Local News Archives

The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi has announced that the closure of Four Winds Casino locations have been extended indefinitely. The Pokagons have released the following statement:. ...Read Full Story

With many Michiganders sheltering in place due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the Humane Society of Southwestern Michigan is looking for some extra help. It says shelter life has been rough during the pandemic, and its animals need support. The organization notes it has its own particular set of challenges right now, needing resources for supplies, medicine, utilities, staffing, and more. It’s launched a crowdfunding campaign in an effort to collect $30,000 to get through the coronavirus. As of Friday afternoon, the organization had raised $2,250. You can find it right here. The Human Society also needs items like bleach, paper towels, laundry detergent, floor cleaner, postage stamps, and Lysol. They’ve got donation bins outside the shelter on M-139 in Royalton Township.. ...Read Full Story

Home sales in southwest Michigan were down in February, although prices were up. The Southwestern Michigan Association of Realtors says the number of houses sold in February of this year dropped to 181 from 235 in February of 2019 for a 23% decrease. However, the average selling price was up 12% over the same period. Meanwhile, the median price soared 30%. With fewer houses sold, the total dollar volume, even with higher selling prices, was down 14% in February. The association says housing inventory was down 2% from February of 2019, while the percentage of sold homes that were foreclosures remained the same as January at 7% overall.. ...Read Full Story

The deadline for filing state tax returns have been pushed back to July. The office of Governor Gretchen Whitmer has released the following statement:. ...Read Full Story

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is seeking to clear up confusion about Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s stay home order. Specifically, she’s addressing which businesses should be considered critical. The State Emergency Operations Center has released the following statement:. ...Read Full Story

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and Governor Gretchen Whitmer have announced new food assistance available to those who are struggling as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. The State Emergency Operations Center has released the following statement:. ...Read Full Story

The Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency has announced a new schedule for workers to follow when applying for benefits. It’s hoped the new schedule will help the system run more smoothly with many out of work due to COVID-19. The state Emergency Operations Center has released the following statement:. ...Read Full Story

The number of COVID-19 cases in Michigan rose by 801 from Thursday to Friday. The latest numbers from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services also show 32 new deaths. The state’s total number of cases as of Friday afternoon was 3,657. It’s had 92 deaths. Berrien County has seen seven new cases, now with 18 total. Van Buren County has one new case, bringing its total to three. Cass County has one. The city of Detroit is listed as having 1,075 cases of COVID-19 with 23 deaths. Oakland County has 824 with 26 deaths, and Wayne County, which is being counted separately from Detroit, has 735 with 14 deaths. The cases are divided about equally between men and women, while men account for 65% of the deaths.. ...Read Full Story

Small businesses in Michigan hurt by the COVID-19 pandemic can now apply for relief grants and loans through the state. The State Emergency Operations Center has released the following statement:. ...Read Full Story

Congressman Fred Upton took to the U.S. House floor on Friday to urge his colleagues to approve the COVID-19 stimulus bill. The $2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security, or CARES, Act would send checks of at least $1,200 to every American adult, bail out airlines, provide financial aid to small businesses, and expand unemployment benefits, among other things. Upton said the coronavirus crisis warrants major action.. ...Read Full Story

Changes are being made to how the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services reports COVID-19 cases in the state. Starting today, they will no longer give updates of new cases by county, and instead will offer a map illustrating case density by county. Cumulative cases and deaths will still be broken down county-by-county, however. The reporting time is also moving an hour later in the day from 2 to 3 p.m., as there have been several times in the past week where the release of the numbers has been delayed. Health officials add information regarding the pandemic is changing rapidly, and remind Michiganders the most recent information can be found at Michigan.gov/coronavirus and at CDC.gov/coronavirus.. ...Read Full Story

If you have something from Meijer that needs to be taken back, you’ll need to put it aside for a while. The retailer is no longer taking returns of any sort due to the coronavirus pandemic, and that will last until April 16 at the earliest. Meijer has already stopped accepting bottle and can returns. The new change keeps customer service desks open, but only for postal services, lottery sales, and Western Union services. Also suspended are rentals of carpet cleaners and power washers and exchanges for Soda Stream carbonation containers. Customers who currently have the rental cleaning equipment are being asked to hold on to it until the health crisis eases. Meijer is extending the window for returns to 120 days to accomodate any receipts that would have expired during the suspension.. ...Read Full Story

