Local News Archives

A 74-year-old Lincoln Township woman has died as the result of a near head-on crash on Red Arrow Highway just north of I-94. Lincoln Township police say she was not wearing a seat belt and was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators say the woman was heading northbound on Red Arrow when she turned into the path of a pickup driven by a 41-year-old from Fairplain Township, who was not hurt. The crash happened in the area of several fast food restaurants like McDonald’s, Burger King, and Long John Silvers just after noon on Monday. Despite the crash being fatal, Red Arrow was not closed and one lane remained open heading south while police investigated the wreck. The crash remains under investigation.. ...Read Full Story

Two people are in the Van Buren County Jail following a drug raid in Lawrence, and charges are pending against three others. The sheriff’s department went to the home in the 55-thousand block of 56th Street last Thursday evening on a tip of drug activity and the possibility a parole absconder was at the home. That man, 31-year-old David Sewell of Hartford, was found hiding in a bathroom. Others in the home are accused of trying to destroy meth evidence. In addition to Sewell, deputies arrested 29-year-old Felina Snider of Lawrence on a probation violation. The other suspects are two men, 34 and 42-years-old and a 28-year-old woman, all from Lawrence.. ...Read Full Story

Benton Harbor authorities are looking for a man accused of trying to abduct a 14-year-old girl Monday morning. It happened around 6:45 a.m. on the city’s north side at the girl’s bus stop at the corner of Main and Hull. She tells police the man grabbed her from behind, but she was able to run off. The man is 5’9″ and was wearing a dark blue or black Nike sweatshirt. Public Safety Director Dan McGinnis tells us they don’t know the suspect’s race, but say he had been seen dressed in the same clothes and in the same area on Friday. Benton Harbor Public Safety officials are urging parents to be especially vigilant and walk their kids to the bus stop, and stay with them if possible until they’re picked up for school.. ...Read Full Story

Vice President Mike Pence is in Michigan today to campaign with Republican gubernatorial nominee Bill Schuette and U.S. Senate hopeful John James.. ...Read Full Story

Police in Buchanan are looking for an armed robbery suspect. He pulled a gun on the clerk at a convenience store Sunday just after 11:30 a.m. in the 200 block of South Oak street and got away northbound on the street with cash out of the register. No one was hurt. Surveillance photos released by the police department show the suspect on top of the counter demanding the cash. He is described as a black male in his 20s who was dressed in a red hoodie with a face mask, black pants, black gloves and black boots. Anyone who knows anything about the robbery is urged to call Buchanan police.. ...Read Full Story

The endorsement of Gretchen Whitmer for governor by Hillary Clinton isn’t necessarily a shock, but the Republican National Committee is having some fun with it. RNC communications director for Indiana and Michigan, Michael Joyce, put out a statement mocking the endorsement by saying “It’s great that Hillary Clinton endorsed Gretchen Whitmer; nobody knows how to win Michigan better than Hillary Clinton.”. ...Read Full Story

The two officers involved in the arrest of a man who died in police custody earlier this month are back on the job. Berrien Springs Oronoko Township Police Chief Paul Toliver says his officer and the Berrien County Sheriff’s deputy were returned to active duty today after being placed on paid administrative leave on October 22. 51-year-old Jack Lunneen of Berrien Springs died at Spectrum Health Lakeland that morning after being arrested for malicious destruction of property in Berrien Springs. As the officers were trying to arrest him in a bank parking lot, Chief Tolliver says Lunneen resisted and needed to be restrained, but no details on that have been released. When the officers noticed the man having medical issues, they called for an ambulance. Michigan State Police is handling the investigation, and the names of the officers involved haven’t been made public.. ...Read Full Story

A $62 million refueling and maintenance outage is underway at the Palisades Power Plant. Officials with parent company Entergy say the outage will keep the nuclear plant running safely until it’s permanently shut down in 2022. It began Sunday and started 15 days after the plant was taken offline to replace a control rod drive seal and a transformer. Entergy is bringing in around 1,000 workers to help the 600 full-time employees at Palisades with the refueling outage as they do upgrades, inspections, and replacements that can’t be done while the facility is generating power. This is the 26th refueling outage in the plant’s 47-year history.. ...Read Full Story

