Local News Archives

Hundreds of law enforcement officers from all over Michigan will be taking part in torch runs for the Special Olympics starting this weekend. Special Olympics spokesperson Aaron Mills tells WSJM News the organization is the official non-profit of police throughout the state, receiving more than $1 million each year thanks to law enforcement fundraisers. The torch runs are part of those efforts.. ...Read Full Story

Preserve the Dunes is offering a special tour of a Berrien County lakeshore park this weekend. President Marcy Hamilton tells WSJM News an expert from the Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy will present information on the environment on this Saturday’s tour of Hagar Township Park and Beach.. ...Read Full Story

Ground will be broken next week on a new health clinic in Niles. The Cassopolis Family Clinic Network tells us the new $8.5 million Niles Community Health Center will be 31,500 square feet with more than 20 exam rooms. It’ll be located at the site of the former Eastgate Shopping Plaza on Oak Street. The new Niles Community Health Center will replace a smaller facility located on St. Joseph Street. The new location is expected to double the current capacity. It will offer physician services, OBGYN services, and behavioral health. The ground breaking will be next Wednesday at 9 a.m. It’s hoped the new clinic will be up and running in the fall of 2019.. ...Read Full Story

Michigan State Police are investigating the murder of a child in Van Buren County. They tell us troopers out of the Paw Paw post were sent to a home in Almena Township on Tuesday on a report of a child not breathing. There, they learned the three-year-old girl had been with her step mother when she was found unresponsive. 31-year-old Kate George of Paw Paw is now charged with felony murder based on torture and first degree child abuse in the death of the three-year-old. The Michigan State Police Crime Lab was on scene at the home until the early morning hours of Wednesday as part of the investigation, and George was arraigned on Wednesday. There were two other children in the home who were removed by Child Protective Services, and they’re described as being in good health. State police say the investigation continues.. ...Read Full Story

The city of Benton Harbor is going to repave the streets surrounding a housing project this year. Community and Economic Development Director Stephanie Scott-Sims tells WSJM News Buss Avenue and Sickle Street in the area of what’s commonly known as the Buss Project will be rebuilt. This project using HUD Community Development Block Grant funding is years in the making.. ...Read Full Story

Michigan Infrastructure and Transportation Association VP Mike Nystrom says the employer’s group is continuing to insist that the Operating Engineers union ratify the industry’s labor contract proposal before road and bridge projects will continue.. ...Read Full Story

The lockout of some 2,000 union road construction workers is likely to impact several projects in southwest Michigan. The Michigan Department of Transportation tells WSJM News the labor stoppage initiated by the Michigan Infrastructure and Transportation Association, or MITA, might shut down three projects on I-94. Two are in Berrien County with one being repaving between Three Oaks Road and Red Arrow Highway and the other being a repaving from M-239 and Kruger Road. In Van Buren County, work is halted on a repaving of I-94 west of County Road 365. The two other projects that are stopped are on US-12 in Edwardsburg in Cass County and M-40 south of M-60 along Bair Lake. MITA locked out the union engineers on Tuesday as their contract had expired in June. Both sides blame each other, and MDOT officials say they’re caught in the middle. Department spokesman Nick Schirripa tells us they don’t know yet what the local impact will be.. ...Read Full Story

There’s plenty going on lately at the Benton Harbor Community Development Department. This week, city commissioners learned more about the HUD-funded home rehabilitation program, now back in action. Community Development Director Stephanie Scott-Sims told them it pays for home repairs for low and moderate income property owners.. ...Read Full Story

A major milestone is about to be marked by the Three Oaks Masonic Lodge. It’s celebrating 150 years this month with a re-dedication of its building on North Elm Street. Lodge Master Tom Oldenburg tells WSJM News it should be a special day.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — Organizers of a ballot initiative that would raise Michigan’s minimum wage to $12 an hour say they will sue if the Republican-led Legislature adopts the proposal but then weakens it later in the year. One Fair Wage lawyer Mark Brewer said Tuesday at a Capitol news conference that the move would be unconstitutional. He says lawmakers can only adopt the measure _ making it law _ or reject it, in which case it would go on the November ballot. Legislators also could propose an alternative to appear on the ballot alongside the proposal. The Legislature returns Wednesday from a summer break. Republicans are expected to discuss using the unprecedented strategy for both the minimum wage initiative and a separate citizens’ initiative that would require employers to provide paid sick leave.. ...Read Full Story

