Local News Archives

Olympic Wrestler Accused Late U-M Doctor Of Sexual Assault

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An Olympic wrestler is the latest to go public, accusing a University of Michigan doctor of touching him inappropriately during medical exams at the school. Andy Hrovat says the physician’s reputation for such conduct was well known among his teammates in the 1990s. Hrovat competed for the U.S. in the 2008 Summer Olympics. He tells The Associated Press that the encounters with the late Dr. Robert E. Anderson happened during his freshman year in 1998. He is the first athlete to make public accusations against Anderson following public complaints this week from other former students that the doctor sexually abused them decades ago.. ...Read Full Story

Craft Brewing Bills From Rep. Wendzel Headed To State Senate

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A package of bills aimed at helping Michigan’s craft beer industry is headed to the state Senate. The House approved the bills, spearheaded by Representative Pauline Wendzel of Watervliet, on Thursday. She says it will double the amount of beer that breweries can self-distribute without having a distributor from 1,000 to 2,000 barrels a year and will exempt taproom sales.. ...Read Full Story

BH Commissioners Considering Marijuana Provisioning Applications

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Benton Harbor City Commissioners have plenty of applications to sift through as they decide which businesses should be granted licenses to operate medical marijuana provisioning centers in the community. A provisioning center is a retail outlet for medical marijuana producers. The city commission heard from Nobo of Michigan, LLC on Tuesday, and then from four more applicants on Wednesday. First up was Redbud Roots out of Buchanan. They’re seeking to open a location at 241 East Main Street. The group’s Alexander Leonowicz told commissioners they have 82 employees in Buchanan, where they produce.. ...Read Full Story

Resolution Marks “Go Red for Women Day”

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State Representative Beth Griffin of Mattawan is promoting cardiovascular health among women. This week, she introduced a resolution declaring February 19 as “Go Red for Women Day.” Griffin said on the Michigan House floor her sister died at 41 from an aortic dissection, a condition that causes an aorta to burst.. ...Read Full Story

Laws Require Warning Labels On Michigan Marijuana Products

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From the Associated Press — Marijuana sold in Michigan shops will have to have labels warning pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers about the health risks for their fetuses and infants under newly enacted laws. Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist signed the two bills Wednesday because Gov. Gretchen Whitmer was out of the state. The labels must be placed on legal recreational and medical marijuana products. They will warn that use by pregnant or breastfeeding women may result in fetal injury, preterm birth, low birth weight or development problems for children. The laws also require that an informational pamphlet be made available at every point of sale.. ...Read Full Story

Kal Haven Trail Named A Pure Michigan Trail

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The Kal Haven Trail is one of three Michigan trails to be recognized as Pure Michigan Trails this week by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. The DNR says Pure Michigan Trails are highlighted as some of the best destinations in the state for hikers and others looking to experience nature. The announcement of three new Pure Michigan Trails was made at the Governor’s Conference on Tourism in Grand Rapids. In addition to the Kal Haven Trail, the Canada Lakes Pathway in Luce County and the Haywire Grade in Schoolcraft and Alger counties were added to the list. The DNR says the Kal-Haven Trail is 33 miles long, linking the cities of South Haven and Kalamazoo via numerous bridges and small towns. It adds the Kal-Haven Trail also is of historic interest, noting this past year, the Michigan History Center completed a project to install dozens of historic panels along the heritage trail. Now that it’s a Pure Michigan Trail, it will get extra promotion in state tourism materials.. ...Read Full Story

Rep. Upton, Mayors Muhammad & Garey Discuss High Water Level Solutions

Finding solutions to mitigate what’s expected to be a record high for Lake Michigan and all of the Great Lakes this summer is on the minds of many people, including Benton Harbor Mayor Marcus Muhammad. He joined Congressman Fred Upton, St. Joseph Mayor Mike Garey, and the city managers of both cities to tour a St. Joseph marina and the riverfront in Benton Harbor Thursday morning. Muhammad says it’s impacting more than just the shore, as the high water is also to blame for flooding along Main Street in Benton Harbor.. ...Read Full Story

Body Found In Lake Michigan At Tiscornia Matches Description Of Missing Chicago Woman

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It will take the use of dental records and DNA to make a positive identification of a body found off the shore of Tiscornia Beach in St. Joseph Wednesday evening. An autopsy was done Thursday at Western Michigan University’s Homer Stryker School of Medicine, and there were no signs of trauma on the woman’s body. St. Joseph Public Safety says the woman was Asian, around 55 years old, and was wearing a dark green jacket and sweatpants. The woman matches the description of a missing person out of Chicago, but her name won’t be released until a positive identification is made.. ...Read Full Story

