With a new school year starting, Michigan State Police are telling parents and students about the stiff penalties that can come with cyberbullying. Trooper Holly Higgs with the Niles post tells WSJM News cyberbullying is using a public media forum, or social media, to intimidate someone.. ...Read Full Story
By Michael Arney and Doug Cunningham. ...Read Full Story
A 20-year-old Indiana man is facing up to life in prison in Michigan after being found guilty today of 10 felonies from a shooting, carjacking, robbery, and police chase in January. Cass County Prosecutor Victor Fitz says Eric Houston of South Bend was involved in the crime with several others from Indiana. The 21-year-old victim was shot four times, and survived. Houston and other suspects led police on a high-speed chase as well in a pair of stolen vehicles. No sentencing date has been announced.. ...Read Full Story
Silver Beach has been given the all clear by the Berrien County Health Department. After the beach was closed to swimming due to elevated E coli levels on Tuesday, the health department collected more samples Thursday morning. The results are in, and the water is testing for acceptable E Coli levels, meaning it’s clear for swimming for the long Labor Day weekend. However, visitors still need to check the flags posted at the beach to make sure they’re not red. Red flags mean no swimming due to dangerous lake conditions. In fact, the choppy conditions are what prevented the health department from being able to test the water for E coli on Wednesday. As of Friday morning, however, there is no longer an elevated E coli risk.. ...Read Full Story
Farmers in three southwest Michigan counties will be eligible for help now that the U.S. Department of Agriculture has issued a secretarial disaster designation. Congressman Fred Upton called the announcement for Berrien, Cass, and St. Joseph counties “welcome news,” adding farmers have made it clear to him they have been suffering due to weather issues this year. Record rainfall prevented some crops from even going into the ground, and the prolonged wet conditions decimated the corn crop in the region. Extreme temperatures both hot and cold this year haven’t helped either, with the polar vortex in late January and early February nearly completely wiping out the peach crop. Upton says he will continue to push the USDA for a disaster designation for the rest of his district and all of Michigan.. ...Read Full Story
Indiana Michigan Power and Consumers Energy are sending crews to Florida to help with the recover from Hurricane Dorian. I&M says over 350 employees and contractors along with equipment will leave for the Sunshine State by Saturday afternoon to be ready to respond to power outages. Consumers is sending over 60 employees south with 15 three-person lineworker crews, three electric workers, several field leaders and equipment. The utilities are responding to the request for mutual assistance from Florida Power & Light, and the crews could be in Florida for as long as three weeks.. ...Read Full Story
The 45¢ per gallon gas tax increase proposed by Governor Whitmer in her budget is dead, but talks continue on the budget between Republican leaders in the Legislature and Whitmer. House Speaker Lee Chatfield says a deal will be done in time.. ...Read Full Story
The Heritage Museum and Cultural Center in St. Joseph will be taking a look at the Salem Witch Trials this September. It says Magistrate John Hathorne will recount the hysteria, paranoia, and resulting trials that took place during the mid-17th century in Salem, Massachusetts with “Hysteria in Salem” on September 11 at the museum. The Salem Witch Trials began in February of 1692, with more than 200 people accused of practicing witchcraft. Eventually, 14 women and 5 men were hanged. The Heritage Museum says actor and historian Terry Lynch specializes in historical portrayal and storytelling with a first person perspective on events. His presentation at the Heritage Museum and Cultural Center on September 11 will be from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Attendance will be free, but they do suggest a $5 donation for the museum.. ...Read Full Story
A Michigan State Police trooper who died in 1981 as a result of a train derailment in Berrien County has been honored with a new memorial. Michigan State Police First Lieutenant Mike Dawson with the Niles post tells WSJM News a dedication was held Thursday morning at the Lake Street railroad crossing in Bridgman for Trooper Allan Peterson. He was one of the officers assigned to the site of the derailment on August 7, 1981. Dawson says Peterson was exposed to toxic fumes there.. ...Read Full Story
Lake Michigan College President Trevor Kubatzke has received a passing grade from the LMC Board of Trustees. The board this week gave Kubatzke a positive performance evaluation and extended his contract by another year, through 2022. Kubatzke tells WSJM News it’s fantastic to have a good relationship with the board.. ...Read Full Story
