Local News Archives

Michigan schools will have to provide CPR instruction under legislation signed by Lieutenant Governor Brian Calley. The law enacted this week takes effect in the next academic year. The measure requires that schools provide instruction in CPR and the use of defibrillators at least one time between grades 7 and 12. The instruction can be for hands-only CPR, a simpler type of training that does not require certification or mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. To meet the requirement, schools can incorporate the training into an existing health class that students must take to graduate. Health advocates say the law is a simple way to have more CPR-trained lifesavers in Michigan. Calley signed the bill because Governor Rick Snyder is vacationing out of state.. ...Read Full Story

The state House career of Representative Al Pscholka is now over. The Stevensville Republican joined WSJM to discuss the past six years in Lansing, saying he’s proud of helping get the state on the right financial path.. ...Read Full Story

Schools in Michigan are struggling to cope when teachers are absent because of an increasing shortage of substitute teachers in the state. Macomb Intermediate School District chief academic officer Judy Pritchett told the Detroit Free Press that the shortage is “a symptom of a much bigger problem” and that it reflects a decline in the number of people pursuing teaching as a full-time career. Wayne-Westland district Superintendent Michele Harmala says the state must look at why students aren’t going into education. EDUStaff, a company that provides staffing, including substitute teachers, to more than 300 school districts statewide, has put up about 40 billboards on Michigan highways, hoping to lure potential teachers into subbing.. ...Read Full Story

Americans made almost $260 billion in charitable donations in 2014, but it’s not always easy to tell which charities are on the up and up. One expert says there’s plenty of help online and by phone to help you make a decision. Attorney Beverly Salhanick tells us it’s easy to check if a non-profit is really legitimate.. ...Read Full Story

Now that Christmas has passed, police remind everyone of a few things they can do to prevent themselves from becoming post-holiday victims. For one thing, burglars might be paying attention to the boxes you leave out on the curb, so if you got an expensive gift, don’t advertise it. Berrien County Sheriff Paul Bailey adds you should take other steps with your trash.. ...Read Full Story

State Representative Aric Nesbitt has closed out his six years in Lansing with a perfect attendance record. His office says the last session has wrapped up with Nesbitt not missing a single vote in all three terms that he’s represented the 66th House District. In all, Nesbitt took part in 4,123 votes since January of 2011. He says he had an obligation to serve the communities in Van Buren and Kalamazoo counties that elected him. He tells us one of the most important things to come up in the House during his time there was a landmark energy policy just approved. Nesbitt isn’t the only southwest Michigan lawmaker to miss no votes during his six years in Lansing recently. We reported last week that state Representative Al Pscholka also had a perfect voting record.. ...Read Full Story

A new year is a good time to start over, and the Berrien County Health Department is hoping some smokers will take the plunge and kick the habit finally. Substance Abuse Prevention Supervisor Kerri Teachout tells WSJM News another Freedom from Smoking program begins next Tuesday. The sessions are for seven weeks. ...Read Full Story

The Berrien County Board of Commissioners is not happy with Bainbridge Township Supervisor Bill Hodge. Hodge was recently sworn in to serve in the township position, which according to the county board, means he’s no longer eligible to sit on the road commission. So, the county board this month declared Hodge’s road commission seat vacant. Now, Hodge has asked the Berrien County Trial Court to issue an injunction on that decision so he can remain on the road commission. The county board Wednesday issued a statement saying Michigan law prevents someone from serving in two such posts. Administration Committee Chair R. McKinley Elliott says, in the past 30 years, he can’t think of any elected or appointed official who “faced the potential of violating the Incompatible Offices Act that did not take the necessary steps to remedy that situation.” The matter will be decided by a judge January 12.. ...Read Full Story

The 2017 job market could be a gold mine if you’ve got the right prospecting tools. Fred Goff, CEO of Jobcase.com, says companies in Michigan and across the Midwest are working to build a “middle-skill” workforce for jobs like computer coding, carpentry, and plumbing. He told us about one successful example.. ...Read Full Story