Benton Twp Police Looking For Shootout Suspects After Dog Shot At Blossom Acres

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Benton Township police are looking for two men who got into a shootout at the Blossom Acres Housing Complex. It happened Wednesday afternoon after somebody shot a dog in the 100 block of Concord. While several shots were fired between the suspects, police say it appears no one was hurt. The two managed to disappear before officers arrived on the scene. Berrien County Animal Control was called in to assist the dog, but it did not survive. Police have not released descriptions of the suspects.. ...Read Full Story

Body Washes Up Along Shore In St. Joseph

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An investigation is underway after a body was found washed up along the shore of Lake Michigan at Tiscornia Park in St. Joseph Wednesday night. The Berrien County Sheriff’s Department is assisting in the investigation with Sheriff Paul Bailey confirming the discovery to WSBT. The medical examiner responded to the scene with plans for an autopsy to be done Thursday in Kalamazoo.. ...Read Full Story

Parlak Files New Brief In Bid To Remain In U.S.

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Kurdish immigrant and Berrien County restaurant owner Ibrahim Parlak says it’s time for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to drop its efforts to have him deported to Turkey. Parlak held a press conference Wednesday to announce his attorneys have field their latest brief in the ongoing struggle to keep him in the U.S. as Homeland Security appeals a 2018 ruling granting Parlak relief under the Convention Against Torture Act. Parlak says he would be in great danger if sent back to Turkey. He says he should know what it’s like there.. ...Read Full Story

Upton, Huizenga Pleased With Dredging Announcement

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Congressman Fred Upton and colleague Bill Huizenga are celebrating a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers decision to include funding in the fiscal year 2020 budget to dredge Holland Harbor. The budget at first did not include the dredging funds, but Upton tells WSJM News he and Huizenga were able to convince the Corps the work is needed.. ...Read Full Story

Positive Performance Evaluation For South Haven City Manager

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The South Haven City Council is pleased with City Manager Brian Dissette. City Human Resources Director Kim Wise tells us the council filled out Dissette’s annual performance evaluation last month, extending his contract another year. On a scale of one to five, Dissette’s overall score was a 4.67. Council members rated him on categories including communications with the council, in which he got a 4.43 out of 5, professionalism, in which he got a 4.86, and delivery of services, in which he got a 4.71. Council members saluted Dissette for being dedicated, having a wealth of knowledge, and rising to the occasion in a crisis. He was granted a 3% pay increase, bringing his salary up to $113,000, and was also given a performance bonus of $6,000. Dissette has been the city manager of South Haven for 12 years.. ...Read Full Story

Medical Marijuana Company Seeking License For Retail Center In Benton Harbor

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Nobo of Michigan, LLC, the company that bought the former Alreco Metals property in Benton Harbor with plans to grow medical marijuana there, is now seeking permission to operate a retail location. At a Tuesday meeting of the Benton Harbor City Commission, Nobo CEO Alan Bonsett told commissioners the company is looking to buy 107 Water Street for its provisioning center. They already have an office there. Bonsett said the retail operation will draw traffic into the community.. ...Read Full Story

University Of Michigan Investigating Sexual Abuse Allegations Against Former Sports Doctor

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First Michigan State, and now the University of Michigan is investigating allegations one of its former sports doctors sexually abused student athletes. U of M is looking for more potential victims of Robert Anderson. Spokesman Rick Fitzgerald says they know of a handful of cases so far involving Anderson, who examined young men playing for Bo Schembechler and Lloyd Carr from 1968 to 2003. Fitzgerald says there is a hotline to help those who may have been abused find resources to help.. ...Read Full Story

Inn At Harbor Shores Earns AAA Four Diamond Designation

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The Inn at Harbor Shores is one of two hotels to earn AAA of Michigan’s Four Diamond Designation this year. There are now 19 such hotels in the state. Along with the St. Joseph hotel, Detroit’s Shinola Hotel has been added to the list. The awards were presented today (Wednesday) in Grand Rapids during the Pure Michigan Governors Conference on Tourism. According to the auto club, a Four Diamond hotel is “refined and stylish, providing upscale physical attributes, extensive amenities and a high degree of hospitality, service and attention to detail.”. ...Read Full Story

MDOT Closing Main St In Benton Harbor For Survey Work Thursday Morning

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Efforts to figure out how to fix the chronic flooding problem on Main Street in Benton Harbor by the Whirlpool Riverview Campus will result in the street being closed Thursday starting at 9 a.m. The Michigan Department of Transportation is going to have the road closed between the Bicentennial Bridge and Riverview Drive for crews to perform surveying and inspection for a project design.. ...Read Full Story

