Local News Archives

Lake Michigan College is trying out a new kind of summer jobs training program this year. Dean of Career Education Ken Flowers tells WSJM News Automation Engineering Pre-Apprentice Academy starts at the Hanson Tech Center Monday. It’s a seven-week summer academy to teach students about design and graphics, advanced cad techniques, industrial safety, robotics, and blueprint reading. The trick to this program is many of the students are sponsored by employers.. ...Read Full Story

The city of St. Joseph and Berrien County Board of Commissioners are among local governmental units concerned that a new bill sponsored by Senator John Proos of St. Joseph is going to hit their bottom lines. Proos has authored legislation to give a tax break to utilities on their transmission and distribution systems, as utilities were not included in the personal property tax repeal that passed several years ago for manufacturers and business. Proos tells us he’s talked with every member of the Berrien County Board of Commissioners about their concerns regarding the loss in tax revenues, and adds what’s been introduced will undergo changes.. ...Read Full Story

Now that summer is officially here, the Van Buren Conservation District is reminding all boaters of the things they can do to help prevent the spread of invasive species. The district’s Eleanor Serocki tell us they’re asked to take three simple steps.. ...Read Full Story

The U.S. House has approved a bill from Congressman Fred Upton designed to fight the opioid epidemic. Included in the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act, the Upton bill encourages the development of non-opioid painkillers. He spoke with WSJM News about it this year.. ...Read Full Story

Berrien County has been hit with more flooding in some areas due to steady rain on Thursday. St. Joseph Township Manager Denise Cook tells WSJM News the township offices fielded a wave of calls about flooding throughout the day. She notes the worst of it was around the area of Manitou Road. A township police officer did what he could to help the residents affected.. ...Read Full Story

23 young women from Berrien and Cass counties will head out this weekend for a four-day stay at the Michigan State Police Training Academy in Lansing. The 14 and 15-year-olds are part of the Michigan Youth Leadership Academy run by Michigan State Police. MSP Lieutenant Melinda Logan tells WSJM News the leadership academy that’s about to start is the first one held for girls in Berrien County. The girls will learn life and leadership skills in their four days at the academy.. ...Read Full Story

The Bridge Academy at Kinexus has celebrated the graduation of another 24 students. Kinexus Director of Youth Services Zachary Vaughn tells WSJM News the Bridge Academy helps students ages 16 to 19 either finish high school or get their GEDs while learning vocational skills in areas like hospitality, construction, and manufacturing. Moving forward, Kinexus continues to work with the students.. ...Read Full Story

The Michigan State University Board of Trustees has rejected a motion to consider firing interim president John Engler. Bryan Tarrant’s daughter was sexually assaulted by former MSU sports doctor Larry Nassar and he ripped into the trustees for the vote.. ...Read Full Story

State Senator John Proos is apologizing for comments he made this week to WSJM News regarding communication with the Berrien County Board of Commissioners. In talking about Senate Bill 1031, which would get rid of personal property taxes for utilities on new power lines and other grid infrastructure improvements, Proos said he had talked to the commissioners. In text to WSJM News, he apologized for misspeaking and noted he had talked personally with some, but not all. He added he reached out to “nearly every commissioner” to discuss their concerns about a loss in tax revenue from the PPT elimination, if it’s approved. County board members weren’t happy with the communications with Proos at this week’s meeting, and passed a resolution opposing the bill.. ...Read Full Story

A St. Joseph Township home has a “do not enter” sign posted by the township after flooding from Hickory Creek ripped a hole in the foundation and caused a natural gas line to rupture today. The fire department closed down Cleveland Avenue for a time to allow Indiana Michigan Power and Michigan Gas Utilities to safely work on the utility issues. No one was hurt, but there is considerable flood damage to the house. Hickory Creek runs right behind, and township officials say the rain has caused that to rise five-feet above normal.. ...Read Full Story

Governor Snyder has signed a $39.9 billion general spending bill and will sign the education part of the bill next week. He said he’s pleased with the plan, which marked the eighth straight year he was able to sign the next fiscal year’s budget months before the current one expires. Snyder noted there is more money to fix roads in this plan.. ...Read Full Story

