Set for this week is an event to help out Berrien County law enforcement agencies while also raising awareness about human trafficking. Cathy Knauf with the Southwest Michigan Human Trafficking Task Force tells WSJM News they’re holding a 5K corn maze run. She says the event at Barbott Farms is one of a kind.. ...Read Full Story
With the Trump administration promising to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, a workshop is coming up this weekend in Kalamazoo for affected immigrants to renew their DACA status. Anyone whose DACA expires between September and March have to renew by October 5. Justice For Our Neighbors Attorney Katrina Pradelski told WKZO News that renewal should shield “Dreamers” for another two years.. ...Read Full Story
From the Associated Press — Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Schuette has won the endorsements of former Governor John Engler and former congresswoman and Secretary of State Candice Miller. In comments released by Schuette’s campaign Monday, Engler told Gongwer News Service that the Michigan attorney general is “in some ways the most experienced and most varied in background of anybody who’s run in a very long time.” When Engler was governor, he chose the “very talented” Schuette to lead the agriculture department. Miller, Macomb County’s public works commissioner, also has endorsed Schuette. She calls him “our strongest candidate.” Schuette, who’s visiting Upper Peninsula businesses, is vying to succeed term-limited Governor Rick Snyder. Other Republicans running are state Sen. Patrick Colbeck and Dr. Jim Hines. Lieutenant Governor Brian Calley is considering a run.. ...Read Full Story
Everyone’s being reminded to be cautious around railroad crossings as part of U.S. Rail Safety Week this week. Michigan Operation Lifesaver Coordinator Sam Crowl tells WSJM News too many drivers and pedestrians seem to forget what to do when they’re near railroad tracks.. ...Read Full Story
Chris Heugel has resigned from the St. Joseph City Commission. In a letter addressed to Mayor Mike Garey, Heugel says it’s with a heavy heart that he’s stepping down. Heugel goes on to say he’s closed on his home in the city and is moving to the township. Therefore, he can no longer serve on the city commission. Heugel adds in his letter that it’s been “a true privilege and an honor” to serve. He was first elected to the city commission in 2013, taking office that November. Heugel’s term ends in November of 2019, and it’s now the city commission’s job to pick a replacement to serve out the remainder. In the past 20 years, there have been two occasions on which a city commissioner resigned. They were Charles LaSata in 1998, and Chad Mandarino in 2007.. ...Read Full Story
Congressman Fred Upton spent his weekend edging closer to a run for the U.S. Senate. At the Mackinac Republican Leadership Conference, Upton took informal steps toward entering the race to challenge long-time Democratic Senator Debbie Stabenow. The St. Joseph Republican cautions he’s still a ways off from making any announcement, but several top GOP members are expecting him to make the move. Declared Republican candidates so far are former Michigan Supreme Court Chief Justice Bob Young and businessman and Iraq War veteran John James. Grosse Pointe businessman Sandy Penser is also expected to run and spend a lot of his own money in the race.. ...Read Full Story
With Hurricane Harvey’s destruction behind us, our gas prices are continuing to slide lower. In Benton Harbor and St. Joseph, Triple-A Michigan says our average price is down 13¢ from last week to $2.43 a gallon. The state average has dropped 12¢ to the 10th lowest in the country at $2.42. The state’s lowest prices can be found for the second straight week in the Saginaw/Bay City/Midland region of those AAA surveys, where it’s $2.32. The auto club says the most expensive gas is in Marquette at $2.54. South Haven is not included in AAA’s survey, which is why the average there of $2.26 isn’t included among the state’s lowest gas prices. AAA says Michigan’s drop of 12¢ is the second-largest drop this week in the country.. ...Read Full Story