There will be plenty happening this weekend in downtown St. Joseph. St. Joseph Today Event Manager Daniel Crevier tells WSJM News there will be a reason to head to the area for each of the three days this Labor Day weekend. Friday kicks everything off.. ...Read Full Story
A campaign intended to attract new residents to southwest Michigan has been launched by Cornerstone Alliance. Cornerstone’s Christina Frank tells WSJM News Vacay Every Day will extol the virtues of southwest Michigan to those who visit the region from all over the country. The campaign aims to increase the region’s population by 10% over 10 years.. ...Read Full Story
As the days start to cool in Michigan, some people might be able to offset the cost of summer utility bills with the Michigan Home Heating Credit. Eligible households that paid for heat last winter have until September 30 to apply for the 2018 Home Heating Credit. Ross Yednock with the Community Economic Development Association of Michigan says both homeowners and renters can apply.. ...Read Full Story
The holiday weekend is almost upon us and if you’re going away, what will you do with your dog? If you’re going to one of Michigan’s many state parks, you may be able to take Fido with you camping or to the beach. However, be considerate of other campers, says DNR parks and recreation spokeswoman Maia Turek.. ...Read Full Story
Talks of a government shutdown in Lansing if a budget deal can’t be reached before the October deadline. Governor Gretchen Whitmer told Michigan News Network she hasn’t seen a proposal alternate to her 45 cent per gallon gas tax.. ...Read Full Story
From the Associated Press — Michigan’s attorney general is objecting to a product pitched as a do-it-yourself kit for sexual assault victims. The MeToo Kit website says the product empowers people to collect evidence “in a setting and timing of their choice.” A price isn’t listed. Attorney General Dana Nessel’s office says kits are free in Michigan when assault victims seek medical help within five days. The state says it’s critical that evidence collection adheres to a strict procedure that can stand up in court if charges are filed. The state says a medical exam also includes a check for injuries and disease. Nessel says the home kit offers “absolutely no benefit.” An email seeking comment from the Brooklyn, New York, company wasn’t immediately answered Thursday. Michigan is demanding that the product not be sold in the state.. ...Read Full Story
The Bridgman Public Library is letting all patrons know it will be closed starting on Friday, September 20 through Monday, October 7. The reason is renovations. The library is receiving new carpeting, a fresh coat of paint, and new furniture. It says during the closing, everyone can still use its online resources. It also notes that inter-library loans will be put on hold from September 16 through October 7, the date of its reopening. Anyone with questions can contact the Bridgman Public Library.. ...Read Full Story
It’s life in prison for a woman who was found guilty of conspiring to have her husband killed while he was home on leave from the U.S. Army in Benton Harbor late last year. 22-year-old Kemia Hassel was sentenced on Thursday to life without parole. A jury found her guilty of first-degree premeditated murder last month in the death of Tyrone Hassel III. Prosecutors say Kemia Hassel was having an affair with Jeremy Cuellar, and the two planned to kill Tyrone Hassel for insurance money. He was shot and killed on New Year’s Eve of 2018 in St. Joseph Township. Berrien County Prosecutor Michael Sepic tells us Kemia Hassel was also sentenced to life in prison on a conspiracy to commit murder charge. Meanwhile, Jeremy Cuellar will be sentenced on September 23 to a minimum of 65 years after he pleaded guilty to second degree murder in the case. All three were soldiers stationed at Fort Stewart in Georgia.. ...Read Full Story
From the Associated Press — Michigan health officials say they’re investigating six cases of breathing illnesses that may be linked to e-cigarettes or other vaping products. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services said Wednesday each of the cases was diagnosed in the last 60 days and most of the individuals have been hospitalized for severe respiratory illness. The patients range in age from 19 to 39. It says that as of Aug. 23, more than 200 possible cases of severe respiratory disease associated with e-cigarette use have been reported in 23 states. Illinois last week reported one death. The Michigan agency says e-cigarette and/or vaping users should immediately seek medical attention if they develop symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest pain, cough, fever and/or nausea and vomiting.. ...Read Full Story