A murder suspect is on the loose somewhere in southwest Michigan or northern Indiana. The Van Buren County Major Times Task Force is hunting for 38-year-old Troy Taylor of Bloomingdale after police say he killed a Kalamazoo man shortly after 10 p.m. Thursday at a home on Brandywine Road in Pine Grove Township. The suspect was last known to be driving an early 2000’s silver BMW sedan with a broken window, possibly on the driver’s side. Taylor has connections in Berrien and Van Buren counties along with the South Bend area. Anyone who spots him is urged to call 9-1-1 immediately and stay away, as he’s considered armed and dangerous. The victim’s name has not been released.. ...Read Full Story

Even though it’s not supposed to happen until October, a new event at Love Creek County Park has attracted the attention of the Berrien County Board of Commissioners. At this week’s meeting, they discussed the new “Fat Toberfest” planned for Love Creek County Park. To be organized by Outpost Sports and the Michiana Bike Coalition, the event will be a fat tire bike ride to feature local beers and wines. That’s what concerned Berrien County Commissioner Ezra Scott, who told WSJM News booze isn’t allowed at county parks.. ...Read Full Story

Berrien County’s lead public defender is stepping down. Carl Macpherson came to lead the county’s public defender’s office in 2015 when the county created it anticipating new state standards. Berrien County Administrator Bill Wolf tells WSJM News Macpherson has since then built an effective defense office.. ...Read Full Story

With steady rain throughout much of Thursday afternoon, the Berrien County Road Department is advising drivers to watch out for flooding. It writes on its Facebook page, “‪Extreme caution when traveling lots of flooding in Berrien County, several roads underwater‬.” We have had reports of flooding around St. Joseph and St. Joseph Township. Do not try to drive through water-covered roads. Report flooded roads to the Berrien County Sheriff’s Department at 269-983-7141.. ...Read Full Story

The Berrien County Board of Commissioners has unanimously approved a resolution opposing legislation from state Senator John Proos that would exempt utility properties from personal property taxes. The bill is intended to reduce the cost of equipment upgrades from major utility companies, but county commissioners say it would hurt the bottom lines of municipalities. Berrien County Board of Commissioners Chair Jon Hinkelman told WSJM News the body wanted to send a message.. ...Read Full Story

School districts around the country will soon be able to apply for federal grants to conduct facility reviews. Congressman Fred Upton tells WSJM News the U.S. Justice Department is now taking applications for the grants due to the STOP School Violence Act, which was approved in March.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — Michigan State University’s interim president is apologizing for emails in which he said a victim of former campus sports doctor Larry Nassar probably received a “kickback” from her plaintiff’s lawyer. John Engler issued a written statement Thursday, more than a week after media outlets reported on his email exchange with another university official. He says: “That was a big mistake. I was wrong. I apologize.” Engler says when he started as president in February, he never meant to have an adversarial relationship with some of Nassar’s victims. He says his speculation about Rachael Denhollander receiving kickbacks or referral fees “hurt her deeply,” and other survivors “suffered greatly.” Two university trustees have called on Engler to resign, but he says he’ll use his remaining time as interim president to implement reforms.. ...Read Full Story

A change is coming to St. Joseph City Hall. City Marketing Director Susan Solon is retiring. She sent a message to friends this week announcing she’ll step down in August. That’ll be after one more summer packed with activities around St. Joe, many of which were organized by Solon. She’s known in the community as being behind the public art displays in the downtown area, the summer movies shown in the park, the city’s newsletter, and many other things. In the message posted at Moody on the Market, Solon writes, “it is time to breathe and smell the roses…” Many downtown merchants and leaders at St. Joseph Today say Solon will be missed.. ...Read Full Story

The South Haven City Council is reviewing an Abonmarche study regarding waves on the Black River. High lake levels and winds are causing damage to boats docked at some marinas on the Black River. Harbormaster Kate Hosier spoke with WSJM News about the issue.. ...Read Full Story

