Local News Archives

There are school elections in a few areas of southwest Michigan today. In Van Buren County, school millage requests are on the ballot in Coloma, Dowagiac, South Haven, and Watervliet, while the city of Bangor is also holding elections today for its city council. In Berrien County, Lakeshore Public Schools have a bond proposal before voters. The district says a “yes” vote would keep the current millage rate of 4.2 mills in place over the next 20 years, bringing in $21 million for the district. If the proposal fails, the rate will decrease this year by about 1.3 mills. Polls are open until 8 p.m.. ...Read Full Story

The Orchards Mall is up for sale. WSJM News has learned the owner of the mall is auctioning it off through a Farmington Hills-based company, with a starting bid of $750,000. The auction is scheduled to be held from June 4-6. The Orchards Mall has a 45% occupancy rate and has been in various states of disrepair for years, with former tenants complaining about the electricity being shut off at times and the heating and air conditioning system not working in several stores. The mall’s current owner is also behind on property taxes to Berrien County, and has narrowly avoided foreclosure the past two years. Details of the auction can be found here.. ...Read Full Story

Michigan State Superintendent Brian Whiston has died at the age of 56 from cancer. Whiston had begun a long-term medical leave from the Michigan Department of Education on Friday on the advice of his doctors, and had announced he would be stepping away to fight the illness in March. He revealed he was battling cancer at a State Board of Education meeting in January. Prior to taking the job as the state’s top educator, Whiston had been the superintendent of Dearborn Public Schools and was a lobbyist of Oakland Schools. In announcing his leave Friday, Whiston said Chief Deputy Superintendent Sheila Alles would be running the Department of Education in his absence.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — Federal environmental officials are resuming an investigation into contamination at a former tannery in western Michigan five years after the Environmental Protection Agency left the site under state control. The Grand Rapids Press reports that the EPA says new testing will begin this month at the former manufacturing site where Wolverine World Wide used chemicals
to waterproof shoe leather. The EPA has requested Wolverine conduct extensive soil and groundwater sampling across the Rockford property. The site has been open to the community and used as a space for events since 2010. Recent testing found extremely high levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances at the site. But the EPA is focusing its probe on other contaminants as well. Wolverine says it’s working with regulators and expects to begin fieldwork this summer.. ...Read Full Story

This is National Nurses Week. It’s a time to celebrate and honor those who give so much on the job. Many nurses like Beaumont Hospital orthopedic nurse Maureen Cooper tells Michigan News Network it’s not so much a job as a calling.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — A man has been sentenced to life in prison without the chance of parole for the beating death of his girlfriend’s 4-year-old daughter, who was found wrapped in blankets and duct tape in southwestern Michigan. A judge handed down the mandatory punishment Monday for 35-year-old Matthew Longenecker. He was convicted earlier by a jury of charges including murder and child abuse in the asphyxiation death of Desaray Thompson in Kalamazoo. The Kalamazoo Gazette reports Longenecker declined to speak at Monday’s
hearing. Last month, his 34-year-old girlfriend Kelly Ballinger was ordered to serve between 23 years, nine months and 50 years. Jurors convicted Ballinger of child abuse and involuntary manslaughter. Authorities say the couple restrained Desaray with blankets and duct tape in July 2017. An autopsy found evidence of past abuse.. ...Read Full Story

Residents of St. Joseph will be paying a bit more in taxes under a plan given its first reading by city commissioners Monday night. After a lengthy discussion, the commission gave its initial green light to a street millage increase of 2.55 mills, or about $200 a year for a home with a taxable value of $140,000. Mayor Mike Garey told WSJM News people seem to understand the streets need to be fixed, and that it’s going to cost something.. ...Read Full Story

This Wednesday is Bike to School Day, and thousands of students around Michigan are expected to take part. Organized by the Michigan Fitness Foundation and the Safe Routes to School program, Bike to School Day is designed to promote health, wellness, and physical activity. Everyone is encouraged to take their bicycle to school as Safe Routes to School partners with the Michigan Department of Transportation to enhance active transportation through a variety of modes. Schools officially signed up to be part of Bike to School Day include St. Basil Catholic School in South Haven. In all, more than 175 schools have signed on. Governor Rick Snyder has officially recognized May 9 as Michigan’s Bike to School Day this year, promoting the importance of physical activity.. ...Read Full Story

Set for this month is the first ever Niles Renaissance Faire. Niles History Center Director Christina Arseneau tells WSJM News the city decided to hold a renaissance faire because the events are increasingly popular in the region, attracting both history buffs and fans of fantasy. On hand will be food vendors and performers.. ...Read Full Story

