judge panel of the Michigan Court of Appeals made the unanimous ruling in an opinion released Wednesday. The judges found that a provision of the law that allows for free military hunting, fishing and trapping licenses isn’t connected to the law’s object of providing for scientific management of wildlife habitats. The judge said that violates a clause in the Michigan constitution that says
the object of a law must be expressed in its title. The ruling is in favor of the group Keep Michigan Wolves Protected and overturns an earlier ruling from the Michigan Court of Claims.. ...Read Full Story

A man is being treated at South Bend Memorial Hospital after being found “covered in smoke” and lying on the ground in Niles Township. The Berrien County Sheriff’s Department tells us it happened around 8:20 pm Tuesday at Birchcrest Estates in the 2300 block of East Main Street. They were called to the scene on a report of a man on fire. There are no details regarding his condition, identity, or what was happening when he caught on fire.. ...Read Full Story

A Wayne State University police officer has died after being shot in the head while on patrol near the school’s campus in Detroit. The university announced Officer Collin Rose’s death Wednesday evening in a news release. Detroit police Sgt. Michael Woody confirmed the 29-year-old Rose
died about 5:45 p.m. Rose was shot Tuesday night in Detroit’s Woodbridge Estates neighborhood after radioing in that he was about to speak to someone about possible thefts from vehicles in the area. A suspect was arrested Tuesday night, but has not been charged. Rose, a five-year campus police veteran, had been released from surgery earlier Wednesday. University President M. Roy Wilson said Rose is the only Wayne State officer to “fall in the line of duty.”. ...Read Full Story

The NCAA has ordered Notre Dame to vacate all 21 victories from the 2012-13 seasons because of academic misconduct. A former trainer was found to have done substantial course work for two players and impermissibly helped six others. Among the forfeited wins are a 12-0 run that vaulted the Fighting Irish into the national title game against Alabama. Notre Dame says it will appeal. University president Reverend John Jenkins says the NCAA has never before vacated the records of a school that had no involvement in the underlying academic misconduct. The Division I Committee on Infractions panel put Notre Dame on probation for a year and ordered a $5,000 fine, penalties the school agreed with.. ...Read Full Story

A Wayne State University police officer who was shot in the head while on patrol near campus has been released from surgery, and authorities said they were interrogating a man about the attack. The officer was identified as 29-year-old Collin Rose, a five-year veteran of the department who works in the canine unit. Detroit Police Chief James Craig said Rose was on duty Tuesday evening when he radioed to say he was investigating possible thefts of navigation systems from vehicles and was about to speak to someone. Officers who arrived on the scene found the officer injured on the ground, Craig said.. ...Read Full Story

If you’re one of the growing number of Americans who cooks their turkey in the deep fryer, you’re reminded of the things you need to do to avoid a fire. Michigan Fire Marshal Julie Secontine tells WSJM News the important thing is to make sure you deep fry the turkey outside.. ...Read Full Story

Berrien County has graduated three new corrections deputies. They just finished a four-week corrections officer training program at Kalamazoo Valley Community College, studying a variety of disciplines for jail officers. Those include custody and security, defensive tactics, first aid, suicide awareness, and communications. Berrien County Sheriff Paul Bailey congratulated all three, saying they’ll help to safely manage the county jail population. Deputies Erik House, Kenyon Ellison and Amanda Scurek are all now ready to be jail guards.. ...Read Full Story

With Thanksgiving on Thursday, fire officials around the country are reminding everyone to be safe in the kitchen. St. Joseph Department of Public Safety Director Brian Uridge tells WSJM News this is one of the more dangerous holidays.. ...Read Full Story

State Representative-elect Kim LaSata has started putting together her Lansing team. She’s hired Bridgman native Arthur Havlicek to serve as her legislative director. LaSata says that Havlicek brings an understanding of the legislature and the district to her team. Havlicek is a Lake Michigan Catholic and Grand Valley State graduate who has spent the least few years working for various legislators around the state. LaSata was just elected this month to serve as state Rep for the 79th District. She’ll replace state Representative Al Pscholka when he leaves office at the end of the year due to term limits.. ...Read Full Story