Upton Pushes To Protect Recreational Boating

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Congressman Fred Upton is backing legislation to require the Army Corps of Engineers gives consideration to recreational harbor maintenance projects when it plans for projects each year. Upton tells WSJM News the Safer Harbors for Our Recreational Economy Act would direct the Army Corps to make sure the economic benefits of recreational boating are considered as it allocates funding.. ...Read Full Story

City Commission Hears Excessive Force Complaint

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Benton Harbor City Commissioners have heard about an excessive force complaint regarding a public safety officer. Gwen Swanigan of the anti-police abuse group, the SHARP Foundation, told commissioners at a Tuesday meeting that Public Safety Officer Drew Wagner punched a suspect who had run from him on December 28. Wagner pulled over 27-year-old Michael Thompson at May Street Market at 131 East May when the officer noticed Thompson didn’t have a registered plate. According to the police report, when Thompson ran from Officer Wagner, Wagner fired a taser at him twice and then tackled him. At Tuesday’s meeting, Swanigan said the way Thompson was treated was uncalled for.. ...Read Full Story

Sanders Expanding Campaign Operations In Michigan

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From the Associated Press — Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont is expanding his campaign’s operations in Michigan three weeks before the state’s Democratic primary. Sanders, who narrowly won Michigan over Hillary Clinton in 2016, announced Tuesday the hiring of nine additional staff and the opening of five offices. The offices will be opened in Detroit, Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor and
Flint this week. The campaign says Sanders is the only candidate with the energy and enthusiasm to defeat President Donald Trump, who was the first Republican presidential nominee to win Michigan in 28 years.. ...Read Full Story

Show At Ghostlight Theater To Explore Gun Violence

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Coming up this month will be a one-woman show focused on gun violence at the Ghostlight Theater in Benton Harbor. “The Gun Show” is being brought to the area by Interfaith Action of Southwest Michigan, a group representing around 30 churches and faith-based organizations. Co-lead Vicki Schroeder tells WSJM News Interfaith Action recently heard more about the threat to public health posed by gun violence at a meeting with health officials.. ...Read Full Story

Pure Michigan Could Come Back Yet In 2020

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It was wiped off the books for this fiscal year with a line-item veto last fall, but Pure Michigan might be making a comeback. There are reports Governor Whitmer is in talks with legislative leaders for a supplemental budget bill to restore the ad campaign during the current fiscal year, which pleases lawmakers like state Representative Bronna Kahle of Adrian.. ...Read Full Story

Parlak To Hold Press Conference Wednesday

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A press conference is planned for Wednesday as Ibrahim Parlak gives an update on his efforts to remain in the United States. The Kurdish immigrant owns a restaurant in Berrien County’s Harbert, and has been fighting to remain in the country for nearly 20 years. The U.S. government has been trying to deport Parlak to his native Turkey, but he and his supporters say he would be in danger there. In March of 2018, there was a hearing in an immigration court Detroit with a federal judge ruling that Parlak could be granted relief under the Convention Against Torture Act. However, the Department of Homeland Security appealed, claiming Parlak would be safe in Turkey. Parlak spokesperson Martin Dzuris says it “is way past time for our government to leave this man in peace.” The latest update on Parlak’s plight will be given at his press conference at Cafe Gulistan on Wednesday afternoon.. ...Read Full Story

St. Joseph Public Schools Buying UFCU Building For New Central Admin Office

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St. Joseph Public Schools will be moving their central administration office after this school year. The school board has approved the purchase of a United Federal Credit Union building at 2580 South Cleveland Avenue, and Superintendent Dr. Thomas Bruce expects to close on the deal on July 1. The move is due to the growth of the St. Joseph-Lincoln Senior Center, which currently rents space in a former elementary school to the district for the admin offices. The senior center will soon need the entire building for its programs, and the school district has been looking for a new office building for the past seven months. United offered the building to the school district for 76% of fair market value, agreeing to a $630,000 sales price. Current office furniture and technology will be included in the sale. WSJM News has reached out to the superintendent’s office for more information.. ...Read Full Story