If you have a live Christmas tree, you may be ready to toss it out. Michigan Christmas Tree Association Executive Director Marsha Gray says it’s best to recycle that tree.. ...Read Full Story

The Grand Rapids Police Department is equipping its police cruisers with automated external defibrillators in an effort to save
lives. The western Michigan city on Tuesday announced the installation of 75 defibrillators in every cruiser. The devices are the same as those in fire and emergency medical services vehicles. Officials say police officers will be in a better position to deal with a cardiac arrest if they are the first to arrive. The devices only deliver a shock to a patient if equipment advises a user to do so.. ...Read Full Story

The next leader of the Michigan House says he wants to bring experts together to discuss mental health treatment. The number of mentally ill prisoners in the prison system has grown 14 percent since 2012 to roughly 9,400. Tom Leonard of DeWitt, who soon will become House speaker, says “early intervention” for people with mental illness saves money
and can keep the public safe. The Detroit News reports that many mentally ill inmates cost an average of $95,000 to house at a special prison in Whitmore Lake. Leonard, a Republican, says he doesn’t have a “silver bullet.” He wants to hear from experts.
Corrections Department spokesman Chris Gautz says there’s been a slow but steady increase in treating mentally ill prisoners.. ...Read Full Story

Michigan hunters have until Saturday to apply to win one of three prized state hunting packages. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources randomly selects three winners every year for the Pure Michigan Hunt . The hunt includes licenses for elk,
bear, spring and fall turkey, anterless deer and a first pick at a managed waterfowl hunt area. Winners also receive prizes like crossbows, rifles, guided hunts and cameras. Applications cost $5 and are available online or where hunting licenses are
sold. There’s no limit to the number of applications that can be purchased. Non-residents can enter too but they won’t receive the elk license because elk hunting is limited to Michigan residents only.. ...Read Full Story

The holiday break means Michigan kids are stuck at home for a while, and some parents struggle with finding patience for their demands. However, experts say by planning activities for each day, parents can make the most of the break. Samantha Gray, with Attachment Parenting International, tells us there are ways to make things easier on yourself.. ...Read Full Story

Michigan State Police say a man who died along an Arkansas highway in 1989 has been identified as a long-missing Battle Creek man. Charles Cornell was 30 when he was last seen by relatives in 1986. They filed a police report this year after State Police suggested they do so. Cornell’s mother and sister then submitted their DNA, which was entered in a national database of unidentified remains. Their DNA determined that a man fatally struck by a semi-truck in Arkansas in 1989 was Cornell. They learned of the match Tuesday. Photos, medical and dental records and fingerprints remained on file in Arkansas, but the cases weren’t linked until Cornell’s relatives submitted DNA. Detective-Sgt. Sarah Krebs says it’s important for families of missing people to get their DNA on file.. ...Read Full Story

You can count state Senator John Proos as among the lawmakers in favor of a couple of hunting bills approved during the last session. The first bill requires the DNR to create an app that would let hunters display their licenses via smart phone. Proos tells us that could affect a lot of people in southwest Michigan.. ...Read Full Story

The state of Michigan is accepting contributions to a college fund for students who were in foster care. Robin Lott, head of the Michigan Education Trust, tells WSJM News the Fostering Futures Scholarship Trust Fund helps young people who have been in the foster system overcome a common challenge.. ...Read Full Story

A state grant of $45,000 will help the city of South Haven do some renovations to the Kids Corner playground. The playground at Monroe Park was built in 1988 and is now in need of some safety improvements. City Manager Brian Dissette tells WSJM News a recent study recommended several changes.. ...Read Full Story

A group from Michigan has received a big honor. For the 3rd consecutive presidential inauguration, Michigan’s Multi-Jurisdictional Mounted Police Drill Team and Color Guard will perform in the Inaugural Parade. The Parade theme is We the People: Our American Journey. That’s something the group took into consideration when filing an application to participate, says co-founder Lorenzo Veal.. ...Read Full Story

