Local News Archives

From the Associated Press — Michigan State University’s Board of Trustees has voted unanimously to appoint interim Athletic Director Bill Beekman to his job on a permanent basis. Tuesday’s vote came at a special meeting to consider Beekman for the job he’s held on an interim basis since early February. It came a day after the school introduced him as the pick for the post.
Board members and Michigan State Interim President John Engler say Beekman is the best person for the job. Beekman took over on an interim basis shortly after athletic director Mark Hollis retired following the sex abuse scandal involving former sports doctor Larry Nassar and just before ESPN reported allegations of sexual assault and violence against women involving Michigan State football and basketball players. The report questioned the athletic department’s handling those cases.. ...Read Full Story

A fire at a park in Lincoln Township Tuesday morning has been ruled suspicious. The Lincoln Township Fire Department tells WSJM News the pavilion at North Lake Park is a total loss after it burned down in the early morning hours. Firefighters were called out to the park just before 1 a.m. and put out the blaze. The damage is estimated at between $120,000 and $150,000. The fire department says it found torch light canisters at the scene. That, along with the time of the fire, led it to suspect arson. The Michigan State Fire Investigator came out to the scene Tuesday, and also ruled the fire suspicious. Anyone with information on who is responsible is asked to contact the Lincoln Township Fire Department. The township tells us the pavilion, built in the 1970s, was insured, and will be replaced. In the meantime, it’s contacted everyone who had scheduled events for the pavilion to reschedule. The township is also bringing in some tents and port-a-johns for the time being. It asks visitors to the park to stay away from the fire scene.. ...Read Full Story

New recruits are being sought by the Michigan State Police. Trooper Kellie Shaffer with the Paw Paw Post will be hosting a recruitment seminar on July 28, and says they’re always looking for people interested in joining the force.. ...Read Full Story

The stores are again open at The Orchards Mall in Benton Township. There was no power at the shopping center all morning and into the early afternoon, with the mall citing an “electrical issue” in a Facebook post. Indiana Michigan Power told WSJM News there were no outages in the area due to their equipment, but added they cannot discuss the bills of individual customers. The exact issue is not yet known.. ...Read Full Story

Power issues have the Orchards Mall in Benton Township closed. The U.S. Post Office in Benton Harbor tells WSJM News their office in the mall will not be open at all today because they’ve been told by Indiana Michigan Power that the electricity won’t be back on before 5 pm. The post office had originally been told everything would be able to open up after 1 pm today. Our newsroom is working to track down exactly what the issue is, but we have not yet heard back from the utility. None of the phones are being answered at the mall office or at any stores due to the closure. On Facebook, the mall only says it’s an “electrical issue,” and says they’ll keep customers up to date through social media.. ...Read Full Story

The South Haven City Council has adopted Phase 1 of the Short Term Rental Amendments. Assistant City Manager Kate Hosier has the specifics says the old one-time $20 fee is shooting way up to an annual fee of $200 once the ordinance has been published, which is expected in about ten days.. ...Read Full Story

The Paw Paw teenager who hatched a plan to shoot up and bomb his high school won’t return. The school board voted to expel the 15-year-old on Monday. He is in a mental health program now after pleading guilty in May to weapons charges. The attack never happened because his parents discovered what he was plotting and took him to police seeking some help. Instead, he wound up facing charges. His parents tell WOOD-TV in Grand Rapids in a written statement that they feel the expulsion was the wrong move, even though they were not going to try to get their son back in class at Paw Paw High School. Instead, they just wanted him to be able to attend school events like his sister’s band performances and plays as part of the family.. ...Read Full Story

There will be an invasive species tour along the John and Dede Howard Recreation Trail in St. Joseph this week. The Below-the-Bluff Neighborhood Association has invited the Berrien Conservation District’s Jared Harmon to lead the walk so locals can see for themselves some plant invaders that have made it to southwest Michigan. Harmon spoke with WSJM News about the tour.. ...Read Full Story

Benton Harbor City Commissioners have voted to put the community’s trash collector on notice. At Monday’s meeting, they talked at length about how to correct problems reported with the service provided by We-Cycle Industrial Sanitation since the company was hired last year. Those problems include a lack of trash cans for residents and rude workers. The commission considered a resolution to send a 60-day contract termination notice to We-Cycle. Commissioner Ruthie Haralson spoke at Monday’s meeting.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — An Indiana man power-washing the exterior of a southwestern Michigan church has died after coming into contact with an electrical line. The contracted employee was in a bucket lift Saturday afternoon outside St.
Ann’s Catholic Church in Cassopolis when he was electrocuted. Police say the 65-year-old man was from Bremen, south of South Bend, Indiana. His name has not been released.. ...Read Full Story

