Local News Archives

The Michigan Department of Transportation will begin a repaving project on I-94 this week. It says the work will be on three miles of I-94 between M-239 and Kruger Road near New Buffalo, and it starts on Thursday. The project will mean daytime single-lane closures and nighttime double-lane closures in both directions. Drivers are advised to give themselves an extra few minutes if they are headed through the area. The project is expected to wrap up on October 24. You can stay on top of all MDOT construction projects at Michigan.gov/Drive.. ...Read Full Story

Police are looking for a suspect after a bank was robbed in Three Oaks on Monday. Police Chief Dennis Buller tells us it happened at the New Buffalo Savings Bank on West Ash Street around 11:45 a.m. A man walked into the bank flashing a revolver and told the clerks to put the money up on the counter. They did so, and then the suspect told them to get down. That’s when he ran out, heading east on Ash in a dark blue Chrysler with a rusty patch at the bottom of the driver’s side door. The suspect is described as being about 5’6 to 5’8. He was wearing a mask, gloves, and a zip-up sweater. Anyone with information on the suspect is asked to contact police.. ...Read Full Story

Members of the state House from both parties are trying to make it easier for people with old and minor criminal offenses to get their records wiped clean. Representative Pauline Wendzel of Watervliet spoke at a press conference in Kalamazoo on Monday where the expungement bills were introduced and talked about her bill in the package focused on traffic offenses.. ...Read Full Story

The latest snapshot of the economy from Grand Valley State University economist Dr. Brian Long finds the world economy continuing to slow, and Long says the U.S. will eventually be drawn into the slowdown.. ...Read Full Story

A reserve sergeant for the Niles Police Department is dead following a motorcycle crash on Sunday. Police say the crash happened on 17th Street near Broadway in Niles around 6:50 p.m. 44-year-old Kenneth Ray was riding a motorcycle with a female passenger when he tried to avoid a cat that ran across the road in front of him. His bike tipped over, and he was pronounced dead as a result of his injuries. His passenger was taken by ambulance to a hospital where she was treated and released. Police say neither was wearing a helmet. Ray had been with the Niles Police Department for 24 years.. ...Read Full Story

AAA Michigan says average gas prices statewide have risen 5¢ from a week ago to about $2.66 per gallon. The auto club says the average for regular unleaded has fallen 27¢ a gallon over the past year. The state’s highest average was in the Ann Arbor area at around $2.73. The lowest prices were in the Traverse City area at $2.38
per gallon. Benton Harbor and St. Joseph have the state’s second-lowest average price $2.54. According to GasBuddy, South Haven’s prices are in line with the Benton Harbor/St. Joseph area.. ...Read Full Story

(Lansing, MI – AP) – Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Republican legislative leaders have agreed to enact a state budget without including a long-term funding plan to fix deteriorating roads. The trio said Monday they talked over the weekend and will immediately work to set spending targets to get the budget passed by October 1, avoiding a partial government shutdown.. ...Read Full Story

The book for the Berrien County fall land auction is now available. County Treasurer Bret Witkowski tells WSJM News up for grabs at the auction this month will be around 150 properties.. ...Read Full Story

The Benton Harbor Area Schools Board of Education is considering who will serve on the Community Engagement and Advisory Committee the state has proposed for turning the district around. At work session this past week, board President Stephen Mitchell said the Michigan Department of Treasury has been talking with trustees about the makeup of the committee, and the board has seen a couple of resolutions to establish it. However, trustees added some suggestions. Vice President Joseph Taylor said the state should listen.. ...Read Full Story

With a new school year now started, Michigan State Police are telling parents and students about the stiff penalties that can come with cyberbullying. Trooper Holly Higgs with the Niles post tells WSJM News cyberbullying is using a public media forum, or social media, to intimidate someone.. ...Read Full Story

As the days start to cool in Michigan, some people might be able to offset the cost of summer utility bills with the Michigan Home Heating Credit. Eligible households that paid for heat last winter have until September 30 to apply for the 2018 Home Heating Credit. Ross Yednock with the Community Economic Development Association of Michigan says both homeowners and renters can apply.. ...Read Full Story