Police officers from all over Michigan will be in New Buffalo this month for training on mental health crisis intervention. Riverwood Center Jail Diversion Supervisor Gretchen Carlson tells WSJM News the training teach those who work with the criminal justice system on how to handle situations involving the mentally ill.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — Tens of thousands of people participated in the traditional Labor Day walk across the Mackinac Bridge. Organizers made changes to the 61st annual event and allowed to begin from either end of the bridge connecting Michigan’s Upper and Lower peninsulas. Participants could turn around after 21/2 miles or make a full 10-mile lap between Mackinaw City and St. Ignace. Axel Anderson of Linden, Michigan, said he had made the bridge crossing at least 25 times and was looking forward to a “fun challenge” and doing the full double crossing. Michigan Governor Rick Snyder led walkers onto the bridge for his final time as governor. Snyder says he beat his previous best time by crossing the bridge in just over 54 minutes. Organizers estimated at least 25,000 people took part Monday.. ...Read Full Story

A family’s home in Dowagiac is badly damaged after a fire ripped through it Monday night. Dowagiac Deputy Fire Chief Robert Smith says lightning may be to blame for starting the blaze in the 200 block of Bradley Street. The family had just moved in a few days earlier and were not home when it happened. Firefighters were called to the home just after 9 p.m. and found the flames shooting out of three sides of the second floor and the attic. Neighbors called 9-1-1 after seeing smoke coming out the windows, but investigators believe it had been burning for awhile before being noticed. The homeowner was not insured.. ...Read Full Story

Some road projects underway in Michigan are coming to a halt today because of a labor dispute between the construction companies and the labor groups that do the work. But, it’s a lockout and not a strike. The Michigan Infrastructure Transportation Association, MITA, calls it a “defensive lockout” and blames Operating Engineers Local 324 for having to take the action. Union spokesman Dan McKernan says it didn’t have to happen.. ...Read Full Story

The Lake Michigan College Board of Trustees this week heard the results of an economic impact study on the college. Susan Hackett, a consultant with EMSI, a labor market analysis firm, said a look at 2016 and 2017 data for southwest Michigan showed LMC resulted in added regional income of more than $170 million when you consider the higher earnings for graduates, ripple effects, and direct employees. Hacket told WSJM News there are also the “social savings” of having a college.. ...Read Full Story

The Al-Van Humane Society is now selling tickets for its big Par for Paws Fundraiser. The event will be held next Sunday. The golf event is set to include a 1 p.m. shotgun start, followed by a dinner and awards. Teams of four can register, or singles and doubles can be added to other teams for play. The cost is $90 per person or $360 for a team of four. The day includes 18 holes of golf, a cart, dinner, and access to some prizes. All of the money raised goes to the Al-Van Humane Society, the no-kill animal shelter in South Haven. You can find out more at Al-Van.org.. ...Read Full Story

Katy Fahey started the Voters Not Politicians anti-gerrymandering ballot initiative on Facebook, attracted thousands of volunteers and then also beat a legal challenge from the Michigan Chamber of Commerce to get it on the November ballot. If voters approve it, Fahey says one political party will no longer be able to draw political districts that give their party an unfair advantage.. ...Read Full Story

A new statewide hotline for survivors of sexual assault is available. Jordan Kenendy, a spokeswoman for Governor Rick Snyder, spoke with Michigan News Network about the hotline last month.. ...Read Full Story

With students in most Michigan school districts heading back to school this week, Michigan State Police are reminding everyone to take extra steps to be safe. MSP Trooper Kellie Shaffer with the Paw Paw post tells WSJM News kids who walk to school or the bus stop need to be reminded of the few things by their parents.. ...Read Full Story

Charges are pending against a 21-year-old Detroit man for a deadly single-car crash in Van Buren County over Labor Day weekend. The sheriff’s department says he crashed a 2016 Chevy Malibu around 8:30 Sunday evening in Waverly Township when he went off the road and crashed into a ditch on 28th Avenue west of 44th Street. She was trapped in the car, unconscious and bleeding heavily when first responders arrived. She was airlifted to Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo, where she died from those injuries. Police don’t believe she was wearing a seat belt. The driver’s blood-alcohol level has not been released, and no names have yet been made public.. ...Read Full Story

