Local News Archives

Legislature Votes To Help Identify People With Special Needs

From the Associated Press — Legislation designed to help identify lost or injured people with special needs will soon reach Governor Rick Snyder. Michigan allows for the fingerprinting of children under age 17 if parents or guardians request it. The legislature voted Wednesday to let parents and guardians of those who have special needs to ask law enforcement for fingerprints and photos to be taken. Supporters say the move would assist law enforcement in reuniting families when those with special needs are scared or unable to identify themselves. A sponsor,
Republican Senator Rick Jones of Grand Ledge, says the caregivers would pay the state police for the extra cost of fingerprinting and taking photos. The bills won unanimous approval and will be enrolled Thursday.. ...Read Full Story

Michigan State Police Celebrate 100 Years

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From the Associated Press — In 100 years, the Michigan State Police has gone from being a temporary wartime emergency force of 300 men to a full-service law enforcement agency with nearly 10 times more employees. The agency marked its centennial Wednesday at the Capitol building in Lansing. Visitors saw displays about the state police’s history. Governor Rick Snyder and other top officials thanked troopers at a reception.
The agency’s roots originated in World War I, when then-Gov. Albert Sleeper created the Michigan State Troops Permanent Force for domestic security. Snyder says the mission remains the same despite technological advances, increased diversity and other changes within the state police. He says it’s “about helping people” and “keeping people safe.” The agency last year rendered aid in about 43,000 traffic crashes and made
nearly 73,000 arrests.. ...Read Full Story

Teen Accused Of Raping Postal Worker Waives Hearing

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A 16-year-old charged with sexually assaulting a postal worker as she was delivering mail on his street in Benton Harbor last month remains behind bars on $125,000 bond. He is currently facing charges in juvenile court, but the Berrien County Prosecutor’s Office wants him on trial as an adult. If that happens and he’s found guilty of a kidnapping charge, he faces a sentence of life in prison. The assault happened around noon on March 31, and he’s accused of dragging her into the side yard of his house and raping her.. ...Read Full Story

Proos Announces Final Round Of SWM Spirit Tournament

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It’s now down to the final two in state Senator John Proos’ Southwest Michigan Spirit Tournament. Each year, Proos asks schools across his district to send him photos showing how they are filled with pride. Proos then pits the different schools up against each other in a bracket-style tournament. The Final Four battles this year were between Watervliet, and Michigan Lutheran and Marcellus and Centreville. Coming out on top to be in the final round are Watervliet and Marcellus. They’ve got about a week left to show Proos which has the most spirit.. ...Read Full Story

Suspect Arraigned In Allegan County Standoff

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The suspect in an Easter standoff in Allegan County has been arraigned. The sheriff’s department tells us 27-year-old Michael John Vanderberg is charged with resisting and obstructing a police officer and being a felon in possession of a firearm over the incident. Sheriff’s deputies were called to a home in Otsego Township on Easter morning on a report of a man with a gun. When they got there, two people came out of the home, but the suspect remained inside. The sheriff’s department had to bring in the SWAT team, which eventually convinced him to come out. Vanderberg remains in the Allegan County Jail with bond set at $10,000.. ...Read Full Story

Upton Opposing Possible EPA Office Closure

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The possible closure of the Environmental Protection Agency office in Chicago is being opposed by Congressman Fred Upton. He tells WSJM News the EPA is expected to get major cuts in the next federal budget, but he doesn’t think shuttering the office that serves the Great Lakes is a smart move. He’s finding partners who agree.. ...Read Full Story

Flint Mayor Wants To Avoid Water Switch After Lead Crisis

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From the Associated Press — Flint’s mayor is recommending that the Michigan city continue getting its drinking water from a regional system, following a crisis that left the supply contaminated with lead. Karen Weaver’s announcement Tuesday to stay with the Great Lakes Water
Authority is a reversal. Last year, she said the city of 100,000 residents would stick with a plan to draw from a new pipeline to Lake Huron that is in the testing phase. But she reevaluated that decision as a condition of Flint receiving $100 million in federal funding to address the man-made disaster. Weaver says switching water sources again is too risky and more expensive. Flint returned to the Detroit-area system in 2015 after it was discovered Flint River water was not treated to reduce lead pipe corrosion for 18 months.. ...Read Full Story