The OutCenter in Benton Harbor is blasting some reported plans of the Trump administration regarding transgender Americans. The New York Times reported last weekend on a memo from the Oval Office to the Department of Health and Human Services directing that department to define gender as either male or female, as assigned at birth. The OutCenter’s Mary Jo Schnell tells WSJM News this is another in a series of blows to transgendered Americans.. ...Read Full Story

Landmark opioids legislation has been signed into law by President Trump. The SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act was put together over about the past year with input from dozens of lawmakers, including Congressman Fred Upton. He tells us it passed the House and Senate with broad support. Upton told us about some of his contributions.. ...Read Full Story

With the possibility of marijuana being legalized by voters in next month’s election, what will this mean for job applicants? Mary Corrado is president and CEO of the American Society of Employers and told Michigan News Network fewer employers are screening for pot use because if they did, they wouldn’t have any workers.. ...Read Full Story

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has stocked lakes and rivers around the state with more than 21 million fish so far this year. The DNR’s Elyse Walter tells WSJM News the fish stocking program goes back well over 100 years with the oldest hatchery dating back to 1901. They breed fish and pump them into waters all over.. ...Read Full Story

Michigan State Police are warning everyone about a phone scam that’s been reported in southwest Michigan. Sergeant Ryan Schoonveld with the Niles post tells WSJM News this one is wide-spread.. ...Read Full Story

Actress and activist Jane Fonda has taken a get out the vote message to Benton Harbor. She spoke at the Benton Harbor Art and Cultural Center Saturday. Fonda urged everyone to head to the polls November 6 and to vote Democrat. She said that could help ensure state lawmakers don’t change the One Fair Wage proposal, which she campaigned for this year. Fonda predicted a legal fight over the issue.. ...Read Full Story

Big news for South Haven area residents, a new large park is coming is coming between 2019 and 2021. South Haven City Manager, Brian Dissette spoke with WSJM News about it.. ...Read Full Story

Some state lawmakers from southwest Michigan have gotten praise from the Michigan Manufacturers Association for voting in line with its interests 100% of the time. Michigan Manufacturers Association VP of Government Affairs Mike Johnston tells WSJM News the lawmakers it saluted this month include state Representatives Beth Griffin, Kim LaSata, and Mary Whiteford. He says a top concern for manufacturers is worker development.. ...Read Full Story

The Buchanan Police Department is looking for a missing woman. The Berrien County Sheriff’s Department tells us Elizabeth Drew has been missing since Friday. She was last seen around the 100 block of Detroit Street in Buchanan. Police say she was wearing an olive green winter coat with a fur-lined hood and blue jeans. Anyone with information on her location should call the Berrien County Sheriff’s Department.. ...Read Full Story

This weekend will bring a chance for anyone to scoop up some slightly-outdated Whirlpool appliances for big discounts. It’s time for the 2018 Whirlpool Fall Appliance Sale. The company’s Gokul Nair tells WSJM News the sale benefits the United Way of Southwest Michigan.. ...Read Full Story

There has been a increasing demand in South Haven to hold special events in the parks, creating a noise problem late at night. The city council has heard resident complaints about amplified sound and has now approved changes to the Special Events Policy. Basically, amplified noise must end by 10 pm. For Saturday night events at all parks, amplified noise is prohibited from 10pm Saturday night until noon on Sunday. All noise must stay in the city’s noise ordinance. Questions regarding the noise ordinance should be directed to the police department at 637-5151.. ...Read Full Story

Matt Longjohn says he’s running against Rep. Fred Upton in part to provide a check on Trump – something that resonates with Democratic and many independent voters.. ...Read Full Story

Volunteers are being invited to Warren Dunes State Park this weekend to help fight invasive species. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources says they’ll be out there from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday removing non-native tree saplings from the dune areas. The DNR says no experience is needed to help out as it will provide the volunteers with training on what to look out for. The volunteers are told to meet at the organizational campground parking area on Floral Road at 10 a.m. so they can caravan to the areas being treated.. ...Read Full Story