A new partnership between the Berrien County Sheriff’s Department and Berrien RESA has been announced to help children dealing with trauma. The sheriff’s department says Handle with Care is designed to ensure a child who experiences a traumatic event has support in school. Berrien County Sheriff Paul Bailey says his deputies meet kids struggling with everything from a death in the family to neglect every day. He says in these situations, the sheriff’s department can work with RESA so the schools attended by such kids are aware. RESA Superintendent Kevin Ivers says the new program will help schools protect students and “help them be successful in the midst of chaos and trauma.” Handle with Care was launched in West Virginia in 2013, and since then has been adopted by several police departments, schools, and states. You can find out more right here.. ...Read Full Story

Berrien RESA is preparing for its next Festival of Families. RESA Superintendent Kevin Ivers tells WSJM News this is the seventh year for the event, intended to connect parents and kids with educational services in the area.. ...Read Full Story

No one is hurt, but a home in Van Buren County’s Arlington Township is destroyed following a fire on Friday. South Haven Area Emergency Services says firefighters from multiple departments responded to the blaze on County Road 376 near 56th Street around 7:40 p.m. The Bangor Community Fire Department was the first dispatched to the scene on a report of smoke, and when firefighters arrived, they found the home already fully engulfed in flames. Mutual aid was provided at the scene by fire departments from Lawrence, Hartford, Paw Paw, Columbia, Keeler, Watervliet, and South Haven. The residents were not at home at the time, and the cause of the fire remains under investigation.. ...Read Full Story

A campaign intended to attract new residents to southwest Michigan has been launched by Cornerstone Alliance. Cornerstone’s Christina Frank tells WSJM News Vacay Every Day will extol the virtues of southwest Michigan to those who visit the region from all over the country. The campaign aims to increase the region’s population by 10% over 10 years.. ...Read Full Story

The Bridgman Public Library is letting all patrons know it will be closed starting on Friday, September 20 through Monday, October 7. The reason is renovations. The library is receiving new carpeting, a fresh coat of paint, and new furniture. It says during the closing, everyone can still use its online resources. It also notes that inter-library loans will be put on hold from September 16 through October 7, the date of its reopening. Anyone with questions can contact the Bridgman Public Library.. ...Read Full Story

Due to anticipated high demand, the South Haven Speaker Series is now selling tickets online for its September 19 engagement with former Michigan governor Jennifer Granholm. Granholm will be at the Listiak Auditorium in South Haven to talk about the top trends she’s seeing in Michigan. This is the first time the South Haven Speaker Series has sold tickets online. Those who buy the advance tickets will have a separate entrance to the engagement so they can get in quickly. You can buy the tickets right here.. ...Read Full Story

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is notifying those who receive healthcare through the Healthy Michigan program that work requirements are going to kick in on January 1. Spokesperson Bob Wheaton tells WSJM News because of a change in law, those who are enrolled in Healthy Michigan will be required to report at least 80 hours of work per month to continue receiving benefits. It’s a policy inherited by the Whitmer administration.. ...Read Full Story

The Lincoln Township Police Department is reminding everyone to lock their cars as it’s investigating a rash of thefts from parked vehicles. It says around 4:30 a.m. on Friday, officers were called to area of Greg Drive, Williamsburg Drive, and Briarwood Drive on several vehicle break-ins. A K9 tracked the suspects to a driveway on Briarwood Drive, where they apparently entered an unlocked 2016 Honda CRV that had the keys in it. The suspects took off in the stolen vehicle and the K9 lost the track at that point. Thanks to video surveillance cameras at some nearby homes, police have footage of two suspects walking through yards and going from vehicle to vehicle. Officers are now reviewing the footage. The police department says the incidents are similar to others seen recently in nearby communities, and it’s not known if they’re all connected. In the meantime, they say everyone should lock their vehicles and remove valuables or at least keep them in the trunk.. ...Read Full Story