Van Buren County voters will be asked again in November to approve a local road millage request. Road Commission Engineer-Manager Larry Hummel tells us they made a slight change to the language in the question to clarify that the money collected by each local government will stay there if approved. They’re seeking an additional three mills for 12 years.. ...Read Full Story

Set for September 15 is the next Talons Out Honor Flight. Talons Out is an organization that provides free trips to Washington, D.C. for veterans of the Korean War and World War II so they can see their war memorials. The group’s Bobbie Bradley tells WSJM News they’ve been doing this since 2013.. ...Read Full Story

This is a good time to start planning to get a flu vaccine. Michigan Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson Bob Wheaton tells WSJM News it may seem a bit early, but a recent rash of flu cases stemming from a mail carriers conference in Grand Rapids shows the flu can become a problem anytime. He says the flu vaccine is widely available.. ...Read Full Story

It’s not just nursing and skilled trades in Michigan where there is a shortage of new, qualified people coming into the field. School administrators around the state say they’re feeling the pinch, too, as there aren’t as many new teachers coming out of college as there were a decade ago. Kalamazoo Public Schools Superintendent Michael Rice tells WKZO News there is a shortage in several areas, most notably math and science.. ...Read Full Story

Five people ranging in age from 14 to 69 are safe after a water rescue on the Paw Paw River in Watervliet. The Berrien County Sheriff’s Department Marine Division was sent to the area along with several other law enforcement agencies just after 2:30 Sunday afternoon on a report of two missing tubers. During the search, they came across three kayakers and tubers who needed to be rescued because they had fallen out of their kayak and tubes. The first responders also found the missing tubers, who were 14 and 15 from Kalamazoo, and reunited them with their parents. The other three were a 46-year-old Chicago man along with a 67-year-old woman and a 69-year-old man, both from Eau Claire. A North Berrien Fire Department first responder overturned in a kayak during the rescue, but was able to get out of the water on his own.. ...Read Full Story

The Michigan Department of Transportation continues to roll out traffic cameras along highways across the state. A glance at Michigan.gov/Drive will show you clusters of traffic cams all over heavily driven areas. MDOT spokesperson Nick Schirripa tells WSJM News some cameras were taken down for a while.. ...Read Full Story

Buildings at Lake Michigan College will soon look a lot different as $40 million in construction is underway right now at the Benton Township campus. LMC Director of Facilities Sara VanderVeen tells WSJM News they’re just now wrapping up phase one of a $33 million renovation project at the main building.. ...Read Full Story

You may have noticed that Red Arrow Highway is not in the best shape south of Bridgman in Berrien County, and at least part of that is about to change. Berrien County Road Department Director Jason Latham tells WSJM News they’re going to reconstruct two miles of Red Arrow Highway, from the south end of Bridgman to Browntown Road, starting just after Labor Day.. ...Read Full Story

August car sales should be up about 1% over last year. LMC Automotive analyst Jeff Schuster says it was a pretty good retail month at dealerships and that offset flat fleet sales.. ...Read Full Story

As county fairs are held around Michigan this summer, young future farmers have been receiving a lesson in risk management through a program of the CME Group. The company has teamed up with 4H chapters across the country for the past six years to offer its Commodity Carnival at fairs. CME Group’s Tim Andriesen tells WSJM News the carnival allows young people to simulate raising hogs by having them take part in a game in which they raise small eggs that represent livestock and weigh the costs versus revenue. The lesson they hope to teach?. ...Read Full Story

The date is set for the first concert in the history of Notre Dame Stadium. Country music icon Garth Brooks will perform on Saturday, October 20 in the round with the stage at the 50-yard-line.. ...Read Full Story

The former Western Michigan University building at the Benton Township campus of Lake Michigan College is now the Edward J. Todd Center at LMC. A dedication for the recently-acquired building was held this past Tuesday. LMC President Trevor Kubatzke told WSJM News the building will house several college programs.. ...Read Full Story