Michigan residents are being reminded of the state’s standing order on anti-overdose drug naloxone. Michigan Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson Lynn Sutfin tells WSJM News the order was issued in May of last year, making it possible for anyone to get their hands on doses of naloxone.. ...Read Full Story

A Niles man is recovering from serious injuries after he was struck by a vehicle while riding a bicycle on Sunday evening. The Berrien County Sheriff’s Department tells us 18-year-old Justin Copper was headed west on Bell Road at the South 11th Street intersection in Niles shortly before 6 p.m. when he was struck by a southbound vehicle on South 11th. Police say witnesses have told them the vehicle, driven by 54-year-old Judy Vallieres of Niles, had the right of way. Vallieres tried to stop, but was unable to do so. Copper was taken to Memorial Hospital in South Bend to be treated.. ...Read Full Story

A $10,000 reward is now being offered for information that leads to the arrest of a murder suspect in Benton Harbor. The Benton Harbor Department of Public Safety tells us 40-year-old Antwan “Tank” Mims is the main suspect in the double homicide of Michael Johnson and Cortez Miller on March 25. The victims were found shot at a home in the 900 block of LaVette in Benton Harbor, and died at an area hospital. Since the incident, detectives from the Benton Harbor Department of Public Safety, Michigan State Police, and the FBI have been looking for Mims. Anyone who knows where he is can contact Benton Harbor Public Safety. Police plan to update the public on the case at a press conference Tuesday.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — Illinois says it will work with federal officials and other states on a strategy for fortifying a Chicago-area lock and dam to keep Asian carp out of Lake Michigan. Governor Bruce Rauner has sent letters to his counterparts in the Great Lakes
region proposing negotiations toward an agreement on using the Brandon Road Lock and Dam near Joliet to block the path of the invasive fish. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released a $275 million draft plan last year proposing an array of defenses at the site, including an electric barrier, noisemakers, and water jets. The region’s eight states are divided over the plan. Illinois says it would disrupt Chicago’s transportation system. Rauner proposed that representatives of each state meet regularly with the Corps to seek an agreement.. ...Read Full Story

KitchenAid is gearing up for its role as the title sponsor of the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship at Harbor Shores later this month by hitting the road with a food truck serving cookies and prizes. Deb O’Connor is the appliance maker’s director of global partnerships and spoke to Morning Sportsbeat on 957 & 1400 WSJM Sports about the food truck tour, which will be going all over up until May 19.. ...Read Full Story

Gas prices are mostly unchanged around the state compared to last week. According to the latest survey from Triple-A Michigan, the statewide average is the same as a week ago at $2.85. Prices in Benton Harbor and St. Joseph are at the statewide average, also unchanged. The survey finds the most expensive gas in the areas looked at by AAA to be in Ann Arbor for the second straight week at $2.91, and Marquette drivers have the state’s lowest prices at $2.78. South Haven is not part of the Triple-A survey and has some of the area’s lowest gas prices. You can find unleaded along the Lake Michigan shore in Van Buren County for as low as $2.68 a gallon. The statewide average is about 50¢ more than what we were paying a year ago.. ...Read Full Story

Several people are recovering from injuries suffered in a pair of crashes in Cass County over the weekend. 75-year-old Gerald Keesler of Dowagiac had to be airlifted to Bronson Hospital in Kalamazoo after he was tossed from his motorcycle when it was hit by a Dowagiac man in Pokagon Township in front of Four Winds Casino. Keesler was passing a car that was turning into a gas station when the car that hit him pulled out of the same business. The sheriff’s department says Keesler was wearing a helmet. Deputies were also called to a crash on M-51 in Pokagon Township just under an hour later at noon for a crash that left four people with minor injuries. In that incident, an 85-year-old Niles man did not notice a car in front of him slowing down to allow a third vehicle to turn into a driveway. Both crashes are still being investigated.. ...Read Full Story

A Bloomingdale-based company is planning to invest $12 million in the expansion of broadband internet in Van Buren County over the next few years. Bloomingdale Communications General Manager Steve Shults tells WSJM News the company is rolling out fiber to areas north of Bloomingdale to about Allegan County and south to about M-43. He says the need for broadband in Van Buren is great.. ...Read Full Story

Lieutenant Governor Brian Calley has announced the launch of a new website to draw attention to issues with the Soo Locks. The locks, located between Lake Huron and Lake Superior, allow ships to travel between Lake Superior and the rest of the lower lakes. President Trump recently called for upgrades to the Soo Locks, and Calley says all Michiganders should thank him. There have been calls for a brand new lock for years, with Michigan leaders saying the economy would be greatly harmed if damage were to close the locks. According to Calley’s office, “a 2015 analysis by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security found that an unexpected closure of the Soo Locks, especially during peak shipping season, could result in a cascading collapse of the U.S. economy.” The new state website drawing attention to the locks is Michigan.gov/FixTheSooLocks.. ...Read Full Story