State Representative Aric Nesbitt has received another distinction as he prepares to leave office. The Lawton Republican has been named the MIRS News House Member of the Year. MIRS, or the Michigan Information and Research Service, is an online publication for Lansing insiders. It’s picked Nesbitt for the honor due to his work on a energy policy that was just approved by the governor. Nesbitt tells our our newsroom it’s an honor to be saluted by MIRS, which he calls a “respected news organization.” Other accomplishments he says he’s proud of in the last six years include making technical education more available, hosting veterans workshops in Van Buren County, and protecting gun rights. Nesbitt leaves office soon due to term limits.. ...Read Full Story

Detroit police have the right to remain bearded- to a point. The department’s rule banning beards has been lifted. A new policy allows officers to sport trimmed beards and goatees. City police had been allowed only neatly trimmed mustaches, though officers could seek approval to grow a beard if they had a skin condition. The lightly mustachioed Chief James Craig tells the Detroit Free Press for a story Sunday there’s no need to keep a rule that has “no bearing on how good they would do on the job.” Craig says another rule change allows female officers to wear one pair of stud earrings on the job. The chief says he would consider extending that rule change to men “if a lot of people made enough noise.”. ...Read Full Story

Mackinac Bridge authorities say they have reopened the span connecting Michigan’s two peninsulas after falling ice forced a temporary closure. Bridge officials said Monday that weather conditions have improved and they have given the all clear to resume traffic in both directions. Earlier in the day, all lanes had been closed because ice was falling from the cables and
towers. The nearly five-mile span crosses the waterway where lakes Huron and Michigan meet.. ...Read Full Story

Two sisters from Chicago are dead following a crash in Weesaw Township Sunday. The Berrien County Sheriff’s Department tells us it happened at Warren Woods and Cleveland roads around 4 p.m. when the driver of a sedan ran a stop sign and the car was hit by a pick-up. Two passengers in the sedan were killed, and they’ve been identified as 37-year-old Bre Anne Sutherland, and 41-year-old Laurel Ashley Sutherland. Both are from Chicago. The driver of the car, a 66-year-old man from the Niles area, was taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries. Two other passengers and the driver of the pick-up were also taken to the hospital. The crash remains under investigation.. ...Read Full Story

Ford Motor Company is expanding its on-the-job training program for autistic employees next year. Program manager Kirstin Queen says they have been working closely with the Autism Alliance of Michigan to provide insight to management and co-workers and identify appropriate work situations.. ...Read Full Story

The Benton Harbor Sunrise Rotary Foundation has established a new endowment. The rotary’s Bob Elliot tells WSJM News a recent anonymous donation has made it possible. This will mean more long-term support for the community from the rotary.. ...Read Full Story

Two women are dead and a man from Howard Township is being treated for what police say are life-threatening injuries after a crash in Weesaw Township Monday afternoon. The Berrien County Sheriff’s Department says the man was driving a Chevrolet sedan when he went through a stop sign at Warren Woods and Cleveland roads shortly after 4 p.m., and was hit by a Dodge pickup. The two women killed were back seat passengers in the Chevy. Deputies say one was a 41-year-old from Illinois, while the other was a 37-year-old from Howard Township. Both drivers and two other passengers in the sedan are being treated at South Bend Memorial Hospital. Deputies tell our newsroom it doesn’t appear weather or road conditions were factors in the crash. Whether other issues like alcohol, drugs, or a medical issue were involved remains under investigation. No names have yet been released.. ...Read Full Story

A new report from the Mackinac Center for Public Policy takes a look at the prevalence of cigarette smuggling and finds the higher your state’s cigarette taxes are, the more likely smokes are being sneaked in from states with lower taxes. Police Director Michael LaFaive tells WSJM News the amount of illegal cigarettes brought into Michigan has been going down as other states raise the tax and we don’t.. ...Read Full Story