The 33rd annual Pokagon Band of Potawatomi “Kee-Boon Mein-Kaa” Pow Wow will be this Saturday and Sunday. The tribe’s Trish Williams tells WSJM News the event is a way to celebrate the Pokagon culture, and everyone is welcome to attend.. ...Read Full Story

The Niles Scream Park is gearing up for another spooky season. The park’s Aaron Smith tells WSJM News they’re putting the finishing touches on the displays and will show them off with a sneak peak party next Friday. You can get tickets for free by performing a good deed.. ...Read Full Story

Governor Rick Snyder is applauding an announcement this week that the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee Subcommittee on Environment has scheduled a hearing on PFAS contamination in water systems. The subcommittee will learn about the situation in Parchment this summer, hearing from the head of the Michigan PFAS Action Response Team. The governor says the “emerging contaminants known as PFAS are a national concern and need a national spotlight to be addressed appropriately.” Congressman Fred Upton tells us the hearing will be next week, and he believes it will start the process of ensuring the problems of Parchment won’t be experienced again. He says he’s working on legislation that would require the Environmental Protection Agency to publish drinking water regulations for PFAS nationwide. About 3,000 residents of the Parchment area in Kalamazoo County were unable to drink their local water for weeks this summer when high levels of the carcinogen PFAS were found in the system. Parchment is now getting its water from the city of Kalamazoo.. ...Read Full Story

The big event in South Haven this weekend is the 42nd Annual Craft Fair in Stanley Johnston Park. South Haven Area Chamber of Commerce Director Kathy Wagaman tells WSJM News the event has some big draws.. ...Read Full Story

Downtown Paw Paw is gearing up for the 2018 Wine and Harvest Festival that runs September 7th through the 9th. Festival President Doug Craddock tells WSJM News what the festival is about.. ...Read Full Story

Berrien County Sheriff Paul Bailey will be in Washington, D.C. next week to take part in a conference on immigration. As president of the Michigan Sheriff’s Association, Bailey will be Michigan’s representative among the 50 sheriffs who will meet with the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs and members of Congress. Bailey tells WSJM News he has a couple of goals.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — A nurse who took Valium for her own use and diluted the medicine for others has pleaded guilty to tampering with a consumer product. The Grand Rapids Press says Kristie Ann Mollohan of Kalamazoo pleaded guilty
Thursday in federal court. Police say she was a home-health nurse in 2016 when a 4-year-old boy in her care died of seizures after his medication was diluted. But prosecutors acknowledged that they can’t prove Mollohan’s conduct resulted in the death.
She admits removing liquid Valium, also known as diazepam, from three patients. The medicine was supposed to be used to suppress their seizures. Mollohan told investigators that she diverted the drug because she was depressed about family problems.. ...Read Full Story

Democratic congressional candidate in the Sixth District Matt Longjohn has received the endorsement of Senator Elizabeth Warren as he seeks to unseat Congressman Fred Upton. In a Facebook post this week, Longjohn’s campaign said he’s proud to have the backing of the Democratic senator from Massachusetts. Warren says Longjohn, a physician, “has a proven record of putting people first.” Longjohn is making healthcare a major focus of his campaign. Warren writes he’ll “never stop fighting until families in Michigan have access to affordable healthcare and prescription drugs.”. ...Read Full Story

Federal officials are charging 18 people with drug counts after a 14-month investigation into crystal meth dealing in southwest Michigan. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Grand Rapids says drugs were sent through the mail, and authorities made nine undercover drug buys of almost two pounds of the drug. Search warrants were executed in Benton Harbor and Kalamazoo and Phoenix, Arizona. Nearly 17 pounds of crystal meth was seized during the investigation along with five guns. Eight suspects are from Benton Harbor, eight are from Kalamazoo, and the other two are from Atlanta, Georgia and Phoenix. One remains on the loose, and the FBI is asking for the public’s help finding 26-year-old Scotty Deandre-Marcus Campbell of Benton Harbor.. ...Read Full Story