A man charged in the murders of the mother of his children and her father in Berrien County has been sentenced to 40 to 60 years in prison. 26-year-old Alex Perez received the sentence Monday in a Berrien County courtroom after long trial delays caused by psychiatric evaluations. Prosecutors say Perez killed 27-year-old Renee and 67-year-old John Mitchell at their Hagar Township on January 15 of 2016. He beat them to death with a hammer. Perez was later found in Colorado with the two daughters he’d had with Renee Mitchell. According to our newsgathering partners at NewsCenter 16 WNDU, Perez told the court Monday that he hoped his actions could be understood by God. Perez had pleaded no contest but mentally ill to two counts of murder in the case.. ...Read Full Story

The Van Buren Youth Fair is underway in Hartford this week. Monday was Armed Forces Day with free admission to veterans and active duty military personnel. Also happening Monday was the opeing of the midway rides. One of the directors of the fair, Paul Garrod, tells WSJM News what group is bringing in the rides.. ...Read Full Story

That flooding in the Upper Peninsula last month didn’t just wash out roads and damage some homes, it also damaged thousands of court documents. Houghton County Clerk and Register of Deeds Jennifer Lorenz says the courthouse took on a lot of water.. ...Read Full Story

The Michigan Department of Transportation will shut down a bridge near Union Pier for some construction work this week. Spokesperson Nick Schirripa tells WSJM News as part of construction on five bridges over I-94 near the Michigan-Indiana state line, the Union Pier Road bridge over I-94 will close on Wednesday and remain closed through August 12. A detour will be posted. Schirripa says MDOT grouped the five summer bridge projects together.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow of Michigan has nearly $9.6 million in the bank for her re-election campaign after raising nearly $1.8 million in the last quarter. The Democrat released a summary of her most recent campaign-finance report Monday. Republican businessmen John James and Sandy Pensler are running in the August 7 primary to face Stabenow in November. Whoever wins is expected to face a financial disadvantage against Stabenow in the November election.
The latest quarterly fundraising numbers for James and Pensler were not yet available.. ...Read Full Story

Michigan soybean growers are being hit by the Trump administration’s new tariffs on China. Michigan Farm Bureau Field Crops Specialist Kate Thiel tells WSJM News direct sales of soy to China are expected to drop by 23%.. ...Read Full Story

The drowning death of a Grand Rapids man in Allegan County has authorities reminding people about the need to wear a life jacket while on any vessel in the water. Sheriff’s Sergeant Ken DeVries says Gregory Williams was not wearing a flotation device when he and his son were tossed off their Jet Ski Sunday as they went through a larger boat’s wake, and Williams didn’t survive. DeVries adds finding Williams’ body wasn’t easy.. ...Read Full Story

Former Vice President Joe Biden will kick off the 75th season of the Economic Club of Southwestern Michigan’s Speakers Series. Biden will address members at the Mendel Center on the Lake Michigan College campus in Benton Township on Tuesday, October 16. You’ll remember the club also landed former President George W. Bush for his first speech after leaving office. Robin Hood CEO, best selling author and Army veteran Wes Moore will speak on November 14, followed by NBC News political director and Meet the Press host Chuck Todd on March 26. Founder and CEO of Girls Who Code Reshma Saujani will be the season’s final speaker on April 9.. ...Read Full Story

The no wake zone in the St. Joseph River in the area of St. Joseph and Benton Harbor could be moved about 176 yards to the south. At a meeting this past week, St. Joseph City Commissioners held a first reading on a plan that would allow that to happen. City Manager John Hodgson tells us property owners around Marina Island noticed boats going too fast in the area.. ...Read Full Story

Congressman Fred Upton says a trade war possibly kicked off by the Trump administration’s tariffs on foreign goods will only hurt consumers. The Trump administration is putting 25% tariffs on 800 Chinese products worth $34 billion while China is retaliating with tariffs also totaling $34 billion in U.S. goods. That includes agricultural products. Upton tells WSJM News he has heard from concerned locals.. ...Read Full Story