Berrien County Prosecutor Michael Sepic says local law enforcement have received guidance from the Michigan Attorney General on enforcing Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s stay at home order. The prosecutor has released the following statement:. ...Read Full Story

The school year may be over for 1.5 million students across Michigan. Governor Gretchen Whitmer says she’s been asked about it in every interview she does, and doesn’t yet have an answer to it.. ...Read Full Story

A U.S. House resolution co-sponsored by Congressman Fred Upton is calling on President Trump to invoke the Defense Production Act to speed up the manufacture of medical supplies needed around the country. Upton tells WSJM News the act should be used to “ensure we as a nation unleash the stockpile of supplies to help health care workers and save lives.”. ...Read Full Story

The Niles History Center is offering virtual tours while the COVID-19 crisis continues. It says it’s making the resource available so people can continue to learn about local history even while safe in their homes. The center has put up historical photos, videos, and other information on its Facebook page and is planning virtual tours of the historic Chapin Museum. During the closure of the Niles History Center, staff are working on collection inventory and updating the storage areas and first floor exhibits. Work at the Historic Chapin Mansion and Fort St. Joseph Museum is proceeding on schedule. The Niles History Center has put up videos of virtual field trips at its website and YouTube channel.. ...Read Full Story

State Representative Tyrone Carter is the first Michigan lawmaker to test positive for coronavirus. Carter says he began feeling unwell last week after returning home from Lansing on Wednesday. Carter says his condition has dramatically improved, although he remains quarantined at home.. ...Read Full Story

Due to the COVID-19 crisis, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources is suspending burn permits around the state. DNR fire supervisor Dan Laux says emergency response resources need to be kept available for other priorities at this time. He also says the order protects firefighters who often work closely together on scene and when traveling to and from incident locations. The decision to hold off on allowing burns has the support of the state fire marshal. Open burning in some parts of the state may still be allowed in areas where the ground is snow-covered.. ...Read Full Story

There are another 561 people in Michigan who have tested positive for COVID-19. The new number of cases in the state is now 2,856, with 60 deaths. Metro Detroit remains the state’s epicenter, with 2,404 cases total in Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties, including the city of Detroit. That region has also recorded 52 of the state’s COVID-19 deaths. Cass County is one of the new additions to the list, as that county’s first case has been confirmed. St. Joseph County is now the only area of southwest Michigan where no one has tested positive for the illness. Berrien County has 11 people who have tested positive, and Van Buren County has two. The state is again releasing the number of tests that have been done. As of Wednesday afternoon, which does not reflect today’s spike in cases, there had been 9,109 people tested with 6,550 of those coming back negative.. ...Read Full Story

Van Buren County Courts are not open to only essential functions. The court has released the following statement:. ...Read Full Story

An Ohio woman is in the Berrien County Jail, accused of setting a mobile home on fire in Lincoln Township. Firefighters and police were called to The Spring Lake Mobile Home Park on West John Beers Road around 10:30 Wednesday night. The fire had been put out by the time they arrived. The 28-year-old suspect had taken off before the officers and firefighters got to the scene, but she was found a short time later and arrested. Police say she’s related to the home’s occupants and had driven there due to a family dispute, which caused her to allegedly start the fire. No one was hurt, and damage is estimated at around $7,000.. ...Read Full Story

Berrien County is declaring a state of emergency due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The Berrien County Health Department has released the following statement:. ...Read Full Story

Governor Whitmer says Michigan has the fifth-highest number of COVID-19 cases in the country, and the numbers will continue to rise until the impact of the Stay Home, Stay Safe order begins to be felt in the coming weeks. She has now sent a request to President Trump for a major disaster declaration for the state.. ...Read Full Story

Governor Gretchen Whitmer has signed an executive order designed to make it easier for people to continue getting prescriptions filled during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her office has released the following statement:. ...Read Full Story

Congressman Fred Upton says it’s time for remote voting to be allowed in Washington. He spoke with WSJM News about the idea this week.. ...Read Full Story

The United Way of Southwest Michigan and the Berrien Community Foundation have announced the new Southwest Michigan Cares Fund as the COVID-19 crisis continues. The BCF’s Lisa Cripps-Downey tells WSJM News the fund is for local organizations that help people directly.. ...Read Full Story

