Governor Whitmer will lay out her legislative agenda Tuesday night with her first State of the State speech. Freshman state Representative Brad Paquette of Berrien Springs wants details on how she plans to follow through with the pledge to fix the roads.. ...Read Full Story
Local jurisdictions are waiting in line to prosecute a couple from Van Buren County wanted for using a Facebook Marketplace scam to steal two vehicles last week, including a Buick Enclave taken from the wife of a Kalamazoo County judge. A female suspect talked Cheri Bell, the wife of Judge Curtis Bell, into letting her take a test drive. She never returned. Instead, the suspect and a male were arrested in Van Buren County the next day, and the Buick recovered. Once they are done with the charges they face in Van Buren County, they couple will be transferred from the county jail in Paw Paw to the Kalamazoo County Jail to be arraigned for unlawful driving away of an auto and other outstanding warrants in Kalamazoo.. ...Read Full Story
A suspected propane explosion is blamed for leveling a home in Casco Township. South Haven Area Emergency Services says the home in the 6000 block of 104th avenue near 60th Street blew up around 12:30 Sunday afternoon. One woman was in the house at the time and was rushed by SHAES ambulance to the Bronson Burn and Wound Center in Kalamazoo. Her condition has not been released.. ...Read Full Story
Fernwood Botanical Garden near Buchanan is one of 21 botanical gardens to be selected for a new U.S. Botanic Garden exhibit. “Celebrating New American Gardens” will be on display through October 15, 2019 in Washington, DC. The U.S. Botanical Garden says the display shows off locations across the United States that have created new gardens or renovated a garden within the last five years. It includes photos, drawings, landscape designs, and project descriptions for each. Fernwood tells us it’s honored to be one of 21 gardens selected. A panel featuring Fernwood’s Entry Garden is part of the exhibit. Fernwood Executive Director Carol Line says the “unique nature of all gardens and the diversity represented within their botanical collections is so well demonstrated in this exhibit.” Below is a list of all the other gardens included. You can find out more right here.. ...Read Full Story
A car – pedestrian accident in Niles has claimed the life of a 70-year-old man. Michigan State Police say Earl Doss of Niles was killed when he was hit by a car driven by a 35-year-old from Niles near the Cass-Berrien county line at the intersection of US 12 and Reum Road just before 7 Saturday night. Troopers say Doss was apparently crossing the street in front of the Marathon gas station when he was hit. The driver stayed at the scene and was cooperative with police. There’s no word yet on possible charges, and the crash is still being investigated.. ...Read Full Story
Coming soon to the gym at Lake Michigan Catholic High School will be live donkeys. LMC tells us Donkey Basketball is a sport in which the participants are donkeys as well as people. Lake Michigan Catholic Schools will host Buckeye Donkey Basketball at the House of Noise in the middle and high school gymnasium on Wednesday, February 13 at 6 p.m. The doors will open at 5:30 p.m. at which time children 12 and under can have a free donkey ride with a parent or guardian in attendance. Then commences the basketball game where instead of running the length of the court to shoot and score a basket, players will be sitting on their donkeys and riding up and down the court. In the four-team tournament, the winners are the players who manage their donkeys the best. Each team is made up of 10 LMC students, staff, and administrators. In addition to donkey action, concessions, and raffles will also be available. You can get tickets by calling the Lake Michigan Catholic Business office at the high school.. ...Read Full Story
Benton Harbor City Commissioners are now talking about how to spend the money being generated with the city’s new income tax. At a meeting this past week, the commission heard from Abonmarche President Chris Cook, who gave a presentation on the first proposal for street repairs to be paid for with the funds. Using an estimate of $1 million per year, Cook said about half would be for major streets and half for neighborhoods. For example, major streets possibly getting cape sealing in 2019…. ...Read Full Story
Talons Out Honor Flight has announced it’s going to start taking Vietnam veterans to visit their war memorial in Washington, D.C. The organization for years has taken veterans of World War II and the Korean War to the nation’s capital to see their memorials. At a press conference this week, Talons Out announced the expansion to cover Vietnam veterans as well. Talons Out Honor Flightvtells us dwindling numbers of Korea and WWII vets prompted it to make the move, and it expects applications to jump as a result. Talons Out Honor Flight takes veterans on a day trip to Washington, typically leaving out of Grand Rapids or Kalamazoo. It allows each veteran to bring along a companion, and the day includes meals. It’s all possible thanks to donations.The first flight of 2019 will leave Kalamazoo on April 20. Anyione who wants to learn more can go to TalonsOutHonorFlight.org.. ...Read Full Story
Police around Michigan made more than 200 drunk driving arrests during an end-of-the-year crackdown. Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning spokesperson Kari Arend tells WSJM News the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign took place December 13 through December 31.. ...Read Full Story
He’s been the face and the voice of the Cook nuclear power plant for 24 years, and now Bill Schalk has retired. As Cook spokesperson, Schalk tells us it was his job to keep the public informed about what’s going on at the facility. He was also active throughout the southwest Michigan community in a variety of other ways before retiring this past Wednesday. Schalk came to Cook in 1986 after doing television work in Fort Wayne and then working for I&M there. He tells WSJM News although the fundamental science behind nuclear power has stayed the same, some of the technology in industry has changed, and the whole energy market has evolved.. ...Read Full Story