An Illinois man has died following a tubing accident on Lake Michigan despite what the Berrien County Sheriff’s Department describes as “gallant efforts” to save him. 66-year-old Robert Amenitsch of Niles, Illinois was on a tube being towed at a slow speed by his son, Michael, of Stevensville. Police say the man rolled on his back and then into the water about two miles north of the piers in St. Joseph. His son turned the boat around immediately, and found his father unresponsive. He was taken to the beach with the help of good Samaritans for CPR and then to the U.S. Coast Guard station by the USCG vessel, where he was pronounced dead. The incident happened in a “no wake” zone of the lake north of Rocky Gap County Park just after 3:30 Sunday afternoon. Police are still investigating.. ...Read Full Story
From the Associated Press — Health officials say four adults in western Michigan’s Kent County have tested positive for the West Nile virus and another is suspected of having the mosquito-borne disease. The county’s Health Department says it’s not know where they may have
contracted the virus, but County Health Officer Adam London says “mosquitoes are still quite active” and people should take precautions against bites. The virus was identified in three Michigan birds in May, the earliest such detection of the virus spreading through the state in a decade. Symptoms of the disease include fever, confusion, muscles weakness and severe headache. More serious complications include neurological illnesses, such as meningitis and encephalitis. Last year, the state says there were 43 serious illnesses and three deaths
related to West Nile virus in Michigan.. ...Read Full Story
All throughout the month of October, the seven branches of the Van Buren District Library will be working to prevent bullying. It’s part of a national effort, and the library’s Kay McAdams tells WSJM News there will be a variety of special programs.. ...Read Full Story
An armed robbery suspect remains on the loose in west Michigan. South Haven police say they arrested one suspect around 1 p.m. Sunday near the 400 block of Huron Street, where they’d been called for an armed robbery. The second suspect has been identified as 21-year-old Michael James Gray II, who is believed to now be either in the Grand Rapids or South Haven areas. Gray is originally from North Carolina, and may still be armed with a black semi-automatic handgun.. ...Read Full Story
More than 2.6 million people have signed up to be organ donors in the state of Michigan since Secretary of State Ruth Johnson took office in 2011. Secretary of State spokesperson Laura Lehman tells WSJM News that’s quite an improvement.. ...Read Full Story
Lake Michigan College is gearing up for its next annual College Night. LMC Director of Admissions Jeremy Schaeffer tells WSJM News it’s a chance for one and all to come out and meet representatives of colleges from all over the country as students consider which institutions they want to attend.. ...Read Full Story
The Michigan Secretary of State’s mobile branch office will be in Bangor tomorrow. Spokesperson Laura Lehman tells WSJM News the mobile office travels all over Michigan to offer convenient service to residents.. ...Read Full Story
The Van Buren County Sheriff’s Department is looking for a missing woman. They say 44-year-old Patricia Ann Thorpe left her sisters residence at 302 North State Street in Gobles sometime between 12:30 AM and 8:00 AM on Sunday, September 24th. She did not leave a note and did not bring her phone with her. Thorpe is developmentally disabled and suffers from a speech impediment. She was last seen wearing black pajama pants with animal print on them, a white T-shirt and black shoes. She should also be wearing glasses. She should be in possession of an over the shoulder purse as well. She is described as five foot tall and weighs 105 pounds. It is unknown on where she is headed. There is concern for her safety due to her developmental disorder as well as the extreme heat in the area. . ...Read Full Story
The Michigan State Police Angels Program is now up and running. Launched Monday, Angels offers individuals seeking help with an addiction to come to a state police post and ask for treatment with no fear of being arrested. MSP Lieutenant Dale Hinz at the Paw Paw post tells WSJM News the key now is to get the word out.. ...Read Full Story
The clock is ticking on Congress to approve a replacement for DACA, or the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. It’s enabled nearly 800,000 illegal immigrants brought into this country as children to work and avoid the fear of deportation to countries that, in some cases, they don’t even know. DACA has affected immigrants right here in Berrien County, including “Estela” and Luz. Each is from Mexico and each is 20 years old. WSJM News spoke with them and learned Estela has applied for DACA and is waiting to be approved. She’s been in the United States since she was six years old, and tells us she doesn’t know what would happen if she were sent back to Mexico.. ...Read Full Story
