Local News Archives

The first Zika virus case in southeastern Michigan’s Monroe County has been confirmed by health officials. County Health Officer Kim Comerzan tells the Monroe News Friday that the county is working with the state to obtain mosquito traps for surveillance. Zika is a mosquito-borne virus. It causes mild, flu-like symptoms in most people, but can cause severe brain-related defects, including disastrously small heads, if women are infected during pregnancy. Symptoms typically are mild and include fever, rash, joint pain and red, itchy eyes. Many infected people will not experience any symptoms. The virus is most seen in Latin America and the Caribbean. Florida has reported homegrown Zika transmission by mosquitoes. In February, state health officials confirmed the first case of the Zika virus in Michigan.. ...Read Full Story

More than 1,000 older athletes from Michigan and elsewhere are taking part in the Michigan Senior Olympics this weekend. Opening ceremonies were Friday at Rochester Municipal Park. Men and women age 50 and older are suiting up in more than a dozen sports across Oakland County. Executive Director Becky Ridky says that while many athletes are there to have fun, it does get competitive.. ...Read Full Story

Michigan taxpayers are being warned not to fall for the latest phone scam. The Michigan Treasury Department’s Danelle Gittus says, in this case, the calls are being received from a legitimate Grand Rapids-area Treasury phone number, which has apparently been cloned by the scammers. The caller tells the would-be victim that they owe back taxes, and then demands immediate payment or the victim faces arrest. Gittus says falling for it just means getting ripped off.. ...Read Full Story

A new children’s book immortalizes Wanda and Winky, former Detroit Zoo elephants who moved to California to live out their final years. The Detroit Free Press reports that retired Walled Lake school district teacher and library media specialist Linda McLean, who lives in Commerce
Township, and illustrator Susan VanDeventer Warner of Walled Lake collaborated on the book, “Wanda and Winky.” A book launch is planned Friday in West Bloomfield Township. The aging elephants were moved in 2005 from the Detroit Zoo in Royal Oak to the Performing Animal Welfare Society sanctuary in northern California. They had health problems, including arthritis, that were aggravated by Michigan’s climate
and the limitations of their zoo accommodations. Wanda was euthanized in 2015 because of arthritis and foot problems. Winky died in 2008.. ...Read Full Story

Representatives of the country’s nearly 64 million workers who are paid less than $15 per hour are in Richmond, Virginia, are in Virginia this weekend to collaborate on their demand for better wages. A contingent from Michigan plans to take part in a march and rally, as well. Pastor W.J. Rideout, of All God’s People’s Church in Detroit, says fast-food and retail corporations make huge profits, but often don’t pay their workers enough to cover such basic needs.. ...Read Full Story

The Critter Barn in west Michigan has celebrated its new 27-acre territory. The attraction on Friday planted a sign and introduced crew members, volunteers, and families. Critter Barn capital campaign manager Val Vail-Shirey says the 26-year-old barn has expanded to a farm.. ...Read Full Story

A severe storm has damaged at least one house and a barn and left hundreds of western Michigan homes without power. WOOD-TV reports that a tree hit a Saugatuck Township home Friday and a barn roof collapsed. Outages were reported in Ottawa, Allegan, Kalamazoo and Kent counties. A flood watch was issued for 11 counties. Temperatures were in the high 80s in Grand Rapids and at similar levels elsewhere in the southern Lower Peninsula. Grand Rapids Community College canceled classes in its Ford Fieldhouse due to high temperatures. School spokeswoman Leah Nixon tells The Grand Rapids Press that when the indoor temperature at the Fieldhouse exceeds 100 degrees it’s closed because there’s no air conditioning in the building. The facility, built in 1976, houses courses including exercise science.. ...Read Full Story

Berrien County election officials are waiting for approval from the state to hold recounts in some Benton Township primaries that were held earlier this month. The clerk’s office tells us Joseph Taylor and Willie Dortch, who ran in the Democratic primary for supervisor, have both asked for the absentee votes to be recounted. Dortch also wants all of the ballots, in general, recounted. Joseph and Dortch lost to Kevin White in that primary. Meanwhile, in the Democratic primary for clerk, Barbara Meeks wants a recount of the absentee votes. She lost to Carolyn Phillips. The Berrien County Clerk’s office is waiting for clearance from the state to move forward with the recount. The county board of canvassers would do the counting. The county is expected to hear back from the state on August 24.. ...Read Full Story