The Michigan Department of Transportation will close the eastbound I-94 ramp to Watervliet at M-140 on Monday, and it’s going to stay closed for about seven weeks. MDOT spokesperson Nick Schirripa tells WSJM News the closure is due to maintenance work planned on the I-94 bridge over M-140.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — Michigan will get $27.9 million in federal funds to help families and communities deal with the opioid crisis. U.S. Senators Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow said Wednesday the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is awarding the grant to expand access to treatment, prevention resources and data. The grant is part of roughly $1.8 billion that the department is giving states to boost their responses to widespread opioid addiction. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are supporting the initiative. The CDC has a three-year agreement with states, territories and localities to promote awareness of the crisis and bolster prevention programs and response initiatives. The funding will be administered through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration as part of the State Opioid Response grant program.. ...Read Full Story

Indiana has its first death, and the nation’s third, linked to the use of e-cigarettes. The State Department of Health says an adult over the age of 18 was confirmed as the first vaping-related death in that state on Thursday. The confirmation came the day after Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer directed this state’s Department of Health and Human Services to issue emergency rules banning the sale of flavored vaping products to everyone regardless of age, and also banned the marketing of the products. There are at least six vaping-linked illnesses under investigation in Michigan and 30 in Indiana. Previous deaths linked to the use of e-cigarettes have happened in Illinois and Oregon.. ...Read Full Story

“A step backward” for July home sales is how the Southwestern Michigan Association of Realtors is presenting the numbers for the month. The number of homes sold fell from 390 in July 2018 to 317 this year, a 19% drop, and were also down 14% compared to June. Prices, though, are still rising. The median price in July hit $200,000, a sharp 21% increase from the $165,750 from last year. The median price is the price at which 50% of the homes sold were above that price, and 50% were below. The inventory of houses for sale dropped 3% below that in July 2018. At 1840 houses, the market had a 7.4-months supply of homes for sale. In July 2010, the market had an 18.1-month supply.. ...Read Full Story

A public forum is set for next month in Benton Harbor over Indiana Michigan Power’s rate hike request and long-term plans for meeting the electrical needs of the area. The Michigan Public Service Commission will hold the meeting from 5 to 7 p.m. on Monday, October 7 at the Blue Lecture Hall on the Benton Harbor campus of Lake Michigan College.. ...Read Full Story

A class action lawsuit settlement by St. Joseph-based United Federal Credit Union managed to stay under the radar for several months. UFCU agreed to a $1.75 million settlement over claims it charged deceptive overdraft fees, and members hit with those fees between August 15, 2010 and September 30, 2018 could be eligible for part of the payout. The agreement first popped up on the website TopClassActions.com in March, and was reported by Credit Union Journal in August. United denies any wrongdoing, but agreed to the settlement anyway. The financial institution contends their overdraft fees are legal and were disclosed to members. Tonya Gunter sued after being hit with eight $30 overdraft fees on July 23, 2015, despite having money in her account to cover the transactions she made that day.. ...Read Full Story

Prices are up, but the number of homes sold in the area in July fell by 19% compared to a year ago. The Southwestern Michigan Association of Realtors says home sales were also down by 14% from June with 317 sales closing, and the drop means year-to-date sales are up by just one house compared to 2018 at 1,986. The average selling price rose by 10% over last year to $251,423, while the median price shot up a whopping 21% to $200,000 from a year ago. It remains a tight market, as inventory of homes for sale fell and is down to a 7.4 month supply.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — Bills going to Governor Gretchen Whitmer would make it a state-level crime to steal mail, including packages left on doorsteps. The Legislature gave final approval to the legislation Thursday. It is a bid to combat rising reports of thefts as people who increasingly shop online are targeted by “porch pirates.” Supporters say the measures are needed because ID thieves and package stealers are not being punished under federal laws, and there are gaps in existing state laws related to the theft of checks.
Whitmer is expected to sign the bills. A first offense for mail theft would be a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail. A repeat offense would be a felony punishable by up to five years in prison.. ...Read Full Story

The St. Joseph-Lincoln Senior Center is seeing increased attendance as word of mouth gets around and the county’s population ages. The center’s board president, Rick Freridge, gave some numbers to the Berrien County Board of Commissioners Thursday night. He said about 260 individuals use the center on Lincoln Avenue each day, with attendance going up by about 17 to 19% each year. Freridge told WSJM News that new software, installed after the county asked for attendance numbers, has enabled the tracking.. ...Read Full Story