Judges all over Michigan are taking time this weke to finalize adoptions. Tuesday was Adoption Day, and Michigan Supreme Court Justice Joan Larsen tells us it was a special, heartwarming occasion. ...Read Full Story

The American Heart Association is hoping folks will try to keep their Thanksgiving dinner a bit healthier this year. Michigan Healthy Food Access Campaign Director Ted O’Dell tells WSJM News one tip is to first stack half of your plate with less fatty and salty foods.. ...Read Full Story

Developers have broken ground on what is billed as a world-class testing facility in Michigan for driverless vehicles. Governor Snyder and other officials attended a Monday groundbreaking for the American Center for Mobility in Ypsilanti Township. The facility will be located at the site of a former General Motors plant. It’s also where B-24 bombers were made during World War II.. ...Read Full Story

Michigan Lottery officials say nearly $889 million will be contributed the state’s School Aid Fund in 2016, a year after it contributed a record of $795.5 million. MLive reports that lottery officials said in a news release Monday that its 2016 performance made it the fastest growing lottery in the U.S. Officials said the lottery had its most successful year as a result of record-setting jackpots for Powerball and instant lottery games reporting double-digit growth. The state has paid out more than $1 billion in winnings this year. Each dollar in tickets sold contributed 29 cents to the School Aid Fund, 59 cents to prizes for players, 9 cents to commissions for vendors and retailers, and 3 cents to the Lottery’s ongoing operations and administrative costs.. ...Read Full Story

It was a case of animal hoarding in Van Buren County. Now the couple charged with animal neglect and cruelty for keeping over 100 dogs in their small home in Lawrence Township will get the help they need. Rather than jail, Melissa Copen and Donald Smith have been given two years on probation. During that period, they must not keep any pets in their home and have to seek psychiatric treatment for their hoarding syndrome, and do community service. Their home was raided and condemned in June after authorities got a look at what had happened. The animals were all seized, cleaned up, given shots and given away to new homes. The couple said they just wanted to help out animals that had nowhere else to go and it got out of hand.. ...Read Full Story

A new report from The Annie E. Casey Foundation says child welfare agencies need to focus on helping foster parents meet the emotional needs of children in their care. Denise Goodman, a child welfare consultant, tells us kids in foster care are facing some real emotional difficulties. She says agencies should be sharing information not only about the responsibilities of parenting, but also the rewards of working with a child in need.. ...Read Full Story

With millions of people traveling this week for Thanksgiving, Amtrak has added extra trains all over the region. Spokesperson Marc Magliari tells WSJM News the rail agency will have to move a huge number of people for the holiday. The busiest single day will be Sunday.. ...Read Full Story

You’ll now be able to do your grocery shopping online or through an app at the Stevensville Martin’s store. The supermarket chain has announced it’s expanding its Groceries to Go program to that store after a successful launch in a couple of Indiana locations. With Groceries to Go, you can pick out all of the items on your shopping list online, and then Martin’s staff will collect and bundle them for you. Then, you just show up and pick them up. It’s $4.99 to use the service. You can check it out at MartinsGroceriesToGo.com, or get the app.. ...Read Full Story

If you’re hitting the road for Thanksgiving this week, be extra careful, as Michigan State Police have got an eye on you and other drivers. Lieutenant Jim Flegel tells WSJM News Operation CARE starts this week and runs through Sunday. It means extra patrols. Thanksgiving can be dangerous on Michigan roads.. ...Read Full Story

The leads are trickling in for Berrien Springs-Oronoko Township police in a break-in and shooting case that happened this month. The department tells us on the morning of November 11, three men got into a struggle with a man at his home on East Snow Road. He was shot in the process, and they took off in a white Ford Focus. The victim is recovering, and since the crime, police say they’ve held several interviews in the case, with more to come. Anyone with information is asked to contact Berrien Springs-Oronoko Township police at 471-2813. Police say they have reason to think the victim was targeted for a specific reason.. ...Read Full Story