Governor Snyder has made it official, enacting the next fiscal year’s budget months before the current one expires. He signed the spending plan this afternoon in Lansing. State Senator Tonya Schuitmaker of Lawton is proud of what lawmakers and the governor’s office have accomplished.. ...Read Full Story

Members of the Michigan State University Board of Trustees are in the middle of a two-day closed door retreat leading up to tomorrow’s open meeting, and the status of interim President John Engler does not appear on either agenda. It would take five votes to oust Engler, but it will take 6 to put it on the agenda and observers say the votes are not there. Attorney Jamie White who represents some of the 130 survivors of Larry Nassar’s sexual abuse who signed a letter calling for the trustees to act says there are a lot of better candidates.. ...Read Full Story

Michigan State Police are investigating a deadly crash this morning at the intersection of Linco and Red Arrow Highway in Stevensville. WSJM News has learned a man was driving westbound on Linco and went through the stop sign just before 6 a.m. and was broadsided on the driver’s door by a northbound vehicle, killing him. The driver of the vehicle on Red Arrow Highway wasn’t hurt. State police say at this point, they don’t know what caused the man to disregard the stop sign. The crash closed that intersection for a few hours this morning. Sources tell us the victim was on his way to work at the time.. ...Read Full Story

A little boy is safely back with his family after scaring the daylights out of them. The two-year-old managed to open the front door at home on M-43 in Waverly Township and get out with the family’s year-old pit bull mix tagging along. The Van Buren County Sheriff’s Department says having the dog with him is what helped them find the two after a massive search. One thing that was working against them was there was a two-hour gap from the time the boy had last been seen to when his mother realized he was gone. Sheriff’s department K-9 teams were called out and after footprints from the two were found, the police dogs were able to locate them about two miles from home. The child was fine other than having a lot of bug bites. No charges are expected, but the sheriff will submit reports to the prosecutor’s office and Child Protective Services.. ...Read Full Story

WSJM’s Ray Gustafson will be out at Woodland Terrace Senior Living in Niles from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Association. Woodland Terrace Director Todd Dockerty tells WSJM News there is promising research into Alzheimer’s, but the fight is far from over.. ...Read Full Story

If you live in St. Joseph, there’s a chance you may have a power outage Thursday. Indiana Michigan Power has been notifying customers of a planned maintenance outage that is supposed to go from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. That’s seven hours. It may be a bit long, but I&M tells us it’s needed to safely do the maintenance work. About 400 customers will be affected. 25 businesses will be affected. Anyone with questions can call the utility. The homes and businesses included in the outage can be found scattered around the area.. ...Read Full Story

This Wednesday brought the re-opening of the Benton Harbor Farmers Market. Held by the Berrien County Health Department, the market is intended to give Benton Harbor residents a place to purchase fresh fruits and veggies, says spokesperson Gillian Conrad.. ...Read Full Story

More than $250 million in back child support has been collected by the Michigan Attorney General’s office since it opened the Child Support Division in 2003. State Attorney General Bill Schuette tells us the focus of the Child Support Division is for parents who have the ability to pay child support but refuse to do so. For the Department of Attorney General to get involved with child support cases, there has to be at least $7,500 in back payments owed. When a case comes to the department, a 90-day investigation period begins. The state notes it has gone a far as to extradite a man from Alaska who owed more than $95,000 in child support in Michigan. You can find more information about the state’s Child Support Division right here.. ...Read Full Story

Now that President Trump has signed an executive order ending the separation of detained illegal immigrants from their children at the U.S. and Mexico border, Congressman Fred Upton has issued a statement. He says, “Thank goodness this ugly practice is ending. As it should. Now we must re-double our efforts to fix a broken immigration system.” Upton told us this week action on immigration was likely in the U.S. House on Thursday. Upton had called the family separations “ugly and inhumane.” Earlier on Wednesday, before the president signed the executive order, Upton tweeted, “Mr. President, you can stop this madness. End the ugly family separation practice NOW.”. ...Read Full Story