First responders with South Haven Area Emergency Services have been honored for their efforts to keep local beaches and Lake Michigan safe this summer. SHAES tells us the city of South Haven recognized the team on Wednesday. SHAES says it responded to several Lake Michigan alerts this summer, most notably on July 19 and August 21 when a total of five people were rescued in the incidents. The city will also honor members of the South Haven Police Department who were part of the rescues at a later date.. ...Read Full Story

A cleanup event along Ox Creek in the Benton Harbor area late last month attracted 29 volunteers from several organizations. Southwest Michigan Planning Commission senior planner Marcy Hamilton tells us local Rotary clubs, the Two Rivers Coalition, and the planning commission collected trash. How much of a difference did they make?. ...Read Full Story

New Age Laboratories in the city of South Haven tests soil, food, air, water and many other substances. The company would like to start testing medical marijuana for safety in the community. Assistant City Manager Kate Hosier told WSJM News more.. ...Read Full Story

Lake Michigan did not break its all-time high water level record in August, but it was very high when compared to average. That’s according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers which released its Great Lakes water level report for the month on Thursday. Forecaster Deanna Apps tells WSJM News Lake Superior tied its record high for the month while Lakes Michigan and Huron were about three inches below their record highs. She says the water levels have been trending up for a few years.. ...Read Full Story

Set for this Saturday is the Southwestern Michigan College Renaissance Faire. Taking place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. outside the Student Activity Center off Dailey Road in Dowagiac, the event will be a chance for knights of all stripes to set down their armor and have some fun. The activities will include live steel combat, comedic swordplay, belly dancing and an ax-throwing demonstration. Everyone can also feast on turkey legs while strolling the grounds, learn about weaponry, and shop for wares. The ren faire is fee and open to the public. You can find out more right here.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — Two people have been arrested for flying a drone over Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor during the Wolverine’s football season opener against Middle Tennessee State. The drone was reported about 10:17 p.m. Saturday. University Deputy Police Chief Melissa Overton says Thursday that the individuals arrested are not students at the school. The arrests were made after the report. The suspects face misdemeanor university ordinance and Federal Aviation Administration violations. Overton did
not release their names and said in an email that both were released pending the authorization of warrants. The case remains under investigation. Overton says there was no threat to the community. Game spectator Richard Sheridan told The Detroit News that he saw the drone hover over the stadium’s south end before flying away.. ...Read Full Story

Berrien County Prosecutor Mike Sepic is confirming there is an active criminal investigation against County Commissioner Teri Sue Freehling in connection with a civil lawsuit against her, the estate of her late husband, and county Drain Commissioner Christopher Quattrin. We have previously reported he and Michigan State Police have been looking into the case. Sepic tells WSJM News there have not been any criminal charges filed as yet, and he does not know at this point if it will rise to that level. However, a source tells our newsroom that Freehling is being urged to resign from the county commission and has been given a deadline to do so by the end of this week. The commission meets tonight at the St. Joseph Lincoln Senior Center at 6 p.m. In regard to the civil lawsuit, there has been no decision announced at this time by Judge Dennis Wiley on the requests of attorneys for the Freehlings and Quattrin to dismiss the case or whether to proceed to a jury trial.. ...Read Full Story

Governor Whitmer is confident that the state’s first-in-the-nation ban of flavored vaping products will hold up in court.. ...Read Full Story

Benton Harbor Public Safety Director Dan McGinnis is working on launching some new block clubs in the community. He said at Monday’s city commission meeting there’s been strong interest.. ...Read Full Story

Congressman Fred Upton is pleased the U.S. Department of Agriculture has issued a disaster designation for Berrien, Cass, and St. Joseph counties due to weather this year that has damaged crops. He tells WSJM News the goal now is to get all of Michigan’s counties designated.. ...Read Full Story

The book for the Berrien County fall land auction is now available. County Treasurer Bret Witkowski tells WSJM News up for grabs at the auction this month will be around 150 properties.. ...Read Full Story