Everyone’s OK following a crash between a school bus and an SUV in St. Joseph Township Monday morning. Police tell us it happened at the intersection of Niles Avenue and Lincoln just before 8 a.m. A northbound bus on Niles with six St Joseph elementary kids on board was turning left on to Lincoln when the southbound SUV came through the intersection and they collided. The driver of the bus, a 72-year-old woman from Bridgman, was found to be at fault in the crash. The driver of the SUV, a 28-year-old St. Joseph woman who is nine months pregnant, was taken by ambulance to Lakeland Hospital to be checked out, and police say she’ll be fine. None of the kids were hurt, and the scene was cleared by 8:30.. ...Read Full Story

A Benton Harbor man is expected to recover after he suffered minor injuries when the tanker truck he was driving rolled over early Monday and caught on fire near South Haven. 45-year-old Michael Bennett was on the I-196 ramp to Pullman Road when the crash occurred. When the tanker caught fire, three men who happened by managed to drag Bennett to safety. One of them, Jeff Hunter, from Gaylord, tells WSJM News that Bennett was still conscious, and when he told the other three he’d been hauling gasoline, the men pulled him as far away from the wreck as they could. The other two Samaritans have been identified as Shawn Crittendon and Chad Edgington. Hunter says it’s good they were all there.. ...Read Full Story

Benton Harbor School Board Trustee James Turner has stepped down. He sent an e-mail to the board this week offering his resignation, effective immediately. Turner says he’s moving out of the country. The board now has to find his replacement, and will take letters of interest through the end of the business day December 6. The letters can be sent to or dropped off at the central administration building on Pipestone. The board hopes to begin screening for a pick by December 15. Turner has served on the board for about two years, and Superintendent Dr. Shelly Walker says it’s been an honor and a privilege to work with him.. ...Read Full Story

Any one who has worked for Michigan State University since 1970 or attended classes since 1991 wil be offered credit monitoring and identity theft services after someone hacked their system. They are fairly certain that about 450 had their files hacked, as many as 400,000 may have been compromised.. ...Read Full Story

Fire prevention group ESCAPE is issuing some guidelines for folks ahead of Thanksgiving to help make sure the holiday is safe for everyone. The organization’s Mike McLeieer tells us it’s important to not get distracted from your work in the kitchen once the stove and oven are on. Also, he recommends cleaning the oven.. ...Read Full Story

Michigan Blood is taking new steps to help prevent the spread of the Zika virus. The organization announced Monday it’s going to test all blood donations for the mosquito-borne illness. It’s working with an Indiana company to do so. That means things will change a little bit for donors. Michigan Blood says they’ll now have to be at least 112 pounds, instead of the previous 110, because an extra tube of blood will be taken for testing. Also, no one will be deferred if they’ve been to a Zika risk area, which could mean a 2% decrease in deferred donors. The changes took effect Friday, and Michigan Blood tells us they’re all about patient safety.. ...Read Full Story

Developers have broken ground on what is billed as a world-class testing facility in Michigan for driverless vehicles. Governor Rick Snyder and other officials attended a Monday groundbreaking for the American Center for Mobility in Ypsilanti Township. The facility will be located
at the site of a former General Motors plant. It’s also where B-24 bombers were made during World War II. Snyder says the facility “will put Michigan at the forefront of the autonomous movement.” Willow Run Arsenal of Democracy Landholdings Limited Partnership recently
bought the property, paving the way for construction. The center plans to open in December 2017. It will be available for use by private industry, government, standards bodies and academia. Companies will be able to lease office space, garages and other amenities.. ...Read Full Story

The quick response of other semi drivers is being credited with saving the life of a gasoline tanker driver this morning in South Haven. Police say they pulled the man to safety after he was thrown from his rig when it overturned on the ramp at Exit 26 for Pullman Road shortly after 3 a.m. The tanker caught fire and was allowed to burn itself out by South Haven Area Emergency Services. The driver is now being treated at South Haven Community Hospital. There is no word on his condition or where he is from. The fire shut down northbound I-196 for about two hours this morning.. ...Read Full Story

