Local News Archives

Coming soon to the Heritage Museum and Cultural Center in St. Joseph will be a presentation on the history of the American auto industry with a special guest speaker perfectly suited to discuss the subject. Matt Anderson, the curator at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, will be in St. Joseph on August 10. Heritage Museum Interim Director Tracy Gierada tells WSJM News he’ll talk about the origins of one of Michigan’s most important industries.. ...Read Full Story

A new report looks at the financial stability of the residents of all 50 states and finds Michiganders rank 27th. Kasey Weidrich, with Prosperity Now, tells WSJM News they looked at the savings the average resident has stashed away.. ...Read Full Story

As the Berrien County Parks Commission looks to make traffic work more efficiently at Silver Beach, it’s seeking public comments. Berrien County Parks Director Brian Bailey tells WSJM News they’re specifically looking at the entrance and exit from the beach.. ...Read Full Story

Former Western Michigan University football coach PJ Fleck is bringing his “row the boat” mentality to Minnesota. Speaking to reporters at the Big Ten Media Days, Fleck said he’s happy Western Michigan allowed him to use the saying at Minnesota.. ...Read Full Story

A man charged with murder in a 40-year-old death in Cass County has pleaded guilty. The prosecutor’s office says Raymond Richmond killed his cousin, Robert Stasiak, in 1977. The death was originally ruled a suicide, but in January of this year, a volunteer group called Seeking Justice began looking at the cold case again, leading to the charges. Richmond has pleaded guilty to second degree murder in the Ontwa Township death, which was the result of a shooting. As part of the plea deal, he’ll be sentenced to between 12 and 18 years in prison. A gun charge was dismissed. Sentencing will be September 15.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — Governor Rick Snyder has vetoed bills that would have accelerated sales tax breaks on car trade-ins. Snyder said Tuesday that the legislation conflicts with a compromise made with lawmakers in 2013. He says the bills would “create additional financial
strain” for the state. Under current law, a car owner trading in a vehicle for another pays sales tax on the difference between the two. But there are limits; this year, for example, it’s $3,500. The limit grows each year. The House Fiscal Agency says legislation vetoed by Snyder would have cost the Treasury about $15 million by 2021 if it had become law. The bills’ supporters say Michigan can afford greater tax breaks because the
economy has improved.. ...Read Full Story

A 52-year-old man is now charged with open murder in the death of a Niles woman last week. James Parker Huffman walked into the Niles Police Department on Monday and confessed to the killing of 52-year-old Angela Cluver. Police found her body in her home in the 900 block of South 14th Street not long after. An autopsy will be performed, but they believe she was strangled. Police say the victim’s body was in an advanced state of decomposition when they found it. Huffman was arraigned on Tuesday in Niles and bond was set at $1 million. He could get life in prison if convicted. Police believe Huffman and Cluver lived together at the home where the murder took place.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — The Michigan Supreme Court says a driveway is no refuge for a drunken driver. The court says authorities in suburban Detroit could charge Gino Rea with drunken driving, even if his car never left the driveway. The court says a driveway is “generally accessible to motor vehicles” under state law, even if on private property. Northville police went to Rea’s home three times one day to respond to noise complaints in 2014. At one point, an officer saw him drive out of the garage and pull back in. His blood-alcohol level was three times the legal limit. In a dissent Monday, justices Bridget McCormack and David Viviano say the court should be “hesitant to assume” that lawmakers wanted to extend their reach to the private property of homeowners.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — Eleven former workers at a state veterans home in Grand Rapids have been charged with keeping false records.
Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette says staff skipped room checks but reported that they performed the requirement. He announced felony charges Monday. Schuette’s office began investigating after a report by Michigan’s auditor general in 2016. The report found the veterans home failed to properly investigate allegations of abuse and neglect, among other problems. James Redford, head of veterans affairs, says the charges filed by Schuette go back to 2015. He says the company that supplied the nursing assistants was replaced. Schuette also released a five-page report with details on injuries or deaths of five people. He says there isn’t enough evidence to pursue charges.. ...Read Full Story