Seven people are recovering from injuries in a crash near Edwardsburg. It happened just after 5 p.m. Thursday in Milton Township at the intersection of US 12 and Beebe Road in Cass County, and one person had to be airlifted to a hospital. Police also had to extricate one person.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — Key business groups are backing Governor Rick Snyder’s proposed fee hikes to pay for environmental cleanup and water infrastructure needs across Michigan. The Michigan Chamber of Commerce and the Michigan Farm Bureau joined the Republican governor at a news conference Thursday to support the $179 million plan, which he first unveiled earlier this year. Snyder wants the GOP-led Legislature to pass the new or increased fees before he leaves office. The plan would raise the landfill dumping fee, costing households no more than $3.99 more per year. Snyder says Michigan’s fee is lowest in the Great Lakes region and would remain below the regional average after being increased. The new fee would replace a bond issue approved by voters that generated $675 million but is expected to dry up.. ...Read Full Story

A small rate cut is coming soon to customers of Indiana Michigan Power. I&M spokesperson Tracy Warner tells WSJM News the Michigan Public Service Commission has approved bill credits totaling $8.7 million for Michigan customers. The bill credit is a result of the federal corporate tax cut approved last year. Warner says the savings are being passed down to customers.. ...Read Full Story

Things are coming together for the next Berrien County land auction. Treasurer Bret Witkowski tells WSJM News there will be auction of foreclosed properties September 18 at the DANK. Up for grabs will be exclusively vacant properties.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — Michigan State University says the NCAA has cleared it of any rules violations in the Larry Nassar sexual-assault scandal. Athletic director Bill Beekman says the university “cooperated fully with the inquiry” and welcomes the NCAA’s conclusion. The school says it got a letter this week from the NCAA’s vice president for enforcement, Jonathan Duncan.
Nassar pleaded guilty to assaulting girls and women while working as a campus sports doctor for Michigan State athletes and gymnasts in the region. Separately, the university says the NCAA found no violations in how the football and basketball teams responded to assault allegations against players. Beekman’s statement was released Thursday, the same day former gymnastics
coach Kathie Klages appeared in court . She’s charged with lying to investigators about complaints about Nassar. Her attorney says she’ll fight the charges.. ...Read Full Story

With students in most Michigan school districts heading back to school next week, Michigan State Police are reminding everyone to take extra steps to be safe. MSP Trooper Kellie Shaffer with the Paw Paw post tells WSJM News kids who walk to school or the bus stop need to be reminded of the few things by their parents.. ...Read Full Story

A 37-year-old man is in police custody in Sturgis after triggering an Amber Alert overnight when police say he abducted his three children. Fernando Cruz was arrested this morning after a standoff near Sturgis. The three kids, ages 2, 4, and 5, were found safe. Police believe Cruz crossed into Indiana before being arrested back in southern Michigan. Sturgis Public Safety Chief Geoff Smith called Cruz and convinced him to surrender peacefully this morning. He was believed to be armed, and police were called to the home of the children’s mother after Cruz allegedly assaulted her and took off with the kids.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — The National Weather Service has confirmed two weak tornadoes struck northern Michigan.
It says a brief twister rated EF-1 with estimated peak winds of 100 mph Tuesday night damaged two homes near West Branch in Ogemaw County. The other rated EF-0 with estimated peak winds of 80 mph mainly damaged trees near Alba in Antrim
County. The National Weather Service says Tuesday night’s storms dumped up to 3 inches of rain in the Grand Rapids area. The Muskegon area has received 8 to 10 inches of rain since Sunday. Consumers Energy says more than 80,000 customers remained without power Tuesday afternoon and some might not get have it restored until late Friday. Separately, Great Lakes Energy reported 25,000 outages.. ...Read Full Story

Hearings inspired by the PFAS contamination in the water system of Parchment could be held soon in Congress. The Kalamazoo County community was unable to use its local water for weeks when the chemical PFAs was found in dangerously-high levels. Residents got the green light to drink the water again this week, and Congressman Fred Upton tells WSJM News he wants leaders in Washington to learn from what happened.. ...Read Full Story

Former classmates reunited in Coloma this past weekend to uncover a time capsule they buried 30 years ago, but they couldn’t find it. The Herald Palladium reports the seven classmates and two teachers spent two hours on Sunday digging outside Coloma Junior High School. Tracy Gilmer says she remembers putting a Michael Jackson cassette in the box, along with assignments in an accelerated writing-and-reasoning program, including a flag for a fictional country. A teacher, Sandi Sanders, says information about the capsule was filed away but lost. Coloma Superintendent Dave Ehlers says the box may have been unearthed earlier when work was performed to alleviate flooding behind the school. The group still might use a metal detector and keep hunting. Anyone who knows anything about the time capsule’s location can call Coloma Community Schools.. ...Read Full Story