If your drive takes you north on I-196 in the South Haven area this morning, you’ll need a different route. The highway is shut down at Exit 20 due to a gasoline tanker fire early this morning. The semi rolled as it was exiting the highway at 3:15 and caught fire. Other semi drivers quickly pulled the driver away from the flaming wreckage, and that driver has been taken to South Haven Community Hospital for treatment. South Haven Emergency Services says the fire is being allowed to burn itself out.. ...Read Full Story

The Michigan State University Foundation has launched a $5 million venture investing subsidiary to help university start-ups that are on the brink of market launch. The Lansing State Journal reports that Red Cedar Ventures would invest a minimum of $250,000 in businesses created by faculty and students to help get their services or products onto the market. The foundation’s executive director, David Washburn, says the firm wants to show the investment community that it’s willing to commit resources to make sure technologies that come from the university are successful. Red Cedar Ventures is the first venture capital firm based in the Lansing region. Andrew McColm, managing director of Venture Creation for Spartan Innovations, the foundation’s commercialization arm, says Red Cedar Ventures helps fill a gap in business funding.. ...Read Full Story

South Haven Police have three men locked up in the Van Buren County Jail on a slew of drug and gun charges. They were arrested at the Meijer store Friday. Officers were called to the store on a report of two men trying to steal liquor, and found them with a third suspect in the parking lot. A search turned up what police call a “substantial amount’ of marijuana and crack cocaine along with a lot of cash, which they say is consistent with selling drugs.. ...Read Full Story

With winter on its way, the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning is launching a new campaign to remind drivers of the need to take it easy on I-94. Spokesperson Kristin Allen tells us they’re focusing on 94 because when there’s ice and snow, it can be a particular problem.. ...Read Full Story

In this week’s WSJM Week in Review, for November 18, 2016, a time capsule from Mercy Hospital is opened, St. Joseph has a new Public Safety director, and more.. ...Read Full Story

Coming soon to Harbor Shores will be a new residential development. On Friday, Harbor Village was announced. It’ll be a 78 home neighborhood right next to the Inn at Harbor Shores, at the confluence of the Paw Paw and St. Joseph Rivers, featuring town homes, row homes, and single family homes. Harbor Shores Real Estate Director Kerry Wright tells WSJM News the neighborhood will have several amenities.. ...Read Full Story

Police departments in southwest Michigan are hoping to build a sense of trust and mutual understanding with citizens. That’s why a forum organized by Advocates And Leaders For Police And Community Trust — or, ALPACT — was held Thursday night in Benton Harbor. Retired Michigan State Police Captain Harold Love gave a presentation on the long-term stresses police officers face.. ...Read Full Story

Homelessness is in the spotlight this week, as groups across Michigan work to find ways of preventing it, and the latest data is showing recent efforts have made a difference. Eric Hufnagel, Director of the Michigan Coalition Against Homelessness, tells WSJM News homelessness in the state went down 6% last year. Part of the reason is new tools to help assess each person seeking help.. ...Read Full Story

A program at Lake Michigan College that helps students from disadvantaged backgrounds pursue a higher education has been funded for another five years. The U.S. Department of Education this week awarded LMC $1.6 million to maintain its Educational Opportunity Center through 2021. LMC has run the Educational Opportunity Center since 1994, and since then, it’s served more than 25,000 students. The EOC is a free community resource hub that connects disadvantaged students with services that could help them earn a degree. It guides them through the admissions process at any college, connects them with tutors, and gives them access to computers, among other things. LMC is one of 143 colleges and organizations nationwide to get a grant to continue such a program.. ...Read Full Story

Don’t veer for deer. That’s AAA of Michigan’s message this month, as the prime time for car-deer crashes is now here. AAA spokesperson Susan Hiltz tells WSJM News when deer are on the move, you should know what to do if one runs in front of your car.. ...Read Full Story

Two people are dead following a crash on I-94 near New Buffalo Saturday morning. The Berrien County Sheriff’s Department tells WSJM News it happened in the westbound lanes near mile marker 2 about 10 a.m. A vehicle with two 20-year-old men from Illinois lost control and slid under a semi that was parked on the shoulder. The two men were killed. The crash caused I-94 near New Buffalo to be shut down for several hours. The sheriff’s department accident reconstruction team is still investigating.. ...Read Full Story