The United Way of Southwest Michigan is looking for volunteers for this fall’s Day of Action for Seniors. The organization’s Julee Laurent tells WSJM News that’s when hundreds of folks across Berrien and Cass counties rake the yards of seniors and do other work to help them get ready for the winter.. ...Read Full Story
Set for next month is a presentation in Berrien Springs by Berrien County Judge Charles LaSata. The topic — Berrien County’s Specialty Courts. Judge LaSata will speak to the League of Women Voters of Berrien and Cass Counties at the RESA building. Berrien County has four specialty courts. They are the Drug Treatment Court, the Drug Court, the Domestic Violence Court, and “Swift and Sure.” Judge LaSata presides over all four, and at the October 5 presentation, he’ll talk about how each one works and what the goals are. The League of Women Voters tells us Judge LaSata’s presentation, “Specialty Courts in Berrien County-Healing Victims and Offenders,” will be at Berrien RESA in Berrien Springs on Thursday, October 5 at 6:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.. ...Read Full Story
Three people are in custody after a stolen motorcycle was found in Dowagiac. The Cass County Sheriff’s Department tells our newsroom that around 3:30 Saturday afternoon, Deputies were investigating a stolen motorcycle complaint in Cassopolis. A short time later a Deputy on patrol in the Dowagiac area located the stolen motorcycle at the Marathon gas station at M-51 and M-152 intersection where an adult male was taken into custody. Also at that time a vehicle that was also involved in stealing the motorcycle was located at the gas station which was reported stolen out of Kansas. An adult female and juvenile female were taken into custody as well. The adult female and adult male were taken to the Cass County Jail and the juvenile female was turned over to Probate Court. The incident is still under investigation and they report additional charges may be pending. . ...Read Full Story
A new scholarship for low-income students has been announced by the Berrien Community Foundation. President Lisa Cripps-Downey closed out Wednesday’s annual meeting by unveiling the Trefz Family Scholarship, based on a $500,000 endowment. Cripps-Downey told WSJM News it’s all thanks to a trust a woman named Josephine Trefz created when she sold some land which is now part of Lincoln Township Park.. ...Read Full Story
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is calling on all men to be aware of their prostate cancer risks. Spokesperson Angela Minicuci tells WSJM News talking to your doctor is critical.. ...Read Full Story
About one in four Americans are planning to take a trip this fall. AAA’s Susan Hiltz tells WSJM News the latest travel forecast shows autumn is becoming a more popular time for a vacation. She says there’s plenty to do in Michigan.. ...Read Full Story
Lake Michigan College is seeking the lease for the Western Michigan University building on its Napier Avenue campus. The board of trustees Wednesday voted to move forward on a request to transfer a long-term lease agreement with the state of Michigan to LMC at a cost of $2.7 million. LMC President Dr. Trevor Kubatzke tells WSJM News WMU will still hold the same programs there, but this gives LMC a place to expand some of its own programs.. ...Read Full Story
Benton Harbor City Commissioners have shot down, at least for now, a request for the purchase of some public safety cameras. At Monday’s meeting, the commission tabled a plan to spend $67,000 on five HD, 360 degree cameras that would assist with crime prevention in key areas of the city. Mayor Marcus Muhammad had privacy concerns, and felt commissioners should be more involved in the placement of the cameras.. ...Read Full Story
Coming soon to Andrews University will be a performance by the United States Air Force Band of Mid-America. The university tells us the 45 piece ensemble plays music from symphonic band masterworks to traditional marches to modern compositions to pops and jazz. It will perform at the Howard Performing Arts Center on October 12 at 7 p.m. The program will include standard concert band and popular music from each decade since 1947, ending with a patriotic salute those who have served the nation. The concert band has performed for such dignitaries as Pope John Paul II, Presidents George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush and Jimmy Carter, as well as the Queen of the Netherlands. Admission to the Andrews University show will be free, but you do need to get a ticket. You can get tickets right here.. ...Read Full Story