Michigan State Police will remember two fallen troopers this week. On Friday, the 30th, they’ll hold a memorial service for Gary Rampy and Charles Stark. The two troopers will killed 45 years ago along Red Arrow Highway in New Buffalo. MSP Lieutenant Melinda Logan.. ...Read Full Story

Now that winter is here, state Senator John Proos is reminding everyone there are things they can do to make paying those heating bills a little easier. He tells us a utility won’t shut off your service if you reach out to them.. ...Read Full Story

The cause of a deadly fire in southwest Michigan on Christmas Day is under investigation.  The Cass County Sheriff’s Department says the fire killed 63-year-old Gordon Booz at his home in Marcellus.  Firefighters and deputies were called to his home around 1:30 yesterday afternoon, and found his body after the flames were out.. ...Read Full Story

The city of Benton Harbor could start working with a local bank on helping more residents buy homes. At this week’s meeting, commissioners heard from Linda Allen, branch manager at Chemical Bank in the city. She asked them to work with her on finding folks who would like to own. From there, the bank would help them.. ...Read Full Story

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is reminding new parents of the importance of following safe sleep practices for their babies with the holidays here. Spokesperson Erica Quealy tells WSJM News even if you’re traveling, the baby still needs a crib. Don’t forget a few other tips.. ...Read Full Story

The Michigan Public Service Commission wants to know how the early closure of the Palisades nuclear power plant will affect the state’s reserve energy capacity. That’s just one of the things the MPSC is looking at as it reviews Consumers Energy’s request to end its Palisades contract in 2018, rather than 2022. Spokesperson Judy Palnau tells our newsroom reserve capacity was in danger of going below the recommended level to begin with.. ...Read Full Story

It’s been a good year for the regional housing market. Philip Amodeo, with the Southwest Michigan Association of Realtors, tells WSJM News 2016 will likely replace 2006 as a reference year, as the market has finally recovered from the recession. Not only are sales up, but so are the prices.. ...Read Full Story

Two parks projects in South Haven will benefit from a couple of grants announced this week. First up is $300,000 for the development of a new $4.1 million park near the Van Buren State Park Trail. It’ll include new ball fields and trails. South Haven Schools Superintendent Robert Herrera tells us the projects are good news.. ...Read Full Story

It’s been another successful Harvest Gathering campaign for the Michigan Secretary of State’s office. Spokesperson Laura Lehman tells WSJM News the office’s annual food drive has resulted in a huge amount of help for food banks all over the state.. ...Read Full Story

Lake Michigan College is preparing to hold a series of regular workshops for students interested in finding out how they can apply for and get financial aid. Financial Aid Fridays will be held each Friday from 2 to 4 p.m. starting January 6 and running through March 24. They’ll be done at the Benton Township, Niles, and South Haven campuses. Any students who want to come and apply should bring their Social Security number, driver’s license, and federal student aid ID, if they have one. LMC students received more than $9 million in federal aid during the 2015-2016 academic year, as well as more than $600,000 in scholarships from the Lake Michigan College Foundation. You can find out more at LakeMichiganCollege.edu/Finaid.. ...Read Full Story

Michigan State Police are celebrating 100 years in 2017, and as part of the commemoration, troopers will be adding some special gear to their uniforms. Melinda Logan, with the MSP post in Niles, tells us they’ve bought new hats, matching those original 1920s troopers would wear.. ...Read Full Story

The Michigan Department of Agriculture is inviting the public to comment on possible plans to set up an invasive species quarantine in Allegan, Muskegon, and Ottawa Counties. Spokesperson Jennifer Holton tells WSJM News they’ve recently found a bug called the hemlock woolly adelgid in those counties.. ...Read Full Story

Michigan Governor Rick Snyder has signed a law that allows community colleges to pursue expanding their tax districts, which could increase the number of students paying lower, residential tuition rates. Snyder signed the legislation this week that passed earlier this month with broad support in the Michigan legislature. Expanding the districts into communities the schools do not border would require approval by local governments and voters. The governor signed several other bills, including one that would require the Natural Resources Commission to review and determine if additional colors are safe and effective for hunters to wear, including “hunter pink.” Another new law would eliminate the requirement that a physician assistant must practice under a physician’s supervision but requires an assistant to obtain a practice agreement from a doctor.. ...Read Full Story