Series Of Protests To Call For Income Tax Cut

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From the Associated Press — A conservative group is organizing six protests across Michigan to criticize a dozen House Republicans who voted against cutting the state’s income tax. The Michigan Conservative Coalition said it was holding rallies Tuesday at six post offices to coincide with the tax filing deadline. The protests were scheduled in Birmingham, Mount Clemens, Novi, Holland, Traverse City, and Hudsonville — areas represented by some of the Republicans who voted no. Legislation narrowly defeated in the GOP-led House in February would have lowered the 4.25 percent income tax to 4.05 percent and potentially more. Michigan Conservative Coalition President Rosanne Ponkowski calls Republicans
who voted no the “dirty dozen.” They have said they were being fiscally responsible because lawmakers had not identified spending cuts to offset the lost tax revenue.. ...Read Full Story

Man Sought in Cleveland Facebook Killing is Dead

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Pennsylvania State Police say the suspect in the random killing of a Cleveland retiree posted on Facebook has shot and killed himself after a brief pursuit. State police say Steve Stephens was spotted Tuesday morning by state police in Erie County, in the state’s northwest corner. Authorities say police tried to pull Stephens over and, after a brief pursuit, he shot and killed himself. Stephens was wanted on an aggravated murder charge in the shooting death of a 74-year-old retired man in Cleveland on Sunday. He posted video of that shooting on Facebook.. ...Read Full Story

Gas Prices Trending Lower

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We’re getting a break at the gas pump right before an expected spike for summertime. Triple-A Michigan’s Susan Hiltz says the statewide average is $2.50, down 6¢ from last week, and we’re paying $2.47 in Benton Harbor and St. Joseph.. ...Read Full Story

This Is Severe Weather Awareness Week

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Prepare now for severe weather. That’s the underlying message to Michigan Severe Weather Awareness Week, which started on Sunday. This has not been a normal spring, however, as we’ve already had tornadoes in the state. National Weather Service meteorologist Bill Marino admits it’s an unusual year so far.. ...Read Full Story

Five Area Robotics Teams Heading To World Championship

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Five – count ’em – five teams from the Sunset Coast Robotics Alliance are headed to St. Louis, Missouri for the World FIRST Championship April 26-29. St. Joseph’s Average Joes team is headed to St. Louis for the fourth straight year, while Berrien Springs Team 3452 – the GreengineerZ, are going for the second consecutive year. Three are going to Missouri for the first time in the history of their programs. Those are Paw Paw Robotics Team 5462, Cassopolis RoboRangers Team 4325, and Team 4237, which is Team Lance-A-Bot. The five qualified based on their performances over the weekend at the Michigan State Championship at Saginaw Valley State University.. ...Read Full Story

Sleepy Drive Runs Off Road

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Driving while sleepy is almost as dangerous as driving drunk. Cass County Sheriff Richard Behnke tells WSJM News his office was called to a personal injury crash on Barron Lake Road in Howard Township just after 12:30 Sunday morning. Behnke reports 29-year-old Tiffany Hisler of Dowagiac stated she was southbound on Barron Lake Road when she fell asleep. She ran off the roadway striking multiple mailboxes and a utility pole. She was transported by ambulance to Memorial Hospital in South Bend for further treatment of her injuries. He says she was wearing her safety belt and alcohol is not believed to be a factor and the crash remains under investigation.. ...Read Full Story

Shooting in Benton Township Sends One to Hospital

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A shooting Saturday night sends a Benton Township woman to the hospital. Police were called to the scene in the 11-hundred block of Highland just before 11:00 Saturday night in reference to a shooting. They report Courtney Arent with a gunshot wound to her left chest area. Police tell WSJM News she was walking in the Blossom Acres Housing area where she witnessed a verbal disturbance and heard gunshots. She quickly fled the area and realized she had been shot. She was taken to Lakeland Hospital in St. Joseph for non-life threatening injuries. No one has been identified in the incident and anyone with information are asked to contact the Benton Township Police Department or Crimestoppers.. ...Read Full Story