Taking place this Saturday is yet another Bissell Pet Foundation “Empty the Shelters” event. Bissell’s Holly Kroeze tells us the Grand Rapids-based Bissell foundation will pay the adoption fees for animals adopted in nearly 20 shelters around the country. That includes the Van Buren County Animal Control Shelter in Hartford. The event comes in response to the hurricanes down south. Bissell has been bringing critters from shelters in Florida and Texas to Michigan.. ...Read Full Story
Van Buren County residents are being invited to sign up for the sheriff’s department’s next Citizens Police Academy. It’s a chance for anyone in the public to learn all about what a police officer does. The program starts on January 17 of next year, and runs for eleven weeks. Those who take part will learn about an officer’s duties, how the officer carries them out, and what the results can be. Van Buren County Sheriff Daniel Abbot tells us he believes the academy is a valuable experience for those who join. The sessions will be held on Wednesdays from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Van Buren County sheriff’s Department in Paw Paw. You have to be a county resident and at least 18 years old. To find out more, go to VBCSheriff.com.. ...Read Full Story
If you’re looking for a new animal friend, then the Van Buren County Animal Control Shelter is the place for you tomorrow afternoon. They’re holding a special adoption event thanks to the Bissell Pet Foundation. Animal Control’s Kasey Murphy tells WSJM News the shelter now has a large number of dogs flown up from Florida following Hurricane Irma.. ...Read Full Story
Set for next Wednesday is Southwestern Michigan College’s annual College Night. SMC Vice President of Marketing Mike O’Brien tells WSJM News it’s for both SMC students and high school students.. ...Read Full Story
Continuing through this Saturday is the St. Joseph County Grange Fair in Centreville. It’s one of the latest in the season county fairs to be held in Michigan, and a big focus is agriculture. With that in mind, MSU Extension has been featuring a special commodities carnival as part of the fair. It’s an exhibit that delves into the financial aspect of maintaining livestock, says MSU Extension’s Betty Jo Krosnicki. She spoke with WSJM News about the Commodity Carnival.. ...Read Full Story
One person is dead following a crash in Cass County on Friday. The Cass County Sheriff’s Department tells us it happened shortly before 4 p.m. on Robinson Road south of Buffalo Lane in Jefferson Township. A vehicle driven by 52-year-old Daniel Albert Dolan of Cassopolis lost control going around a curve on Robinson and crossed the center line. Dolan’s vehicle was then struck broadside by a large grain hauling truck. Dolan was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the truck was not injured. Police say the crash remains under investigation.. ...Read Full Story
Some students who took part in an Andrews University summer program have created a new sculpture for Cafe Gulistan in Harbert. The Renaissance Kids, a summer architecture camp run by Andrews, spent the season working on the design inspired by cafe owner Ibrahim Parlak. Renaissance Kids Director Mark Moreno spoke with WSJM News about the project.. ...Read Full Story
The spirit of the fall is being celebrated this weekend in St. Joseph. It’s time for the annual Fall Festival downtown on Friday and Saturday. St. Joe Today’s Amy Zapal tells WSJM News there will be family fun all day Saturday, followed by the wine festival at 4 p.m. That includes the public art auction.. ...Read Full Story
The Michigan Public Service Commission has met to consider a request from Consumers Energy to pay $184 million for a plan to get out of its contract to buy power from the Palisades nuclear power plant. At a Friday hearing, the MPSC concluded Consumers could pay $142 million, less than its request. The MPSC’s Nick Assendelft spoke with WSJM News about the decision.. ...Read Full Story
