Local News Archives

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is hoping the public will offer its input to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as it takes comments on the Brandon Road lock and dam study. That study was recently released with several recommendations for preventing the spread of the Asian carp into the Great Lakes, says the DNR’s Tammy Newcomb. She tells WSJM News the report focuses on that one shipping location in Joliet, Illinois.. ...Read Full Story

The two suspects in a Dowagiac stabbing last Friday have been arraigned. The Dowagiac Department of Public Safety tells us Joshua Procter and Autumn Parsons are facing 12 charges in the case. They include assault with intent to murder, armed robbery, and lying to a police officer. The department says the two were arrested this week in a case that investigators believe was drug-related. The stabbing victim has already been released. Joshua Procter is charged as a habitual offender with bond set at $250,000. Parsons is being held on $100,000 bond.. ...Read Full Story

As many as 60,000 employees of electric utilities are in the south this week helping with Hurricane Irma recovery efforts. Brian Wheeler with Consumers Energy tells WSJM News that includes about 350 of Consumerscrew members.. ...Read Full Story

The Berrien County Health Department is spreading a message about safe infant sleep this month. Deputy Health Officer Courtney Davis tells WSJM News a common cause of infant deaths is improper sleep.. ...Read Full Story

Everything is back to normal at the Cook nuclear power plant near Bridgman after crews had to activate the emergency plan overnight Wednesday. Cook plant spokesperson Bill Schalk tells WSJM News they had a low level incident around 1. a.m. as Unit 1 was being deactivated for its refueling outage.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — State officials say Michigan’s unemployment rate rose by two-tenths of a percentage point to 3.9 percent for August even as the number of people in the workforce declined for the fourth straight month. Figures released Wednesday by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management & Budget show the state jobless rate is a full percentage point lower than the 4.9 percent rate from August 2016. Michigan’s unemployment rate remains lower than the national mark of 4.4 percent for August. The agency says Michigan’s workforce shrunk by 7,000 in August after dropping by 24,000 in July. Despite that decline, an additional 10,000 Michigan residents
were unemployed last month. The agency says the August jobless rate increase was the state’s first since February.. ...Read Full Story

Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette is in the race for governor for 2018. As expected, the Republican announced his candidacy yesterday at a barbecue in his hometown of Midland. Michigan News Network was there.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — Bills advancing in Michigan’s legislature would require that special problem-solving courts receive state certification to operate. The courts are designed to address criminals’ underlying substance abuse or mental health issues so they do not reoffend. Policymakers say the legislation is needed so Michigan has a more consistent and effective approach for the courts and defendants. Under the bills approved unanimously by the Senate Tuesday, specialty courts would have to be certified by the State Court Administrative Office starting in January. The office currently offers recommendations, but the courts are under no mandate to adopt them. The legislation will go to the House for consideration next.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — Legislation moving forward in Michigan’s legislature would continue the state’s 0.08 blood-alcohol limit for drunken driving until 2023. The limit is set to return to 0.10 in 2018, putting federal funding at risk unless lawmakers act. Legislators first moved to the 0.08 blood-alcohol level in 2003 but have twice put a sunset provision in the law so the issue is revisited. The House approved the bills 106-1 Tuesday. The legislation next goes to the Senate for consideration. One of the sponsors, Republican Representative Klint Kesto of Commerce Township in Oakland County, says “our roads are becoming safer every year with the 0.08 standard” and allowing the limit to rise to 0.10 would send a “dangerous message.”. ...Read Full Story

A program that helps connect more than 700,000 Michigan students to local farmers would get a big boost under new legislation. The Farm to School Act of 2017 would expand the existing USDA Farm to School Grant Program by improving access to local foods at schools. Maximilian Merrill with the National Farm to School Network tells us it’s a win-win as farmers will source their food to schools and students learn about agriculture.. ...Read Full Story

Michigan’s medical marijuana regulatory panel has been barred from closing the state’s 300 medical marijuana dispensaries. Michigan News Network Lansing Bureau Chief Tim Skubick tells us the board apparently got ahead of itself by trying to shut the dispensaries down.. ...Read Full Story

A $2 million state grant awarded last year to Benton Harbor Area Schools for safety and gang prevention has been making a difference. On Tuesday, the board of education heard the grant has paid for suicide awareness training, a leadership skills program, and self-esteem and life skills training for girls. Superintendent Dr. Shelly Walker tells WSJM News that’s just some of what the district managed to do in the first few months of having the funds at the end of the last school year.. ...Read Full Story

Indiana Michigan Power is doing its part to help with hurricane recovery down south. Spokesperson Tracy Warner tells WSJM News the utility has sent hundreds of workers down to Georgia and Florida. The first wave left Monday.. ...Read Full Story

