Local News Archives

MI Trump Delegates Satisfied With Candidate

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Michigan’s Donald Trump delegates to the Republican National Convention this year say they’re pleased with what they heard from the candidate. West Michigan delegate Matt Hall was on the floor of the Quicken Loans Arena when Trump have his acceptance speech Thursday, and says he liked the billionaire’s message.. ...Read Full Story

First Michigan Case Of West Nile Virus This Year Found

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Michigan’s first human case of West Nile virus this year has been found in Livingston County. The state health department said Friday an “older adult” is recovering. No other details were released. Mosquitoes pick up the virus from infected birds and then pass it to people. The elderly and people with a weak immune system are considered to be at greatest risk for death. Thirteen birds have tested positive for West Nile. Michigan has plenty of what the virus needs to become potent: hot weather. Many people who are infected won’t develop any symptoms, which can include
body aches, joint pain and diarrhea.. ...Read Full Story

Woman Arrested On Weapon And Drug Charges Following Traffic Stop

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A Dowagiac woman is facing multiple charges after police say they found drugs and weapons in her vehicle during a traffic stop this week. Around 1 a.m. on Thursday, officers stopped 20-year-old Cheyenne Kiggins on Edwards Street near East Division Street. They learned Kiggins did not have a valid driver’s license. Officers then used a K9 to search the vehicle, leading them to 30 packages of suspected methamphetamine, a small amount of suspected heroin, and various methamphetamine-related items. Police also found two loaded handguns, multiple knives, and brass knuckles. Kiggins was arrested and charged with various drug and weapons offenses. She remains in the Cass County Jail with bond set at $20,000.. ...Read Full Story

SWM Housing Market Strong In June

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The housing market in southwest Michigan remains strong, with prices up for the month of June, while total unit sales were slightly down. Gary Walter, with the Southwest Michigan Association of Realtors, says the most striking thing about the month was the average price.. ...Read Full Story

Whirlpool Reports Record Second Quarter Earnings

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Whirlpool Corporation has reported record second-quarter financial results. The latest numbers were released Friday, showing second-quarter net earnings of $320 million, or $4.15 per diluted share, compared to $177 million, or $2.21 per diluted share, reported for the same period last year. CEO Jeff Fettig says the Benton Harbor-based appliance maker “delivered another quarter of record earnings and margin expansion while overcoming challenges in several key countries through focused execution of our plans.” Whirlpool says second-quarter net sales of $5.2 billion were flat compared to the same prior-year period, and excluding the impact of currency, sales increased by 3 percent. Fettig added the company is confident it can continue delivering record financial results.. ...Read Full Story

Berrien County Animal Control Shows Off New Shelter

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The public has had a chance to check out the new Berrien County Animal Control facility in Benton Township. An open house was held Friday as residents came out to tour the shelter and see all of its new features. Animal Control Director Val Grimes says the shelter is an improvement over the old one in Berrien Center in a variety of ways.. ...Read Full Story

Health Officials Warn About Extreme Heat This Weekend

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We have another day, and experts are warning people to be careful. Dr. Brad Uren with the University of Michigan’s Department of Emergency Medicine explains children under age two and elderly adults cannot regulate their temperatures as well as others and are particularly vulnerable to extreme heat. He notes signs to look for that may indicate emergency help is needed.. ...Read Full Story

New Information Released On Courthouse Shooting

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Larry Gordon planned his attempted escape from the Berrien County Jail and courthouse last Monday in an incident that ended with his death and the deaths of courthouse security director Joe Zangaro and bailiff Ron Kienzle. Sheriff’s Department Detective Greg Sanders says officers found a letter Gordon had written to his ex-wife in his cell.. ...Read Full Story

Sheriff To Update Courthouse Shooting Investigation

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We will know more later today about the shootings at the Berrien County Courthouse last week that killed two court officers. Sheriff Paul Bailey will give his first press conference in over a week at 10 a.m. to detail what their investigation has discovered so far. What we know for sure is jail inmate Larry Gordon somehow managed to get a gun out of the holster of Deputy James Atterberry Jr and shoot him, Kenya Ellis of Benton Harbor, and bailiffs Joe Zangaro and Ron Kienzle. Zangaro and Kienzle were killed, and other officers killed Gordon. The shooting happened as he was being led back to a holding cell after a court appearance. WSJM plans to carry the press conference live this morning, and it will also be available on our podcast page later today.. ...Read Full Story