Set for Saturday is the Berrien RESA Festival of Families. RESA spokesperson Karen Heath tells WSJM News the fifth annual event will feature information on all of the services offered to kids around Berrien County. On hand will be groups like the Boys and Girls Club, the Red Cross, and the Berrien County Health department. There’s also some fun.. ...Read Full Story
Berrien County is planning a household chemical and electronics recycling event for this weekend. On Saturday, you can stop by Silver Beach County Park between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. to drop off items sitting around in your house that might need to be properly disposed. Those items include household and garage chemicals, liquids and cleaners, pills, sharps, and other home medical waste, batteries of all sizes, and electronics. Most items are free to drop off, although there will be a $20 fee for televisions and a $10 fee for computer monitors. Anyone looking for more information can go to BerrienCounty.org/Recycle.. ...Read Full Story
An Indiana man who pleaded guilty to killing his cousin in 1977 in southwest Michigan has been sentenced to 12 to 18 years in prison. Cass Circuit Judge Mark Herman sentenced 58-year-old Raymond Richmond on Friday after accepting the agreement in which the South Bend man pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. The shooting death of 25-year-old Robert Stasiak in Edwardsburg initially was deemed a suicide, but the investigation was reopened in 2015 and Stasiak’s body exhumed for an autopsy. Richmond, who was 18 at the time of Stasiak’s death, was charged last year. Authorities have said they believe Richmond fatally shot Stasiak for flushing the defendant’s marijuana down a toilet. Richmond apologized in court for his actions. Stasiak’s widow, Kathy Hamburger, says her daughter blamed her for the suspected suicide.. ...Read Full Story
With the Mackinac Republican Leadership Conference underway on Mackinac Island, speculation is ramping up about the future for several southwest Michigan members of the GOP. There are now multiple reports that Congressman Fred Upton is seriously weighing a run for the U.S. Senate next year, fueled by a new logo on invitations to a reception on the island with “Upton 2018” over the outline of the state of Michigan and new online ads with the line “let’s win Michigan in 2018!” On Twitter, Jonathan Oosting of “The Detroit News” reports Senator John Proos is eyeing Upton’s 6th District seat if the incumbent goes for the Senate. Proos tells WSJM News he doesn’t yet have anything on the record to say on that speculation. Chad Livengood of “Crain’s Detroit Business” also reports there are Republicans who will be trying to talk former state Representative and current Michigan Lottery Commissioner Aric Nesbitt into running for Upton’s seat as well.. ...Read Full Story
New polling results have been released regarding the race for governor. If the Republican primary were held today, MRG Polling Firm says Bill Schuette would garner 33% of the vote, others significantly less. Michigan News Network Lansing Bureau Chief Tim Skubick tells us there’s a front runner among Democrats.. ...Read Full Story
The clock is ticking on Congress to approve a replacement for DACA, or the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. It’s enabled nearly 800,000 illegal immigrants brought into this country as children to work and avoid the fear of deportation to countries that, in some cases, they don’t even know. DACA has affected immigrants right here in Berrien County, including “Estela” and Luz. Each is from Mexico and each is 20 years old. WSJM News spoke with them and learned Estela has applied for DACA and is waiting to be approved. She’s been in the United States since she was six years old, and tells us she doesn’t know what would happen if she were sent back to Mexico.. ...Read Full Story
From the Associated Press — A relative says the baby born of a Michigan woman who chose to forego chemotherapy to give birth to the child has died. Sonya Nelson says her niece, Life Lynn DeKlyen, died Wednesday evening at University of Michigan Hospital in Ann Arbor. Life’s mother, Carrie DeKlyen, died September 9, three days after giving birth to her sixth child. Relatives say Life had been doing better than expected after being born prematurely at 1 pound 4 ounces. Nelson tells The Associated Press the baby had good and bad days at the hospital, but “took a turn for the worse” this week. Nelson says “we don’t have any answers,” but that “maybe Carrie needed her.”