A $2.6 million expansion is being planned by Mattawan-based Tri-Mation Industries. Zachary Morris with Kinexus tells WSJM News the company is an automation solutions company founded in 1995 that right now has 35 employees. Its new 40,000 square foot building and additional equipment will be a boost to the area.. ...Read Full Story

The Benton Harbor Area Schools Board of Education is looking to the future as the district’s new superintendent and CEO is set to start next week. At a meeting this past week, Trustee Martha Momany said Robert Herrera, who has been the superintendent at South Haven Community Schools, will bring to Benton Harbor a new chance to turn around.. ...Read Full Story

The Red Cross is once again putting out a call for blood donations due to a summer shortage. The Red Cross says more than 550 fewer blood drives were organized by businesses and other community groups during the week of Independence Day. Spokesperson Todd Kulman tells WSJM News they do need a lot of blood each day.. ...Read Full Story

A nature preserve in the Paw Paw area has won an award from the U.S. Forest Service. The Portman Nature Preserve has been selected for the Wings Across the Americas Award for its efforts in the area of bird, bat, butterfly, and dragonfly conservation. The Portman Nature Preserve protects 189 acres of wildlife habitat, and is the result of a partnership between several southwest Michigan organizations that include the Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy, the Berrien and Van Buren Berrien Conservation Districts, the Two Rivers Coalition, and more. It’s part of the St. Joseph River Watershed, and drains into Lake Michigan. The Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy tells us the Portman Nature Preserve has been the number one conservation priority in southwest Michigan for more than ten years now. You can find out more about the preserve right here.. ...Read Full Story

Michigan businesses and cities are being invited to become part of a global vision for a cleaner future. The Zero Emissions Vehicle Challenge, announced on Tuesday, is encouraging companies and communities to use their purchasing power and policy influence to speed up the adoption of electric vehicles. Ann Arbor Mayor Christopher Taylor tells us it’s time to dispel the myths about hybrid and electric vehicles.. ...Read Full Story

Some Michigan business owners are endorsing a campaign that backs paid sick time for workers. Londell Thomas is manager for the MI Time to Care Campaign. He spoke with Michigan News Network about the effort.. ...Read Full Story

The Michigan Department of Transportation will hold an open house next week in Niles to talk about its plans to reconstruct the US-12-M-51 interchange. MDOT spokesperson Nick Schirripa tells WSJM News the $25 to $30 million project is still a ways off.. ...Read Full Story

St. Joseph City Commissioners have signed off on $13 million in upgrades to the water plant. At Monday’s meeting, they approved phase one of work laid out in a 2014 Capital Improvement Plan. St. Joseph Water Treatment Plant Superintendent Greg Alimenti told WSJM News what’s being done.. ...Read Full Story

Labor, civil rights, and health groups, along with seven states, have made their final arguments in court challenging the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision not to ban a pesticide that they say is dangerous. The EPA had proposed to ban chlorpyrifos, but former chief Scott Pruitt reversed course. Hector Sanchez with the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement says Pruitt’s announcement came not long after he met with the head of Michigan-based Dow Chemical, which sells the pesticide.. ...Read Full Story

The Michigan Attorney General’s OK2Say school tip line continues to receive information from students even during the summer months. The AG’s office says 365 tips came in to OK2Say during June, with the top tip category being suicide. That accounted for 122 of the tips. Attorney General spokesperson Andrea Bitely told WSJM News this year that OK2Say is an anonymous way a young person can report a potentially dangerous situation they know about.. ...Read Full Story

The Michigan Department of Transportation’s Adopt a Highway program will begin its second roadside cleanup of the year today. MDOT’s Dan Weingarten tells WSJM News more than 2,800 groups statewide are signed up to protect their own stretches of road through Adopt a Highway. They make quite a difference each year.. ...Read Full Story

If you haven’t visited the Michigan Maritime Museum in South Haven, today could be a good day to stop by. The museum is having its annual Fish Boil Fundraiser. The museum’s Ashley Demming tells WSJM News she appreciates all the items donated for the fundraiser.. ...Read Full Story

Now you can check on swimming conditions at South Haven’s beaches before you go. The city has added swimming conditions on its website that are updated periodically throughout the day. The website is South-Haven.com, where you can find a page for “Beach Flag Status.” There are 14 flags from Newcome Beach south to the blue stairs at Kids Corner and the color of the flags reflects on swimming conditions. Flags are monitored from nine in the morning until nine in the evening each day. Swimmers can also check the lake water temperature on the website, reading are from the South Haven buoy. City officials urge swimmers to take caution when entering the water. You can find the page right here.. ...Read Full Story