As a state, we’re not overreacting to COVID-19. That’s the feeling of Beaumont Health president and CEO John Fox.. ...Read Full Story

The Hartford Strawberry Festival has been canceled for this year. The event at Ely Park in Hartford was slated for the second weekend in June, but due to the COVID-19 outbreak, organizers thought it best to take a year off. The Strawberry Festival Committee made the decision this week. If you’re looking to stay up to date on what’s planned for the future, you can check out the Facebook page of the Hartford Strawberry Festival.. ...Read Full Story

South Haven North Shore Elementary fifth grade teacher Julie Sheppard is a finalist for the national Hannah E. MacGregor Teacher of the Year award. The award will be given out on June 18 at the National History Day National Contest Award Ceremony in Maryland, which Sheppard tells us will be held virtually this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.. ...Read Full Story

Based on cellphone data, Michiganders are heeding the suggestions to keep away from each other and stay home. The Social Distancing Scorecard by the firm Unacast give the state a grade of “A” for following what we’re being asked as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Broken down by county, Cass and Kalamazoo counties are doing the best in southwest Michigan with an “A,” while Allegan and Berrien counties get a “B,” and St. Joseph and Van Buren counties look to have more work to do with “C” grades. Overall, the firm finds a 42% drop in distance traveled by Michigan residents since the coronavirus pandemic brought about the suggestions for social distancing that were later followed this week by Governor Whitmer’s stay-at-home order.. ...Read Full Story

The closure of all K-12 schools in Michigan is halfway through its second week, and there are starting to be expectations it will go on longer than first announced. Governor Whitmer ordered the schools closed for three weeks as part of her strategy for social distancing and to try to slow down the spread of coronavirus. In an automated phone call to district parents Wednesday, St. Joseph Public Schools superintendent Dr. Thomas Bruce says they will receive guidance soon from the governor’s office regarding the length of the shutdown, and he expects it will be extended. The governor was asked about the possibility of canceling the rest of the school year last week, but said it was too early to address that idea. Kansas has already ended the school year, and Detroit Public Schools Community District superintendent Nikolai Vitti sent a letter to the Michigan Department of Education this week urging the same action for this state.. ...Read Full Story

Meals will continue to be offered to children through their schools all across the state of Michigan while the governor’s stay home order is in effect. The State Emergency Operations Center has released the following statement:. ...Read Full Story

The number of coronavirus cases in Michigan is now 2,295. The Department of Health and Human Services says 43 people have died, almost double the total from Tuesday. Berrien County now has 10 cases, up from 8. Van Buren County has two cases after reporting their first this morning. There are 5 in Kalamazoo County and one in Allegan County. No one has tested positive for COVID-19 as yet in Cass or St. Joseph counties. The vast majority of the cases are in the metro Detroit area.. ...Read Full Story

The Benton Township Police Department is investigating a shooting at a party store on Tuesday evening. It says the incident happened at the Quik Way Party Store at 105 South Fair Avenue around 8 p.m. Officers were called to Spectrum Health Lakeland hospital on a report of a man with a gunshot wound, and found the 22-year-old had been hit in the upper leg. He told police he was leaving the store when he saw some men arguing and then heard shots. The victim said he was hit with a bullet as he drove away from the scene. From there, he took himself to the hospital. Police found evidence of the shooting in the store parking lot, but have not yet located a suspect. The victim’s injury is non-life threatening. Anyone with information on the crime is asked to contact the Benton Township Police Department.. ...Read Full Story

Michigan State Police have released a Frequently Asked Questions document regarding Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s stay home order issued this week. Below is the full state police list of questions and answers.. ...Read Full Story

The following is a release from the Van Buren/Cass District Health Department. ...Read Full Story

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has identified some cases of COVID-19 at state-run psychiatric hospitals. The State Emergency Operations Center has released the following statement:. ...Read Full Story

The Twin City Players have announced the cancellation of the remainder of their season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The players say the decision comes following federal, state and CDC recommendations to reduce social gatherings in an attempt to curb the spread of the illness. TCP Board President Kraig Kirkdorfer says it was a difficult decision, but the theater group must put the safety and health of patrons and members first. The cancellation affects two shows. They are The Women of Lockerbie, which had been set for March 20 through April 5, and Fun Home, which was to have taken place from June 5 through June 28. The Twin City Players are now working on reaching ticket holders and those with season passes. They’re hoping patrons will simple donate the cost of their ticket as the organization says it’s taken a significant financial hit as a result of the cancellations. Twin City Players say they continue to plan for the 2020-2021 season, which is slated to start in September.. ...Read Full Story