Authorities in western Michigan say an officer shot and wounded a 15-year-old girl who was trying to attack a 16-year-old boy with a knife.
Muskegon police say in a release that the girl “aggressively continued the confrontation attempting to attack the male and was subsequently shot in the lower leg by the officer.” The shooting occurred after officers responded Friday afternoon to a domestic dispute in an apartment. Police Chief Jeffrey Lewis earlier told The Muskegon Chronicle that the officer “was involved in the domestic in progress.” The girl was being treated at a hospital for injuries that are not considered life-threatening. Her name was not released. No other injuries were reported. The officer will be placed on administrative leave while the shooting is investigated by the state police.. ...Read Full Story

Next year’s Berrien County budget is starting to come together. County Administrator Bill Wolf says his early projections are showing a gap of about $1.8 million between next year’s spending and revenues. However, he says that’s normal this early in the budget process. Usually, the preliminary numbers show a discrepancy.. ...Read Full Story

The Heartland Film Festival has named a veteran of festivals in California and Thailand as its new president. Heartland said in a news release Friday that Craig Prater will take over leadership of the Indianapolis festival as it prepares for this year’s event. The festival will be October 20-30. Heartland Film board Chair Gary D. Cohen said Prater brings great experience but also an understanding of the festival’s Midwestern roots and mission. Heartland focuses on movies that provide inspiration or a message as well as entertainment. Prater once was been director of the Palm Springs International Film Festival and co-founded the Palm Springs International Festival of Short Films. Later he was recruited to be director of the Bangkok International Film Festival.. ...Read Full Story

Grand Rapids Community College has canceled classes in its Ford Fieldhouse due to high temperatures. Leah Nixon, director of communications for the school, tells The Grand Rapids Press that when the indoor temperature at the Fieldhouse exceeds 100 degrees it’s closed because there’s no air conditioning in the building. Grand Rapids Community College lobbied state lawmakers unsuccessfully this year for $4.25 million to help address the lack of air conditioning, classroom space and other needs at the Ford Fieldhouse. The facility, built in 1976, houses courses including exercise science. Temperatures were in the high 80s in Grand Rapids on Friday and at similar levels elsewhere in the southern Lower Peninsula.
The Holland Sentinel reports that tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings have been issued for parts of western Michigan.. ...Read Full Story

In this week’s WSJM Week in Review, for August 12, 2016, a Benton Harbor man is sentenced to a maximum of 60 years in prison for his role in a shooting death last December, new details on the investigation of July’s courthouse shooter, Buchanan students receive financial aid for college a St. Joseph City Commissioner celebrates 30 years of service, and more.. ...Read Full Story

(Detroit, MI AP) – A federal appeals court appears to be moving quickly in a dispute over Michigan’s ban on straight-party voting. A judge in Detroit suspended the law, saying it violates the rights of black voters. Attorney General Bill Schuette filed an emergency appeal Wednesday to try to freeze that decision.. ...Read Full Story

AAA of Michigan says there has been an increase in traffic crashes caused by debris in the road. The auto club says national data shows a 40% jump since 2001, and between 2011 and 2014, the increase was especially big, with 200,000 such crashes reported. AAA’s Susan Hiltz says there are multiple reasons.. ...Read Full Story

Utility companies are reminding Michigan residents of the importance of calling Miss Dig when they’re working on a project that will require them to dig. Consumers Energy spokesperson Debra Dodd says the first thing to do is call 811. Miss Dig will then notify utilities in your area.. ...Read Full Story

As many as 50,000 people are expected to flock to South Haven this weekend for the 53rd annual Blueberry Festival. South Haven Chamber of Commerce Director Kathy Wagaman says there will be things going on all over town through Sunday. That’s not to mention all of the blueberries you can find.. ...Read Full Story

The Palisades nuclear power plant has a new leader. This week, plant owner Entergy announced Charles Arnone has been named the new site vice president. Arnone replaces Tony Vitale, who is leaving to head up a New York nuclear plant. Arnone has previously worked director of nuclear safety assurance at the Palisades plant, from 2007 to 2009 and again from 2011 to 2013. Entergy says he lives in Lawrence, and has more than 30 years experience in the industry.. ...Read Full Story

Who would kill a family of swans intentionally? That’s the question Washtenaw County Sheriff’s deputies are trying to answer. The department’s Derrick Jackson says the swans were not in the roadway, but off on the side.. ...Read Full Story

