Local News Archives

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

Funeral Today For Ron Kienzle

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Southwest Michigan says goodbye to Berrien County Courthouse bailiff Ron Kienzle today. His funeral is set for 1 p.m. at the Mendel Center on the campus of Lake Michigan College. Kienzle was shot and killed along with courthouse security director Joe Zangaro last Monday by an inmate who was trying to escape after a court appearance. There will be road closures starting at 9 a.m. when Yore Avenue is shut down between Empire and Napier. Crystal Avenue will be closed from Empire to Napier from 2 until 4 p.m., and the outside westbound lane of Napier Avenue will be closed from Yore Avenue to Pipestone Road from 1:30 to around 4 p.m. Police will also close the exit ramps from I-94 to Napier in both directions from 1:30 to around 4 p.m.. ...Read Full Story

Hundreds March For Unity, Love

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Love and unity – those were the themes of a march Sunday afternoon from Cafe Mosiac in Benton Harbor to the Berrien County Courthouse. Organized after the shooting deaths of two court officers, the march also stemmed from recent violence nationwide with police shooting and killing two black men in Minnesota and Louisiana and the ambush that killed five Dallas police officers. Cafe Mosiac’s Andrew Collins, a former Benton Township police officer, says there’s too much negativity in the world, “lot of people who want to scream and holler about what the problems are.” He tells WSJM News “we felt it was necessary to bring some talk about the solution, and we believe that through Christ the only solution is love. We’re touting the L-O-V-E and we have an acronym with that. The L is learn about the community that you work in, or that you live in, or that you serve in. The O is have an open heart and open mind to those who may not look or sound or think like you. The V is to volunteer in those communities which you may not be a part of, and the E is to empower other people to do the same.”. ...Read Full Story

AAA Report Finds Most Drivers Get Road Rage

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A new AAA report reveals road rage continues to be a major concern. The agency conducted a survey of 2,700 drivers around the country, finding nearly 80% of them experienced aggression or anger while behind the wheel in the past year. AAA’s Gary Bubar says some people will create dangers on the road because of anger.. ...Read Full Story

Local Candidate Forum Set For Next Week

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A forum with local political candidates is planned for next week. It’s being organized by the Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce, and will be held at the Super 8 Conference Center on Red Arrow Highway in Stevensville on Friday. On hand will be several candidates for local office, including county commission and drain commissioner. The forum will be at noon. Organizers say everyone’s welcome to come out and bring some questions for those running.. ...Read Full Story

Man Picked Up On Warrant While Playing Pokemon GO

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A man with a warrant for his arrest was taken into custody after showing up at a Detroit-area police station while playing the Pokemon GO game. The Detroit News reports Milford police say the 26-year-old, who was wearing pajama pants, rode a bike to the Milford station Thursday.
Police Chief Tom Lindberg says officers recognized him because they’ve had contact with him in previous years. He was booked on a warrant for missing a court date and released. The newspaper says he was originally charged with breaking and entering. The location-aware smartphone game gives digital incentives like “Pokeballs” as rewards for visiting real places. The locations are known as “Pokestops” and “Gyms.” According to Milford police, the station is the site of a “Gym” as part of the game.. ...Read Full Story

Historic Southwest Michigan Bridge To Be Moved

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A historic bridge that’s the last of its kind in Michigan is going to be replaced by a new span that’ll be the first of its kind in the state. The Elkhart Truth reports that the Michigan Department of Transportation plans to begin removing the M-86 bridge over the Prairie River near Centreville
on July 18. It’ll be relocated to Cass County. In its place, the department will build a new 104-foot bridge that’ll be the first in the state to include carbon fiber composite strand reinforcement. It’ll be the second span in the state to include concrete T-beams. The department says pairing the bulb T-beams and the carbon fiber strands will reduce concrete cracking, deterioration and corrosion common in traditional steel-reinforced bridges. The $4.9 million project is scheduled for completion in November 2017.. ...Read Full Story

MDOT Begins US-12 Project Monday

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The Michigan Department of Transportation is advising drivers about a construction project set to begin in Berrien County on Monday. It says there will be shoulder paving on US-12 between M-139 and M-60 in Niles. The work will mean single lane closures at various times. It starts Monday and will run through Wednesday, August 10. You can keep yourself up to date on all of MDOT’s summer projects by installing the agency’s MIDrive app. It’s available free for both iPhone and Android.. ...Read Full Story