The Twin Cities Area Transportation Authority, or Dial A Ride, says it remains open, but it’s urging riders to only use the bus service when it’s absolutely necessary for trips to work for essential service providers, to pick up food or prescriptions, or to travel to emergency medical appointments not related to COVID-19. Dial A Ride offers three fixed routes as well as on demand response service in the Twin Cities area. Dial A Ride Director Paul Gillespie says the organization is committed to providing service as long as it’s safe for passengers and drivers. He says Dial A Ride urges people to stay at home and heed the warnings to avoid unnecessary travel. Anyone who is sick or showing signs of respiratory illness should not take the buses or any public transportation.. ...Read Full Story

Congressman Fred Upton expects a quick U.S. House vote on an economic stimulus passage once it’s approved by the Senate. He told WSJM News from his home in St. Joseph on Tuesday he was hoping the Senate package could get complete support by House members.. ...Read Full Story

Michigan is now under a “Stay Home, Stay Safe” order signed by Governor Gretchen Whitmer. She says public health scientists are clear that a 14-day freeze on movement will stop the spread.. ...Read Full Story

Governor Gretchen Whitmer is calling on everyone to make donations of some supplies to help keep people safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her office has released the following statement:. ...Read Full Story

The Berrien County Health Department has stepped up efforts to trace the contacts of individuals in the community who could have been exposed to COVID-19. The Berrien County Health Department has released the following statement:. ...Read Full Story

There’s another sharp increase in the number of coronavirus cases in the state. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services says the number now stands at 1,791 with 24 deaths. In southwest Michigan, one case is in Allegan County, eight cases are in Berrien County, with three in Kalamazoo County. Cass, St. Joseph, and Van Buren counties remain without any confirmed COVID-19 cases. Kent and Ottawa counties numbers are up, with 31 in Kent and 15 in Ottawa.. ...Read Full Story

End the school year now. That’s the plea from Detroit Public Schools Community District superintendent Nikolai Vitti to the Michigan Department of Education. In a letter, Vitti says there are too many questions about how things will proceed once the three-week shutdown of K-12 schools around the state is over in April. He wants measures put in place for seniors to be able to have enough credits to earn their diplomas and for 8th graders to have what they need to advance to high school in the fall.. ...Read Full Story

The Berrien County Sheriff’s Department is recommending everyone have an emergency plan for their pets as the COVID-19 crisis continues. The department has released the following statement:. ...Read Full Story

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is keeping state parks open for now, but has closed campgrounds and other parks-related facilities. The DNR has released the following statement:. ...Read Full Story

The city of Benton Harbor is the latest municipality in the area to close its offices to the public. The closure took effect today and will be in place until April 13. However, city staff remain on the job and things will be done. The Public Safety Department and Benton Harbor Water Plant are operating normally without interruption to services. Water payments can be made online at bhcity.org or by putting those in the payment drop box in front of city hall. The city commission approved a moratorium earlier this month on water shutoffs for the duration of the coronavirus pandemic, and those who need water service turned on can get that scheduled through the city’s Water Payment Center. There will be no additional costs to turn on service. All other departments will service emergency calls only for the time being.. ...Read Full Story

Because the coronavirus can survive on surfaces for several days, stores in Michigan are no longer accepting bottle and can returns. That recommendation was made this week by the Michigan Retailers Association, the Michigan Beer and Wine Wholesalers Association, and the Midwest Independent Retailers Association. Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, Oregon, and Vermont have stopped taking in the returnables already. The move is meant to help stop the spread of coronavirus and protect the health of the retail workers who handle those returned cans and bottles.. ...Read Full Story

Berrien County’s COVID-19 cases are rising quickly. They were at 4 on Sunday, and have now doubled to 8 as of Tuesday morning. There have not been any deaths in southwest Michigan from the coronavirus outbreak, and the Berrien County Health Department has not released information on the three positive tests since Monday. Three of the first five were of two people who attended the Sandi Patty concert on March 8 at Andrews University, and the husband of one of those women. There are officially 15 people in the state who have died from the illness, but that number is expected to be increased this afternoon when the latest figures from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services are released, as a Detroit police officer has died from COVID-19.. ...Read Full Story