Carrie DeKlyen declined the brain cancer treatment, because it would have meant ending her pregnancy.. ...Read Full Story
With Michigan lawmakers back at work, state Representative Kim LaSata is waiting to see her first pieces of legislation pass the Senate. First, she has a plan to close a loophole allowing vacation homeowners in Michigan to claim the homestead exemption on their Michigan property even if they’re already claiming their other property as a homestead in another state. LaSata tells WSJM News her other bill has to do with court security.. ...Read Full Story
The Michigan Board of State Canvassers is green-lighting a ballot initiative that would raise the state’s minimum wage to $12 per hour by 2022. Alicia Renee Farris is the Michigan Campaign chair for the group One Fair Wage. She told Michigan News Network that even though the Michigan Chamber of Commerce opposes the plan, there are some who think it’s a good idea.. ...Read Full Story
The Michigan Senate Judiciary Committee has unanimously approved legislation from state Senator John Proos to let some low-level juvenile offenders get their records cleared. Proos tells WSJM News they would have to complete the 17.5 month Youth ChalleNGe Program run by the National Guard.. ...Read Full Story
Now available is the fall land auction book from the Berrien County Treasurer’s office. Treasurer Bret Witkowski tells WSJM News it lists all of the properties that will be available for auction next month. There are about 130 parcels, most of them empty.. ...Read Full Story
A 24-year-old Elkhart, Indiana man is in the Cass County Jail after speeding off from a traffic stop in Penn Township. The sheriff’s department says he was pulled over for going 96-miles-an-hour on Decatur Road near Kelsey Lake Street, and then ran away during the stop. Cass County K9 Faust and handler Deputy Nevins tracked the suspect for nearly three-and-a-half miles through woods and corn fields before canceling the chase due to heat exhaustion concerns for the dog last evening. The suspect was found just north of Cassopolis a short time later and was jailed after first being treated for heat exhaustion and dehydration at Dowagiac Lee Memorial Hospital. He’ll be charged with fleeing and eluding, resisting police, possession of a firearm, and driving without a license.. ...Read Full Story
The Michigan appeals court won’t review a judge’s decision about evidence in the case of a man charged with killing six people in the Kalamazoo area. Jason Dalton’s attorney had asked the court to look at a decision about Dalton’s statements to police. Prosecutor Jeff Getting says the appeals court turned down the request Monday. The appeal had delayed Dalton’s trial, which was supposed to start in June. He now has eight weeks to ask the Michigan Supreme Court to intervene. Dalton is charged with murder and attempted murder. Police have quoted him as saying a “devil figure” on Uber’s app was controlling him on the night of the shootings in February 2016.. ...Read Full Story
From the Associated Press — The American Civil Liberties Union says Michigan is illegally allowing faith-based groups to reject gay couples who want to adopt kids or become foster parents. Michigan pays groups such as Catholic Charities and Bethany Christian Services to place children with families. The ACLU filed a lawsuit Wednesday, saying Michigan is violating the U.S. Constitution by allowing the groups to use a religious test to carry out public services. ACLU attorney Jay Kaplan says those services should be based on what’s best for kids, not religious beliefs. The Department of Health and Human Services declined to comment. Republican Gov. Rick Snyder signed a law in 2015 that says child-placement agencies aren’t required to provide services that conflict with their beliefs. It was signed before the U.S. Supreme Court legalized gay marriage.. ...Read Full Story
Lake Michigan College is seeking the lease for the Western Michigan University building on its Napier Avenue campus. The board of trustees Wednesday voted to move forward on a request to transfer a long-term lease agreement with the state of Michigan to LMC at a cost of $2.7 million. LMC President Dr. Trevor Kubatzke tells WSJM News WMU will still hold the same programs there, but this gives LMC a place to expand some of its own programs.. ...Read Full Story
The Cass County Sheriff’s Department is looking for a home invasion suspect who managed to get away from them on Wednesday morning. Officers were called out to a home on Daily Road near Pokagon Highway in LaGrange Township around 8:30 a.m. The suspects had run from the home and taken off in a Ford Taurus. When a sheriff’s deputy tried to pull it over, the suspects drove off into a corn field. Police set up a perimeter, and soon caught one of the suspects on foot with the help of K9 Faust. The other suspect was tracked to a drainage area, but police and their K9s couldn’t find him. Police believe he could be in the Howard Township area, and describe him as a white male, about 200 pounds, six feet tall, with brown hair and blue eyes. Anyone with information on the crime is asked to contact the Cass County Sheriff’s Department.. ...Read Full Story