If you’ve got a few minutes to spare in the next couple of weeks, the Red Cross could use your help. Spokesperson Todd Kulman tells our newsroom blood donations go down this time of year because everyone’s so busy. If you give blood between now and January 8, the Red Cross will give you a special present.. ...Read Full Story

Governor Rick Snyder has signed a law that would authorize wolf hunting if Congress or federal courts revisit the issue. State lawmakers quickly passed the bill after the Michigan appeals court recently declared a 2014 law unconstitutional. The law signed Wednesday defines wolves as a game species and authorizes the Natural Resources Commission to designate game.
Money in the law related to Asian carp control could shield it from a statewide referendum. Wolf hunting is not allowed in Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota because of a 2014 federal court ruling. A judge threw out an Obama administration decision to remove gray wolves in the western Great Lakes region from the endangered species list. Michigan’s only hunt was in 2013, when 22 wolves were killed in the Upper Peninsula.. ...Read Full Story

New bills signed by Governor Rick Snyder on Wednesday will compensate wrongfully convicted people who served time in Michigan prisons. Professor David Moran, founder of the Michigan Innocence Clinic at the University of Michigan, says if their convictions are overturned, then they would be eligible.. ...Read Full Story

The Berrien County Health Department is once again reminding everyone that this is a good time of year to clean out your medicine cabinets. With the holidays upon us, many folks will have family over. The health department tells us more than 70% of young people who abuse prescription medications get them from family, sometimes by just swiping them from the bathroom. So, it’s better to get rid of any medications you won’t use. Just drop them into a MedReturn drop off box. Those can be found at Lakeland and Walgreen Pharmacies, and also at many police stations. Within the past year, more than 2,500 pounds of unwanted and expired medications were collected from the various drop off locations in Berrien County.. ...Read Full Story

This is the time of the year many people get all too wrapped up in the hustle of the holidays, and doctors say that can affect their health. Dr. A.K. Misra, with U.S. Health Works, tells us eating balanced meals and healthy snacks is a much better way of keeping your energy up than relying on caffeine, fast food and holiday sugar fixes.. ...Read Full Story

Police are warning everyone to take some precautions about packages left outside their doors as Christmas rolls in. A video of someone stealing a package left outside of a Benton Township home earlier this month has gone viral in the past week, prompting a reminder. The video is now all over Facebook. If you’re expecting a last minute package, the U.S. Postal Service says you can ask a neighbor to watch out for it, or have the carrier hold it so you can go and get it from them. Also this holiday weekend, some police agencies are offering to perform free checks on homes. If you’re going to be out of town, call your local cops and let them know. Among agencies who will check up on properties this weekend is the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Department.. ...Read Full Story

The U.S. Coast Guard says warming temperatures this weekend could pose safety issues on Lake Michigan and frozen inland rivers, streams and ponds. The Coast Guard is urging people to use extreme caution on the water and melting ice. Ice thickness can vary, even in small areas. Water currents around narrow spots, bridges, inlets and outlets can cause thinner ice. The Coast Guard says stay away from cracks, seams, pressure ridges, slushy areas and darker areas. Ice near the shore of a frozen lake may be unsafe and weaker because of shifting, expansion and sunlight reflecting off the bottom. A majority of Coast Guard units around Lake Michigan have winterized their rescue boats. That means the Coast Guard has a reduced ability to respond to anyone in distress on the water.. ...Read Full Story