Some upgrades have been made to the text messaging system in the city of Niles. The city offers residents a service that allows them to sign up for alerts via text. The alerts can be in regards to emergency situations or community events. The expanded system enables residents and others to sign up for two different types of alerts. You can sign up for NILESCITY to get messages about safety issues, leaf pickups, street closures, and utility operations. Or, you can sign up for NILESFUN to learn about community events. You can opt in to the alerts by sending a text to 555888. In the message field, enter NILESCITY or NILESFUN for which types of alerts you want. Both will keep you informed about major emergencies. The city manager notes the municipal text message system proved to be instrumental in keeping residents informed earlier this year when the city experienced flooding.. ...Read Full Story

There will be a free Narcan training event next week in Benton Harbor. Organized by Families Against Narcotics and Southwest Michigan Behavioral Health, the session will be a chance for anyone to learn more about overdoses, the anti-overdose drug Naloxone, and how to administer it. Naloxone is a nasal spray that stops an opioid overdose by getting the victim breathing again. It has no ill effects. The drug has become increasingly utilized around southwest Michigan in recent years as the opioid epidemic increased, with police now often carrying doses with their regular equipment. Next Tuesday’s Naloxone training session will be held at America’s Best Value Inn and Suites on Ferguson Drive off M-139 from 6 to 8 p.m. Everyone is welcome, and free Narcan kits will be given out.. ...Read Full Story

More than a dozen Michigan communities have elevated levels of a dangerous chemical. That’s the finding of 2012 Michigan Department of Environmental Quality report that was suppressed until this year. Lisa Wozniak is the Executive Director of the Michigan League of Conservation Voters. She spoke with Michigan News Network about the issue.. ...Read Full Story

A salary study for county employees will be conducted by the Berrien County Board of Commissioners following a Thursday meeting. The board voted to proceed with the study proposed by Commissioner Jeanette Leahey. She told WSJM News it would be helpful to know how the county pays versus competitors to find out if Berrien County loses strong workers due to inadequate pay.. ...Read Full Story

Those who make the sacrifice to serve on juries are being recognized this month with Jury Appreciation Month in Michigan. Van Buren County Trial Court Administrator Frank Hardester tells WSJM News jurors have a usually thankless job, and yet one that is very important.. ...Read Full Story

Police departments in Coloma Township and St. Joseph Township are both warning the public of a phone scam that’s been going around. The departments say they’ve taken several reports phone calls regarding warrants or tax issues. Sometimes, the caller claims to be with the IRS. Needless to say, it’s a scam. Police say the IRS will never call you demanding immediate payment. Instead, they’ll send a letter. Coloma Township police say there’s not much they can do about the scam. Often, the calls come from outside the country and using cloned numbers. In the case of St. Joseph Township, the calls have been coming from the 646 area code. Just don’t fall for them. Police advise everyone not to provide any personal or banking information to the caller, and to just hang up.. ...Read Full Story

State Senator John Proos has thrown his support behind a state board set up to help prevent sexual abuse and domestic violence. He tells us a 2012 executive order from the governor set up the Michigan Domestic and Sexual Violence Prevention and Treatment Board with a mission of preventing assault and abuse. Legislation from this year codified that.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — Democratic U.S. Sens. Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters of Michigan say they will oppose President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee, Judge Brett Kavanaugh. Stabenow, who’s up for re-election to a fourth term, and Peters made their announcements in statements released Friday. Stabenow says Kavanaugh’s comments and rulings “make it clear” that he would roll back women’s access to reproductive health care, make it harder for people get affordable insurance and side with “special interests over … working people.” The two Republicans vying to face Stabenow in the general election, John James and Sandy Pensler, support Trump’s pick. Peters, a freshman senator, says Kavanaugh has a “clear record” of placing corporate interests before the rights of Michigan residents. He cites rulings involving consumer protection, the Affordable Care Act and environmental regulations.. ...Read Full Story

Whirlpool’s annual “Rock the Boat” cardboard boat race is coming up Thursday in the St. Joseph River. The United Way of Southwest Michigan benefits from the annual event at The Inn at Harbor Shores. Ryan Cheevers is the spokesman for the United Way and says they have a record 64 boats that will take part in the third annual event.. ...Read Full Story