St. Joseph Man Shot in Milton Township

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A St. Joseph man is recovering after being shot Sunday morning in Milton Township. The Cass County Sheriff’s Department tells WSJM News that the shooting took place just after 6:00am on Kline Road. 911 operators received an emergency call, indicating a man had been shot. When they arrived, they found 33-year-old Thomas Lewallen laying on the porch with a signal gunshot wound. They report the incident happened after an argument escalated between Lewallen and his wife, when another 17-year-old suspect intervened and shot Lewallen. Officers were able to locate the suspect and he is being held in the Cass County Jail. His name has not been released. Lewallen was transported to South Bend Memorial Hospital for treatment. They report alcohol did play a factor and the incident remains under investigation.. ...Read Full Story

“White Boy Rick” Gets Hearing Before Michigan Parole Board

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The Michigan Parole Board will hold a public hearing on whether to release a Detroit-area drug dealer who has been in prison for 29 years for crimes when he was a teen. The board voted Friday to proceed to the hearing for Richard Wershe, who is better known in Detroit as “White Boy Rick.” The 47-year-old old, who was interviewed by the board chairman in February, is serving a life sentence with occasional opportunities for parole.. ...Read Full Story

#GivingTuesday Successful For Lakeland

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#GivingTuesday is giving a financial boost to Lakeland Health’s Marie Yeager Cancer Center. According to Lakeland, $14,000 was raised during the global day of giving for the center from the southwest Michigan community. The Cancer Center provides patients with access to comprehensive cancer care including the latest in technology, highly-qualified medical professionals, and skilled partner physicians. Available programs and services focus on cancer prevention, detection, treatment, education, and support to help provide the best possible quality of life for the residents of southwest Michigan. According to the 2016 Cancer Care Report, a total of 914 cases were treated at Lakeland Health in 2015 with the top three most common cancer sites being female breast with 154, 126 cases of prostate, and 122 cases of lung cancer.. ...Read Full Story

UPDATE: Missing Autistic Paw Paw Teen Found Dead

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Michigan State Police say a missing 18-year-old Paw Paw High School senior with autism has been found dead. Shawn Capaccio was reported missing after disappearing Thursday morning around 6. Troopers saw him in an area near his home around noon Friday, but weren’t able to make contact with him. Capaccio’s body was found just before 3 p.m. in a wooded area in Paw Paw Township. Foul play is not suspected, but there is no indication of how the young man died. After his first sighting, police said his family did not believe he was in danger.. ...Read Full Story

EPA: No Significant Chemical Discharge From US Steel Spill

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The Environmental Protection Agency says water sampling in Lake Michigan and a tributary shows no significant discharge of a potentially carcinogenic chemical from a U.S. Steel wastewater spill in northern Indiana. The EPA said Friday that sampling results showed no significant trace of the chemical hexavalent chromium in the lake or the tributary called Burns Waterway after the Tuesday spill at U.S. Steel’s Midwest Plant in Portage, between St. Joseph and Chicago.. ...Read Full Story

Benton Harbor Man Facing Slew Of Drug Charges

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A 58-year-old Benton Harbor man is facing drug charges after a traffic stop in Benton Township led to the search of his home and the discovery of cocaine, marijuana, crack cocaine and meth. Police had been tipped off about drug activity at the man’s home in the 400 block of Emery Avenue and got a search warrant after pulling the man over on April 6. Along with the drugs, they also found three guns and over 32-hundred dollars cash in the home. The suspect had $200 on him, with a $10 being marked from the Berrien County Narcotics Buy Fund. Police say the estimated street value of the drugs found at the home is around $12,000. The suspect is expected to be arraigned Monday, and his name is being withheld until then.. ...Read Full Story

Police Trying To Find Missing Autistic Man

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Michigan State Police are working to find a missing 18-year-old autistic man from Paw Paw. Detectives tell us Shawn Cappaccio was seen around noon Friday near his home, but troopers haven’t yet been able to make contact with him. He is believed to have Asperger syndrome and authorities say he likely is trying to hide from people. Before Friday’s sighting, he was last seen around 6 a.m. Thursday. Cappaccio’s family no longer believes he’s in danger, but they do want him home. He is 5’8″ and about 160 pounds with shaggy brown hair and black framed glasses.. ...Read Full Story

