The Michigan Department of Transportation has projects underway along Interstate 196 in Berrien and Van Buren counties to remove trees and create a larger vehicle safety area when cars and trucks unexpectedly leave the highway. MDOT’s Nick Schirripa says they will be repaving a seven and half mile stretch between I-94 and the Hagar Shore Road exit on I-196 this year, as it’s become badly marred by potholes.. ...Read Full Story
The University of Michigan is among six colleges competing to host a presidential debate during next year’s election season. Spokesman Rick Fitzgerald says there’s a chance students could even question the candidates if the university if chosen.. ...Read Full Story
Illegal dumping has become a serious concern across the state, as we’ve seen in Benton Harbor with a renewed effort to crack down on the problem. State Representative Cynthia Johnson of Detroit has submitted two bills to increase penalties on those who dump, especially those who don’t live in the neighborhoods. The current punishment is a fine of up to $500 and 90 days in jail for a first offense. Johnson’s bills would raise the fine to $2,500 for the first offense and extend the sentence to up to one year.. ...Read Full Story
An investigation is underway into vandalism on the graves of President Gerald R. Ford and First Lady Betty Ford. Grand Rapids police have released surveillance images of two people seen defacing the graves on the property of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library & Museum on March 27. One is a heavyset white man with short brown hair, sideburns, and scruffy facial hair who was wearing a black hoodie, grey pants and yellow Nike shoes. The other appears to be a white woman with shoulder-length brown hair who wore a red and black shirt or jacket, black jeans and black Converse Chuck Taylor shoes. GRPD says the two are wanted for larceny of U.S. Government Property. President Ford died on December 26, 2006 and Betty Ford died July 8, 2011. He is the only President from Michigan and the only one to serve having never been elected President or Vice President.. ...Read Full Story
The death of a 59-year-old Lawton man who drove his Hyundai into Cedar Lake in Marcellus is under investigation. The Van Buren County Sheriff’s Department has identified him as John Catalino, who was found shortly before 5 p.m. Tuesday inside his car, about 20 yards offshore. A witness saw Catalino drive into the lake backwards, and then called 911 after watching the car sink. A wrecker driver and Lawton fire fighters used a nearby boat to pull the man out of the vehicle before the county’s dive team arrived to help remove the car from the lake.. ...Read Full Story
Two area nonprofits are being recognized for being among the best such organizations to work for in the country. Kinexus Group is 29th on the list put out by “The NonProfit Times,” and the United Way of Southwest Michigan is 14th. This is the third straight year Kinexus has been on the list of the top 50 nonprofits for which to work. The list is dominated by small organizations with between 15 and 49 employees and medium-sized outfits employing between 50 and 249 people. The United Way notes 18 small organizations like theirs are in the top 50. UWSM is the highest-ranking Michigan organization, while NOWCC Incorporated of Arlington, Virginia is at the top. A Lansing nonprofit is the only other from Michigan included, with Cinnaire ranked 31st.. ...Read Full Story
From the Associated Press — Automobile sales in the U.S. fell 2% in the first quarter, another sign the nation’s economy is starting to slow.