There will be a little extra time on the commute for those who use M-43 in South Haven. The Michigan Department of Transportation is shutting down M-43 entirely for two-tenths of a mile between Blue Star Highway and Aylworth Avenue starting July 16. The closure will last through Thursday, and is the result of needed concrete repairs. M-DOT’s Nick Schirripa says it’s hopefully going to be a quick project.. ...Read Full Story

A K9 with the Allegan County Sheriff’s Department is getting extra protection in the form of a bullet and stab-protective vest. The vest comes courtesy of Vested Interest, a non-profit that has supplied more than 3,000 protective vests to police dogs throughout the country since 2009. Allegan County Sheriff’s Department K9 Edo will get the latest donation. It comes with the sponsorship of Justin and Kristan Goodenough of Allegan. Edo is a 21 month old German Shepard mix who is teamed up with Deputy Blair Kacos. Deputy Kacos says, “Edo and I are proud to serve the citizens of Allegan County and this vest donation will help to protect Edo when deployed in dangerous situations.” He also thanked the Goodenough family and Vested Interest.. ...Read Full Story

The Berrien County Board of Commissioners is taking issue with a state law governing speed limits in townships. At a Thursday meeting, the board approved five resolutions setting new speed limits on stretches of road around the county. However, some felt some of the limits were too high. County Administrator Bill Wolf said Michigan State Police speed studies determine what the limits will be, and then the county has to approve them or the limit will default to 55 miles per hour. Board of Commissioners Chair Jon Hinkelman told WSJM News that should change.. ...Read Full Story

As many as 50,000 people will descend on downtown St. Joseph this Saturday and Sunday for the 57th annual Krasl Art Fair. The fair’s Dee Hodgson tells WSJM News the big event is one of the premier summer activities in southwest Michigan, attracting all kinds of artists from all over the country.. ...Read Full Story

A charge of assault with a dangerous weapon has been filed against a former officer for the Benton Harbor Department of Public Safety over an incident that occurred in May. The Berrien County Prosecutor’s office tells us Officer Steven Johnson was pursuing a suspect down an alley in the 100 block of North Fair Street on the night of May 10 when the dash cam shows Johnson struck the suspect with his patrol vehicle. The suspect, 25-year-old Ronald Glover, Jr., kept running and was subdued by other officers. Police were chasing him because he ran off while they tried to question him. Glover was later charged with fleeing and eluding and possession of marijuana over the incident. Officer Johnson, meanwhile, was fired, and Benton Harbor Department of Public Safety asked Michigan State Police to review the incident. The 53-year-old Johnson was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon, which is a four year felony. He was arraigned this week.. ...Read Full Story

Labor, civil rights, and health groups, along with seven states, have made their final arguments in court challenging the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision not to ban a pesticide that they say is dangerous. The EPA had proposed to ban chlorpyrifos, but former chief Scott Pruitt reversed course. Hector Sanchez with the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement says Pruitt’s announcement came not long after he met with the head of Michigan-based Dow Chemical, which sells the pesticide.. ...Read Full Story

The South Haven Board of Education has voted to accept the resignation of Superintendent Dr. Robert Herrera as he assumes a similar role at Benton Harbor Area Schools. Dr. Herrera’s resignation is effective on July 17. The board appointed a short-term interim superintendent this week. Board Secretary Becca Teunissen tells us they picked Carey Frost, the principal at North Shore Elementary.. ...Read Full Story

The new buyer of the Orchards Mall in Benton Township intends to keep it as a mall property. That’s according to a realtor who helped sell the mall in an online auction last month. Steve Silverman of Farmington Hills-based Friedman Integrated Real Estate Solutions tells us that sale remains in process with a goal of having it completed by the end of the summer. Although he won’t tell us who the mall’s buyer is, he will say it’s a national real estate investor who owns multiple properties in Michigan. The buyer is not locally-based. Silverman tells us the buyer intends to keep the Orchards Mall as a mall with some significant capital investment and an aggressive strategy to pursue new retailers. He also says stores currently in the mall should know all leases will be honored by the new owner. The mall sold in auction last month for $2.1 million, just shy of the owner’s hoped-for $2.5 million.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — Michigan regulators will take public comments on a proposal for more anchor supports in the Straits of Mackinac to bolster twin oil pipelines. Enbridge Inc. is asking the Department of Environmental Quality to allow
installation of 48 additional supports for its Line 5 pipes. They would be attached to the pipes and screwed into the lakebed.
A public hearing is scheduled for Wednesday in Mackinaw City. Line 5 extends from Superior, Wisconsin, to Sarnia, Ontario. A nearly 5-mile section runs beneath the straits, where Lake Huron and Lake Michigan converge. The company has made several requests to install supports after gaps were discovered beneath the pipes. The DEQ granted a permit for 22 earlier this year.
Environmental groups want Line 5 decommissioned and say the supports wouldn’t necessarily make it safer.. ...Read Full Story