Fire Damages Geneva Township Home

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Nobody injured from a house fire in Geneva Township. South Haven Area Emergency Services were called to a home on County Road 380 near 68th Street around 9:40 Thursday night. They quickly extinguished that fire, with the help of Bangor and Columbia Firefighters. The residents, along with pets, all escaped without injury. The fire was confined to the home’s heat source and the cause remains under investigation.. ...Read Full Story

Judge Mulls Whether To Allow Uber Gunman’s Comments

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A Kalamazoo judge is considering whether to allow statements at trial made by an Uber driver accused of fatally shooting six strangers in between picking up riders. Kalamazoo County Circuit Court Judge Alexander Lipsey said Thursday that he would rule by April 20 after hearing arguments.
Police have quoted the suspect, Jason Dalton, as saying a “devil figure” on Uber’s app was controlling him on the night of the shootings around Kalamazoo.. ...Read Full Story

Former Benton Harbor Superintendent Charged

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Former Benton Harbor Area Schools Superintendent Dr. Leonard Seawood is facing up to 25 years in prison if convicted on charges of embezzlement and obtaining money by false pretenses. Berrien County Prosecutor Michael Sepic accuses Seawood of being paid for 80 vacation days above and beyond the five his contract allowed per year from July 2010 to October 2015. The prosecutor’s office says the extra day cash payouts totaled around $45,000. Seawood was suspended in April 2015, and he stepped down six months later. When he left, the school district paid him $80,000 as part of a separation agreement. Seawood posted bond and is due back in court for preliminary hearings on April 21 and 27.. ...Read Full Story

[VIDEO] Berrien County Dispatcher of the Year Announced

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It’s sometimes overlooked, but the job of a 9-1-1 dispatcher can be among the most stressful positions in law enforcement. To that end, the Berrien County 9-1-1 Advisory Committee is honoring those who did outstanding work in 2016. Chikaming Township Police Chief Todd Taylor made the announcement of this year’s Dispatcher of the Year, Danyeal McGee, Thursday morning before the Berrien County Board of Commissioners.. ...Read Full Story

Crash Sends Paw Paw Man to Hospital

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A 24-year-old from Paw Paw suffered life threatening injuries after crash investigators believe he suffered some sort of medical issue and lost control of his SUV as he approached the Stadium drive bridge over U.S.131. Deputies say the man was headed into Kalamazoo from Van Buren County just after 1:00 Wednesday afternoon when his car suddenly veered across a raised median and the opposite traffic lanes, hit the bridge abutment and his car caught fire. Oshtemo Rescue was able to douse the fire and pry the young man out of the wreck. He was admitted to Bronson Methodist in critical condition. The investigation is continuing.. ...Read Full Story

Mass Murderer Pre-Trial Today

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Suspected mass murderer Jason Dalton’s lawyers are in court today for a pre-trial hearing to argue that some of the statements that the Cooper Township man made to detectives after his arrest should be suppressed. Judge Alexander Lipsey will hear legal arguments from both the prosecution and the defense. Dalton is the Uber Driver who was arrested after he allegedly shot eight people in three different locations, killing six of them and maiming two women in February last year. Dalton reportedly told detectives several stories, including one claiming that the same Uber App that was telling him where to pick-up passengers had been taken over by a demon and was telling him who to shoot. Judge Lipsey may or may not rule on the motions today.. ...Read Full Story

US Steel: Failed Pipe Apparently Caused Spill

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(Portage, IN – AP) – U.S. Steel says a failed pipe apparently caused a spill at the company’s northern Indiana facility that sent a potentially carcinogenic chemical into a Lake Michigan tributary. The company said Wednesday its preliminary investigation shows an expansion joint failed in that pipe Tuesday at its Portage, Indiana, plant.. ...Read Full Story

Benton Harbor To Hold Town Hall On Water, Sewer System

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Benton Harbor City Manager Darwin Watson is holding a town hall meeting Thursday night at City Hall. He’ll be talking to residents about the city’s water and sewer system as part of a series of forums he’s been holding for the past few months. Benton Harbor has been replacing old water meters since last year, and was awarded a grant of nearly $400,000 in February by the state for a slew of water projects. Watson told WSJM News at the time the city will be replacing the water main on Territorial from Paw Paw Avenue to Hull Street, replacing and connecting the water main on Sherman Court off of Colfax, and doing water valve replacements city-wide. The town hall meeting starts at 5:30 p.m.. ...Read Full Story