The city of St. Joseph is now offering a parking app for its parks. Deputy Public Works Director Greg Grothous tells WSJM News the Passport Parking app, available on iPhone and Android, will let you pay and renew parking without going up to those new machines.. ...Read Full Story

Anyone interested in learning about the history of Hartford will have a chance to do so next week at the library. It’s offering a “History of Hartford” presentation on Wednesday starting at 6 p.m. The program is led by local history expert Bob Latus [[LAY-tus]], who tells us the town began around the 1840s, and really saw a development boom in the 1870s with the expansion of railroads. His presentation next week will focus on that, as well as the significant role the Pokagons have had on the area. He’s also asking people who have old photos of Hartford to bring them by so they can be copied and kept at the library. Anyone can show up.. ...Read Full Story

St. Joseph City Commissioners have given the green light to a sign at Lake Bluff Park to advertise what the newly-redone green roof at the Silver Beach Center Curious Kids Discovery Zone. The Curious Kids Museum’s Lori Marciniak tells WSJM News they’ve had vegetation on the roof since 2010. It was redone in May.. ...Read Full Story

Preparations are now underway for the 166th Cass County Fair. The Cassopolis event is set for next week, and all kinds of attractions will be offered. The fair board tells us Sunday, the first official day, will feature the opening parade at 5 p.m. followed by the grandstand event at 7 p.m. It’s the Street Legal Pickup Truck and Semi Tractor Pulls. Next Monday will be Veterans Day, meaning free admission for vets, along with the opening of the carnival at 5 p.m. and the talent show at 7. Next Tuesday will be Kids Day with the NTPA Regional National Truck and Tractor Pulls at 7 PM. Wednesday will be Senior Citizens Day with country singer Caroline Kole on the grandstand. Other headlining events the following days will be SJO Motocross and a monster truck show. You can find the schedule at MyCassCountyFair.com.. ...Read Full Story

Beginning July 31, more than 270 tax foreclosed properties in eight Michigan counties will be up for grabs. Ron Leix, with the Michigan Department of Treasury, tells Michigan News Network the state does acquire land that needs to go.. ...Read Full Story

The owners of a bar in Paw Paw are cleaning up after a couple of suspects broke into the place early Monday and did a large amount of damage. The Van Buren County Sheriff’s Department tells us the two broke into McCarty’s North 40 Bar on M-40 around 2 a.m. They cut the wires to some of the bar’s many security cameras, but police have been able to get a few images. The suspects were wearing bandannas over their faces and matching striped shirts. In addition to the damage, the two stole some money. Anyone with information on the crime is asked to call the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Department.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — A man has been arraigned in the death of his ex-wife’s husband – one of two Michigan slayings in which he’s a suspect. MLive reports that 32-year-old Zachary Patten appeared Monday in St. Joseph County District Court on murder, home invasion and gun charges. Shane Richardson was shot Thursday night in Florence Township, just north of the Indiana state line. Patten also is a suspect in the fatal shooting of 31-year-old Graciela Portillo-Esparza in Kalamazoo about 45 minutes before the 29-year-old Richardson was shot. No charges have been filed in that killing. Patten was arrested Friday after he approached officers in South Bend, Indiana, and told them he “needed to be arrested.” A judge assigned Patten a court-appointed lawyer. An Aug. 15 preliminary examination has been scheduled.. ...Read Full Story

One man is in custody for the murder of a woman in Niles. The Niles Police Department says the suspect walked into the police station on Monday and confessed to the killing. A woman’s body was then found in a home in the 900 block of South 14th Street. Police say the victim appears to have been in her 50s, and they believe she was strangled on Friday. An autopsy is planned. The suspect’s name hasn’t been released, but police says he is in his 50s. He remains locked up in Niles.. ...Read Full Story

An Indiana man and a Dowagiac man are in the Cass County Jail this morning on drug charges after a bust Saturday. Dowagiac officers pulled over a vehicle after recognizing the driver, who had an outstanding warrant. That driver, a 25-year-old former Dowagiac resident who now lives in Elkhart, was arrested on several warrants while his passenger, a 24-year-old man, was busted for a parole violation. Officers found narcotics and evidence of drug dealing while searching the car, and both men are facing several charges as a result. They are expected to be arraigned today.. ...Read Full Story