Benton Harbor is a step closer to having medical marijuana businesses registered in the city. At this week’s meeting, city commissioners approved the application that medical marijuana businesses will use when seeking permission to operate. Mayor Marcus Muhammad noted the applications come with a $5,000 fee.. ...Read Full Story

The city of St. Joseph and Berrien County Board of Commissioners are among local governmental units concerned that a new bill sponsored by Senator John Proos of St. Joseph is going to hit their bottom lines. Proos has authored legislation to give a tax break to utilities on their transmission and distribution systems, as utilities were not included in the personal property tax repeal that passed several years ago for manufacturers and business. Proos tells us he’s talked with every member of the Berrien County Board of Commissioners about their concerns regarding the loss in tax revenues, and adds what’s been introduced will undergo changes.. ...Read Full Story

The housing market in southwest Michigan is cooling off a bit, but it’s still red-hot for sellers because there still aren’t many homes on the market. Those that do go up are getting multiple offers within hours of being listed in some instances. The Southwestern Michigan Association of Realtors says average selling prices jumped 20% from April to May and the median price shot up 44%. Sales numbers, however, are down 6% for the year compared to 2017 due to low inventory. The median price for May was just under $155,000, while the average price now stands at nearly $257,000. The local mortgage rate is also up, rising from 4.6% in April to 4.75% in May.. ...Read Full Story

Lake Michigan College is trying out a new kind of summer jobs training program this year. Dean of Career Education Ken Flowers tells WSJM News Automation Engineering Pre-Apprentice Academy starts at the Hanson Tech Center Monday. It’s a seven-week summer academy to teach students about design and graphics, advanced cad techniques, industrial safety, robotics, and blueprint reading. The trick to this program is many of the students are sponsored by employers.. ...Read Full Story

• Congressman Fred Upton expects the U.S. House to take action on an immigration bill this Thursday.
• Protesters gathered outside of Congressman Fred Upton’s office.
• Those interested in starting a medical marijuana business in Benton Harbor now have a way to apply to the city for permission.
• Michigan farmers are watching Capitol Hill closely over the next few weeks.
• Lake Michigan College will launch a new kind of training program next week.
• Coming up this Thursday will be a chance for everyone to help in the fight against Alzheimer’s by tuning into The Longest Day All-Day Broadcast.
• The old Central Train Station in Detroit will be TRANSFORMED by Ford.
• Federal highway safety officials have ordered a stop to a product that allows Tesla drivers to keep the autopilot function going for longer than intended.

Congressman Fred Upton’s office in St. Joseph was the site of a protest Tuesday regarding immigration policy. Specifically, activists gathered to demand that Upton keep his word when it comes to fighting the Trump administration’s policy of separating detained illegal immigrants from their children. Protester Sandy Feldman told WSJM News they had a message for the St. Joe congressman.. ...Read Full Story

This Thursday will be the longest day if the year, and the Alzheimer’s Association is using it as a way to spread awareness and raise money. Michigan chapter spokesperson Samantha West tells WSJM News they want everyone to know the warning signs of Alzheimer’s. They’re different from normal, age-related forgetfulness.. ...Read Full Story

Action on immigration reform is likely this Thursday in the U.S. House. So says Congressman Fred Upton, who issued a statement this week in opposition to the Trump administration policy of separating detained illegal immigrants from their children at the border. Upton told WSJM News he wants the practice ended.. ...Read Full Story

A new bill in the Michigan Legislature is designed to shine a light on big companies that pay their workers so little they qualify for government-funded healthcare. House Bill 61-46, the Fair Share Health Care Disclosure Act, would require the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to publish an annual list of the 50 companies with the most employees on Medicaid. State Representative Patrick Green says taxpayers end up footing the bill when companies skimp on workers.. ...Read Full Story

There are more voices calling on the White House to change course when it comes to separating children from their parents at the border with Mexico. Michigan Congressmen Fred Upton, Bill Huizenga and Dan Kildee issued statements slamming the “zero-tolerance” policy being enforced by the White House, and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gretchen Whitmer is also calling on everyone in the state to put pressure on the U.S. House and Senate to come up with a new law.. ...Read Full Story