From the Associated Press — A former Michigan lawmaker has pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor stemming from charges filed over his role in trying to keep his extramarital affair with another legislator from being exposed. The state attorney general’s office says Todd Courser entered his plea in a Lapeer courtroom Wednesday. A no-contest plea isn’t an admission of guilt but is treated as such for sentencing. Courser could serve up to a year in jail on a willful neglect of duty charge. Sentencing is September 16. A perjury charge will be dismissed. Courser resigned in 2015 while another lawmaker, Cindy Gamrat, was expelled. Courser had asked an aide to send a bogus email to fellow Republicans as a trick so his affair with Gamrat wouldn’t be believed if it was revealed by an extortionist.. ...Read Full Story
South Haven’s Jim McCloughan [[ mc-kloo-an ]] stepped into the national spotlight this week when he addressed the American Legion’s 101st National Convention in Indianapolis. McCloughan is a Vietnam veteran who has received the Medal of Honor for his efforts to save fellow soldiers stuck in a firefight in North Vietnam in 1969. McCloughan carried four men out of an intense battle, becoming injured himself. Speaking to the convention Tuesday, McCloughan said, “We did not lose the war in Vietnam,” adding the fall of Saigon didn’t happen until two years after Americans left Vietnam. He thanked those who served with him in the war, and also thanked the American Legion for its commitment to him.. ...Read Full Story
Michigan Works is promoting a new season of the Going Pro program in southwest Michigan. Mark O’Reilly with Kinexus in Benton Harbor tells WSJM News Going Pro helps companies get funds to train workers.. ...Read Full Story
A ceremony will be held next week to mark the start of a more than $1 billion energy development in Niles. The Indeck Niles Energy Center at 2200 Progressive Drive will be a natural gas power plant. It’s expected to generate hundreds of thousands of dollars in tax revenue each year for the city of Niles, and create more than 20 permanent jobs. On hand for next Wednesday’s groundbreaking will be Congressman Fred Upton, Niles Mayor Nick Shelton, and former state Senator John Proos, among others. The new plant could be up and running in 2021. Indeck is a power equipment company based in Illinois.. ...Read Full Story
From the Associated Press — Federal agents are searching the suburban Detroit home of the president of the United Auto Workers, apparently another step in an investigation of union corruption. FBI spokeswoman Mara Schneider confirmed the search of a home in Canton Township on Wednesday but declined further comment. TV stations posted photos and video of agents outside Gary Jones’ home. In response, the UAW says there’s “absolutely no need” for the search. The union says it has been cooperating with investigators. Agents also searched the Corona, California, home of former UAW President Dennis Williams and the union’s northern Michigan retreat. Eight people have pleaded guilty in an investigation of union officials and Fiat Chrysler executives enriching themselves with money from a job training center in Detroit. The probe appeared to widen recently when a former union official was charged with accepting kickbacks from union vendors.. ...Read Full Story
Will Congressman Fred Upton seek reelection next year? We asked him, and he told WSJM News it’s too early to decide, but he has been “checking all the boxes.”. ...Read Full Story
Drivers traveling north on I-196 from Benton Harbor to just past the Hagar Shore Road exit haven’t seen much paving work done in weeks. This is due to a labor dispute at Reith-Riley, the main contractor for highway work. WSJM News spoke with MDOT’s Nick Schirripa about the delay in getting the work done.. ...Read Full Story
Niles Community Schools has launched a canine drug detection program. The first day for drug searches was this Wednesday, and the district says it will have surprise drug dog searches at its various buildings throughout the school year. Niles Community Schools administration says the program is designed to reinforce the district’s commitment to safety and to being a drug-free zone.. ...Read Full Story
Tourism, it seems for some, is a bit of a double-edged sword. It helps fuel the local economy and keep people employed, but also causes locals to avoid popular tourist areas like downtown St. Joseph and beaches like Silver Beach County Park. At this week’s St. Joseph City Commission meeting, several residents expressed their frustration with traffic, especially at Silver Beach. They don’t think the city’s changing of traffic patterns and the county taking debit and credit cards for payment to go to the park has done enough. Berrien County Parks Director Brian Bailey’s thought is that being a tourist attraction isn’t the worst problem for a community to have.. ...Read Full Story