Lansing Serial Killer Up For Parole

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A man who admitted to killing four mid-Michigan women in the 1970s is up for parole. The Lansing State Journal reports Thursday that 61-year-old Donald Miller is scheduled to meet next month with a member of the state parole board. Miller was sentenced to 30 to 50 years in 1979 for the rape and attempted murder of two Delta Township teenagers. He also confessed to killing four women, but a lack of evidence forced the Ingham County prosecutor to offer him reduced charges in exchange for leading them to the bodies. Seven parole hearings were held between 1989 and 1997. Relatives of the dead women and officials have opposed parole over the years. Miller is being held at a correctional facility in Jackson and declined an interview.. ...Read Full Story

Open House At Berrien County Animal Shelter Friday

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Anyone interested in seeing the new Berrien County Animal Control facility in Benton Township will have a chance to do so Friday. Animal Control Director Val Grimes says everyone is welcome to come out between 1 and 7 p.m. to take a tour and even walk a dog. She says she’s very pleased with the new building and the public should see it.. ...Read Full Story

Prosecutor Files Sentencing Motions In Ten Juvenile Murder Cases

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Sentences of life in prison without parole are being sought for a second time by the Berrien County Prosecutor’s office in ten cases that go as far back as 1967. The prosecutor’s office on Thursday announced it has filed motions seeking that sentence in response to a couple of Supreme Court rulings striking down mandatory life without parole sentences for juvenile offenders. Since the 2012 ruling, judges have the option of handing down life without parole to a juvenile, but they can also impose a lesser sentence. The ruling in 2016 was made retroactive. The prosecutor’s office says in all ten local cases affected by the rulings, it’s asking once again for just that sentence. The prosecutor had until the end of this week to file motions with the request. All ten cases involve murder.. ...Read Full Story

Kalamazoo Spill Settlement Renews Calls To Shut Down Line 5

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The settlement reached in the Kalamazoo River oil spill is intensifying calls from citizen and environmental groups to shut down Line 5 in the Straits of Mackinac. A $177 million federal oil spill settlement with Enbridge Energy Partners was announced Wednesday for the 2010 pipeline rupture. Deb Hansen, with Concerned Citizens of Cheboygan and Emmet County, contends the settlement is inadequate, and says it shows the risk the state is taking for continuing to allow Enbridge pipelines in the Straits of Mackinac.. ...Read Full Story

Straight Party Ticket Ban Struck Down By Judge

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A federal judge has blocked Michigan’s new ban on straight-party voting, a law that was passed by Republicans but criticized by Democrats as a
way to discourage turnout among minorities. Judge Gershwin Drain signed an injunction Thursday, a week after hearing arguments. He says the law would place a “disproportionate burden” on the rights of black citizens to vote in the fall election. Lawyers say more than 70 percent of ballots in Detroit and Flint have been cast as straight-party — votes that go for all candidates of one party with just a single mark. The state attorney general’s office, which is defending the law in court, says Michigan joined 40 other states in banning straight-party voting. The judge says that’s irrelevant.. ...Read Full Story

Cotter: Prevailing Wage Repeal Off Table

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It was a priority for Michigan Republicans when this legislative session began, but not anymore. Speaker Kevin Cotter says an attempt to repeal the state’s prevailing wage law is off the table for the remaining 20 legislative days in this session. Cotter told Michigan’s Big Show that the Governor opposes the bill because it is contrary to his efforts to promote and encourage skilled trades in Michigan.. ...Read Full Story

Report: Courthouse Shooter Was School Volunteer

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New information coming from our reporting partners at WKZO radio in Kalamazoo that Larry Gordon, the man who shot and killed two bailiffs at the Berrien County Courthouse, was also a volunteer at his daughter’s elementary school. Watervliet Public Schools superintendent Kevin Schooley confirms they only do security screens using fingerprints for employees, and did not know of Gordon’s extensive criminal history.. ...Read Full Story