The Cass County Sheriff’s Department has arrested seven suspects in a stolen property and meth case. It tells us deputies were sent out to a property in the 67,000 block of Hess Road Monday morning on a report of stolen property out of St. Joseph County, Indiana. The items had been taken in a breaking and entering. During their search, police say they found a large amount of stolen property along with a firearm, methamphetamine, and marijuana. Five women and two men were arrested at the house for possession of stolen property, drug offenses, and firearm violations. Their names have not yet been released.. ...Read Full Story

There should be quite the sight to see in the Lansing area on Wednesday. Michigan State Police will have several public safety agencies on hand near its training academy in Diamondale for an exercise to save someone stranded on a communications tower. Dan Morgan, coordinator of the secondary complex tower training event, tells WSJM News your standard police and fire departments can’t help someone stuck on one of those huge towers.. ...Read Full Story

The recent discovery of some damage to outer coating on Enbridge’s Line 5 pipeline in the Straits of Mackinac concerns Congressman Fred Upton. That’s why he’s asking Enbridge to write a report for Congress as soon as possible. Upton tells WSJM News he wants answers about the line’s safety,. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — The Michigan National Guard is pulling back troops being sent to Florida after being told they weren’t needed for Hurricane Irma recovery efforts. Some Michigan troops had already departed for Florida when a Guard official says the decision was made Tuesday to turn them around. Lieutenant Dawn Dancer says Florida officials decided they didn’t need additional guard troops from around the country. The Michigan Guard had planned to send about 1,000 members to Florida. Dancer says Michigan Guard leaders are monitoring Irma-related troubles in other states and will be ready to send troops elsewhere if needed.. ...Read Full Story

A re-enforcement of the bluff along a stretch of Old Lakeshore in St. Joseph could start as soon as next week. St. Joseph City Manager John Hodgson tells WSJM News CSX Railroad has gotten approval from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality for the project, and will soon have approval from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.. ...Read Full Story

There is a little bit of rain in our forecast for tomorrow, and what will fall is the last remnants of Hurricane Irma.. ...Read Full Story

A man and a woman are in the Cass County Jail for a stabbing last week. The two were arrested yesterday by Dowagiac Public Safety, and the victim is already out of the hospital. Authorities tell us the suspects are facing multiple felony assault and drug charges for the crime, and they believe Friday night’s stabbing was drug-related. They were called to Borgess Lee Memorial Hospital after the victim showed up with several stab wounds. The case is still under investigation.. ...Read Full Story

Fennville varsity football coach Brian Sackett is on leave following an incident in the game against Coloma on Friday. Sackett is accused of grabbing a player by his collar and screaming at him for about 10 seconds according to a parent of the player. It happened after two Fennville players tackled a Coloma player, and then a shoving match ensued. Sackett then got in the face of his player. The coach has issued an apology, saying he should have handled the situation better. The district has issued a statement to television stations in Grand Rapids and the “Holland Sentinel” saying they’re “taking appropriate steps to investigate an alleged incident between a coach and a player from the September 8 football game in Coloma.” The Blackhawks are currently being guided by assistant coaches while Sackett is on leave.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — Republican Congressman Dave Trott of Michigan says he will not seek re-election. In a statement Monday, the two-term lawmaker says serving has been an honor but he has decided that the best course is “to spend more time with my family and return to the private sector.” The announcement comes on the heels of two other GOP retirements last week, with Representative Charlie Dent of Pennsylvania and Dave Reichert of Washington state saying they will step down at the end of their terms. Trott represents a district west of Detroit. Democrats, in the minority, hope they have a shot at winning back control by capitalizing on the GOP retirements and open seats.. ...Read Full Story

Environmental advocates are crying foul about an effort to undo new fuel efficiency standards to automobiles. Last week, the Environmental Protection Agency held a meeting on its proposal to reconsider requirements that the U.S. car and light-truck fleet achieve an average 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025. Carol Lee Rawn is the transportation director for the nonprofit group Ceres, and tells us the current standards are important for innovation.. ...Read Full Story

The speculation is over. Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette is set to run for governor. He’ll will be joining a race which could become quite crowded, according to Michigan News Network Lansing Bureau Chief Tim Skubick has more.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — The Michigan Lottery is developing a new player rewards program that’s designed to make it easier to participate and earn free play. The lottery announced Monday that the program is expected to begin in early 2018. Updates will be based on feedback from lottery players who wanted more chances to earn free play without entering non-winning ticket codes online. Details will be announced later. People may sign up online to get email updates about the program. The lottery says players will have more chances to use points they have accumulated in their Players Club accounts before the current program ends. And players may continue to earn Players Club points by entering codes from non-winning tickets.. ...Read Full Story