(South Bend, IN – AP) – A tribal casino set to open its doors in South Bend next year has opened an employment office in the northern Indiana city. The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians says the new office was scheduled to open Monday in downtown South Bend’s Union Station. It will be the primary human resources office for the 1,200 workers expected to be hired for the Four Winds Casino South Bend.. ...Read Full Story

Our state continues to have some of the most volatile gas price swings in the country. According to the latest survey from Triple-A Michigan, the state had the fourth largest change in average price in the past week, going up a nickel to $2.40 a gallon. The most and least expensive cities remains unchanged for the third straight week, with our prices in Benton Harbor and St. Joseph being the state’s lowest at $2.36, up 8¢. Jackson has the highest average at $2.43. GasBuddy puts the prices in South Haven between $2.29 and $2.39 a gallon.. ...Read Full Story

Everyone is safe, but there were some frightening moments yesterday morning in Geneva Township when a limousine bus caught fire. According to South Haven Area Emergency Services, the vehicle stalled on County Road 384 near 65th Street just before 9 a.m. Two passengers noticed smoke coming from the engine, and everyone was able to get out as the fire spread quickly. Officials say it took 600 gallons of water to put out the fire, and the vehicle is a total loss. No one was hurt.. ...Read Full Story

The Van Buren County community of Breedsville will hold a ribbon cutting on a newly reconstructed bridge this coming week. On Friday, they’ll celebrate completion of the Pine Street bridge, which leads into town from the south. The bridge collapsed in December of 2015 when they believe a heavy vehicle drove over it. Village Clerk Linda Norton tells us it’s been a hardship to have the bridge out.. ...Read Full Story

A paving project is about to get started on M-140 in Berrien and Van Buren counties. It will be about ten miles of the road from South Haven to Watervliet. The Michigan Department of Transportation’s Nick Schirripa tells WSJM News traffic will remain open southbound, but there will be changes for northbound.. ...Read Full Story

Following news this month that the state of Michigan saw a continued increase in opioid deaths last year, Michigan State Police in southwest Michigan tells us they’ve seen the trend locally. Although she doesn’t have exact numbers, MSP Lieutenant Melinda Logan tells WSJM News opioid abuse leading to death is all too familiar to local cops.. ...Read Full Story

A new partnership between Benton Harbor Area Schools, the YMCA, the Boys and Girls Club, and others is enabling children in Benton Harbor to take part in positive, educational activities this summer at two area parks. “Summer Impact” offers the young people a chance to play basketball, take drama and art classes, and get free meals. The YMCA’s Jerry Price tells us lots of kids come out to Broadway and City Center Parks each day for the programs.. ...Read Full Story

Indiana Michigan Power and its Cook nuclear power plant have announced a landmark donation to the Lakeland Medical Center Pavilion project. Lakeland CEO Loren Hamel tells WSJM News AEP and its foundation are giving $375,000 to the effort. Specifically, it’s going to the pavilion’s Wound Center and hyperbaric chamber.. ...Read Full Story

The Van Buren County community of Breedsville will hold a ribbon cutting on a newly reconstructed bridge next week. On Friday, they’ll celebrate completion of the Pine Street bridge, which leads into town from the south. The bridge collapsed in December of 2015 when they believe a heavy vehicle drove over it. Village Clerk Linda Norton tells us it’s been a hardship to have the bridge out.. ...Read Full Story

There are more than 46 million cars and trucks with defective Takata air bags have yet to be repaired, with only 35% of car owners getting the free repairs from dealerships. In Michigan, Stephen Ridella of the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration tells Michigan News Network those numbers can only go up.. ...Read Full Story

A 19-year-old Edwardsburg man is recovering after a single-vehicle crash in Cass County Saturday afternoon. The sheriff’s department tells WSJM News it happened around 3:50 on Runkle Street near Beebe Road in Milton Township. The driver, Trevor Rutledge, lost control of his vehicle in a curve. The vehicle then rolled and overturned. Rutledge was taken to a hospital by ambulance to be treated for his injuries. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.. ...Read Full Story

