Local News Archives

Applications are now being accepted by Berrien County to fill the vacant Register of Deeds office. That elected office was left by the death this summer of Lori Jarvis, whose elected term ran through December 31, 2020. A committee made up of Probate Judge Mabel Mayfield, Berrien County Clerk Sharon Tyler, and Prosecutor Michael Sepic will review the applications. Those interested should be at least 18, be registered to vote in Berrien County, and ideally have experience managing a small staff and an office budget along with being familiar with real estate matters. The deadline to apply is 4 p.m. on August 17. To do so, send a completed application, available on the county’s website, along with a cover letter and resume to: Berrien County Clerk Sharon Tyler, Courthouse, 811 Port Street, St. Joseph, MI 49085.. ...Read Full Story

A push to alter the Endangered Species Act continued Tuesday at a hearing in the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. The draft bill from Wyoming Senator John Barrasso would give state and local officials more power on species recovery teams, prioritize state scientific studies over the feds, and exempt federal listing decisions from judicial review. The Endangered Species Coalition’s Melissa Smith tells us, in recent years, many states have sided with industry in arguing against protections for certain species.. ...Read Full Story

The annual Mike Yore Memorial Car Show will be this Friday in St. Joseph. St. Joe Today’s Amy Zapal tells WSJM News the event will feature more than 200 cars 25 years old or older lined up along the bluff downtown.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — Authorities say a young husband and wife have died in a crash in western Michigan just a few weeks after they were married. The Allegan County sheriff’s office says three vehicles were involved in Tuesday’s crash in Heath Township. The sheriff’s office says 24-year-old Logan Thunderland Allbaugh and 22-year-old Hannah Mae Kwekel died in the crash. A statement from the office said they’d been married for two weeks, but a registry under their names listed a June 23 wedding had been planned. Preliminary information indicates the Holland, Michigan-area couple’s vehicle was struck by a vehicle that apparently failed to obey a stop sign. The couple’s vehicle then was struck by another vehicle. One of the other drivers had minor injuries and the other wasn’t hurt. The crash is under investigation.. ...Read Full Story

A new study from the University of Michigan has found the Jobs for Michigan’s Graduates program has a major effect on the students who participate. Youth Solutions Director Kristin Harrington tells WSJM News the 10-year-old program helps young people finish high school, guides them toward post-secondary education, and teaches them soft skills for the workplace.. ...Read Full Story

“Justice finally prevailed.” That’s what Ibrahim Parlak is thinking after a federal immigration judge this week approved his application for deferral of removal under the Convention Against Torture. The Kurdish immigrant and Berrien County restaurant owner has been fighting deportation to Turkey since not long after 9/11, and tells WSJM News this week’s decision gives him a break.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — Federal education officials say Michigan is the only state in the U.S. that needs intervention after failing to meet federal special education requirements this year. The Detroit News reports that the U.S. Department of Education determined the need for intervention after evaluating Michigan’s compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act for the 2016-17 school year. Education experts say Michigan’s rating reflects its high drop-out and low
graduation rates for students with disabilities. Federal officials say 29 percent of Michigan children with disabilities dropped out of school and 63 percent graduated with a regular high school diploma. Michigan ranks alongside Washington, D.C., Palau and Northern Mariana Islands, a U.S. Commonwealth. Michigan Department of Education officials say they’re still reviewing the federal report. The U.S. Department of Education declined to comment further on findings.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — Michigan officials say propane users should lock in fuel prices now, even though heating season is months away. The Michigan Agency for Energy says U.S. propane stocks are slightly higher now than they were a year ago. But they’re 27 percent below levels seen in 2016. Executive Director Anne Armstrong Cusack says customers should sign contracts
soon instead of waiting until winter, when demand is higher. More than 8 percent of Michigan households use propane as their primary heating fuel. Michigan leads the nation in total residential propane consumption. Propane prices are not regulated. But the energy agency monitors supplies. And it reports statewide average residential prices weekly on its website during the
heating season, beginning October 1. The agency also has online information on selecting a provider.. ...Read Full Story

Dozens of survivors of sexual abuse by former Michigan State University and USA Gymnastics sports doctor Larry Nassar are gathered in Los Angeles today. They will be given the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at ESPN’s ESPY Awards tonight. Former gymnast Kaylee Lorincz of Macomb Township says it was very difficult to go before the world and Nassar in the courtroom and admit the abuse and she has suffered depression since, but she hopes some good will come from it.. ...Read Full Story

The new CEO of the Benton Harbor Area Schools says his installation at the helm of the district is in effect a state takeover. Dr. Robert Herrera spoke to our partners at WNDU NewsCenter 16 about his role.. ...Read Full Story