Michigan Conference Seeks To Help Combat Human Trafficking

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Efforts to raise awareness about human trafficking and combat the problem will be the focus of a fall conference in Ann Arbor. Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette and the Michigan Human Trafficking Commission on Thursday announced the September 29 event. The commission, the State Court Administrative Office and the Department of Health and Human Services are involved. The conference is open to law enforcement, legal professionals, victim service providers, protective services workers, judiciary staff and other human trafficking-related groups. Details are posted online. Michigan has stepped up efforts in recent years to shield minor victims from prosecution and crack down criminals involved in human trafficking. Notices are being posted at rest stops, airports and bus stations to educate the public and
offer help for victims.. ...Read Full Story

South Haven Welcomes Two New City Officials

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Some new city officials are in place in South Haven. This month, the city welcomed Travis Sullivan to serve as the new clerk. He comes to South Haven from Kalamazoo, where he worked in several positions in city government, as city records coordinator most recently. Sullivan has a Bachelor of Science degree in History and a Masters of Public Administration in public management from Grand Valley State University. Also welcomed this month was William Hunter, the new department of public works director. He comes from Grand Haven, where he also headed up DPW. He’d previously supervised the water plant there... ...Read Full Story

National Police Night Out Next Month

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The annual police National Night Out is coming up next month. The event is held each year in communities all over the country to help the public get better acquainted with their law enforcement agencies. Locally, the Night Out will be in St. Joseph Township at Riverview Park on August 2. St. Joe Township Police officer Rick Knapp says, in light of recent events, it would be a good thing if there’s a strong showing from the community.. ...Read Full Story

Rock Collectors Flock To Van Buren State Park

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Rock collectors have been flocking to a state park in Covert that has seen broad expanses of stone because of high water levels. MLive reports that Van Buren State Park is typically known for its massive dunes and sandy beaches, but now visitors are coming out in force this summer
searching for everything from beach glass to fossils. Albion College geology student Jennifer Nelson, who working at the park this summer, says whether beaches are sandy or rocky is determined by how much sand the lake’s tide consumes. Nelson says fossils, granite and shiny, colorful stones have been particularly popular among young collectors. Adult collectors often look for Petoskey stones, which are somewhat rare but possible to find. She says visitors are allowed to collect 25 pounds of rocks per year from state land.. ...Read Full Story

Judge Blocks Restraining Order In Juvenile Lifer Case

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An appeals court has blocked an order that stopped Michigan prosecutors from seeking new no-parole sentences for potentially hundreds of
prisoners. No one has been sentenced yet. But county prosecutors plan to disclose by Friday whether they’ll again pursue the same tough punishment for 350 so-called juvenile lifers, prisoners who were teens when a murder occurred. The appeals court said Wednesday that federal Judge John Corbett O’Meara abused his authority with a restraining order. The court says O’Meara already plans to hold a July 28 hearing on an injunction request. The court also notes that prosecutors actually have until Aug. 24 to signal their resentencing plans, under state law. The U.S. Supreme Court says teens convicted of murder must be treated differently than adults. No-parole sentences require a thorough hearing.. ...Read Full Story

Enbridge To Pay $61 Million For 2010 Spill

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Enbridge Energy Partners will pay a $61 million penalty for the costliest inland oil spill in U.S. history under an agreement with federal officials.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Justice announced the settlement Wednesday over a 2010 pipeline rupture near Marshall, Michigan, that released an estimated 843,000 gallons of crude oil. A nearly 40-mile stretch of the Kalamazoo River was polluted as shoreline residents fled their homes. The deal requires measures to prevent future spills, detect leaks and prepare for emergencies across Enbridge’s Lakehead network, a web of 14 pipelines extending more than 2,000 miles across seven states. Company vice president Brad Shamla says Enbridge has been humbled and will meet the terms.. ...Read Full Story