The Berrien County Health Department is hoping parents will talk with their kids about the dangers of marijuana following a recent report which found many teens don’t take the drug seriously. Prevention specialist Kerri Teachout tells WSJM News the kids don’t know how potent a lot of newer marijuana products are.. ...Read Full Story

Berrien County is planning a pesticide container recycling event. Next Wednesday, from 9 a.m. to 3 pm. they’ll take empty pesticide containers to be recycled free of charge. They have to be rinsed out, dry, and cut to a smaller size than 2.5 gallons. The drop off locations will be the Berrien County Road Commission office on Napier Avenue in Benton Township and Co-Alliance Propane in Buchanan. For more information, visit BerrienCounty.org/Recycle.. ...Read Full Story

State Senator John Proos is co-sponsoring new legislation designed to ensure cancer patients have access to all forms of chemotherapy. Senate Bill 492 requires an insurance plan, as long as it covers chemotherapy, to cover all varieties that can be administered.. ...Read Full Story

Businesses in downtown Kalamazoo will be vying for the title of the city’s best salsa-maker on Saturday. It’s the third-annual Kalamazoo Salsa Cook-Off. Millennium Restaurant Group’s Brandy Gulley told WKZO News the free event starts at 11 a.m. and kicks off Summer Restaurant Week.. ...Read Full Story

The city of Bridgman is getting to work on a new master plan, and it’s inviting residents to make their thoughts known. A master plan guides development within a community for years to come, and as Bridgman leaders craft the plan for their town, they’re talking with experts in areas of community resilience and issues related specifically to Bridgman. Each public meeting on the master plan will also include group exercises. Some of the topics will be economic planning and coastal management. The first public meeting will be held on Monday, July 31 at 7 p.m. in the Weko Beach House. Subsequent meetings are set for Thursday, August 17 and Tuesday, September 12 at the same time and place. You can find out more about the process at www.ResilientMichigan.org/Bridgman.. ...Read Full Story

Volunteers are being sought to serve as sexual assault victim advocates in Berrien County. Teresa Yoakum, an RN with Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners, tells WSJM News they need compassionate people who can sit and comfort the survivor of a sex assault.. ...Read Full Story

The Pokagon Fund has announced the commissioning of a new sculpture that will be displayed in downtown New Buffalo as part of the ongoing redevelopment project there. The fund has kicked in about $1.6 million in the effort to fix infrastructure and beautify downtown New Buffalo. Acting Director John Krsul tells WSJM News the sculpture by Sawyer-based Fritz Olsen represents Pokagon traditions.. ...Read Full Story

The American Heart Association and the Michigan Health Food Access Campaign are teaming up to expand access to fresh fruits and vegetables. David Hodgkins, with the association, tells Michigan New Network the Michigan Corner Store Initiative will allow grocers to apply for grants.. ...Read Full Story

The Berrien County Board of Commissioners is weighing its options when it comes to the county road commission. Berrien County Administrator Bill Wolf tells WSJM News he’s been studying the road commission after some recent turmoil, and it’s looking like the county commission may want to intervene, which is can do.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — Governor Rick Snyder is asking President Donald Trump for a disaster declaration after flooding caused damage in four mid-Michigan counties. The request made Friday seeks supplementary federal aid to help people with temporary housing, home repairs, low-cost loans and other assistance. The flash flooding occurred in Bay, Isabella, Gladwin and Midland counties in June. Snyder’s request will be reviewed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which will advise Trump on whether it should be granted. It’s not clear how much damage was caused by the severe weather and flooding, but Snyder calls it a “historic flood” and says “we’re looking at every resource to help them rebuild.”. ...Read Full Story

A fugitive wanted for a pair of Thursday night murders in southwest Michigan has been found and arrested in South Bend, Indiana. 32-year-old Zachary Patten of Portage was taken into custody Friday. No additional details were given. Police say he shot a 31-year-old woman at the Americana Estates mobile home park on Kalamazoo’s west side, then shot 29-year-old Shane Richardson at a home in Constantine Township before fleeing the state.. ...Read Full Story