AAA: Stop Playing Pokemon GO While Driving

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AAA of Michigan is warning drivers to put down their Pokemon GO games while behind the wheel. Spokesperson Gary Bubar says there have already been reports of crashes caused by players, with one man in New York hitting a tree because he was trying to catch ’em all while driving. Bubar says playing with a phone app behind the wheel is a recipe for disaster.. ...Read Full Story

Suspect Faces Additional Charges In West MI Shooting

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A 21-year-old western Michigan man faces additional charges in connection with the shooting of three people outside a high school basketball game in February. The Muskegon Chronicle reports that Clarence McCaleb was arraigned Friday on six charges, including three for assault with intent to commit murder. He previously was charged with pointing a gun at a sheriff’s deputy and other crimes. Two females and one male were shot February 9 outside Muskegon Heights Public School Academy, northwest of Grand Rapids. Two of the wounded were students. Authorities say McCaleb was shot and wounded by a deputy after refusing to drop a pistol. Defense attorney Scott Pederson didn’t immediately return a call seeking comment. McCaleb is jailed on a $1 million bond. His preliminary examination is scheduled for August 1.. ...Read Full Story

Lakeview Avenue Work Set For Saturday

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Work to resurface part of Lakeview Avenue in St. Joseph will cause some traffic disruptions this weekend. The city says contractors will be installing storm sewer crossings at Colonial Avenue and Lakeview Avenue Saturday. The work was scheduled for the weekend so as to minimize problems for the Area Agency on Aging. Residents within the construction area on Lakeview will be able to enter and exit to the north, and they’re asked to use caution and allow for extra time. The road’s surface will be restored by the end of the day. The city says storm sewer construction will be done next week, which may mean water shut offs to individual homes to move piping.. ...Read Full Story

More Than $33,000 Raised For Lakeland Watervliet

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More than $33,000 has been raised for Lakeland Hospital in Watervliet, thanks to the Community Hospital Foundation’s annual golf outing held recently at Lake Michigan Hills Golf Club in Benton Harbor. Lakeland says the event hosted 120 golfers who attended an awards lunch and took part in several raffle drawings for things including Whirlpool appliances and a trip to a resort. Lakeland says the annual golf outing is made possible thanks to donors and foundation advocates who helped with registration and served as rangers on the golf course.. ...Read Full Story

Woman Arrested Following Van Buren County Hit & Run

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A Van Buren County woman is facing charges after a hit and run crash reported Thursday morning. Michigan State Police out of the Paw Paw post say they were called about a man who’d been hit by a pickup while walking his dog in Porter Township, near Lawton. The 65-year-old was hit in the arm and the ribs when the pickup crossed the centerline and went into the other lane. It then continued on. Not long after their investigation began, troopers found the suspect vehicle at a home nearby. A 50-year-old woman told troopers she’d been reaching for her cell phone and thought she’d hit a mailbox when the incident happened. She said she knew she’s lost her driver’s side mirror, but didn’t stop. The woman was arrested for failure to report an accident causing injury. The victim was treated and released at a local hospital.. ...Read Full Story

Service Held For Slain Berrien County Officer

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A service for slain Berrien County Courthouse security chief Joseph Zangaro has been held. The service to remember his life drew thousands to Lake Michigan College’s Mendel Center in Benton Township Friday afternoon. A 21-gun salute was held in Zangaro’s honor, a bugler played taps, blue ribbons were seen all over the property, and police agencies from across southwest Michigan were represented. Hundreds of officers were in attendance. Zangaro was shot and killed Monday by a Berrien County Jail inmate who was trying to escape. Also killed was jail security officer Ronald Kienzle. Kienzle’s service will also be at the Mendel Center on Monday at 1 p.m. Visitation will be Sunday from 1-5 p.m. at Starks & Menchinger Chapel in St. Joseph.. ...Read Full Story