No one’s hurt, but Gast Manufacturing in Benton Township was evacuated Friday morning due to a threat. The Benton Township Police Department tells us officers were called out to the Gast facility about 9:20 a.m. An employee had found a handwritten note on a disposable paper toilet seat in a women’s restroom. It alluded to death and had racial undertones, although there was no specific means or individual mentioned. The place was evacuated, and a K9 was brought in to search for any possible explosives. Police say none were found. A suspect hasn’t yet been identified, and the incident remains under investigation.. ...Read Full Story

Actress and activist Jane Fonda is returning to Michigan for a get out the vote rally along with Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors. They will be at the Benton Harbor Art and Cultural Center Saturday from 5:30 to 7 p.m. to encourage voters to get to the polls. They are also going to be calling on state lawmakers to leave alone the One Fair Wage proposal that the House and Senate passed earlier this fall during the upcoming lame duck session. Fonda campaigned this summer in Kalamazoo with fellow actress Lily Tomlin in support of that proposal before Republican leaders in Lansing decided to vote on it and prevent it from going to the ballot. By doing so, making changes only requires a simple majority in the Legislature instead of a 75% majority vote if it was approved by voters.. ...Read Full Story

Since news this past weekend that the Trump administration is thinking about establishing a definition of gender for federal departments, people in the transgender community around southwest Michigan are concerned. Paula Camp is a facilitator for a support group at the OutCenter called the League of Extraordinary Genders. Camp told us how transgender Americans she has spoken to are feeling.. ...Read Full Story

Rep. Fred Upton comments on the possibly toxic Trump effect on the mid-term re-elections and the ongoing Mueller investigation.. ...Read Full Story

The Berrien County Board of Commissioners has approved a contract for the sheriff’s department to provide a school resource officer at Benton Harbor High School. Berrien County Sheriff Paul Bailey tells WSJM News the department has been providing two deputies at the school for 25 days now. That’s since a rash of 17 fights happened to start out the school year. Bailey says they’ve had two or three since the deputies were placed at the high school.. ...Read Full Story

Benton Harbor Area Schools have switched to only using bottled water at every building in the district after the announcement by the city this week that eight of 30 homes tested had high levels of lead in the tap water. The district’s food service is also using bottled water for food preparation until further notice. The district’s water is currently being tested, and until confirmation comes back that it’s safe, only bottled water will be available. The city is also offering free water testing for all customers of its municipal water system. The source of the lead hasn’t been determined, but is believed to be older galvanized and lead service lines connecting homes to the city’s water system. The eight families impacted are also being given bottled water by the city.. ...Read Full Story

Landmark opioids legislation has been signed into law by President Trump. The SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act was put together over about the past year with input from dozens of lawmakers, including Congressman Fred Upton. He tells us it passed the House and Senate with broad support. Upton told us about some of his contributions.. ...Read Full Story

Michigan State Police are warning everyone about a phone scam that’s been reported in southwest Michigan. Sergeant Ryan Schoonveld with the Niles post tells WSJM News this one is wide-spread.. ...Read Full Story

Four finalists are now in place to become the next superintendent of South Haven Public Schools. The job opened up when Robert Herrera moved on to be the CEO of Benton Harbor Area Schools this summer. The school board will interview the finalists next week on Monday and Tuesday evenings. Three finalists are from Michigan, with the other being Dr. Raymond Lechner, the current superintendent in Wilmette, Illinois. He will be the first to be interviewed Monday at 6 pm followed by Nathan Robrahn, a high school principal in the Grand Rapids suburb of Wyoming at 7:30. On Tuesday, the board will hear from Watervliet Public Schools superintendent Kevin Schooley at 6, followed by Grant superintendent Jonathan Whan. The interviews are open to the public and will be conducted at South Haven High School. The board is working to have the new superintendent on the job at the start of January.. ...Read Full Story