Western Michigan University Picks New President

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Western Michigan University has its next president. The school’s Board of Trustees has picked a dean and professor of economics at Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy to succeed John Dunn, who is retiring. Edward Montgomery has been picked after a national search. Montgomery served as President Barack Obama’s auto-recovery czar. He has held faculty positions at Carnegie Mellon and Michigan State universities as well as the University of Maryland during a more than 35-year academic career. He has been at Georgetown since 2010. Dunn had planned to retire June 30, but the school says he will continue in his role until July 31. Montgomery will be WMU’s ninth president.. ...Read Full Story

Attorney General Takes Over Murder Investigation

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The Attorney General’s office is confirming that it’s taken over a murder investigation in Van Buren County because a relative of Sheriff Dan Abbott is now being investigated. Reportedly the gun used to kill Eddie “EJ” Holland during a sour drug deal in Lion’s Park in February belonged to the Sheriff’s son. He is a friend of the prime suspect in the killing, Thurman Fletcher, who has been charged with open murder. The State Police will conduct the actual investigation, and turn over their investigation file to the Attorney General’s office for any additional charges.. ...Read Full Story

Former Rep. Gamrat Files Wide-Ranging Federal Lawsuit

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Disgraced former state Representative Cindy Gamrat of Plainwell is alleging wiretapping, stalking and defamation in a lawsuit against the Michigan House, former House Speaker Kevin Cotter and her soon-to-be former husband. The defendants include Cotter and his chief of staff and general counsel, ex-staffers Keith Allard and Ben Graham, Joe Gamrat and many others. Fellow Republican and former lover Todd Courser previously filed a suit with a similar list of defendants, but later filed a motion to dismiss over failing health. Both conservative Christians were accused of using taxpayer resources to cover up their affair. That scandal led to Courser tendering his resignation in September 2015. Gamrat was thrown out of office an hour after Courser stepped down.. ...Read Full Story

Waterfront Film Festival Finds Permanent Home

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The Waterfront Film Festival will not be returning to South Haven. The festival left South Haven in 2013 for Saugatuck and was canceled in 2015 due to a partnership with ArtPrize in Grand Rapids for a film competition. Organizers now say they have a permanent home being set up in Holland that will give them a year-round facility for screening films and for education and other purposes. A matching grant from the Michigan Council for Arts & Cultural Affairs helped to make the permanent home possible. Ticket information for the grand opening on June 22 will be announced next month.. ...Read Full Story

One Hurt In Bridgman Rollover

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A 78-year-old Harbert man is being treated at Lakeland Hospital in St. Joseph for back, head, and neck injuries after a rollover crash in Bridgman. Police were called to the scene around 11:20 a.m. Tuesday on Lake Street near Pine Street and found the man trapped inside the car. Investigators believe he suffered a medical incident prior to the crash, causing him to cross into the oncoming lanes and then into a brick planter. The crash is still being looked into, and the man’s name has not been released.. ...Read Full Story

Car-Bike Accident Sends One to Hospital

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A woman remains in the hospital after being hit by a car while riding her bicycle. The incident happened around 11:30 yesterday (Monday) morning on County Road 354 in Porter Township. 67-year-old rider was riding southbound when a car, driven by a 35-year-old man hit her from behind. Sheriff’s Deputies report the driver appeared to be under the influence of drugs and was arrested. He is being held in the Van Buren County Jail for possession of Marijuana and operating a motor vehicle with the presence of drugs. The bicyclist was transported to Bronson Hospital in Kalamazoo and is listed in stable condition. Their names have not been released.. ...Read Full Story

St. Joseph Veteran To Receive Medals Tuesday

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Congressman Fred Upton will be in St. Joseph Tuesday to honor a veteran. He’s presenting 11 overdue service medals to Lewis Bolman, of St. Joseph. Bolman served in the United States Army during Operation Desert Shield and Storm. Among the honors Bolman is getting are the Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster, Army Good Conduct Medal, Southwest Asia Service Medal with three Bronze Service Stars, Army Service Ribbon, and the Overseas Service Ribbon. Upton will hand over the medals to Bolman at his office on Main Street in St. Joseph at 4 p.m.. ...Read Full Story