Former Covert Twp Officer Accused Of Sexual Assault

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Michigan State Police are investigating a former Covert Township police officer for an alleged sexual assault. Police Chief Jay Allen tells WWMT-TV the officer resigned yesterday after the case was turned over to the Van Buren County Prosecutor’s office. The former officer, whose name has not been released, is accused of raping a woman in a hotel a week and a half ago after arresting her boyfriend for drunk driving. He allegedly went to the hotel after his shift was over, and the incident happened while he was off-duty.. ...Read Full Story

MI Delegates Recall Anti-Trump Effort At Convention

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Michigan’s delegates at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland have already witnessed plenty this week. Monday brought an ill-fated attempt by anti-Donald Trump elements to open up the convention so he could be denied the presidential nomination. Michigan state Senator Patrick Colbeck, a Ted Cruz delegate, says most Republicans are united around the issues Trump is promoting, but at issue is how he goes about it.. ...Read Full Story

LMC Expanding Search For Next President

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Lake Michigan College is starting from scratch in its search for a new president. The board of trustees on Tuesday opted to expand its search, hiring the Pauly Group, out of Illinois, to help. Board President Mary Jo Tomasini says they’re going to make an aggressive recruitment push. She says LMC can continue to function with Dr. Bob Harrison serving as president on an interim basis until they find the right permanent candidate.. ...Read Full Story

United Way Rivalry Run Next Month

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The United Way of Southwest Michigan is now taking registrations for its 3rd annual Rivalry Run. The runs raise money for the organization, which supports a variety of causes in Berrien and Cass Counties. This year’s run will be August 12, and you can sign up at Rivalry-Run.com. Everyone who takes part is urged to wear the colors of their favorite team and dress as a player, cheerleader, or fan. Participants are also encouraged to show their true colors by painting their faces. This year’s event will take off from the MTEC building on Klock Road in Benton Harbor, and a tailgate party will be held afterward. Registration is $20 for adults.. ...Read Full Story

West MI Lawyer Apologizes For Remarks About Judge

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A lawyer running for judge in western Michigan is apologizing after describing a black judge as an 800-pound “silverback” gorilla. Eric Grimm, who is white, says the email about Muskegon County Judge Gregory Pittman was a “lapse of judgment.” He says he plans to perform 100 hours of community service to make up for it. Grimm is one of five candidates running for probate judge in the August 2 primary election. The two top finishers will advance to the fall election.Grimm described Pittman as an 800-pound “silverback alpha male.” He says he was trying to talk about problems in the courthouse. Pittman, who doesn’t face re-election this year, says he won’t comment on what he calls “bigoted remarks.”. ...Read Full Story

Detroit Razes 10,000th Vacant Home Under Duggan Blight plan

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A two-story, wood-frame house on Detroit’s northwest side became the 10,000th vacant structure torn down as part of Mayor Mike Duggan’s massive plan to eliminate blight. An excavator was used to quickly tear down the house Tuesday on Marlowe Street. It was another win in a years-long battle to improve Detroit neighborhoods. Duggan’s blight program started 21/2 years ago. He said Tuesday that Detroit’s demolition program is “moving much more efficiently” than others around the country. About 10,000 houses were also demolished during the administration of Dave Bing, the previous mayor. Detroit has received about $258 million from the federal Hardest Hit Fund for demolitions and other blight removal efforts. A blight task force survey in 2014 revealed more than 40,000 structures needed demolition with another 38,000 tipping toward blight.. ...Read Full Story

Anti-Nuclear Group Questioning Palisades Security Suspensions

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An anti-nuclear group is asking questions about allegations that security guards at the Palisades nuclear plant were allegedly either skipping or not adequately performing fire inspections at the plant. As a result, 20 members of the security force have been put on leave, with one telling a Kalamazoo news outlet they were never trained on how to do the fire inspections. Kevin Kamps with Beyond Nuclear says fire risk is one of the biggest risks a nuclear plant faces. He thinks the Nuclear Regulatory Commission should take firmer action against the Palisades’ parent company, Entergy.. ...Read Full Story