A new partnership between the Berrien County Sheriff’s Department and Berrien RESA has been announced to help children dealing with trauma. The sheriff’s department says Handle with Care is designed to ensure a child who experiences a traumatic event has support in school. Berrien County Sheriff Paul Bailey says his deputies meet kids struggling with everything from a death in the family to neglect every day. He says in these situations, the sheriff’s department can work with RESA so the schools attended by such kids are aware. RESA Superintendent Kevin Ivers says the new program will help schools protect students and “help them be successful in the midst of chaos and trauma.” Handle with Care was launched in West Virginia in 2013, and since then has been adopted by several police departments, schools, and states. You can find out more right here.. ...Read Full Story

South Haven Area Emergency Services is reminding everyone to stay off the Lake Michigan piers when there’s a lot of wave action. It says SHAES and the South Haven Police Department on Tuesday were called out to the south pier when calls came in about someone walking out near the lighthouse and then disappearing from view. Responders arrived to find a woman by herself out by the lighthouse. She told them she’d been out there for about an hour and had seen no one else. The woman, who recently moved to the area, also told officers she would walk behind the lighthouse when bigger waves would crash onto the pier. SHAES reminds everyone it is extremely dangerous to go out on the piers in high wave conditions.. ...Read Full Story

It’s taken a few decades, but a natural gas plant is about to get under construction in Niles. Ground was broken Wednesday morning on the Indeck Energy Center, which carries a price tag of roughly $1 billion. Construction will take almost three years and require 500 workers on the site of a former railroad repair yard. David Hicks is the vice president of business development for the company and talked to our partners at WSBT-TV about the market conditions that helped to bring the project to fruition.. ...Read Full Story

Renovations to the Secretary of State branch office in Dowagiac are now done, and will reopen later this month. The branch has been in a temporary office at the Lewis Cass Intermediate School District in Cassopolis on Dailey Road, and that office will be closing at 5 p.m. Friday. The renovated branch in Dowagiac won’t be ready to open for another week after that, and will be back in business at 9 a.m. on Monday, September 16. The Secretary of State’s office says office equipment and furniture will be moved back to Dowagiac from Cassopolis during the week-long closure, and all the phone lines, electrical, and IT services have to be reconnected. During the closure, residents are encouraged to do as much business as possible online at ExpressSOS.com or go to another area branch in Benton Harbor, Niles, or Paw Paw if needed.. ...Read Full Story

South Haven police are investigating after a student at Baseline Middle School was found with a gun. In a message to parents, district officials say other students who knew of the weapon let an adult at the school know, and the principal and assistant principal quickly “responded by isolating the student and securing the weapon.” There is no word from the district or police if the gun was loaded or if there were any threats made. South Haven Public School officials add while educators hope to never be faced with such an issue, they are “thankful that our students did the right thing by reporting the information to a trusted adult.”. ...Read Full Story

By Doug Cunningham. ...Read Full Story

Governor Gretchen Whitmer is moving to make Michigan the first state to ban flavored e-cigarettes. The Democrat announced Wednesday that she ordered the state health department to issue emergency rules. They will prohibit the sale and misleading marketing of flavored nicotine vaping products.. ...Read Full Story

The Benton Harbor Area Schools Board of Education is considering who will serve on the Community Engagement and Advisory Committee the state has proposed for turning the district around. At a Tuesday work session, board President Stephen Mitchell said the Michigan Department of Treasury has been talking with trustees about the makeup of the committee, and the board has seen a couple of resolutions to establish it. However, trustees have added some suggestions. Vice President Joseph Taylor said the state should listen.. ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — A Michigan lawmaker has returned to session for the first time in months after being charged with trading votes for campaign money. State Representative Larry Inman, a Republican from Williamsburg near Traverse City, was back on the House floor Tuesday, days after his colleagues formally voted to call for his resignation. He says he recently completed 11 weeks of treatment for an addiction to painkillers stemming from having five surgeries over a two-year period, and now “my brain is clear.”
Inman says he did “nothing wrong” and legislators should be presumed innocent until proven guilty. He can no longer get into his Lansing office, and his staff now reports to the House Business Office. He also has been barred from sitting on committees or
participating in Republican caucus meetings.. ...Read Full Story