Southwest Michigan Spirit Tournament Down To Final Four

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We’re down to the final four in state Senator John Proos’ Southwest Michigan Spirit Tournament. Proos holds the contest each year to find out which community has the most pride in its schools, taking photo submissions through his Facebook and Twitter accounts. Folks just need to show how they’re proud. Proos announced Monday the final four this time around are Michigan Lutheran versus Watervliet, and Centreville versus Marcellus. The schools that enter Proos’ contest each year are all in his district. You can find out more at SenatorJohnProos.com.. ...Read Full Story

Berrien County Holding Recycling Event His Week

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If you’ve got a bunch of junk piled up in your basement or garage and you’d like to have it recycled, this is your week. Berrien County Environmental Property Manager Jill Adams tells WSJM News the county is doing a Reduce, Reuse, Recycle event on Wednesday at Lake Michigan College. Lots of people always show up.. ...Read Full Story

Children, Woman Attacked By Dog In Cass County

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Two children are recovering after they were attacked by a dog in Cass County on Sunday. The sheriff’s department tells our newsroom the two-year-old and seven-year-old were saved by a 44-year-old woman who was also hurt. The attack happened about 5:40 p.m. in the 63,000 block of Crooked Creek in Calvin Township. Sheriff’s deputies were able to get the dog into custody, and it’s being kept in quarantine for ten days before they decide what to do with it. The two-year-old is now in an Indianapolis hospital after being airlifted to South Bend due to severe head trauma. The seven-year-old was treated at Lakeland in Niles, along with the woman who helped them. Police say criminal charges could be pursued in the case against the dog’s owner.. ...Read Full Story

Expelled MI Lawmaker Sues For Back Pay

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From the Associated Press — A former Michigan lawmaker kicked out of the House because of a sex scandal says she was illegally expelled and deserves back pay. Cindy Gamrat, a Republican from Allegan County, says House leaders violated her rights in 2015. She filed a new lawsuit last week in federal court in Grand Rapids. Gamrat is seeking back pay as well as money for distress and humiliation. She says she had struck a deal to be censured, not removed from office. Attorney Sarah Riley Howard, a lawyer representing two former House aides, says the lawsuit “has no merit.” Gamrat’s former husband is also named in the lawsuit. He’s accused of using listening devices to try to catch Gamrat and Todd Courser, a Lapeer County Republican, in their affair. Courser quit the House.. ...Read Full Story

Consumers Energy Shopping For New Gas Powered Plant

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The Associated Press erroneously reported this weekend that Consumers Energy planned to buy the Palisades Nuclear Plant and convert it to Natural Gas. That is not happening, and the AP has since issued a correction. The real story is that Consumers Energy is shopping around for an existing gas powered facility that can provide the megawatts they will be losing when the Covert reactor shuts down in the summer of 2018. The Michigan Public Service Commission says it may not approve the closure of the plant without the assurance that Consumers has the juice it needs to cover peak loads. They are planning a pair of public hearings on the issue on May 8th.. ...Read Full Story

Two Arrested in High Speed Chase

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Three people have been arrested after a 40-mile high-speed chase across multiple midMichigan counties. It began as police in Gratiot County were searching for a suspect who allegedly punched an elderly man in a grocery store and tried to take his groceries. Authorities pursued a car on U-S 127 matching the description of one linked to the incident. After the chase that hit speeds of 110 miles-per-hour, police arrested the woman for fleeing and eluding authorities… and for outstanding warrants from multiple counties. Two men inside were also arrested.. ...Read Full Story

Niles Hotel Reopens After CO Leak Kills Teen

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The Quality Inn in Niles reopened over the weekend, after making the necessary improvements, and passing a building inspection. They booked their first rooms since the death of 13-year-old Bryan Watts on April 2nd. Watts and 5 friends were overcome by Carbon Monoxide fumes that accumulated in an indoor pool because of a faulty ventilator on the gas fired heater that warmed the water in the pool. The others all survived. The building was technically in compliance, and was not required to have a detector because of its age. That building code is currently being reviewed by Lansing Lawmakers. The Watts family is reportedly consulting with an attorney and may file a civil suit.. ...Read Full Story