Authorities in southwest Michigan are looking for a man they believe killed two people in separate Thursday night homicides. The suspected killer, 32-year-old Zachary Patten, is considered armed and dangerous and remains on the run. Authorities with Kalamazoo Public Safety believe he shot and killed a 31-year-old woman at a mobile home park on the west side of Kalamazoo after 9:30 p.m. St. Joseph County Sheriff’s detectives believe he was also involved in a murder later that night south of Kalamazoo in Constantine. Patten is said to be driving a 2004 silver or gray Chrysler Pacifica with a “skeleton family” sticker on the back and a spare tire mounted on the front.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — A new policy at the Michigan Department of Corrections is opening the door for more transgender inmates to receive transition-related treatments. The revised policy was put into place June 26. Prior to the change, inmates were only allowed to receive treatment if such care was already scheduled before the person was incarcerated. Now, inmates can receive hormone therapy and gender-affirming surgery while still in prison. If an inmate believes they are gender dysphoric, the corrections department’s new Gender Dysphoria Collaborative Review Committee will look at the inmate’s medical history and give a medical and psychological evaluation to potentially approve treatment. Gender dysphoria is defined as a conflict between a person’s assigned gender and the gender they identify with. MDOC says there are currently 50 transgender inmates across 30 Michigan facilities.. ...Read Full Story

Congressman Fred Upton says he is pulling for his friend, Arizona Senator John McCain. It was revealed this week McCain has been diagnosed with brain cancer, an aggressive form of it. Upton tells WSJM News McCain has been a force to be reckoned with in Washington.. ...Read Full Story

The Berrien County Democratic Party is planning to hold a summer celebration this weekend. The Food, Family, and Freedom Celebration will be Saturday at Lincoln Charter Township Park in Stevensville. Party Communications Chair Dr. Larry Feldman tells us the Dems are quite motivated right now, with a half dozen of them seeking the Sixth District House seat.. ...Read Full Story

One year after the first Rock the Boat Cardboard Boat Races for the United Way of Southwest Michigan, the event has proven to have staying power. 30 boats took part in Thursday’s second annual event, compared to six last year. Teams built their boats out of cardboard, duct tape, and polyurethane and raced them in the St. Joseph River off the Inn at Harbor Shores to raise money for the United Way. WSJM sister station Rock 107 WIRX had morning host Brock Havens and his crew out there. They were talking big ahead of the run.. ...Read Full Story

If you haven’t been to Hartford this week for the Van Buren Youth Fair, you’re running out of time. The events continue through the end of Saturday. Fair board member Paul Garrod tells WSJM News there are still some big nightly attractions.. ...Read Full Story

Funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative has been preserved in a House spending bill which passed committee this week. Congressman Fred Upton tells WSJM News the initiative’s usual allocation is included in environmental spending legislation the Appropriations Committee has moved.. ...Read Full Story

The Benton Harbor Department of Public Safety is looking for a person of interest following a Wednesday shooting. The department tells us officers were called to Lakeland Hospital around 12:30 p.m. to investigate a patient who was wounded with a gunshot. They discovered the victim, 35-year-old Darnell Walker of Benton Harbor, had been wounded that day by gunfire in the city. Police say they developed several leads in the case, and are now looking for 28-year-old Lineson Fitzgerald Powell of Benton Harbor. He also goes by the nickname “Drama.” A previously mentioned person of interest has since been located. Anyone with information on Powell’s location, or on the shooting, is asked to contact the Benton Harbor Department of Public Safety.. ...Read Full Story

Set to begin next month is a series of meetings of the new state House Mental Health Task Force. Sitting on that body will be Berrien Springs state Representative Dave Pagel, who tells WSJM News the goal is to examine mental health in Michigan comprehensively. He says his work on prison budgets is why he was chosen. Pagel notes many individuals who wind up in prison have an underlying mental illness.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — Congressional Republicans are moving forward with legislation to roll back the Endangered Species Act, amid complaints that the 44-year-old law hinders drilling, logging and other activities. House and Senate committees were holding simultaneous hearings Wednesday on bills to revise the law and limit lengthy and costly litigation associated with it. The bills come as a federal court lifted federal protections for gray wolves in Wyoming and the Trump administration is removing protections for grizzly bears in and near Yellowstone National Park. House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Rob Bishop said the bills would curb excessive litigation and allow officials to focus on actual species conservation. Rep. Raul Grijalva, the panel’s senior Democrat, said the endangered species law “does not need congressional meddling to work better. What it needs is congressional support.”. ...Read Full Story