97-5 Y Country radio has set a new record with its latest Stuff a Truck food drive. Volunteers and staff this past week managed to fill a 23-foot truck 12 times with food for the Southwest Michigan Community Action Agency. That’s more than they’ve ever collected before. The staff and volunteers stationed themselves at Roger’s Foodland in St. Joseph for the week, taking donations from shoppers and others. In addition to all of the food they collected, they raised nearly $10,000. The donations help the community action agency keep people fed through the winter. Y Country thanks everyone who helped support the 20th annual drive.. ...Read Full Story

The Christmas season is here, and a special party was held Saturday at LMC’s Mendel Center to celebrate. The 6th annual Kids Christmas Carnival, partly sponsored by Mid-West Family Broadcasting, featured bounce houses, pictures with Santa, cookie decorating, and much more. Mid-West Family’s Lindsay Zvonar told us the event was a huge success.. ...Read Full Story

Next week is the big week for cooking, and Consumers Energy says making that Thanksgiving meal really doesn’t use up as much energy as you might think. Spokesperson Brian Wheeler tells WSJM News it probably won’t affect your bill too much.. ...Read Full Story

Two people are dead following a crash on I-94 near New Buffalo Saturday morning. The Berrien County Sheriff’s Department tells WSJM News it happened in the westbound lanes near mile marker 2 about 10 a.m. A car crashed into a semi, going underneath it. Both fatalities were in the car. The crash caused westbound I-94 near New Buffalo to be shut down for several hours. Sheriff’s department accident reconstructionists were brought in to further investigate, and the new Buffalo Township Fire Department assisted at the scene.. ...Read Full Story

Ford is planning to bring a new compact SUV to dealerships by 2018. The Ford EcoSport was unveiled this week at the Los Angeles Auto Show. Cristina Aquino is with the automaker and says the vehicle’s American debut will follow a successful run abroad.. ...Read Full Story

It’s time once again to help make the holidays a little better for the military. Congressman Fred Upton’s office is holding yet another Holidays for Heroes greeting card collection drive. Between now and December 2, anyone can send or drop off a holiday card at Upton’s offices in St. Joseph or Kalamazoo, and they’ll make sure it gets to a soldier. Schools around the Sixth District have also been invited to make cards. The Red Cross, which will deliver the cards, asks that they not have any glitter or other objects attached, and it also asks that senders don’t write their full names on them. You can find out more about Holidays for Heroes here.. ...Read Full Story

The nation’s eyes will be on Kalamazoo Saturday morning. ESPN’s College Gameday will broadcast live from the campus of Western Michigan University, as the Broncos are sporting a 10-and-0 record. Jordan Vuckovich is senior at the school.. ...Read Full Story

$125,000 has been raised to help pay for Lakeland Medical Center’s new pavilion, thanks to a celebration held recently at Lake Michigan College’s Mendel Center. The annual Lakeland Gala raised the highest amount to date, as supporters took part in a raffle, a silent auction, and made donations. The New York-themed event also included live music, dancing, and fine dining. Lakeland is planning a $160 million pavilion for its facility on Napier Avenue in St. Joseph. Set for completion in 2020, the pavilion will feature medical and surgical suites, a short stay unit, imaging centers, an intensive care unit, and education and community rooms. The 260,000 square foot addition will also mean a new entrance to the hospital.. ...Read Full Story

Winter is just about here, and AAA of Michigan says this is the time to get your car ready. Spokesperson Gary Bubar tells us the biggest reason why AAA is called out to help people stranded in the winter is a dead battery.. ...Read Full Story

The latest data from the Department of Housing and Urban Development finds homelessness around the United States is on the decline. The numbers for Michigan match up with that, says Eric Hufnagel, Director of the Michigan Coalition Against Homelessness.. ...Read Full Story

The Benton Harbor Salvation Army bell ringers will take to the streets next week to raise money for the agency as it helps the needy throughout the winter. Salvation Army Major David Womack tells WSJM News the money collected by the bell ringers is critical to the organization.. ...Read Full Story