Repairs are underway on a diesel generator at the Cook nuclear power plant. Spokesperson Bill Schalk tells WSJM News that crews on Wednesday found possible problems in the fuel injection pumps at two generators, one in each of the plant’s units. The diesel generator for Unit 1 was fixed, while the other generator, on Unit 2, will take a few days longer. Since Unit 2 is offline for a refueling outage, anyway, it doesn’t affect operations. The diesel generators are two of several power redundancies at Cook. Schalk says the plant is waiting for some parts to come in for the Unit 2 generator repairs to be complete. The NRC has been notified of the issue, and Cook has until the end of January 4 to fix it. Shalk says the issue doesn’t put the public at risk.. ...Read Full Story

The former treasurer of a baseball league in a Berrien County town has been sent to jail for stealing $37,000. Meanwhile, the Three Oaks Baseball Association is holding bake sales and scrambling to raise money to buy uniforms for the next season. Amanda Macias was sentenced to six months in jail Thursday in St Joseph. Judge Scott Schofield says she stole “from the children of Three Oaks.” Macias acknowledged her crime but insists she’s still a “good person with a heart of gold.” Her lawyer says she’s working two jobs to repay the league. Adam Williams, president of the group, says the baseball league is far short of the money it needs to start the season.. ...Read Full Story

As the Flint water crisis gets closer to Governor Rick Snyder, Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette isn’t saying whether the governor could end up being charged. He says his investigation is about making sure there’s accountability, not about pursuing any one person.. ...Read Full Story

A man who’s accused of impersonating a police officer this week in Cass County has been found by the sheriff’s department. It says it got a tip about the alleged false officer after someone reported being pulled over by that person. Turns out the man’s a 53-year-old weather spotter and Red Cross volunteer from Jones. He told sheriff’s deputies he turned on his vehicle’s flashing lights Tuesday to stop someone who had cut him off in Newberg Township. He said he told the woman IF he was a cop, she’d be arrested. Police have turned the matter over to the prosecutor’s office to determine if charges are warranted.. ...Read Full Story

Two parks projects in South Haven will benefit from a couple of grants announced this week. First up is $300,000 for the development of a new $4.1 million park near the Van Buren State Park Trail. It’ll include new ball fields and trails. South Haven Schools Superintendent Robert Herrera tells us the projects are good news.. ...Read Full Story

695 people will be fed this Christmas thanks to the efforts of the Southwest Michigan Community Action Agency, Whirlpool, and the PGA. On Thursday, a total of 365 turkeys were given out in Benton Harbor. The agency’s Yvonne Vidt told us it feels great to help folks this time of year.. ...Read Full Story

Michigan now has 41 new state police troopers. They were graduated Thursday at a ceremony in Lansing with Governor Rick Snyder on hand. Lieutenant Mike Dawson, with the Niles state police post, tells WSJM News the legislature and the governor have really pushed to train new recruits this year.. ...Read Full Story

It’s been a good year for the regional housing market. Philip Amodeo, with the Southwest Michigan Association of Realtors, tells WSJM News 2016 will likely replace 2006 as a reference year, as the market has finally recovered from the recession. Not only are sales up, but so are the prices.. ...Read Full Story

A change has come to the law regarding minors in possession of alcohol. Governor Rick Snyder has signed legislation that makes the violation a civil infraction with a fine of $100 for a first offense. It used to be a misdemeanor. Republican state Senator Rick Jones, of Grand Ledge, sponsored the legislation and says most young people don’t even think about the consequences of breaking the law.. ...Read Full Story

A jump at the pump is putting a bit of a damper on holiday spirits, jumping over 20¢ this week in the area. Triple-A Michigan’s Susan Hiltz says the weather will cooperate with travelers, even if OPEC isn’t with the gas prices.. ...Read Full Story

The most popular name for baby girls in West Michigan in 2016 is Olivia. Liam tops the list for boys according to the Family Birthplace at Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids, which delivers more babies than any other hospital in Michigan. The rest of the top five for girls are Charlotte, Evelyn, Ava and Emma, while Levi, James, William and Elijah are the rest of the top five for boy babies. The only names on the list that weren’t there last year were Nora and Abigail for girls, but both were among the top ten in 2014.. ...Read Full Story