A 70-year-old Bangor man has died in a crash between his motorcycle and a pickup truck. The Berrien County Sheriff’s Department tells us Bobby Tanner was northbound on M-140 when the pickup driven by 34-year-old Steven Riggs of Watervliet pulled out in front of him on 48th Avenue. Tanner died after being taken to Spectrum Health Lakeland Watervliet. Riggs was not arrested, but the sheriff’s department will send its report to the Berrien County Prosecutor’s Office for review. Investigators don’t believe alcohol or speed were factors in the crash, which happened at 8 Wednesday night.. ...Read Full Story

A small business coalition is targeting a handful of congressional districts – including Michigan’s 6th district – with a focused message on the GOP tax cut. The message is that the tax cut is a lavish gift to large corporations and the rich leaving small business and working families high and dry.. ...Read Full Story

• Water samples taken from eight homes in the city of Benton Harbor have come back with levels of lead higher than the federal action level of 15 parts per billion.
• The OutCenter in Benton Harbor is blasting some reported plans of the Trump administration regarding transgendered Americans.
• Landmark opioids legislation has been signed into law by President Trump.
• A town hall on the opioid epidemic and what you can do will be held Thursday in Benton Harbor.
• Michigan State Police are warning everyone about a phone scam that’s been reported in southwest Michigan.
• Harbor Habitat for Humanity has a replacement for their old construction truck that had been totaled in a crash.
• Saturday is National Prescription Drug Take Back Day.
• The F-B-I, Secret Service and A-T-F all involved in an investigation into pipe bombs sent to a number of top Democrats and the New York offices of CNN Wednesday.
• Two young girls are in custody after allegedly planning a Satanic attack on their middle school.

A town hall on the opioid epidemic and what you can do will be held Thursday in Benton Harbor. State Representative Kim LaSata tells WSJM News the Berrien County Health Department, the Riverwood Center, the Community Healing Center, and the Berrien County Sheriff’s Department will all be there. She wants everyone to come out.. ...Read Full Story

The OutCenter in Benton Harbor is blasting some reported plans of the Trump administration regarding transgender Americans. The New York Times reported last weekend on a memo from the Oval Office to the Department of Health and Human Services directing that department to define gender as either male or female, as assigned at birth. The OutCenter’s Mary Jo Schnell tells WSJM News this is another in a series of blows to transgendered Americans.. ...Read Full Story

With less than two weeks before the election, backers of Proposition One have released their first ad. They’re hoping to convince voters to make Michigan the first state in the Midwest to legalize recreational marijuana. The commercial, from the group MI Legalize, argues that the move would reduce dependency on opiates, citing a drop in opiate prescriptions in states that have decriminalized marijuana. Karen O’Keefe, a Michigander with the Marijuana Policy Project, tells us she’s convinced society would be safer if people could buy marijuana in a store instead of on the black market.. ...Read Full Story

A K9 with the Allegan County Sheriff’s Department has received a bullet and stab-protective vest thanks to a donation from non-profit Vested Interest in K9s, Incorporated. The K9, Edo, will now sport the vest embroidered with the words “Born to Love – Trained to Serve – Loyal Always.” Its sponsors are Justin and Kristan Goodenough of Allegan. The sheriff’s department tells us the protective K9 vests have a value of more than $1,700. Edo is a two-year-old German Shephard handled by Deputy Blair Kacos. Kacos says the department is grateful for the donation. Since its inception in 2009, Vested Interest has provided more than 3,100 protective vests to police K9s in 50 states with a value of about $5.7 million. This is the third K9 protective vest donated by the organization to the Allegan County Sheriff’s Department.. ...Read Full Story

The city of Benton Harbor is working with the Berrien County Health Department and the state Department of Environmental Quality to get the word out about lead in the city’s drinking water that was found above the federal action level of 15 parts per billion at 8 homes of the 30 random samples taken this year. Dr. Rick Johansen of the Berrien County Health Department says they’re issuing guidance to parents of babies out of an abundance of caution.. ...Read Full Story

Eight homes in Benton Harbor have lead contamination in the water. The city found those eight above the federal and state action levels of 15 parts per billion for lead in the 30 homes where water samples were taken. Those tap water tests have been done every three years as required by the Michigan Department Environmental Quality and the federal Environmental Protection Agency. The Berrien County Health Department is monitoring the blood lead levels of children six and under throughout the county by individual community. They have not detected any increases in the trend of elevated blood lead levels in Benton Harbor kids and there has been a downward trend in those that has continued this year. City Manager Darwin Watson will give an update on the situation today.. ...Read Full Story