A Berrien County substitute teacher is getting some recognition for her entry into a video contest. Lauren Mott teaches grades K through 12 at Bridgman and River Valley Schools. She tells us she came to the area last year from Chicago.. ...Read Full Story

Visitors to some of Berrien County’s most popular parks will soon be able to use credit cards to gain entrance. Berrien County Parks Director Brian Bailey tells WSJM News Wi-Fi technology will be installed at the entrances to make the transactions possible.. ...Read Full Story

There’s an effort in Lansing to boost the funding in the fight against a contagious and fatal central-nervous-system disease found in deer, elk, and moose. State Representative Beau LaFave told Michigan News Network more.. ...Read Full Story

The Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning says alcohol and drug-related crashes remain a significant problem in the state, even though a new report shows overall traffic deaths decreased 3% last year. MSP spokesperson Kendall Wingrove tells WSJM News the latest statistics are a bit troubling.. ...Read Full Story

While police in southwest Michigan work to educate the public about the dangers of opioids and also collect unneeded opioid prescriptions, Congressman Fred Upton is thinking federal legislation. He tells WSJM News he’s hoping for quick passage of a plan that would prevent opioid abuse in another way.. ...Read Full Story

The Cass County Sheriff’s Department is investigating a Saturday rollover crash that resulted in three people being ejected from their vehicle.. ...Read Full Story

Set for this month is the grand opening of the new Pilgrim Haven Natural Area near South Haven. Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy President Peter Ter Louw tells WSJM News the 27 acre parcel of land along Lake Michigan was donated to the organization in 2011.. ...Read Full Story

May will bring the first of two Girls on the Run 5Ks planned in southwest Michigan this year. Girls on the Run of Southwest Michigan Dirctor Julie Bos tells WSJM News the organization will stage the runs in Berrien Springs on May 17 and in Decatur on June 1. Nearly 900 girls will take part, and Bos says the atmosphere is exciting.. ...Read Full Story

State Representative Mary Whiteford of Casco Township has introduced legislation intended to benefit patients getting prescriptions filled. She tells WSJM News under current rules, pharmacists are not allowed to tell a patient the true cost of their medication in some circumstances. She learned about the problem from a pharmacist she represents.. ...Read Full Story

Benton Harbor is getting a new theater. Planned for May of 2019 is the brand new GhostLight Theatre to be located at 101 Hinkley Street right behind the Citadel Dance and Music Center. GhostLight co-owner Martha Hesse tells WSJM News the place is vacant right now.. ...Read Full Story

Congressman Fred Upton says “everyone,” including President Trump, deserves some credit for recent improvements in the relations between North and South Korea. Upton tells WSJM News he was pleased to see last weekend’s developments.. ...Read Full Story

There’s a new Republican in the running for the Michigan Senate in the 26th District. That’s the district currently represented by state Senator Tonya Schuitmaker, who is being term limited out of office. The latest to announce for the post is Don Wikstra, a dentist and township planning commissioner from Allegan County’s Hamilton. He spoke with WSJM News.. ...Read Full Story

Wading through streams and searching nets for aquatic insects might not be for everyone but, Van Buren Conservation District Director AJ Brucks tells us she really enjoys it. That’s just what she’ll be doing this Sunday with some volunteers.. ...Read Full Story

State Representative Beth Griffin of Mattawan is backing legislation to remove an outdated law from the books in Michigan.. ...Read Full Story

Van Buren County Animal Control is looking to adopt all of its pooches this Saturday with another Empty the Shelters event. Van Buren County Sheriff’s Department Operations Lieutenant Jim Charon tells WSJM News the Bissell Pet Foundation out of Grand Rapids will help make it all possible.. ...Read Full Story

Set for this Saturday at Madonna University in Livonia is the 8th annual Missing in Michigan gathering. It’s held by Michigan State Police each year to highlight missing persons cases that remain unsolved. Jolene Hardesty with the MSP Missing Persons Unit tells WSJM News the program is partly for families.. ...Read Full Story

In Lansing, debate is ongoing over legislation that would create a work requirement for those receiving Medicaid. State House Speaker Tom Leonard spoke to Michigan News Network about it.. ...Read Full Story

Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Berrien and Cass has announced a name change. The organization tells us it is now going to be called Big Brothers Big Sisters of Lower West Michigan. The change comes as the organization also expands its service area to include St. Joseph County, Michigan. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Lower West Michigan provides mentors to young people and has been doing so in the region for more than 50 years. You can find out more about how you can help by visiting the organization’s website. . ...Read Full Story

The Michigan Senate has signed off on the recommended Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund parks grants for the coming year. State Senator John Proos tells WSJM News the trust fund is supported by interest earned on funds generated from the development of state-owned mineral rights.. ...Read Full Story

Set for Monday is the annual legislative senior and veterans expo in Van Buren County. The gathering was started about ten years ago by state Senator Tonya Schuitmaker as a way for her to stay in touch with local seniors and veterans and to connect then with state services. State Representative Beth Griffin is now part of it, and tell WSJM News the mission remains the same.. ...Read Full Story

Addiction experts are hoping to better educate the public about the nation’s opioid epidemic to help reduce the number of deaths. At a forum at St. Joseph Township Hall Wednesday, Berrien County Health Department Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist Kerri Teachout said opioids represent the “deadliest drug crisis in American history.” She told us a common way someone gets their hands on an opioid is via theft.. ...Read Full Story

The Van Buren District Library has big plans for Cinco de Mayo this Saturday. Van Buren District Library Adult Education and Community Relations Coordinator Kay McAdam told WSJM News more.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — Enbridge Inc. has agreed to pay a $1.8 million penalty in a deal with the U.S. government, which accused the Canadian oil transport company of missing deadlines for inspecting pipelines to prevent leaks. The inspections were required under an earlier agreement following a 2010 spill in southwestern Michigan, when a ruptured Enbridge pipeline released at least 843,000 gallons of crude into the Kalamazoo River. The company agreed to check for flaws in its Lakehead System pipelines, which extend about 2,000 miles across seven states. But the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says Enbridge took too long to conduct some of the inspections last year.
Enbridge said Thursday that it disagreed with the government’s reading of the schedule, but accepted the fine under a federal court settlement so it could move ahead.. ...Read Full Story

President Trump will be in our area next week. His campaign says the President will hold a rally on Thursday May 10 at South Bend’s Atlantic Aviation. He is expected to discuss the federal tax cuts, promote his America First agenda, and encourage people to vote in this fall’s mid-term elections. Doors open at 4 p.m. for the 7 p.m. rally. This will be the second time Trump has campaigned in South Bend since he announced his run for the White House in 2015. You’ll need to register online at the President’s campaign website to get in.. ...Read Full Story

The anti-bullying Relentless Tour will stop by Niles High School next week. Relentless features motivational speaker and former Michigan State University basketball player Anthony Ianni who tells WSJM News he started the tour in 2015 to urge young people to treat each other with respect. He draws on his own experiences as a kid with bullying.. ...Read Full Story

Local police have been honored by the Berrien County Health Department with its 2018 Friend of Public Health Award. Spokesperson Gillian Conrad tells WSJM News the award is given each year to an individual or organization that has advanced public health. Police were picked this year because of all their efforts to fight the opioid epidemic. Conrad tells us police in Berrien County have been at the forefront when it comes to including anti-overdose medications in their equipment.. ...Read Full Story

Now on display at businesses throughout Berrien County are specially-decorated KitchenAid stand mixers. St. Joseph Today’s Amy Zapal tells us it’s a project called “Stand Mixers on Parade,” intended to thank the appliance maker for its support of the community as the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship takes place at Harbor Shores this month. You can find the stand mixers at businesses from Stevensville to St. Joe.. ...Read Full Story

Work begins Monday on a bridge over the Galien River, and drivers are being advised to give themselves a little extra time if they head that way. The Michigan Department of Transportation tells us it’s doing improvements on the US-12 bridge over the south branch of the Galien River near Three Oaks. The project will include joint replacement, railing replacement, deck repairs and resurfacing, steel beam repairs, substructure patching, guardrail replacement, and approach repaving. The work will mean some single lane closures and a temporary traffic signal. It starts Monday and is scheduled to wrap up June 29. You can stay on top of all of MDOT’s summer road projects at Michigan.gov/Drive.. ...Read Full Story

Wading through streams and searching nets for aquatic insects might not be for everyone but, Van Buren Conservation District Director AJ Brucks tells us she really enjoys it. That’s just what she’ll be doing this Sunday with some volunteers.. ...Read Full Story

As people start to spend more time in woodland areas this season, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources has some tips to avoid conflict with bears. Katie Keen with the DNR tells us the agency has to put down some bears each year because the animals venture out of the woods and get too comfortable being near humans. She says homeowners who live in areas inhabited by bears should remove all bird feeders and only put garbage cans out just before the pickup time.. ...Read Full Story