There is optimism in Michigan’s agriculture community that this year’s federal Farm Bill will be finished and on the desk of the President before the current law expires this fall. Michigan Farm Bureau national lobbyist John Kran says one important thing for farmers is having certainty.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — Ford Motor Co. is celebrating its purchase of Detroit’s long vacant train depot that the company plans to redevelop for research and development of self-driving vehicles. The company’s executive chairman, Bill Ford, has used the Michigan Central depot as a backdrop while publicly laying out plans for the 105-year-old train station and surrounding neighborhood. On Tuesday, the automaker held a public event outside the 500,000-square-foot
(46,450-square-meter) building. Bill Ford said Tuesday that the company is reimagining mobility and “making a big bet on” its future with the investments. He says the depot and 17-story office tower will be redeveloped over the next four years.
The last passenger train left the station in 1988. A businessman purchased the building in the mid-1990s, but it remained empty and became blighted, exemplifying Detroit’s long decline from manufacturing powerhouse to bankruptcy.. ...Read Full Story

A letter signed by at least 120 survivors of former sports doctor Larry Nassar demands that Michigan State University’s governing board remove interim school president John Engler. The women and girls issued a statement Tuesday, days before the board of trustees’ next meeting. Engler, a former Michigan governor, is resisting pressure to resign after media reports that he sent emails to another university official criticizing lawyers for Nassar’s sexual assault survivors and suggesting the first woman to go public with her accusations, Kalamazoo native and Nashville, Tennessee attorney Rachael Denhollander, was probably getting a “kickback” from her attorney. In the statement, the “sister survivors” say that Engler “has only reinforced the culture of abuse at MSU.” They say survivors “should know they can raise their voice without being characterized as pawns too foolish to know they are manipulated.” Denhollander worked with Michigan lawmakers to craft several of the bills that resulted from the Nassar fallout.. ...Read Full Story

Benton Harbor singing sensation Niki Harris has been honored by the city commission. At Monday’s meeting, commissioners saluted Harris as Mayor Marcus Muhammad read off some of her accomplishments, noting she has worked with Madonna, Whitney Houston, and Prince.. ...Read Full Story

Benton Harbor City Commissioners have approved the 2018-2019 budget, sending the city into the next fiscal year with a surplus of about $22,000. At Monday’s meeting, City Manager Darwin Watson said the spending plan anticipates a little more than $7.9 million in revenue and just under that in expenditures. He noted pensions remain a major expense.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — Leaders from more than 70 communities across the United States and Canada are expected to attend a conference in Detroit to discuss efforts to end chronic homelessness and homelessness among U.S. military veterans.
National nonprofit Community Solutions is hosting the June 26-27 event at Cobo Center. Its part of the Built for Zero campaign. Community Solutions says Detroit is one of the cities participating in the campaign. Jay Farner, chief executive of Detroit-based mortgage lender Quicken Loans, is scheduled to speak at the conference. Community Solutions president Rosanne Haggerty also is scheduled to speak.. ...Read Full Story

Some new improvements have been made to Galien River County Park, thanks to the Pokagon Fund. Berrien County Parks Director Brian Bailey tells WSJM News work to fix up the parking lot was completed last week.. ...Read Full Story

The drop-off date for the United Way of Southwest Michigan’s Christmas in June food drive will be this Wednesday. The United Way’s Charlotte Becker tells WSJM News Christmas in June last year resulted in more than 15,000 items being collected, and they hope to double that this year. The 34 southwest Michigan businesses that have been collecting items will drop them off at Upton Middle School in St. Joe, Buchanan Middle School, or Brookside Learning Center in Cassopolis Wednesday.. ...Read Full Story

Gretchen Whitmer has snagged some key endorsements in her run for governor. She told Michigan News Network on Monday Macomb County Sheriff Anthony Wickersham, Macomb County Prosecutor Eric Smith, and Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel have chosen to back her as she seeks the Democratic nomination to run for governor.. ...Read Full Story

