Local News Archives

AAA Michigan says average gas prices statewide have fallen about 13¢ in the past week to about $2.90 per gallon. The auto club says the average price for self-serve regular unleaded gasoline is about 53¢ more than at the same point last year. Michigan’s lowest average price was $2.75 in the Traverse City area. The highest was $2.99 in the Ann Arbor area. AAA says it’s the eighth week in a row that the Ann Arbor area has had the highest average. In the Benton Harbor/St. Joseph area, we’re at $2.85, down 16¢ from last week. South Haven prices range from $2.77 to $2.82 according to GasBuddy, but those prices are not included in Triple-A’s survey.. ...Read Full Story

Police in Van Buren County are continuing to hunt for a murder suspect. There’s been no sign of 38-year-old Troy Taylor since he allegedly shot and killed 40-year-old Timothy Henley of Kalamazoo last Thursday night, except for the car Taylor was last driving being found behind a home near Paw Paw on Saturday. Van Buren County Sheriff’s Captain Virg Franks says right now, there’s not a lot they can say other than Taylor is believed to be armed and dangerous.. ...Read Full Story

South Bend police say a 37-year-old Benton Harbor man was killed this weekend near Notre Dame’s McConnell Family Boathouse. Our newsgathering partners at WNDU NewsCenter 16 report Eric Phillips was shot several times between 3:30 and 3:45 a.m. Saturday. His body was found by an off-duty police officer roughly three hours later as the officer was headed to breakfast. St. Joseph County Metro Homicide Commander Tim Corbett says they are looking for someone who was with Phillips who was seen running from the scene. No arrests have been made.. ...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

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

A 24-year-old man is recovering after being hit from behind on his bicycle in Cass County’s Volinia Township over the weekend. The sheriff’s department tells us Jason Howard of Decatur is expected to make a full recovery and suffered only minor injuries. He was hit just after 12:30 p.m. Sunday on Decatur Road by what police believe was a silver Ford Crown Victoria or similar sedan. The vehicle has front end damage to the right side from the crash. Howard was taken to Borgess Lee Memorial Hospital in Dowagiac for treatment.. ...Read Full Story

Benton Harbor City Commissioners this week approved the 2018-2019 budget, sending the city into the next fiscal year with a surplus of about $22,000. At the commission’s regular 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

Another Amazon fulfillment center is coming to Michigan. The company will locate its fourth center in the state in Gaines Township, south of Grand Rapids. Spokesperson Shevaun Brown says the when open, the facility will bring hundreds of jobs to the area.. ...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

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