The Environmental Protection Agency is seeking public comment on a $585,000 settlement for cleaning up an old aluminum smelting site in the area. The EPA says the Alreco Metals site in Benton Harbor, near the Paw Paw River, was in operation for 43 years before the owner filed for bankruptcy in 2008. Waste was exposed when equipment and buildings were dismantled at the 28-acre site. The government says it has reached a settlement over past response costs with Service Aluminum Corporation, Toyota Motor Engineering and Louis Padnos Iron and Metal. The public will have until September 26 to offer an opinion.. ...Read Full Story
Bring me solutions to fixing the roads. That’s the message from Governor Gretchen Whitmer to state lawmakers, delivered during a press conference this morning, as the end of the current fiscal year is just 33 days away on September 30. She proposed a budget 176 days ago, and says the House and Senate should not have taken a summer recess without sending budget bills to her. Whitmer this morning said if Republicans have another idea instead of her 45¢ per gallon gas tax hike to come up with enough revenue to spend $2.5 billion on roads without taking money away from education, pensions, and other places, she remains open.. ...Read Full Story
An invasive plant that has spread around the east side of the state has been found near Lake Michigan. Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy aquatic biologist Willian Keiper tells WSJM News it’s the European frogbit.. ...Read Full Story
The paintings on the walls of the Van Buren County Courthouse will stay. After voting earlier this month to cover them up, the county commission yesterday changed its mind and voted instead to not take that action after public opinion clearly backed the historical paintings. The meeting was packed, with several speaking out on both sides of the issue.. ...Read Full Story
The Blossom Acres Housing Project in Benton Township is again the scene of a shooting. This time, township police say a man was shot in the head while driving in the 100 block of Concord around 8:30 Tuesday night. He was rushed to Spectrum Health Lakeland, where he is recovering after undergoing surgery. All that is known about the shooter is police are looking for a man who was armed with a handgun. Anyone with information on the shooting is urged to call Benton Township Police Detective Bureau at (269) 925-1135 or Crime Stoppers at (574) 288-STOP.. ...Read Full Story
Andrews University continues to help the victims of an apartment fire in Berrien Springs over the weekend. The Saturday fire at Park Manor Apartments displaced nine residents who are affiliated with Andrews, five of them current students. Andrews University Director of Service and Missions Teela Ruehle tells WSJM News the first priority was housing for those affected. Now the focus is shifting to longer term needs.. ...Read Full Story
“It a great process to get input from both board members and from the community,” Plugge said. “The most important thing that we want to do is find out what they’re looking for in a superintendent. That help with our recruiting efforts at Ray and Associates.”
“During that time, concurrently running, we’ll be recruiting people, which is very important.”
From the Associated Press — Michigan superintendents are sounding the alarm about starting school without knowing how much funding they will receive from the state. For the first time in a decade, no state K-12 budget was in place in July, when districts’ fiscal years begin. The deadline for the state budget is October 1. Superintendents said Tuesday that they have been thrown in a state of
uncertainty, and they are having trouble making hiring decisions when more kids enroll than expected. The budget is being held up largely over Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s push for a tax increase to fix the roads. She also is seeking the largest increase in classroom spending in 18 years. Republicans also back a funding boost for schools, though a smaller amount than what Whitmer wants.. ...Read Full Story
Cornerstone Alliance has been awarded a state grant of $81,000 to build a retention pond at its entrance to create more curb appeal. The office of state Senator Kim LaSata tells us the award for Cornerstone is one of four in southwest Michigan announced this week by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation’s Site Readiness Improvement Program. In addition to the retention pond, Cornerstone Alliance will use its state grant to install related infrastructure and clear brush and trees. Senator LaSata says the “site readiness grants will go a long way toward making our communities that much more of an attractive place to do business and create jobs,” and she congratulated the recipients. The other grants are $50,000 for the city of Sturgis to do engineering assessments at an industrial park, $100,000 to the city of Three Rivers for fiber extension at an industrial park, and $79,000 for the village of Colon to do a study at a mill site.. ...Read Full Story
Governor Whitmer gave her budget proposal to the Legislature six months ago, and the current fiscal year ends in just over a month. No budget has been sent to her. Whitmer says now is the time for Republican leaders in the House and Senate to get it done.. ...Read Full Story