Coming up in South Haven will be a presentation on NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory from a local native who now works at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Thanks to the South Haven Public School Foundation, Jim Montgomery will be speaking on Thursday, August 18 at the Listiak Auditorium at South Haven High School. The school foundation says Montgomery got excited about science watching NASA missions, and he credits South Haven Public Schools with nurturing his interest. He went to the University of Michigan and the University of Southern California before winding up at the JPL. Its Mars Science Laboratory delivered the Curiosity rover to Mars in 2012. Montgomery’s presentation will be about the laboratory and Curiosity. Everyone’s invited. It will be free admission for all students, and adults are asked to make a $10 donation to the South Haven Public School Foundation to get in. The presentation starts at 6:30 p.m.. ...Read Full Story

A 48-year-old man has died following a two-story fall from the roof of a western Michigan college building. David Torrenga toppled Wednesday from Hope College’s DePree Art Center & Gallery in Holland. He later died at a hospital. The Holland Sentinel reports Thursday that police said Torrenga struck his head during the fall. Hope spokesman Greg Olgers said a crew from East Muskegon Roofing and Sheet Metal Co. was working on the building. Olgers said in a statement that the college is “saddened to learn” of Torrenga’s death.. ...Read Full Story

Governor Rick Snyder says his newly appointed environmental director will do a “fine job” and critics of her extensive time as an oil and gas lobbyist should give her a chance. The Republican governor last month appointed former BP lobbyist Heidi Grether to lead the Michigan Department of Environment, which has been reeling since being called primarily responsible for Flint’s lead-contaminated drinking water. Grether began the job last week. Snyder told reporters Thursday that Grether has a “strong background,” noting that early in her career she was a legislative aide focused on environmental issues. He says Grether has “built a career that she should be proud of.” Snyder says detractors should “get to know her, give her an opportunity and I think you’re going to see good results.”. ...Read Full Story

Steve Krieger says justice has been served, but he can never be satisfied. His brother, David Krieger, was shot and killed in December outside of Steve Krieger’s business, Michiana Supply, in Benton Township. Sentenced to at least 35 years in prison for second degree murder in the case is Roy Thompson, who learned his fate this week. The case may seem over, but Steve Krieger says he has not been pleased with some of the things that were said in the last eight months. In particular, what he says are false claims that Dave Krieger sprinted at Thompson during a confrontation.. ...Read Full Story

Police in Cass County say two people were injured when a tree fell into the road and on to their car Thursday. The sheriff’s department says it happened around 10 a.m. on Decatur Road near Marcellus Highway. 64-year-old Kathy Lull, of Decatur, suffered minor injuries and refused treatment. Her passenger, 91-year-old Oliver Scott, of Niles, was taken to Bronson Hospital in Kalamazoo for treatment of a non-life threatening head injury. The Cass County Road Commission was called in to remove the tree from the roadway.. ...Read Full Story

Records say an inmate who killed two bailiffs during an escape attempt from a southwestern Michigan courthouse was under investigation at the time for allegations that he’d been sexually involved with multiple teenagers.. ...Read Full Story

The state of Michigan is urging an appeals court to restore the state’s ban on straight-party voting in the fall election. A Detroit federal judge says the ban violates the rights of black voters. But in a court filing Wednesday, Attorney General Bill Schuette says the law is “rational” and “imposes a minimal burden” on voters. Schuette wants a federal appeals court to quickly suspend an injunction issued by Judge Gershwin Drain. Ballots must be printed soon. The fall election would be the first affected by a new law that ends straight-party voting, the ability to vote for candidates of one party with a single mark, from president to drain commissioner. Straight-party voting is popular in Michigan cities with large black
populations, which tend to vote for Democrats.. ...Read Full Story

Some police agencies in Michigan have received new technology to read fingerprints on the go. The Eaton County Sheriff’s Department is one of five departments to get the mobile scanners. Sheriff Thomas Reich says they have already been put to use.. ...Read Full Story

A 75-year-old Glendale man is dead in an apparent drowning in Van Buren County. Michigan State Police say troopers were called out to Three Legged Lake in Bloomingdale Township around 4 p.m. Wednesday when a boat was spotted anchored in the water with no occupants. Troopers at the scene found reason to believe the 12-foot boat had been occupied, so divers were called in and they began searching. They found the man’s body in about seven feet of water. The victim’s name has not yet been released, and police are investigating.. ...Read Full Story