Attorney: Kalamazoo Bike Crash Driver Didn’t Intent Harm

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A defense lawyer says a man accused of killing five people by plowing his speeding pickup truck into a group of Kalamazoo area bicyclists hadn’t intended to harm them. The comment from lawyer Alan Koenig followed the release this week of police reports saying 50-year-old Charles Pickett Jr. had taken pain pills and muscle relaxers less than two hours before the June 7 crash in Kalamazoo County. Koenig offered thoughts and prayers to the victims and their families in an email to The Associated Press on Friday. Pickett is charged with second-degree murder and driving while intoxicated causing death. He returns to court next month. Another four bicyclists were injured when they were struck from behind on a two-lane road in Cooper Township.. ...Read Full Story

Report: Two-Thirds Graduate From MI Universities Within Six Years

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Nearly two-thirds of students who enroll in Michigan universities earn a degree within six years, according to a state report. Just 36% graduate within four years. The success rate for students at community colleges is lower. About 35% earn a two-year degree or a transfer to a four-year institution within six years of enrollment. The figures were reported for the first time this week using what officials say is a new and improved methodology. It reflects both part- and full-time enrollment and adjusts for students transferring between colleges. Officials say the data will keep schools accountable and help the institutions better serve students. Michigan’s Center for Educational Performance and Information began collecting student-level data in 2009-10, so this is the first cohort with six years of available data.. ...Read Full Story

Large Turnout Expected For Zangaro Funeral Today

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Hundreds of people are expected to attend the funeral today for Joe Zangaro, one of two bailiffs shot and killed Monday at the Berrien County Courthouse. His visitation was yesterday at Starks & Menchinger Chapel in St. Joseph, and Berrien County Chief Judge Gary Bruce spoke with our partners at WNDU NewsCenter 16 about the loss of Zangaro and Ron Kienzle.. ...Read Full Story

Lakeland Health Now Posting Estimated Waiting Times Online

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You can now find out how long you’ll be waiting to see a doctor when going to the emergency department and walk-in clinic at Lakeland Health. It’s now got a waiting time posted right on the front page of LakelandHealth.org. The new service will help patients know how much time to set aside for their visit. Ray Cruse, Lakeland Vice President of Business Strategy and Hospitality Services, says the new service also allows patients to make a more educated decision about where they choose to receive care while offering transparency. Lakeland notes that those experiencing serious, life-threatening emergencies continue to receive treatment immediately.. ...Read Full Story

Program Allows Free State Park Access With Library Card

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If you’re looking for something to do this weekend, state Senator John Proos has a suggestion — check out one of the state’s parks using a free pass you can get at your local library. Proos says the state’s Michigan Activity Pass Program enables anyone to print out a pass to a state park using their library card. Just go to the library, and then take in some of southwest Michigan’s most scenic places.. ...Read Full Story

AAA Foundation: Drivers Admit To Road Rage

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A new AAA Foundation report reveals road rage continues to be a major concern. The agency conducted a survey of 2,700 drivers around the country, finding nearly 80% of them experienced aggression or anger while behind the wheel in the past year. AAA’s Gary Bubar says some people create dangerous situations on the road because of anger.. ...Read Full Story

Local Candidate Forum Rescheduled

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A local candidate forum organized by the Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce has been rescheduled. The event had been slated for Friday in Stevensville, but the chamber has moved it to next week out of respect for the Berrien County court security officers who were killed this week. Services for court security chief Joseph Zangaro are planned for this Friday, and a chamber representative tells us they didn’t want to have their forum the same day. It’s now been bumped back to next Friday, July 22. The candidates who had been scheduled to appear have been notified, and most of them can still make it to the rescheduled event. It will still be held at noon at the Super 8 Conference Center on Red Arrow Highway.. ...Read Full Story

Cass County Sheriff’s Department Identifies Suspects In High School Break In

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Surveillance video has helped the Cass County Sheriff’s Department quickly solve a school break in case. It says three suspects broke into Ross Beatty High School in Cassopolis overnight Tuesday. They damaged IT equipment, fiber optic lines, and the school’s server. Some items were also stolen. Some images from surveillance video were send around to other law enforcement agencies and put on the sheriff’s department’s Facebook page, leading to the suspects being identified within 45 minutes. The sheriff’s department thanks the public for its help in solving the case.. ...Read Full Story