Is the economy really a good one for working families? U.S. Rep. Fred Upton says yes. Doug Cunningham reports.. ...Read Full Story

This weekend will bring a chance for anyone to scoop up some slightly-outdated Whirlpool appliances for big discounts. It’s time for the 2018 Whirlpool Fall Appliance Sale. The company’s Gokul Nair tells WSJM News the sale benefits the United Way of Southwest Michigan.. ...Read Full Story

Big news for South Haven area residents, a new large park is coming is coming between 2019 and 2021. South Haven City Manager, Brian Dissette spoke with WSJM News about it.. ...Read Full Story

This Saturday will bring another statewide drug takeback event. Michigan State Police Sergeant Jason Bailey tells us the Niles MSP post will serve as a point where you can drop off any old, unwanted prescription medications cluttering your cabinet. Bailey says it’s all anonymous.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — Former President Barack Obama will campaign for Democrats in Michigan. Obama will headline a rally in Detroit Friday for Sen. Debbie Stabenow, gubernatorial candidate Gretchen Whitmer, U.S. House candidates and others 11 days before the election. Former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder will also attend. He leads a national Democratic group that is backing Michigan’s anti-gerrymandering ballot proposal to put redistricting in the hands of a commission instead of lawmakers. Obama’s rally was announced Tuesday by the Michigan Democratic Party, which will provide more details later.
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders rallied with top Democrats in Ann Arbor last week, while Donald Trump Jr. campaigned with Republicans in Pontiac. The president’s daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, is in Michigan Tuesday to support gubernatorial
candidate Bill Schuette and Senate candidate John James.. ...Read Full Story

A pair of robbery suspects are awaiting arraignment after being busted in Niles on Tuesday. Niles City Police Disptach got word from across the Indiana state line an armed robbery had just occurred there, and the suspects may have been headed in the direction of Niles. Niles police positioned themselves strategically to intercept the suspects, and less than twenty minutes later dispatch got a 911 call reporting a robbery at Pete’s Marathon on South 11th Street. Not long after, an officer encountered the two suspects and they were taken into custody. A search of their vehicle turned up illegal drugs and apparently stolen merchandise from the two robberies. The suspects are described as a 33-year-old female and a 30-year-old male from Elkhart, Indiana. The woman is charged with robbery, resisting and obstructing, and possession of methamphetamine, while the man is charged with robbery and being a felon in possession of ammunition.. ...Read Full Story

As many as five million Mega Millions tickets could be sold before tonight’s drawing for the record jackpot of $1.6 billion. Michigan Lottery spokesman Jeff Holyfield says these king-size jackpots bring out the curious as well as the hard core lottery players alike.. ...Read Full Story

We now know the name of the man who died in police custody in Berrien County on Monday. Berrien Springs Oronoko Township Police Chief Paul Toliver tells WSJM News he was 51-year-old Jack Lunneen of Berrien Springs. He was arrested by a Berrien Springs Oronoko Township officer and a county sheriff’s deputy in the parking lot of a bank in Berrien Springs around 1:30 a.m., and authorities say Lunneen resisted arrest and had to be physically restrained. A statement from Toliver does not indicate what the officers did to restrain him, but he says they called for an ambulance when Lunneen began having medical issues. He died at Spectrum Health Lakeland in St. Joseph about an hour later. An autopsy will be done to determine the cause of his death, and Michigan State Police are handling the investigation. Both officers are now on paid leave, as is standard procedure.. ...Read Full Story

With the possibility of marijuana being legalized by voters in next month’s election, what will this mean for job applicants? Mary Corrado is president and CEO of the American Society of Employers and told Michigan News Network fewer employers are screening for pot use because if they did, they wouldn’t have any workers.. ...Read Full Story