Poor living conditions at a condominium development in Benton Harbor are prompting Mayor Marcus Muhammad to suggest intervention by the city commission. At a Monday meeting, Muhammad said the commission should schedule a retreat to discuss the problems with New Harbor Condominiums on Riverview Drive. Muhammad has called for improvements to be made at the 90 unit complex.. ...Read Full Story

Berrien RESA is preparing for its next Festival of Families. RESA Superintendent Kevin Ivers tells WSJM News this is the seventh year for the event, intended to connect parents and kids with educational services in the area.. ...Read Full Story

The high water levels on the Great Lakes the last two years are doing more than just causing erosion and making beaches considerably smaller. The water is also washing ashore pieces of shipwrecks along Lake Huron.. ...Read Full Story

The Benton Harbor City Commission has hired its auditing firm for the year. At a brief Monday meeting, the body opted to go with CPA firm Rehmann Robson to conduct the audit for the fiscal year that ended on June 30. Rehmann has handled the city’s audits since 2011. The cost of the contract will be $47,000, plus a fee of $4,000 to audit Community Development Block Grant funds. The city’s last audit came back clean and unmodified, finding no deficiencies.. ...Read Full Story

Congressman Fred Upton is spending his final week touring around the Sixth District before the U.S. House gets back to work next week. He tells WSJM News a major priority will be budgets for the federal government before the September 30 deadline.. ...Read Full Story

As a new school year begins, concerns remain about the use of electronic cigarettes by minors. It’s now illegal in Michigan, but it’s only been like that for a short time since a bill from state Representative Thomas Albert of Lowell was signed by Governor Whitmer.. ...Read Full Story

The Dollar General has returned to St. Joseph. The new Dollar General location is open at 2108 Cleveland Avenue. That’s where the Family Video was located until it closed this summer. It didn’t take Dollar General long to put the place back into use. The store says its official grand opening will be this Saturday at 8 a.m. The first 50 shoppers will get $10 gift cards, while the first 200 shoppers will get a tote bag. This marks the return of Dollar General to St. Joseph after the discount chain’s last location at 810 Napier Avenue closed in 2015.. ...Read Full Story

Legislation to fight payroll fraud wage theft may have the best chance in a decade of passing as Governor Whitmer and Attorney General Nessel both support it.  The AFL-CIO – citing an Economic Policy Institute study – says payroll fraud costs Michigan workers $492 million a year. Lisa Canada is legislative and political director for the Michigan Regional Council of Carpenters and Millwrights. She says building trades workers – many of whom are Republicans – are heavily impacted by payroll fraud and wage theft.. ...Read Full Story

Ignoring the stop signal on school buses may become a lot more costly for Michigan drivers. State Representative Kevin Hertel has introduced a bill to increase the fine from $100 to $250 for a first offense, then up to $1,000 for repeat violations. He says it’s a common occurrence around the state.. ...Read Full Story

The United Auto Workers union has picked General Motors as the target company for this year’s contract talks. The move means that GM will be the focus of bargaining and any deal with the company will set the pattern for Ford and Fiat Chrysler. It also means that if the union decides to go on strike, it be against GM.. ...Read Full Story

This is the first start of a school year in quite a while that state Representative Brad Paquette of Berrien Springs isn’t in a classroom. Elected last fall to represent southern Berrien County, Paquette says the state needs to find ways to bolster its teaching roster.. ...Read Full Story

A ruling on whether to proceed to a jury trial in a civil lawsuit against Berrien County Drain Commissioner Christopher Quattrin, County Commissioner Teri Sue Freehling, and the estate of her late husband, Patrick Freehling, is expected from Judge Dennis Wiley on Wednesday. Wiley heard from the attorneys for the county officials and Mark LaRose, the attorney for Hartzler Excavating owner Doug Hartzler, who is suing over allegations of fraud. Quattrin’s attorney John Brennan argued the drain commissioner has absolute immunity because deciding to go with different contractors is part of his job, but the judge took issue with the wording.. ...Read Full Story