A judge has dismissed a misconduct charge against a former Michigan state lawmaker who quit office amid a sex scandal last year. Republican Todd Courser still faces a perjury charge in the case in Ingham County Circuit Court. The Detroit News reports that Judge William Collette dismissed the misconduct in office charge Thursday. MLive.com reports that Courser’s attorney, Matthew DePerno, argued that there was no criminal element to the charge related to an alleged violation of a state House rule.The attorney general’s office plans to proceed with the perjury charge and a misconduct charge in Lapeer County. Courser resigned before lawmakers voted to expel fellow GOP Representative Cindy Gamrat.
He’s accused of soliciting an aide to send a phony email to cover up an affair with Gamrat. Charges against Gamrat have been dismissed.. ...Read Full Story

There’s a new development coming to Harbor Shores. Director of Real Estate Kerry Wright tells WSJM News they’re planning a new neighborhood. Work should begin in the next year on Harbor Village, which will be at the confluence of the St. Joe and Paw Paw Rivers. Wright says they’ve got big plans for the property next to the Inn at Harbor Shores.. ...Read Full Story

University of Michigan economists say the state’s economy will continue its post-recession recovery with continuing job growth for the next two years. George Fulton and colleagues Gabriel Ehrlich, Donald Grimes and Michael McWilliams on Friday issued an annual November forecast of Michigan’s economy. They say the state will add an average of 45,800 jobs per year in 2017 and 2018. That rate, however, is slowing from an average pace of roughly 70,000 jobs per year from 2014 to 2016. In all, Michigan will have gained more than 605,700 jobs during the economic
recovery from summer 2009 through the end of 2018. Overall, they say Michigan’s economic recovery will help the state’s unemployment rate hold steady around 4.6 percent through 2018.. ...Read Full Story

The Michigan director for Donald Trump’s successful presidential campaign is running to lead the state Republican Party. Scott Hagerstrom announced his bid Friday. Current chairwoman Ronna Romney McDaniel is planning to run again but is also under consideration by Trump to
head the Republican National Committee. Hagerstrom says Michigan has made “great strides” under GOP leadership, but “taxes are still too high, government is still too big, and Michigan families still feel left behind.” Four of Trump’s six Michigan campaign co-chairs announced their support for McDaniel Thursday. Republicans will elect the next chair at their February convention. Trump leads Democrat Hillary Clinton in unofficial returns. He would become the first Republican presidential nominee to win Michigan in 28 years. The state has until November 28 to make the results official.. ...Read Full Story

Ford Motor Company and UAW-Ford are investing $6 million in the $50 million expansion of the Motown Museum in Detroit. The investment by the automaker and its collaboration with United Auto Workers members will fund a state-of-the-art performance center and other programming. Museum officials have said the expansion will create space for interactive exhibits at the Detroit tourist attraction. It will be designed and built around the existing museum, which includes the Motown studio with its “Hitsville U.S.A.” facade. Designers and architects are collaborating on details of the expanded space. The museum is located in the house where record company founder Berry Gordy launched his cultural and commercial music empire. The label started in 1959 and scores of stars and hits were created before Motown moved to California in 1972.. ...Read Full Story

In this week’s WSJM Week in Review, for November 18, 2016, a time capsule from Mercy Hospital is opened, St. Joseph has a new Public Safety director, and more.. ...Read Full Story

An 81-year-old Berrien Center man has been killed in an accident in Berrien Township. Lieutenant Steve Campbell of the Berrien County Sheriff’s Department tells WSJM News Robert Froehlich pulled his pickup out in front of another pickup truck on Old US-31 from Dean’s Hill Road Friday morning. After the two trucks collided, Froehlich got out and was inspecting the damage when he was hit by a Toyota driven by 30-year-old Jennifer Garrett of Berrien Springs. Neither Garrett nor the other pickup driver, James Ferguson of Berrien Springs, were hurt. Froehlich was pronounced dead at the scene. Alcohol and drugs were not factors in the crash, which remains under investigation. Lt. Campbell says their report will be submitted to the Berrien County Sheriff’s Department for review once it’s complete.. ...Read Full Story