Automakers sold just over 4 million vehicles from January through March. Industry analysts blame the drop on rising vehicle prices, competition from late-model used vehicles, and relatively high interest rates. Weak sales of cars, harsh winter weather and the partial government shutdown also had an impact. Edmunds.com analyst Jeremy Acevedo says new vehicle sales are past their peak. He says that with prices on the rise, interest rates at post-recession peaks and leases growing in cost, the U.S. auto market is under pressure. Most analysts are predicting sales of around 16.9 million this year, still strong but down from last year’s 17.27 million. Sales peaked in 2016 at 17.55 million.. ...Read Full Story
The 135th Trooper Recruit School of the Michigan State Police will hold its graduation on Wednesday. That means 101 new MSP recruits will be sent out to posts throughout Michigan, including five coming to the Niles post. First Lieutenant Mike Dawson, the post commander in Niles, tells WSJM News it’s good to get them.. ...Read Full Story
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources started doing some prescribed burns on state lands this week. DNR Fire Superintendent Dan Laux tells WSJM News the DNR burn season lasts throughout the spring, and there are more burns in the fall. He says those controlled fires are designed to help forests grow and native species thrive.. ...Read Full Story
Congressman Fred Upton has joined with colleagues from the Great Lakes states in signing a letter in support of President Trump’s request for $75 million in the next federal budget to build a new Soo Lock. Upton tells WSJM News the Poe Lock, the biggest of the locks, is more than 60 years old, and it’s time a back-up is built.. ...Read Full Story
The Benton Harbor Department of Public Safety’s war on illegal dumping is heating up. At a Monday city commission meeting, department Director Dan McGinnis said there have been 13 arrests so far as police investigate. The department has also had some help from the state.. ...Read Full Story
A federal judge is ordering a government agency to take a closer look at pipeline company Enbridge’s plans for dealing with a potential oil spill in the Straits of Mackinac connecting Lakes Huron and Michigan.. ...Read Full Story
Lake Michigan College is taking registrations for summer classes. LMC tells us a student who just graduated from high school could get an early start on racking up college credits by signing up for a summer class. Students who attend other colleges or universities who are home for summer can also enroll as guest students with credits that transfer and save some money. Special Saturday tours are planned for prospective summer students who want more information. They will be held at 11 a.m. on April 13 and May 18. You can also check out LakeMichiganCollege.edu/Summer.. ...Read Full Story
(Flint, MI – AP) – A judge says former Governor Rick Snyder can be sued by residents in the Flint water scandal, reversing a decision from last summer. Residents claim Snyder violated their right to bodily integrity by repeatedly doing nothing as Flint used corrosive water that released lead from old pipes. Judge Judith Levy says a right to bodily integrity is a “fundamental interest” protected by the U.S. Constitution.. ...Read Full Story
Governor Whitmer says among the chores she has planned for Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist will be to tap his background in computer technology to improve rural broadband, and to also upgrade the state of Michigan’s antiquated computer systems.. ...Read Full Story
Michigan’s Impaired Driving Safety Commission has recommended to Governor Whitmer that Michigan set no limit for the amount of THC in a driver’s blood. Commission member Norbert Kaminski says there’s a poor correlation between blood levels of THC and driving impairment.. ...Read Full Story
South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg has raised $7 million in the first quarter toward a possible presidential run.. ...Read Full Story
From the Associated Press — A Michigan judge has blocked yet another attempt by state officials to shut down unlicensed medical marijuana provisioning centers. About 50 unlicensed shops in Michigan were set to be shut down by regulators. But Michigan Court of Claims Judge Stephen Borrello signed a temporary restraining order Thursday that prevents state regulators from enforcing a licensing deadline that had been set for Sunday. The judge’s order means that the unlicensed shops can keep their doors open for at least another two weeks. The Bureau of Marijuana Regulation said in a statement Friday that Sunday’s licensing deadline would not be enforced. State officials have tried to impose a deadline for licensure since September 2018, but it’s been pushed back multiple times due to legal challenges and official intervention.. ...Read Full Story
Residents of Benton Harbor will soon have a new way to report tips to police without having to speak with the police themselves. At a Monday meeting, the Benton Harbor City Commission approved spending $6,000 to sign the community up for tip411. Deputy Director of Public Safety Michael Clark told WSJM News it will mean the creation of a mobile app for residents to submit tips and pictures to a third party that keeps the tipster’s information secure.. ...Read Full Story
Fishing license season is now underway in Michigan. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources tells us if you want to fish in Michigan waters, you need to get your license. All 2019 licenses are good for all species and will be valid through March 31 of next year. The standard resident annual license is $26, while seniors get a license for $11. You can also get a 24 hour license for $10 or a 72 hour license for $30. There are a few new regulations to note. The DNR says among them is the statewide daily possession limit for yellow perch has been reduced to 25. For the rest of them, check the 2019 Michigan Fishing Guide. It’s available at fishing license retailers or the DNR’s website.. ...Read Full Story