All throughout the month of October, the seven branches of the Van Buren District Library will be working to prevent bullying. It’s part of a national effort, and the library’s Kay McAdams tells WSJM News there will be a variety of special programs.. ...Read Full Story
A new scholarship for low-income students has been announced by the Berrien Community Foundation. President Lisa Cripps-Downey closed out Wednesday’s annual meeting by unveiling the Trefz Family Scholarship, based on a $500,000 endowment. Cripps-Downey told WSJM News it’s all thanks to a trust a woman named Josephine Trefz created when she sold some land which is now part of Lincoln Township Park.. ...Read Full Story
State Senator Tonya Schuitmaker is confident she has the qualifications to serve as Michigan’s next attorney general. She tells WSJM News she has a background as an attorney taking on deadbeat dads and advocating for the vulnerable. Schuitmaker wants to continue fighting opioid abuse and take on some new tasks as attorney general.. ...Read Full Story
South Haven Area Emergency Services has received a brand new truck. A 75-foot ladder truck made by Spencer Manufacturing of South Haven was delivered this week. It replaces the department’s 50-foot ladder truck that’s 31 years old. South Haven Emergency Services tells us the new truck is powered by a 500-horse power Cummins engine. Other goodies include a 1,200 gallon poly water tank and a 20 gallon foam cell allowing for foam to be used on some fires. A poly body on the unit removes the concern of rust, and an eight kilowatt generator means portable lighting can be run at fire scenes. The new truck cost about $846,000. The community will have a chance to see the new ladder during the department’s Fire Safety Fun Night, which is set for October 12 from 5 to 8 p.m. at Station 3 on Blue Star Highway.. ...Read Full Story
The spirit of the fall is being celebrated this weekend in St. Joseph. It’s time for the annual Fall Festival downtown on Friday and Saturday. St. Joe Today’s Amy Zapal tells WSJM News there will be family fun all day Saturday, followed by the wine festival at 4 p.m. That includes the public art auction.. ...Read Full Story
A Michigan panel is prohibiting 35,000 state employees from bargaining on seniority and other provisions related to the handling of layoffs, transfers and overtime. The Civil Service Commission’s move Wednesday is being condemned by unions as another conservative-led political attack against organized labor. Ron Bieber is the president of the Michigan AFL-CIO. He spoke with the Michigan News Network about the commission’s decision.. ...Read Full Story
From the Associated Press — Rick Snyder has quickly signed into law contentious regulations for independent expenditure committees whose footprint in elections has grown since U.S. Supreme Court decisions seven years ago. Democrats and campaign-finance watchdogs opposed the Republican-sponsored legislation, partly for letting candidates solicit unlimited donations for super PACs backing their campaigns. But the Republican governor says the bills signed Wednesday _ a day after lawmakers OK’d them _ give the secretary of state “clear statutory authority” to regulate independent expenditure committees with reporting requirements and enforcement penalties. He cites confusion over the 2010 Citizens United ruling’s effect on Michigan law. Snyder says the law now aligns with federal decisions protecting free-speech rights. Critics say the law improperly lets super PACs running ads use the same attorney that a candidate committee employs.. ...Read Full Story
A Detroit-area doctor charged with performing genital mutilation on girls in a Muslim sect will be released from jail as she awaits trial. A judge on Tuesday was persuaded to grant bond to Dr. Jumana Nagarwala after supporters pledged to pay more than $4 million if she flees the country. Federal Judge Bernard Friedman called it a “very comprehensive package.” Nagarwala has been in custody since her arrest in April, and it will be a few days more before she’s released. She must wear an electronic tether. Nagarwala denies any crime and says she performed a religious custom on girls from her Muslim sect. Eight people have been charged, including two Minnesota mothers and the owner of a Detroit-area clinic where the alleged procedures occurred after hours. The bond is believed to be the largest ever posted in federal court in Detroit.. ...Read Full Story
This morning, we gave an update to a story we had last week regarding a motorcycle crash in Hagar Township that badly injured Alan Hatten of Watervliet. In that story, we erroneously reported that Mr. Hatten had passed away from his injuries. Our story was based on information that we have since learned was not accurate, and we have retracted the story. Our newsroom is reaching out to several Berrien County agencies for an update on his condition. Please accept our sincere apologies for the story.. ...Read Full Story