21 Youths Graduate From MSP Leadership Academy

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Benton Harbor City Commissioners have saluted 21 young men who graduated from the Michigan State Police Youth Leadership Academy this year. At Monday’s meeting, they were introduced to the latest graduates. MSP trooper Maurice Burton says the kids who join are sent to a five-day camp where they do physical training and also take part in sessions to learn a variety of skills.. ...Read Full Story

Lawrence Third Grader Wins Contest To Paint A Plow

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Some Van Buren County school children have helped out with painting one of the road commission’s plows. Van Buren County Road Commission Engineer-Manager Larry Hummel says the agency held a contest, asking kids from all over the county how a plow should be decorated. With 93 submissions, the winner was Lawrence Elementary’s Hailey Camp, a third grader. They painted the plow to her specifications.. ...Read Full Story

Van Buren Youth Fair Underway

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It’s time once again for the Van Buren Youth Fair. The event is now underway at the fairgrounds in Hartford, with activities scheduled through Saturday. The Youth Fair Board’s Paul Garrod says, in addition to the 4H displays, food, and rides, there will be a variety of entertainment all week.. ...Read Full Story

Service Held For Ron Kienzle

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Two Berrien County Courthouse security officers killed last week in the line of duty have been laid to rest. On Monday, the service for Ronald Kienzle was held at Lake Michigan College’s Mendel Center with a thousands in attendance. They included hundreds of police officers from all over Michigan. Kienzle’s graveside service also took place Monday afternoon at Crystal Springs Cemetery, with nearby roads closed as the procession went by. Kienzle was shot and killed last Monday by a Berrien County Jail inmate who also killed courthouse security chief Joseph Zangaro. Zangaro’s service was last Friday.. ...Read Full Story

State Board Approves Detroit Schools Bailout

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A state board has approved a $150 million emergency loan and other facets of a plan to address massive operating debt in the Detroit school district and to return control to locally elected officials. The three-member Local Emergency Financial Assistance Loan Board OK’d the proposal Monday. It voted to transfer assets of the Detroit Public Schools to a new district and to authorize the elimination or restructuring of debt by borrowing $235 million through the sale of bonds. The votes effectively begin implementing a $617 million state bailout that was enacted into law in June. Current school board members and others urged the board to reject the plan and to implement their proposed alternative. They say the laws, which allow the new district to hire noncertified teachers, are unconstitutional.. ...Read Full Story

Michigan To Get Facility For Autonomous Vehicle Testing

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Plans to convert the site of a former General Motors plant that once pumped out World War II-era bombers into an autonomous car testing facility are moving forward. The Michigan Economic Development Corp. and the Revitalizing Auto Communities Environmental Response Trust on Monday announced a $1.2 million purchase agreement for the acquisition of 311 acres at Willow Run in Washtenaw County’s Ypsilanti Township. The project was highlighted by Governor Rick Snyder during his state of the state address in January, when he said he was working with Michigan’s congressional representatives to help make it happen. The nonprofit American Center for Mobility was formed to develop the project. The RACER Trust took over sites around the country left behind in Detroit-based GM’s 2009 bankruptcy reorganization.. ...Read Full Story

[VIDEO] Unity March Draws Hundreds

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A call for unity and love is being heeded in Berrien County. Cafe Mosiac’s Andrew Collins and several others got together to call for a march from the Benton Harbor business to the Berrien County Courthouse in St. Joseph yesterday following weeks of violence across the country, capped off by the shooting deaths of two court officers at the courthouse last Monday.. ...Read Full Story

Gas Prices Up 9¢

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AAA Michigan says gas prices statewide have risen by about 9 cents per gallon in the past week. The Dearborn-based auto club says the average price for self-serve regular u nleaded gasoline was about $2.36 per gallon on Sunday. That’s about 39 cents less than it was at the same point last year. This is the first time in five weeks that the statewide price of gas has increased. The lowest average price was about $2.29 per gallon in the Traverse City area, while the highest average was about $2.42 per gallon in the Ann Arbor area. In Benton Harbor and St. Joseph, we have the second-lowest average price at $2.30.. ...Read Full Story