The host of a show on News/Talk 94.9 WSJM will be among the four speakers on stage at the Mendel Center for the 2017-18 Economic Club of Southwestern Michigan Speaker Series. Dave Ramsey will be the first speaker of the upcoming season on Tuesday, September 19. He will be followed by former British Prime Minister David Cameron, though the date for his speech is not being announced just yet. On Thursday, April 12, Captain Chesley Sullenberger, best known as “Sully” will speak. He is a former pilot and author of “Miracle on the Hudson,” documenting his splash-landing of a US Airways jet on the Hudson River in 2009 after the plane hit a flock of geese just after takeoff in New York City. The last speaker is comedian Steve Martin, who will be in town Tuesday, May 8.. ...Read Full Story

State Senator John Proos has issued a warning to southwest Michigan residents about summer tax scams. He tells us the would-be scammers call unsuspecting homeowners claiming they owe back taxes. The scammer then demands immediate payment. Proos tells us a real tax agency wouldn’t do that.. ...Read Full Story

This weekend, several Niles businesses are planning to team up in an effort to get marijuana legalized in the state of Michigan. Matt Johnson, owner of Lush Lighting in the Belle Plaza, tells WSJM News they’re holding a party to collect signatures for the latest petition drive, this time called MILegalize.. ...Read Full Story

Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s deputies will soon be receiving training in how to spot and prevent elder abuse. Sheriff Richard Fuller tells WKZO News police have recognized over the years that the exploitation of the elderly is often perpetrated by family and caretakers. The training will explore several areas.. ...Read Full Story

The recently-opened tasting room for Lake Michigan College’s wine program will hold a grand opening celebration this weekend. Lake Michigan Vintners Brand Manager Laura Morris tells WSJM News the storefront on First Street in Baroda sells all nine varieties of wine LMC students make.. ...Read Full Story

Southwestern Michigan College has held its first ever agriculture science camp for middle school students. It started this Tuesday with a field trip to a 1,600 acre Cassopolis dairy farm. There, the 14 kids learned all about grass-fed longhorn beef and custom butchering. They also got to explore the nearby Newton Woods. The acre area is part of Fred Russ Forest where researchers study Christmas tree seed production and other projects aimed at preserving the diversity of Michigan forests. The SMC Agricultural Science Camp is designed to teach kids in rural areas all about how area farms function.. ...Read Full Story

Representatives of several environmental groups are calling on Congressman Fred Upton to oppose the Trump administration’s environmental agenda. They held a press conference Wednesday in St. Joseph. Upper Midwest Organizer for Moms Clean Air Force Kelly Nichols told WSJM News proposed cuts to the Environmental Protection Agency would be a disaster.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — Michigan’s unemployment rate fell to 3.8 percent during June while the number of people in the workforce continued to decline. The Michigan Department of Technology, Management & Budget announced Wednesday the June rate compared to a rate of 4.2 percent during May and was a full percentage point lower than the June 2016 rate of 4.8 percent. The national rate in June was 4.4 percent. The agency says Michigan’s workforce shrunk by 29,000 during June. The number of unemployed workers fell by 20,000 and total employment declined by 9,000. Bureau of Labor Market Information and Strategic Initiatives Director Jason Palmer says the June decline in the unemployment rate reflected a second consecutive month of a reduced labor force after several months of steady workforce growth in 2016 and early 2017.. ...Read Full Story

Just on board for a week, the new head of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation has many goals in mind. Jeff Mason tells Michigan News Network his goals are not only to continue efforts to bring new business into the state of Michigan, but also to maintain and build the relationships that already exist.. ...Read Full Story

The state House is looking at how to help Michigan residents facing mental health issues. Representative Klint Kesto of Commerce Township will co-chair a bi-partisan task force and says they will be going all over the state to meet with substance abuse treatment centers, courts, corrections institutions, rehab facilities and mental health institutions. He spoke with Michigan News Network about the plan.. ...Read Full Story