From the Associated Press — A federal judge has ordered a government agency to take a closer look at pipeline company Enbridge’s plans for dealing with a potential oil spill in the waterway connecting Lakes Huron and Michigan. The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration previously approved the Canadian company’s spill response plans for areas traversed by Line 5, which carries oil from Superior, Wisconsin, to Sarnia, Ontario. A portion runs along the bottom of the Straits of Mackinac between Michigan’s upper and lower
peninsulas. Environmentalists sued, claiming the plans left too many questions unanswered. In a ruling Friday, U.S. District Judge Mark Goldsmith instructed the agency to provide more information about its reasons for approving the plans and to prepare an environmental assessment or impact statement. The pipeline agency declined to comment Monday.. ...Read Full Story
There have been 30 confirmed cases of measles in southeast Michigan this year as part of an outbreak that started last month. The outbreak began as a result of one person who had traveled internationally, and Michigan Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson Angela Minicuci told WSJM News it spread quickly because of a high number of people in the area who have not been vaccinated. She said the illness starts with many cold or flu-like symptoms, like a cough or runny nose.. ...Read Full Story
The Allegan County Food Pantry Collaborative has kicked off its fourth annual cereal drive. The Allegan County Community Foundation tells us they’re hoping to collect 30,000 boxes of cereal this month to be distributed through its 16 member pantries. It says for families whose children receive free or reduced breakfast and lunch, summer can be difficult with increased food costs. The goal of the cereal drive is to provide one box, per child, per week for the summer for those children whose families visit food pantries in Allegan County. There are a variety of drop-off locations throughout Allegan County for those who want to help. You can see them below. The food drive continues all month.. ...Read Full Story
A west Michigan boy is getting attention for taking matters into his own hands to deal with potholes. Twelve-year-old Monte Scott recently used dirt from his backyard to even out a street near his Muskegon Heights home. Scott’s mother posted a video to Facebook last week, saying “he’s really got a garbage can full of dirt filling these potholes.” She adds her son took it upon himself to get something done to fix their street. So far, Scott has filled in about 15 potholes and says he plans to tackle the rest of the street when he can. He says he “didn’t want people messing up their cars like my mom did,” adding repairing a pothole-damaged vehicle can cost hundreds of dollars. The Facebook video has been seen over 50,000 times and has 1,200 shares.. ...Read Full Story
The body found along the shore of Lake Michigan on Sunday has been identified as a Chicago woman. Eddisa Concepcion Herrera was last seen on December 21 when she jumped into the lake at the North Avenue Beach in Chicago. The Berrien County Sheriff’s Department says they were helped out by Chicago Police in the investigation, and the positive identification was made during the autopsy at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo. Herrera’s death has been ruled an accidental drowning. Her remains were found by someone walking on the beach north of Warren Dunes State Park and Weko Beach shortly before 1 p.m. Sunday.. ...Read Full Story
There are renewed concerns for medical marijuana patients in Michigan, as a new testing requirement is slated to go into effect this month. The Curing Corner, a licensed provisioning center in the Detroit suburb of River Rouge, has filed a lawsuit against the Michigan Licensing and Regulatory Affairs department to allow caregivers to continue providing untested products to state licensed provisioning centers.. ...Read Full Story
Spring weather is bringing out thieves targeting vehicles in Van Buren County. The sheriff’s department tells WSJM News they’ve had an uptick in larceny reports from vehicles and several cars have also been stolen in the past several weeks. Most of the incidents are happening in the overnight hours. Police are reminding people to keep their vehicles, garages, and homes locked.. ...Read Full Story
The amount we’re shelling out to fill up the gas tank keeps rising. Triple-A Michigan puts the average price for unleaded regular at $2.78 a gallon, up 7¢ from a week ago. The price is down from the high for the year of $2.83 set on March 27. The most expensive fuel is being sold in Jackson at $2.86 a gallon, while the lowest average price is $2.71 in Marquette. The auto club says the average in the Benton Harbor/St. Joseph area is $2.79, a 14¢ jump in the past week. Prices are a little lower in South Haven, with GasBuddy putting the average at $2.71 along the shore in Van Buren County.. ...Read Full Story
A number of school districts in Michigan will be getting a share of a $25-million fund to make security improvements in their districts. Michigan State Police say the money comes from the 2019 School Safety Grant Program. They received 360 applications for $21-million more than they have to spend. Coloma and New Buffalo Public Schools both have grants coming. Grants range from a few thousand to a few hundred thousand, depending on the size of the district and the need.. ...Read Full Story
The new Michigan Election Security Commission created by Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson is expected to release a set of recommendations to improve the integrity of Michigan’s elections by the end of the year. Benson tells WSJM News she set up the body to get the input of elections and computer experts from around the country. We asked if she has any predictions for what the body will recommend.. ...Read Full Story