The city of St. Joseph is saying no to drugs for the time being. The city commission Monday night voted to direct City Attorney Laurie Schmidt and city staff to opt out of allowing commercial businesses involved in recreational marijuana if voters approve the legalization of the drug on November 6. Schmidt told commissioners they’re only looking to keep the businesses out, and can’t stop the drugs.. ...Read Full Story

A non-discrimination ordinance to protect the LGBTQ community will likely be approved soon by the city of St. Joseph. After hearing from OutCenter director Mary Jo Schnell earlier this month, commissioners Monday night voted to have city staff draft an ordinance to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Mayor pro tem Laura Goos talked to Schnell prior to the meeting yesterday.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — Authorities believe they’ve recovered the remains of a southwestern Michigan woman who disappeared in 2010 while getting her mail. The St. Joseph County prosecutor, John McDonough, tells the Sturgis Journal that Doug Stewart took police to the burial site Monday. In 2011, he was convicted of killing his estranged wife, Venus Stewart, although her body hadn’t been found. Tests will be conducted next to confirm the identity. The Stewarts had been separated for a few months, and Doug Stewart was living in Newport News, Virginia, when his wife disappeared. The evidence against him
included phone records, key testimony from an accomplice and a partial fingerprint on a tarp found outside her parents’ home.. ...Read Full Story

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has stocked lakes and rivers around the state with more than 21 million fish so far this year. The DNR’s Elyse Walter tells WSJM News the fish stocking program goes back well over 100 years with the oldest hatchery dating back to 1901. They breed fish and pump them into waters all over.. ...Read Full Story

A 19-year-old time capsule buried in 1999 by students at Brown Elementary School in St. Joseph has been opened. Brown Principal Kristen Bawks tells WSJM News about 50 people gathered Sunday to retrieve and open the capsule. Inside, they found a Time Magazine with an article about the Harry Potter craze, among other things.. ...Read Full Story

The Palisades nuclear power plant in Van Buren County is shut down for repairs after a transformer experienced a problem. That followed other repairs on a control rod drive seal. Nuclear Regulator Commission spokesperson Viktoria Mitlyng tells WSJM News the seal problem was noticed on October 13, and was minor.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality has awarded $80 million in loans for water and sewer projects intended to boost drinking water quality and protect public health in a number of cities. The funding comes from federal-state programs that provide loans for water-related infrastructure upgrades. They offer loans with lower interest
rates than those on the open market, as well as loan forgiveness opportunities. Among recipients were the Great Lakes Water Authority in southeastern Michigan; Monroe County; and the cities of St. Joseph, Highland Park and Saline. Also, the Huron River Green Infrastructure Drainage District got funding for street tree planting to reduce phosphorus runoff and bacterial contamination.. ...Read Full Story

Indiana Michigan Power expects 90% of its customers in Benton Harbor and Buchanan who lost power due to this weekend’s storms to have the lights back on by 6 p.m. today. Full restoration is expected by 3 tomorrow afternoon. There are currently 4,650 in Berrien County without power and another 750 in Van Buren County who are in the dark. Crews are working on side roads, in yards, and in neighborhoods today and tomorrow to repair the downed power lines. At the peak of the outage, I&M says it had over 31,000 customers without power in Michigan and Indiana.. ...Read Full Story

An investigation is underway into the death of a 51-year-old man while in police custody early this morning. The man had been arrested by a Berrien Springs Oronoko Township officer after a call came in about someone destroying property on West Union Street in Berrien Springs, with the officer spotting the suspect while on the phone with the person who made the complaint. According to Chief Paul Toliver, the man resisted arrest and had to be physically restrained. An ambulance was called after the man started having medical issues, and he died at Spectrum Health Lakeland in St. Joseph around 2:30 this morning, roughly an hour after being arrested. The Berrien Springs officer and the Berrien County Sheriff’s deputy involved in the arrest are both on paid administrative leave as an outside agency will handle the probe into the death.. ...Read Full Story

Residents of South Haven who might need some financial help repairing the exterior of their home could be in luck. South Haven City Manager Brian Dissette tells WSJM News that’s after action by the city council this week.. ...Read Full Story

Indiana Michigan Power has issued this updated statement on service restoration efforts around southwest Michigan following Saturday’s high winds.. ...Read Full Story