State Senator John Proos is reminding Michigan taxpayers of one way they can support the Red Cross. He says a new law has allowed for a checkoff box on state income tax forms so residents can help out the organization.. ...Read Full Story

The blueberry crop in southwest Michigan is looking strong this year. Mark Longstroth, with MSU Extension, says that comes after a couple of low-yield years.. ...Read Full Story

Road commissions in southwest Michigan have a reminder for those who are posting campaign signs around their communities during this election season. They say it’s important to remember the signs should not block any views of the road, driveways, or intersections. The Van Buren County Road Commission’s Larry Hummel says that applies to any sign, in general.. ...Read Full Story

A new promise has been made to graduates of Buchanan Community Schools. The Buchanan Promise, a scholarship for all grads, was announced Wednesday. Made possible through a permanent endowment and managed by the Michigan Gateway Community Foundation, the program will award up to $2,500 per year, for a maximum of $10,000, to students to pay for college. Foundation President Robert Habicht says this creates a whole new range of possibilities for graduates.. ...Read Full Story

When Turnip the skunk visits schools, nursing homes and other places there will be no need to hold noses. As a sort of animal ambassador for Grand Rapids’ John Ball Zoo, she’s been de-scented ahead of her role to educate people about skunks. The Grand Rapids Press reports Wednesday that Turnip won’t be on exhibit at  the zoo. Instead, she is being trained. She will take strolls with staff and meet zoo visitors.
Zookeeper Sarah Bontinen says skunks often are misunderstood. The zoo wants to see the year-old Turnip to show how interesting and useful the animals can be. Bontinen says “skunks only spray when they feel imminent danger” and “they don’t want to spray unless they feel like they have to.”. ...Read Full Story

The annual Walk to End Alzheimer’s is coming up Saturday in St. Joseph. Walk manager Kristin Burt says they will welcome anyone, and even their dogs, at the event. She says “anyone with a brain is at risk for this disease, and that’s why we want anyone and everyone to come to this walk and have more awareness about Alzheimer’s disease and help us raise funds that can help find a cure.”. ...Read Full Story

From fraudulent charges to frozen accounts, thousands of Michiganders dealt with the fallout from the massive data breach at Wendy’s restaurants. And so did their financial institutions, which is why the state’s credit unions say they’re fighting back.. ...Read Full Story

A Lawrence couple is hospitalized in Kalamazoo after hitting a deer on their motorcycle in Cass County. The sheriff’s department says 65-year-old Leonard and 63-year-old Terri Lee Strefling suffered minor injuries in the crash, which happened around 7:30 last night in Volinia Township. The deer ran out in front of their bike as they were headed north on Decatur Road. Police say both people were wearing helmets, and alcohol wasn’t a factor.. ...Read Full Story

If you like to check out garage sales, this is your weekend. Starting Friday, you can catch garage sales on the US 12 Heritage Trail in southern Michigan from New Buffalo to Detroit.. ...Read Full Story

Scientists are retrieving data from an underwater robot for the first time since it was deployed to gather information about the Lake Michigan fish food supply. The U.S. Geological Survey and the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute launched the vehicle August 1. It is measuring volumes of algae and tiny animals called zooplankton, which form the base of aquatic food chains. Experts say the findings will help develop estimates of how many predator fish Lake Michigan can support. They say it’s been hard to develop accurate measures of algae and zooplankton using conventional technologies. The robot will ply the southern portion of the lake for 25 days, at depths ranging from 9 feet to 150 feet. It’s being removed temporarily Tuesday so scientists can download data and recharge the battery.. ...Read Full Story

According to a new analysis, if the federal minimum wage had grown at the same pace as increases in worker productivity, it would be nearly $19 an hour in 2016. Meanwhile, business groups argue that raising the wage could lead to job loss, especially in the midwest and south. David Cooper, with the Economic Policy Institute, says he doesn’t believe increasing the minimum wage would lead to job losses, as some business groups say.. ...Read Full Story

No one’s injured, but there were some tense moments at a Berrien Springs Senior Living Community Tuesday when a fire broke out in one of the units. The Oronoko Township Fire Department was dispatched to Timber Ridge Manor at US-31 around 6 p.m. when a stove top caught fire. The building filled with smoke, causing residents to be evacuated. Firefighters had the situation under control quickly, and used fans to clear the building while residents waited outside. The building did not suffer any fire damage, nor was there serious damage to the unit where it started. Everyone was let back in by 8 p.m. ...Read Full Story