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“Ugly and inhumane.” That’s how Congressman Fred Upton describes the separation of undocumented parents and their kids at the U.S. and Mexico border. The Trump administration has been under fire for the practice of keeping the children of detained parents apart from the parents, with opponents including House Speaker Paul Ryan and former First Lady Laura Bush. In a statement issued Monday, Upton says it’s “never acceptable to use kids as bargaining chips in [the] political process.” He goes on to say that “separating young, innocent children from their parents is the wrong approach. The right approach is legislation to address the root issues.” Upton called on the U.S. House to vote on an immigration bill this week.. ...Read Full Story

He’s already serving life in prison without parole for one murder, and now 48-year-old Jeffrey Willis of Muskegon has a second identical sentence. That was handed down Monday in a Muskegon County courtroom for the death of 25-year-old gas station clerk Jessica Heeringa in 2013. She disappeared from work at a Norton Shores gas station in April of that year, and her body has not been found. Willis was previously convicted of murder in the death of jogger Rebekah Bletsch and is still awaiting trial for allegedly trying to kidnap a teenage girl in 2016. That was the case that broke open the Bletsch and Heeringa cases. Willis cried during his sentencing Monday, saying he’s innocent and didn’t get a fair trial.. ...Read Full Story

Members of the Rotary Club of St. Joseph-Benton Harbor are celebrating the local chapter’s 100th anniversary this year, and got a treat over the weekend. Rotary International President Ian Riseley was the keynote speaker at the centennial celebration at Lake Michigan College’s Mendel Center on Saturday. Riseley tells WSJM News a main focus for Rotary International is to recruit young people to get involved.. ...Read Full Story

A southwest Michigan man is raising money and awareness in the fight against childhood cancer with a bike ride along the entire length of Route 66 this summer. Mark Linder of Paw Paw tells WSJM News he was to leave this week from Chicago to ride to Santa Monica, California.. ...Read Full Story

A Freedom of Information Act request has been filed with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission by a coalition of environmental groups seeking more information on a possible bailout for aging nuclear and coal power plants. Terry Lodge, attorney for the group that includes Beyond Nuclear and Don’t Waste Michigan, tells WSJM News the NRC and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission met last week to discuss the bailout possibility. He says it’s been floated by the Trump administration.. ...Read Full Story

The Coloma/St. Joseph KOA Campground is getting a boost from Hagar Township. The township board this week approved a Commercial Rehabilitation Exemption Certificate for upgrades at the campground. The move freezes the taxable value of the property for the next decade. New owners bought the campground in August 2017 and immediately launched into upgrades and improvements of the 40-acre property. The next phase will include upgrades to the plumbing, water, electric, and sewer infrastructure and the clubhouse, restrooms and pool will all be rehabbed. Campground owners worked with Cornerstone Alliance to obtain the exemption.. ...Read Full Story

Farmers in southwest Michigan are welcoming in people for U-Pick strawberry season. Steve Lecklider is the manager of Lehman’s Orchards in Niles and spoke to our partners at WNDU NewsCenter 16 about the start of the season, which opens Friday for them.. ...Read Full Story

Congressman Fred Upton is hailing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Fiscal Year 2018 Work Plan because it includes money to dredge recreational harbors in southwest Michigan. He tells WSJM News the weather this year has left those harbors in need of some cleaning up.. ...Read Full Story

The American Red Cross has launched a new summer blood collection campaign aimed at drawing attention to the need for different blood types. Red Cross spokesperson Tod Kulman tells WSJM News the Missing Types campaign will partner the Red Cross with other organizations.. ...Read Full Story

State Senator John Proos is pleased with the budget approved by Michigan lawmakers on Tuesday. The $57 billion spending plan for the 2019 fiscal year includes boosts in funding for education, courts, and roads. Proos tells us lawmakers continue to scrape together a little more road funding each year.. ...Read Full Story

Progress is being made in the battle by the city of St. Joseph against Japanese knotweed, but it’s slow. Public Works director Tom MacDonald says when he goes into the ravine at this time of year, he sees evidence the plants have been killed in some spots.. ...Read Full Story