If you haven’t visited the Michigan Maritime Museum in South Haven, this could be a great weekend to stop by. The museum is having its annual Fish Boil Fundraiser this Saturday. The museum’s Ashley Demming tells WSJM News she appreciates all the items donated for the fundraiser.. ...Read Full Story

Michigan businesses and cities are being invited to become part of a global vision for a cleaner future. The Zero Emissions Vehicle Challenge, announced on Tuesday, is encouraging companies and communities to use their purchasing power and policy influence to speed up the adoption of electric vehicles. Ann Arbor Mayor Christopher Taylor tells us it’s time to dispel the myths about hybrid and electric vehicles.. ...Read Full Story

A former officer with the Benton Harbor Department of Public Safety has been charged for actions during a police chase in May.. ...Read Full Story

Frpm the Associated Press — A former western Michigan day care provider has been ordered to pay $1.8 million after pleading guilty to child neglect in the death of a toddler by an 8-year-old girl. The Muskegon Chronicle reports Muskegon County Circuit Judge William Marietti also sentenced 52-year-old Keysha Collins on Wednesday to five years’ probation and 6 months’ jail afterward. He says some or all the sentence could be suspended. Marietti adds Collins has shown remorse and taken responsibility. Authorities say the girl, also cared for in Collins’ home, killed 14-month-old Korey Landon Brown in April 2017. Prosecutors have said she won’t be charged because state law doesn’t allow it for children under 10. Documents say Korey’s death was ruled a homicide. Collins was accused of failing to adequately supervise children in her care.. ...Read Full Story

In Grand Rapids, they’re waiting for a bad smelling, rare corpse flower to bloom. Senior horticulture manager at Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, Wendy Overbeck, told Michigan News Network they’ve had the flower for 18 years, but this will be the first year it blooms. She says it’s over four-and-a-half feet tall.. ...Read Full Story

The Michigan Department of Transportation will hold an open house next week in Niles to talk about its plans to reconstruct the US-12-M-51 interchange. MDOT spokesperson Nick Schirripa tells WSJM News the $25 to $30 million project is still a ways off.. ...Read Full Story

Congressman Fred Upton says a trade war possibly kicked off by the Trump administration’s tariffs on foreign goods will only hurt consumers. The Trump administration is putting 25% tariffs on 800 Chinese products worth $34 billion while China is retaliating with tariffs also totaling $34 billion in U.S. goods. That includes agricultural products. Upton tells WSJM News he has heard from concerned locals.. ...Read Full Story

This week brings the annual Celebrate Bridgman festivities. The fun begins Thursday with an Under the Big Top presentation by the Curious Kids Museum, and then the Family Night and Teen Dance downtown. Both Friday and Saturday will feature the adult dances. Saturday will be the busiest day of Celebrate Bridgman with a scavenger hunt, art around town, a 5 and 10 K Run and Walk, a car show, sand art, and the parade. That starts at 11 a.m. at Gast Road, and will head down Lake Street. Everything wraps up Sunday with a free concert at Weko Beach. You can find out more about Celebrate Bridgman right here.. ...Read Full Story

A Dowagiac woman is recovering at a hospital in Kalamazoo after being pulled from a fiery wreck on Wednesday morning. The Cass County Sheriff’s Department tells us 31-year-old Trisha Smith was westbound on Dewey Lake Street near Roth Road in Wayne Township around 11:40 a.m. when her vehicle left the road and hit a tree. It then overturned and caught fire. Fire personnel were able to extract Smith from the burning vehicle, and she was taken by ambulance first to Borgess Lee Hospital, and then flown by helicopter to Bronson Hospital in Kalamazoo. The sheriff’s department is asking anyone who may have witnessed the crash to call them. The crash remains under investigation.. ...Read Full Story