Coming up this week will be a presentation on the history of the St. Joseph lighthouses. To be held Thursday at the Heritage Museum and Cultural Center, the presentation will cover everything from the origins of the lights to their restoration, says museum curator Tracy Gierada.. ...Read Full Story

Those who must pay child support have an easier option. Pay at a 7-Eleven, or Family Dollar store. Michigan Department of Health and Human Services spokesman Bob Wheaton says it’s as easy as going to MISDU.com.. ...Read Full Story

Two are facing charges following a Monday shooting in Dowagiac. The department of public safety says a car parked in the 200 block of Halstead Street was damaged by gunfire around 3 a.m. During their investigation, officers identified a possible suspect, and by afternoon, had determined where he could be found. When they went to pick him up, he ran off and hid in a nearby garage, along with a 17-year-old girl. Eventually, they surrendered. Police say their search turned up two sawed-off shotguns and ammunition. The suspect was wanted on a domestic assault warrant, while the 17-year-old was wanted on a bench warrant. The two are now in the Cass County Jail while police seek break-in, felony firearm, and property damage charges against the man. The girl is facing gun charges.. ...Read Full Story

General Motors and its autonomous technology company Cruise Automation are testing self-driving cars on the streets of Scottsdale, Arizona.
Testing of self-driving electric Chevrolet Bolts began in Arizona about two weeks ago. It’s the second city for GM’s real-world tests. Autonomous Bolts with Cruise Automation software have been driving around San Francisco since May 20. GM spokesman Kevin Kelly says the company is considering other cities for tests but wasn’t ready to announce locations. He would not say how many Bolts are being tested. Although the cars drive autonomously, Kelly says they all have human backup drivers. GM acquired San Francisco-based Cruise Automation in March for $581 million in cash and GM stock. Kelly says the company has opened an office in Scottsdale.. ...Read Full Story

It’s almost time for the 71st annual Berrien County Youth Fair. The event will be next week at the youth fairgrounds in Berrien Springs. Executive Director Karen Klug tells WSJM News, first and foremost, they’ll have a variety of youth exhibits. However, that’s not all.. ...Read Full Story

A Benton Harbor man convicted in the shooting death of a Benton Township business owner has been sentenced to 35 to 60 years in prison. Roy Thompson was found guilty by a jury of second degree murder in June in the death of David Krieger last December. The 53-year-old was killed during a confrontation with Thompson about a dog the suspect allegedly kicked near Krieger’s family business, Michiana Supply in Benton Township.. ...Read Full Story

State officials are taking public comments on a plan by Enbridge Energy Partners to install additional supports for its twin oil pipelines in the waterway where Lakes Michigan and Huron meet. The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality says a 20-day comment period began Monday for an Enbridge application for a permit to place the steel supports beneath sections of the Straits of Mackinac pipelines.. ...Read Full Story

Three people are in the Van Buren County Jail after leading police on a chase before a fiery crash in Arlington Township. The sheriff’s department says a deputy tried pulling over an unregistered car on County Road 665 near 38th Avenue in Waverly Township. 22-year-old Walker Woods of Kalamazoo took off and led the officer on a chase down several rural roads and through a vineyard at speeds up to 85 miles an hour before crashing onto a tree about 15 minutes later on 44th Avenue. The car burst into flames and the three ran off through a swamp before being caught. Woods was wanted for five warrants, while passenger Ryan Grady of Dowagiac had three warrants. A 24-year-old Decatur woman is also facing several charges.. ...Read Full Story

The city of St. Joseph is currently in the process of replacing two key officials, and the applications are in. City Manager John Hodgson says, first, the city is looking for fill the job of clerk and finance director, which will remain combined. After that, they’ll look at hiring a new public safety director.. ...Read Full Story

More than 3,200 beverage containers, about 1,500 pounds of lumber, 17 pairs of sunglasses and a folding bed have been pulled from a western Michigan river. The Muskegon Chronicle reports Monday that volunteers in the Fifth Annual Muskegon River Cleanup also removed 400 pounds of scrap metal, seven tires, 74 shoes, four inflatable rafts and two cellphones from the waterway. About 300 people helped remove trash Saturday from the river, northwest of Grand Rapids. Some volunteers were on the river in kayaks, canoes and inflatable tubes.. ...Read Full Story