Coming up this Saturday is the big Blossomtime Parade through St. Joseph and Benton Harbor. Parade President Anna Abdelnour tells us the event attracts as many as 200,000 people to the area each year. She expects this Saturday will be a whole heap of fun.. ...Read Full Story

Van Buren County Animal Control is looking to adopt all of its pooches this Saturday with another Empty the Shelters event. Van Buren County Sheriff’s Department Operations Lieutenant Jim Charon tells WSJM News the Bissell Pet Foundation out of Grand Rapids will help make it all possible.. ...Read Full Story

While police in southwest Michigan work to educate the public about the dangers of opioids and also collect unneeded opioid prescriptions, Congressman Fred Upton is thinking federal legislation. He tells WSJM News he’s hoping for quick passage of a plan that would prevent opioid abuse in another way.. ...Read Full Story

Breweries are experimenting with a new type of beer. It’s a beer infused with marijuana. While recreational marijuana is on the ballot here in Michigan in November, state Senator Rick Jones doesn’t want to wait before tackling this development. He chatted with Michigan News Network about the issue this week.. ...Read Full Story

Berrien County Prosecutor Michael Sepic is calling on state lawmakers to fix a hole in the election code that resulted in the conviction of Benton Township activist Edward Pinkney for election fraud being tossed by the Michigan Supreme Court. In a statement, Sepic notes the justices “did not in any way disturb the finding of the jury that Pinkney changed the signature dates on the recall petitions” in an attempt to recall former Benton Harbor Mayor James Hightower. The activist changed the dates on signatures to make it appear they had been collected within the timeframe required to put the recall before voters. Pinkney’s conviction was overturned on the technicality that the statute under which he was found guilty was not a substantive law section, but rather simply a penalty section. Sepic notes the Berrien County judge and the Michigan Court of Appeals both saw it differently than the state Supreme Court.. ...Read Full Story

The Paw Paw High School student accused of plotting an attack on his school in March will not be tried as an adult. The decision to keep the case in juvenile court in Van Buren County was made yesterday by Judge Jeffrey Dufon, who says plenty of people at the school and in law enforcement failed the boy.. ...Read Full Story

Share the road. That’s the message from Secretary of State Ruth Johnson during the Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month. Johnson has been riding motorcycles since she was 12 and says drivers need to watch out for motorcycles. She spoke with Michigan News Network about the issue this week.. ...Read Full Story

A 23-year-old Hartford Township man has died from several injuries he suffered when he rolled his car and was thrown from it in Keeler Township. The crash happened around 7 last night on County Road 362 east of 70th Street, and the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Department says no other cars were involved. The man was thrown from his vehicle and was apparently not buckled up. Investigators say they don’t yet know if alcohol or drugs played any role in the crash, but do say it appears speed was partly to blame. The man died at Lakeland Watervliet Hospital after several attempts to revive him at the scene of the crash by fire and medical first responders. Police have not released his name.. ...Read Full Story

A South Haven teacher has been honored by the Rotary Club for her work with local students. The Rotary tells us Andrea Jeiger was given the club’s Education and Service Award at a fundraiser this past Saturday. The Rotary says it recognizes an educator who exemplifies the attributes of quality teaching and is an active volunteer in the South Haven community each year. They say Jeiger started out teaching in South Haven’s summer migrant program, and then moved on to teaching elementary students in 2014. She also serves as president of the South Haven Education Association. As part of Jeiger receiving the award, the Rotary made a $250 donation to the South Haven Public School’s Educational Foundation in her name.. ...Read Full Story

Berrien RESA Superintendent Kevin Ivers has received a positive performance evaluation from the RESA Board of Education. At a retreat this week, RESA Trustees used an evaluation tool from the Michigan Association of School Boards to rate Ivers in five areas. They were governance and board relations, stakeholder relations, employee relations, educational leadership, and operations and finance. Dr. Ivers received a “highly effective” rating in all areas measured. The positive review resulted in an extension of Ivers’ contract by one year, meaning he’s now contracted to be with RESA through at least June of 2021. Berrien RESA Board President Sharon Kalling says the board is very pleased with the district’s superintendent.. ...Read Full Story

Addiction experts are hoping to better educate the public about the nation’s opioid epidemic to help reduce the number of deaths. At a forum at St. Joseph Township Hall Wednesday, Berrien County Health Department Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist Kerri Teachout said opioids represent the “deadliest drug crisis in American history.” She told us a common way someone gets their hands on an opioid is via theft.. ...Read Full Story