Berrien County Treasurer Bret Witkowski just sent more than $1.1 million to libraries around the county thanks to fines collected by the court system. He tells WSJM News state law mandates a portion of traffic ticket proceeds go to libraries.. ...Read Full Story
Quick, what are the most hated words in a southwest Michigan winter weather forecast?. ...Read Full Story
If you live in an apartment or rent your home and don’t have renters insurance, here is your wake-up call. None of the residents of Park Manor Apartments in Berrien Springs, which burned to the ground on Saturday, were insured. They all lost everything in their homes except their lives, and while they’re getting some help, it doesn’t bring things back. Corey Flaugh runs Flaugh Insurance Group in Benton Township and talked to WSJM News about the importance of having that coverage.. ...Read Full Story
There is no swimming today at Silver Beach County Park or Rocky Gap County Park. Berrien County Parks Director Brian Bailey tells WSJM News they’ve put up red flags at both beaches due to the wind picking up and resulting in high waves and a rip current warning from the National Weather Service. But there’s another issue at Silver Beach that’s also closed it for the first time in a few years.. ...Read Full Story
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is marking this as Black Breastfeeding Week. It says it’s partnered with the Black Mothers’ Breastfeeding Association to promote the positive effects breastfeeding has on infant health and reducing infant mortality rates. It’s part of the department’s ongoing effort to eliminate health disparities among Michigan’s population. The state health department says breastfeeding is better for babies in that it leads to easy digestion, production of antibodies, and reduced risk of infections and childhood obesity. It’s teaming up with the Black Mothers’ Breastfeeding Association at several events this week. They include a screening of Chocolate Milk: The Documentary at the Library of Michigan in Lansing on Tuesday, and a Twitter chat on Wednesday. The Berrien County Health Department also has more information on the benefits of breastfeeding.. ...Read Full Story
St. Joseph City Manager John Hodgson is getting a raise. The city commission held a closed session Monday night to give Hodgson his fourth performance evaluation since he was hired, and Mayor Mike Garey tells WSJM News they didn’t score him in any particular categories, noting his excellent work ethic and “what he’s brought to the city.” Garey says the commission felt Hodgson’s starting pay, which hasn’t gone up since he was hired, was too low.. ...Read Full Story
The city of St. Joseph is being urged by those who live below the bluff to put pressure on the Berrien County Parks Department to make changes at Silver Beach County Park to cut down on traffic congestion in the summer. The issue dominated the public comment portion of Monday night’s city commission meeting. June Bowman noted in her comments that their issues from past years with lines of cars waiting to get into the park jamming things up for hours haven’t gone away, even with new summertime traffic patterns.. ...Read Full Story
A new program is coming to Van Buren County for fathers to learn about how they can better prepare their children to make the right decisions growing up. Friend of the Court early intervention case manager Able Munoz tells WSJM News 24/7 Dad seeks to promote more fatherly engagement in the lives of kids so they have the right disciplinary and moral foundations.. ...Read Full Story
A potentially deadly mosquito-borne illness may have returned to Berrien County. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services says there are three suspected cases of Eastern Equine Encephalitis in residents of both Berrien and Kalamazoo counties. Six horses have died from the disease in Barrry, Kalamazoo and St. Joseph counties, and none were vaccinated. There is no vaccine for EEE available for people. A case of a similar mosquito-borne disease, California encephalitis virus, has been confirmed in a resident of Genesee County.. ...Read Full Story
The Southwestern Michigan Association of Realtors has announced a $2,400 Placemaking Grant to the city of New Buffalo for a program intended to make the downtown area more vibrant. It says the city will use the funds to explore the viability of projecting artwork, moving images, and videos on to walls at night along the two block downtown streetscape. The idea is designed to bring light, movement, and excitement into the area year-round. The city’s Design Visual Impact Committee says an art and light show would have an economic impact by encouraging visitors to linger in the downtown area to shop, eat, and drink. The lights would be projected on to exterior walls starting with the intersection of Whittaker and Merchant streets, projecting from Brewster’s parking lot onto the Villager’s southeast wall. Southwestern Michigan Association of Realtors Placemaking Grants are the organization’s way of helping to better communities. In the past, they have helped to pay for a dog park in Baroda, a park and playground area next to Milton Township Hall, and a Victorian style exterior post clock in downtown Watervliet.. ...Read Full Story