A Go Fund Me campaign has been launched to help pay the funeral expenses for a 13-year-old boy killed in a Berrien County highway crash on Sunday. The Baroda-Lake Township Police Department tells us Osvaldo Leon of Elgin, Illinois was killed along with 32-year-old Francisco Valle-Lopez of Mexico in the Lake Township crash on I-94. It’s thought a blown tire may have been the cause. The Go Fund Me campaign to pay for Osvaldo Leon’s funeral service was launched Monday, and had raised more than $1,4000 of its $10,000 goal by late evening. You can find the Go Fund Me page right here. . ...Read Full Story

Good news out of Bridgman Public Schools. The district tells us its students were among the top in the county across the subjects of math, science, social studies, and English on the latest M-STEP tests. The M-STEP is Michigan’s standardized test for students in several grades. According to the district, Bridgman students ranked in the top three Berrien County public school districts for each content area tested on the 2017 M-STEP. They were number one in Berrien County when it comes to Total Science Proficiency and Total Social Studies Proficiency. Superintendent Shane Peters tells us he’s proud of the hard work done by both students and staff.. ...Read Full Story

A refueling outage at the Cook nuclear power plant’s Unit 1 will begin this Wednesday. Cook plant spokesperson Bill Schalk tells WSJM News this will be the 27th refueling outage for the unit. Around 1,000 extra workers will be on hand at the Bridgman area plant for the next several months to conduct a variety of maintenance tasks.. ...Read Full Story

A well-known syndicated radio host and columnist who you’ve probably heard right here on WSJM has passed away. Glenn Haege, the host of the Handyman Show, which airs on the weekend on WSJM, died Monday after a short battle with cancer. The Detroit News reports Haege hosted his weekly program on Detroit’s WJR radio for many years. It’s also a show that’s syndicated on more than 135 other stations. Haege’s producer told The Detroit News he was a “consummate radio professional who really cared a great deal about his audience.” Funeral arrangements for the handyman are still pending.. ...Read Full Story

AAA Michigan says gas prices statewide have risen by about 7¢ per gallon in the past week as the effects of hurricanes on fuel supplies are felt. The Dearborn-based auto club says early Monday the average price for self-serve regular unleaded gasoline was about $2.69 per gallon. That’s about 48
cents more than at the same point last year. Gas prices climbed last week during the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, which cut U.S. refining capacity, and in anticipation of Hurricane Irma’s impact. The lowest average price in Michigan was about $2.66 per gallon in the Detroit area. The highest was about $2.76 per gallon in the Traverse City area. Locally in Benton Harbor and St. Joseph, the prices rose about 9¢ to average $2.70. AAA Michigan surveys daily fuel prices at 2,800 gas stations across the state.. ...Read Full Story

Police are looking for a man who robbed the Speedway gas station on West Ash Street in Three Oaks early Monday morning. The Berrien County Sheriff’s Department tells us a white man walked in around 4:30 am and ordered the cashier to give him all the money from the register. He got away on foot and a sheriff’s department K-9 was unable to track him. The suspect is about 5’3″ and 180 pounds, and was wearing a tan shirt and a neon green and yellow baseball hat. If he had a weapon, it wasn’t used during the robbery, which is still being investigated. Anyone with information is urged to call the Berrien County Sheriff’s Department.. ...Read Full Story

The Van Buren County Road Commission is about to start a major project on Blue Star Highway. It tells us crews will be working on Blue Star from Phoenix Road to Baseline Road in South Haven Township starting on Monday, September 18. They’re doing milling and resurfacing work, along with guardrail upgrades and the construction of a bike path. Phase 1 of the work will mean the closure of the outermost northbound and southbound lanes through October 18. At that time, Phase 2 will start, meaning the closure of the inner northbound and southbound lanes. The project is expected to be finished on November 1. The $513,000 project is being paid for with a combination of federal and local funds. The Van Buren County Road Commission’s share of the cost is $325,000.. ...Read Full Story

A blown tire may be to blame for a crash that killed two people and injured five others on Interstate 94 in Lake Township just before 3 p.m. Sunday. The Baroda-Lake Township Police Department tells WSJM News 13-year-old Osvaldo Leon and 32-year-old Francisco Valle-Lopez were pronounced dead at the scene. Both were passengers in a vehicle driven by 38-year-old Raul Leon, who was taken to Lakeland Hospital in St. Joseph along with three other passengers: 17-year-old Osiris Leon, four-year-old Osmiry Leon, and 15-year-old Oscar Leon. A fifth person, 33-year-old Alma Leon, was flown to South Bend Memorial Hospital. She and Valle-Lopez were visiting from Guerrero, Mexico, while the others were from Elgin, Illinois. The single-vehicle crash closed westbound I-94 between the 22 and 16 mile markers for about three hours on Sunday, with traffic sent on to Red Arrow Highway. The crash is still being investigated.. ...Read Full Story