A Van Buren County Sheriff’s Department K9 has received a bulletproof vest, thanks to a donation from a Gross Pointe Shores organization. The department says Tico, a 4-year-old Belgian Malinois who’s been with the department for two years, will have extra protection due to the generosity of Sharon Peters and Vested Interest in K9s. Tico works with the department’s Deputy Jason Stasienko in narcotics enforcement. Tico is also certified in tracking, handler protection, and building searches, among other things. The sheriff’s department says Vested Interest in K9s is an organization that works to protect police K9s throughout the country. It thanked Vested Interest, calling it a “wonderful organization.”. ...Read Full Story

St. Joseph City Commissioner Mary Goff has been honored for serving 30 years on the body. At a Monday meeting, commissioners commended her for her service, saying it’s been a pleasure to work together. Goff told us she’s proud to have been able to help guide the city as it’s grown over the years. She pointed to a few accomplishments of the commission.. ...Read Full Story

Donald Trump gave a major economic policy speech in Detroit Monday, and on hand were plenty of protesters. Trump’s ongoing dispute with the parents of a fallen US Army officer has continued to be a topic of controversy. While Trump has said he has strong support in the military community and his campaign believes the spat with the Khan family will soon blow over, Brandon Dillon, who heads up the Michigan Democratic Party, says the state’s Republicans should take a stand.. ...Read Full Story

A celebration is planned for next month to mark the 100th birthday of South Haven’s Ratcliffe Field. The South Haven Rams have played football at the field on Hubbard Street since 1916, making it one of the state’s oldest continually-used high school sports fields. South Haven Public Schools Marketing Coordinator Tara Wilkinson says the school and the local historical association are teaming up to celebrate the field on September 9.. ...Read Full Story

Police say they are investigating whether a Berrien Springs woman accidentally left her car running while it was parked in her garage, leading to her carbon monoxide death on Sunday. 78-year-old Anna Bacchiocci was found dead in her home on Appian Way Sunday evening, along with her dog. She was discovered by her son and daughter in law who had gone to check on her. Responding officers performed air quality tests and found the home had a high level of carbon monoxide, and six people had to be treated. They were all released at the scene. The Berrien Springs-Oronoko Township Police Department says a check of possible carbon monoxide sources ruled out several possibilities, but it’s still looking into whether the car was left running in the attached garage.. ...Read Full Story

An Otsego couple has been arraigned in a string of break-ins and auto thefts in southwest Michigan last week. The Allegan County Sheriff’s Department says the man and woman’s crime spree went on from early Thursday morning through the evening. They allegedly broke into three homes, in two cases taking off in stolen vehicles. The two were ultimately found at the man’s home. 34-year-old Kenneth Lapham and 21-year old Haley Jenkins were arraigned Monday. Lapham is charged with breaking and entering, unlawfully driving away an automobile, and felony firearm. Jenkins is charged with breaking and entering and unlawfully driving away an automobile. The two remain in the Allegan County Jail.. ...Read Full Story

A Benton Harbor man convicted in the shooting death of a Benton Township business owner has been sentenced to 35 to 60 years in prison. Roy Thompson was found guilty by a jury of second degree murder in June in the death of David Krieger last December. The 53-year-old was killed during a confrontation with Thompson about a dog the suspect allegedly kicked near Krieger’s family business, Michiana Supply. The victim’s brother, Stephen Krieger, remembered him in court.. ...Read Full Story

300 flights canceled had to be worldwide by Delta Airlines after a power outage in Atlanta caused a computer outage for the airline Monday. There were many delays for passengers at Gerald Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids. Airport spokesperson Tara Hernandez.. ...Read Full Story

Gas prices nationwide are heading lower, but that’s not the case in Michigan this week. AAA Michigan reports the average statewide price is up 16¢ a gallon to $2.33, with the lowest average in Traverse City at $2.19 and the highest prices in the Saginaw/Bay City/Midland region at $2.38. Our prices locally jumped 21¢ over the past week to an average of $2.30 in Benton Harbor and St. Joseph, while GasBuddy spotters put the prices in South Haven between $2.28 and $2.30. National oil market analyst Trilby Lundberg notes crude oil prices have been weak and supply is outpacing demand nationally, leading to a drop across the country of 6¢ in the last two weeks to $2.16. AAA Michigan says refinery issues in Illinois, Kansas, and Ohio are to blame for our latest spike.. ...Read Full Story