The office of Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson is going to mail out absentee ballot applications for elections planned for May 5. The Michigan State Emergency Operations Center has released the following statement:. ...Read Full Story

Community leaders from Detroit and clean water organizations are calling on Governor Gretchen Whitmer to establish public hand-washing stations because of the slow pace of returning water service to households whose water has been cut off. Detroit resident Nicole Hill has experienced shutoffs several times in recent years, and says limited access to drinking water is impacting her family’s health as it makes eating adequately difficult. She adds more also needs to be done to inform residents about how to get water restored and protect themselves from the virus.. ...Read Full Story

Antiques on the Bluff is the latest event put on by St. Joseph Today that’s being impacted by coronavirus. Executive director Amy Zapal says they are canceling the first show of the year, which had been set for Saturday, May 3. As a result, this year’s Antiques on the Bluff season is set to start on Sunday, June 7, but that can also change depending on the latest developments with COVID-19.. ...Read Full Story

Governor Gretchen Whitmer is urging the federal government to open a special enrollment period for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act. Last week, the governor and Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services Director Anita Fox issued a call for an extra enrollment period so people without coverage could get another chance to sign up. Whitmer reiterated her call this weekend, saying it “is more important than ever for Michiganders to know they have health insurance coverage that will pay for them to be tested and treated for COVID-19.” Her office says Michigan and 32 other states with federally-facilitated marketplaces need the Trump administration to allow the state to open enrollment. As of Saturday, nine states that operate state-based exchanges have opened special enrollment periods to allow people to sign up for health insurance coverage. The governor’s office says special enrollment periods have been allowed by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in the past. For example, after Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, they were allowed for residents affected.. ...Read Full Story

The Berrien County Sheriff’s Department, the Berrien County Health Department, and Spectrum Health Lakeland have issued a statement to answer some of the questions they’ve been getting about the stay at home order issued by Governor Gretchen Whitmer. The statement is below:. ...Read Full Story

With many businesses now being forced to temporarily close due to Governor Whitmer’s “Stay Safe, Stay Home” order, she is acknowledging there will be pain felt in the economy. But, there is also help available. Cornerstone Alliance president and CEO Rob Cleveland is reminding businesses that they are the Small Business Administration provider for Berrien, Cass, and Van Buren counties.. ...Read Full Story

Bangor Police are teaming up with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to try to find 17-year-old Joanna Serrano. She was last seen on February 18, but her last known location has not been released. Serrano is multi-racial, 5’2″, 130 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes. Bangor police say she is Asian, black, Hispanic, and white. She has been known to wear glasses and has pierced ears. Anyone who knows where she may be is urged to call 9-1-1.. ...Read Full Story

People are using more disposable wipes in the last few weeks to clean surfaces in their homes due to the coronavirus pandemic, but a reminder is going out from the city of South Haven to only put those in the trash and don’t flush them in the toilet. Sure, there are some baby wipes and others that say on the packaging they’re “flushable,” but city officials say they’re anything but. Wipes don’t have the ability to break down like toilet paper, and wind up clogging home and municipal sewer pipes. They can get hung up on a root, or any imperfection in the pipe, and then start to collect everything else. They can also damage pumps at wastewater treatment plans. The city of South Haven concludes its reminder by saying they “realize everyone is concerned about disinfection, and using disinfection wipes, flushable wipes, and paper towels for this purpose are admirable. However, these items do not belong in the toilet.”. ...Read Full Story

COVID-19 cases in Michigan are now up to 1,328 with 15 deaths. The latest figures from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services shows the virus remains concentrated in metro Detroit, but is spreading with five cases in Berrien County, one in Allegan County, and 3 in Kalamazoo County in southwest Michigan, all new since the end of last week. The city of Detroit has now overtaken Oakland County for the highest number of cases with 411, as Oakland has 329. The state is counting cases in Detroit separate from Wayne County, which has 227 cases of its own. Of the 15 deaths, six are in Detroit, one is in Kent County, two each are in Macomb and Wayne counties, and four have died in Oakland County.. ...Read Full Story