Kinexus is gearing up for its 6th annual Manufacturing Day with a new twist this year. The organization tells us they’re going to hold a whole Manufacturing Week. Slated for October 1 through October 5, the week will be a chance for local students and their parents to tour manufacturing facilities and learn about the job opportunities the industry is expected to offer in the coming years. Kinexus Director of Business Solutions Jeff Hannan tells WSJM News more than 1,200 people attended last year.. ...Read Full Story

The St. Joseph City Commission will hold a special meeting Thursday night. They had to cancel Monday night’s regular meeting for a lack of a quorum, with City Manager John Hodgson telling us one commissioner was out of town and two others had health matters that prevented them from being there. The meeting begins at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall and is expected to be brief with just five items on the agenda. Hodgson says those matters require attention and votes now and couldn’t be put off until the September 10 meeting. Commissioners will vote on a pavement preventative maintenance program, which will have an asphalt seal put on some roads for the first time. They will be considering a contract with an Iowa contractor to do the work.. ...Read Full Story

The Lake Michigan College Board of Trustees this week heard the results of an economic impact study on the college. Susan Hackett, a consultant with EMSI, a labor market analysis firm, said a look at 2016 and 2017 data for southwest Michigan showed LMC resulted in added regional income of more than $170 million when you consider the higher earnings for graduates, ripple effects, and direct employees. Hackett told WSJM News there are also the “social savings” of having a college.. ...Read Full Story

Classes are underway for the year at Michigan State University, with the campus community still recovering from the Larry Nassar sex abuse scandal. Interim MSU president John Engler spoke with WSJM Wednesday morning about the changes that he’s made since taking over to try to address what happened and the cover-up of the abuse at several levels.. ...Read Full Story

Bridgman police say the story about a dog biting a three-year-old boy isn’t entirely true. The child’s father, 24-year-old Elex Dubar, is now facing charges of filing a false police report. His friend, 55-year-old Douglas Essig, is also facing charges in the case of having a dangerous animal causing serious injury and conspiracy to falsely report a misdemeanor. Investigators say Dubar and Essig made up the story about a woman walking her dog that attacked the little boy to try to cover up the bite that actually came from Essig’s dog. Dubar had told police his son was attacked by a brown lab mix that was being walked by a woman in a pink shirt and blue yoga pants, and authorities spent several days trying to find a woman that didn’t exist. Essig’s dog is quarantined, and Dubar told police the idea to come up with the story came from his friend during a phone call from the hospital.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — A federal judge says Michigan’s law governing how independent candidates can qualify for the ballot “severely burdens” the constitutional rights of attorney general candidate Christopher Graveline. District Judge Victoria Roberts issued a preliminary injunction Monday ordering the state to certify Graveline for the November ballot as long as he
submitted at least 5,000 valid voter signatures. She says the requirement to obtain 30,000 valid signatures within 180 days is arbitrary. Graveline, a federal prosecutor who quit his job to run, filed his lawsuit in July. He turned in roughly 14,000 signatures. Major- and minor-party candidates for attorney general are chosen at nominating conventions and do not have to circulate petitions. Republicans nominated state House Speaker Tom Leonard on Saturday, while Democrats backed lawyer Dana Nessel on Sunday.. ...Read Full Story

The former Western Michigan University building at the Benton Township campus of Lake Michigan College is now the Edward J. Todd Center at LMC. A dedication for the recently-acquired building was held Tuesday. LMC President Trevor Kubatzke told WSJM News the building will house several college programs.. ...Read Full Story

As lawmakers spend most of their time this summer on the campaign trail, they’re still meeting with constituents. Sometimes, they’re not even old enough to vote. Representative Mary Whiteford, who represents part of Van Buren County along with Allegan County, says she asked visiting students from Allegan’s Dawson Elementary this summer about what was important to them and their family. She says one raised his hand and said he wanted to be sure there were police officers.. ...Read Full Story