The Berrien County Board of Commissioners wants to meet with the county road commission to get further information before moving forward with any possible takeover. At a meeting Thursday, the commission heard a draft resolution from Berrien County Administrator Bill Wolf for the takeover of the roads body. Wolf’s plan would create a county road department. Some commissioners balked at allowing Wolf to appoint the acting director without more commission input. They want a workshop with the road commissioners. County Chair Jon Hinkelman told WSJM News prudence makes sense.. ...Read Full Story

A presentation is planned for this month at the Heritage Museum and Cultural Center in St. Joseph to teach you a little bit about local mass-produced culinary history. Jim DeLapa, who started the frozen pizza company Saluto Foods Corporation in the 1960s, will be on hand. The museum’s Tracy Gierada tells WSJM News Saluto goes back to Benton Harbor.. ...Read Full Story

Hurricane Irma may be getting the headlines this week, but there’s still a lot of work to do in Texas and Louisiana as people recover from Hurricane Harvey. That’s why the United Way has formed a national fund to help out. Ryan Cheevers, with the United Way of Southwest Michigan, tells WSJM News the money donated to the United Way Harvey Recovery Fund will be used to provide food, shelter, and other basic needs to folks affected.. ...Read Full Story

Bangor police are trying to find a man accused of breaking into a laundromat, setting it on fire, and stealing money. Chief Tommy Simpson tells WSJM News 21-year-old Dominick Wheeler somehow managed to break free and escape from inside a police car after his arrest. Wheeler was also wanted for undisclosed outstanding warrants. We have not been provided with a description of the suspect, nor has Simpson responded to messages from WSJM News to find out when the incident happened. The damage to the laundromat is “extensive” according to authorities.. ...Read Full Story

The Humane Society of Southwestern Michigan is doing its part to help out with Hurricane Harvey recovery. Director Jill Svoboda told WSJM News on Friday the shelter is taking dogs from shelters down south in areas affected by the hurricane.. ...Read Full Story

Southwestern Michigan College has broken ground on its new nursing facility expansion. SMC President Dr. David Mathews tells WSJM News dignitaries gathered Wednesday to celebrate the beginning of $9.6 million in work to roughly double the size and capacity of the nursing building.. ...Read Full Story

The city of Bridgman continues to work on its master plan. A third and final meeting of the public as the document is drafted has been scheduled for next Tuesday, September 12. City leaders tell us a master plan is a document that governs development within a community for several years to come, and in Bridgman, a major focus of the document is resiliency. That means they’re accounting for challenges that could arise beyond the city’s control. The city manager tells us they could include things like shoreline erosion or an economic downturn. The city has held two meetings so far to get the public’s input so far, and the next one will be at 7 p.m. at the Weko Beach House on Tuesday. Everyone’s invited. You can find out more about Bridgman’s master plan right here.. ...Read Full Story

AAA of Michigan is once again reminding drivers to take it easy now that school is back in session. Spokesperson Susan Hiltz tells WSJM News, each year, the agency reminds everyone when the kids will be out and about once again. Some drivers still don’t get the message.. ...Read Full Story

A band shell proposed for South Haven’s Riverfront Park has been generating some controversy. At a South Haven Downtown Development Authority meeting this past week, nearby resident Jodi Carlson spoke out against the idea.. ...Read Full Story

The Berrien Community Foundation has announced a new scholarship for marching band students at Coloma High School. The foundation’s Lisa Cripps-Downey tells WSJM News a grad named Rodney Weir started it. Weir was the drum major for the University of Michigan Marching Band after he graduated high school in 1988.. ...Read Full Story

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will be treating the Paw Paw River system this month for sea lamprey. Specifically, the agency’s Scott Grunder tells us they’ll apply lampricide to Rogers Creek in Van Buren County between the 19th and 28th of this month. The invasive sea lamprey came to the Great Lakes with the opening of shipping canals.. ...Read Full Story

Set for tomorrow is a 5K run to raise money for police around southwest Michigan. Marianne Groth with the Southwest Michigan Racers tells WSJM News it’s the second time her group has partnered with Berrien County Strong Community in Action for such an event.. ...Read Full Story