Following the destruction of an apartment building in Berrien Springs over the weekend, Andrews University is collecting funds to help some of the people who were displaced. Andrews put out a statement on Facebook Sunday saying the university was able to reach all of its students who lived at Park Manor Apartments, and they all had found alternative accommodations. It also says the most urgent need is for cash donations to address food and housing. Meanwhile, Andrews Services and Administration Director Teela Ruehle told our reporting partners at WSBT some affected students started classes this week and were facing hardship.. ...Read Full Story
A warrant has been issued in a weekend shooting in Niles. The Niles Police Department says it’s looking for 21-year-old Dayshawn Lavell Smith of Niles. It says the shooting happened around 7:50 p.m. Saturday in the 600 block of Wayne Street. Arriving officers found a vehicle in the middle of the street and a 21-year-old man lying on the boulevard with muliple gunshot wounds. Police performed first aid until an ambulance arrived, and it took him to a local hospital where he was listed in stable condition. The investigation has determined at least two gunshots happened inside the vehicle, and that three suspects got out of the vehicle and ran. On Monday, a felony warrant for aggravated assault with intent to murder was issued for Smith. Police say they’re looking for two additional suspects. Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to call the Niles Police Department.. ...Read Full Story
The Chikaming Township Police Department is investigating a Friday armed robbery in Union Pier. It says officers were sent to the Whistle Stop Store on Red Arrow Highway just before 8 a.m. and learned a suspect had gone into the store, pointed a handgun at the clerk, and demanded money. The clerk complied, and the suspect ran out with cash. The suspect is described as a white male, very thin, with dark hair, standing between 5’8 and 5’11. He was wearing a mask over his jaw. He took off in a dark or navy blue Chrysler 300, model year between 2008 and 2010. Police ask anyone with information regarding the suspect to contact them. The Chikaming Township Police Department says the “armed robbery is being aggressively investigated by our staff.” Meanwhile, it also says it has arrested a suspect in a series of burglaries to unoccupied homes in the Harbert area. However, it has not released further details on that development.. ...Read Full Story
Michigan’s U.S. senators are seeking more federal funding to continue a wide-ranging Great Lakes cleanup program. Democrats Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters have announced bipartisan legislation to renew and expand the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.. ...Read Full Story
A good apple crop is expected in Michigan this year. Michigan Apple Committee executive director Diane Smith says 25.25 million bushels are expected in Michigan, a top apple producing state.. ...Read Full Story
State Senator Aric Nesbitt of Lawton is trying again to get a change made to how state Supreme Court justices are chosen in the event of a vacancy mid-term. As it stands now, the governor would appoint a new justice, and it’s not subject to a vote in the Senate. Nesbitt says that shouldn’t be.. ...Read Full Story
Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson is seeking some college students to serve on her office’s new Collegiate Student Advisory Task Force. The force is intended to make recommendations for improving voter engagement among college students. Benson tells WSJM News they want input before the 2020 elections.. ...Read Full Story
Berrien County property owners are being reminded their summer tax bills are due soon. Berrien County Treasurer Bret Witkowski tells WSJM News all but two taxing units in the county have a due date of September 16 for summer taxes. He says there are always those who run into problems.. ...Read Full Story
A Berrien Springs apartment building has been destroyed by fire. It happened Saturday night at Park Manor Apartments on Rosehill Road. The entire building, consisting of 20 units, was wrecked. Our partners at WSBT report crews had to tear down what was left of the building. There were no reported injuries.. ...Read Full Story
The demand for lighthouse tours in St. Joseph has been up this year. In fact, the Heritage Museum and Cultural Center says there has been a record number of tours. The museum’s Kate Ulrey tells WSJM News there has been great demand from tourists and residents alike.. ...Read Full Story