State Senator John Proos is planning a tele town hall meeting for this month. He tells us he wants folks to call in and offer their thoughts on any issues that might concern them. The tele town hall will be next Tuesday, September 12 at 7:30 p.m. More than 1,800 people took part in the last tele-town hall organized by Proos. He tells us he holds these meetings each fall, and he’s interested in hearing what folks have to say about improving the state’s career outlook, boosting technical education, reforming the auto insurance system, and whatever else they’ve got on their minds. Totake part in the meeting, call 1-877-228-2184 and enter the ID Code 113349.. ...Read Full Story

The United Way of Southwest Michigan wants you to commit a random act of kindness. The United Way’s Ryan Cheevers tells WSJM News they’ve launched a new campaign called 75 Acts of Kindness. It’s a social media experiment designed to help mark the local United Way’s 75th anniversary. He says you’re encouraged to do something kind for someone else, and then to post a picture of it to Facebook with the hashtag #75Acts United. Your act of kindness could be anything.. ...Read Full Story

Michigan State Police say they have a murder suspect in custody after an exchange of gunfire on Friday. They tell WSJM News it happened around 5:20 p.m. on eastbound I-94 in Lawrence Township when a Van Buren County Sheriff’s deputy and a state police trooper pulled over a vehicle that had been reported stolen out of Alabama. Police say after the vehicle stopped, the driver got out and fired shots at the officers. A state police trooper and a deputy returned fire, although no one was hit. They say the suspect surrendered and was taken into custody after he’d emptied his pistol. It was later learned the suspect was wanted for a murder in Madison County, Alabama. The incident remains under investigation by Michigan State Police.. ...Read Full Story

The Michigan Department of Transportation is advising the public that the ramp from John Beers Road to eastbound I-94 in Stevensville has been closed. MDOT is doing shoulder and pavement repairs on the ramp. As a result, the ramp closed Thursday and will remain closed through next Tuesday. In the meantime, drivers are being rerouted over to the Red Arrow Highway ramp to 94, or exit 23. You can stay up to date on all MDOT construction projects around the state with the MIDrive app. It’s free for both Android an iPhone.. ...Read Full Story

Now that a new academic year has started, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is reaching out to college students to talk about the importance of mental health. Spokesperson Angela Minicuci tells WSJM News it’s often in college that mental health issues first arise. She says it’s important to make mental health something people aren’t afraid to talk about.. ...Read Full Story

The state of Michigan has released the latest M-STEP and SAT scores, and St. Joseph Public Schools fares pretty well. Curriculum Director Kelly Gaideski tells WSJM News St. Joe Schools ranked at the top of Berrien County in several areas.. ...Read Full Story

Berrien County Drain Commissioner Christopher Quattrin is looking at his options when it comes to fighting Japanese knotweed. The invasive plant has shown up in at least one Berrien County drainage area. He tells WSJM News he was notified last month when water started building up in the Willow Creek drain, which is near Napier Avenue and Ogden in Benton Township.. ...Read Full Story

Southwestern Michigan College will hold its first ever renaissance faire this weekend. Assistant Manager of the SMC Student Activity Center Branden Pompey tells WSJM News they’ll have demonstrations of medieval dancing, swordplay, armor, and comedy. He says these fairs attract all kinds of fun seekers.. ...Read Full Story

This week meant back to the classroom for nearly one and a half Michigan school children, but absenteeism remains a big problem. A new report finds in Michigan the rate of extreme chronic absenteeism in ALL schools is 19%, compared to the national average of 11%. Michigan Schools Superintendent Brian Whiston told Michigan News Network this week school districts need to address the problem.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — Michigan utilities are sending hundreds of workers to Florida so they’re ready to assist with power restorations when Hurricane Irma hits the state. DTE Energy is sending roughly 300 line workers plus 100 tree trimmers. They’re
expected to reach northern Florida by Friday afternoon, where they’ll be on standby until needed. More than 200 Consumers Energy employees and contract personnel are headed from Michigan to Florida to assist local electric companies preparing for the hurricane. They’re also expected to arrive on Friday and could remain in Florida for up to two weeks. Michigan utilities often get help from out-of-state crews during major outages. During a storm in July, for example, crews from four states assisted Consumers Energy in its restoration work.. ...Read Full Story

The Berrien County Board of Commissioners wants to meet with the county road commission to get further information before moving forward with any possible takeover. At a meeting Thursday, the commission heard a draft resolution from Berrien County Administrator Bill Wolf for the takeover of the roads body. Wolf’s plan would create a county road department. Some commissioners balked at allowing Wolf to appoint the acting director without more commission input. They want a workshop with the road commissioners. County Chair Jon Hinkelman told WSJM News prudence makes sense.. ...Read Full Story