GM Plans To Pull Out Of Australia, New Zealand, Thailand

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From the Associated Press — General Motors says it’s pulling out of Australia, New Zealand and Thailand as part of a strategy to exit markets that don’t produce adequate returns on investments, dismaying officials concerned over job losses. Australia’s minister for Industry, Science and Technology said Monday that it was “disappointing” that the company only advised the government about the
decision just before it’s announcement Sunday that it would wind down sales, engineering and design operations for its historic Holden brand in Australia and New Zealand in 2021. GM also plans to sell its Rayong factory in Thailand to China’s Great Wall Motors and withdraw the Chevrolet brand from Thailand by the end of this year. CEO Mary Barra says the company wants to focus on markets where it can drive strong returns.. ...Read Full Story

Michigan Man Serving Up To 60 Years For Pot Seeks Release

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From the Associated Press — A Michigan man sentenced to up to 60 years in prison in 1996 for a marijuana dealing conviction is hoping to cut his remaining time behind bars. WNEM-TV reports that 68-year-old Michael Thompson has served nearly 25 years of his sentence and won’t have a chance for parole until he’s in his late 80s. Thompson was denied clemency by then-Governor Rick Snyder two years ago, but now a movement called “Free Michael Thompson” has gained traction. There is a website dedicated to sending emails and letters as well as making calls to Governor Gretchen Whitmer. And a prosecutor says he’s willing to see what can be done.. ...Read Full Story

Town Hall On Voting Rights Set For This Month

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A town hall will be held this month to explore what everyone needs to know about voting since the passage of Proposal 3 by Michigan voters in 2018. The League of Women Voters of Berrien and Cass Counties is inviting everyone to “Making Democracy Work” on February 27 at the Berrien RESA Administrative Conference Center in Oronoko Township. League President Anita Rutlin tells WSJM News voters have questions now that Proposal 3 is in effect.. ...Read Full Story

Van Buren County K-9 Kuno Helps Arrest Gobles Man

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A 35-year-old Gobles man is in the Van Buren County Jail after being arrested for an outstanding warrant when a sheriff’s deputy spotted him and another person walking around a store that was closed. The deputy knew the man was on probation, and found he had a warrant for his arrest. When the deputy tried to make the arrest late last night, the man took off running, resulting in the deputy sending K-9 Kuno to chase him down. The suspect was not hurt during the arrest, and the sheriff’s office is seeking additional charges for resisting and obstructing during the arrest.. ...Read Full Story

RESA To Welcome New Superintendent

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Lapeer Community Schools Superintendent Matthew Wandrie will be the next superintendent of Berrien RESA. The RESA Board of Education picked Wandrie for the job this past week following its interviews with the final two superintendent candidates. The other candidate had been RESA Assistant Superintendent Eric Hoppstock. Prior to serving as Lapeer’s superintendent, Wandrie was the human resources director at Dearborn Public Schools. He’s also been a high school teacher, a coach, an assistant principal, an athletic director, and a principal. Contract negotiations now begin with Wandrie. RESA says he’s due to start on July 1, the same day current RESA Superintendent Kevin Ivers will retire. Wandrie currently lives in Oakland County’s Oxford.. ...Read Full Story

SMC Votes Campaign Holding Events Ahead Of Primary

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With Michigan’s presidential primary on March 10, efforts are being made to promote civic engagement at Southwestern Michigan College. SMC political science professor Mary Young-Marcks tells WSJM News SMC Votes is a campaign designed to inform students and inspire them to action. She and other SMC staff started the campaign after attending some ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge events.. ...Read Full Story

Group Seeks Local Government Cooperation In Van Buren County

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Market Van Buren is looking at ways local officials can work together to help address some key needs of Van Buren County. Market Van Buren Director Zachary Morris tells WSJM News that’s why the group held its annual Local Unit of Government Summit this month. The guest speakers included former state budget director Al Pscholka, staff from the offices of state Senator Aric Nesbitt and state Representative Beth Griffin, and a representative of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.. ...Read Full Story

Chase Ends In Crash Near Hartford

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A Detroit woman is in critical condition after a chase with police that ended in a crash on Saturday morning. The Van Buren County Sheriff’s Department says a report came in around 8:45 that police in Berrien County were chasing a vehicle that was headed toward Van Buren County. The suspect’s vehicle was a gray 2019 Chrysler 300, and was first seen speeding eastbound on I-94 near mile marker 17. Baroda Lake Township police had tried to stop the vehicle when it sped off. However, Berrien County Sheriff’s deputies caught sight of it a short time later. The vehicle entered Van Buren County on County Road 362 and then turned north on to County Road 687 in Hartford Township. That’s where the driver lost control and his vehicle hit an aluminum utility pole. The driver, a 24-year-old man from Detroit, suffered some broken ribs, while his 22-year-old female passenger suffered critical injuries and was airlifted to a hospital. The driver was released into police custody after being treated at Spectrum Health Lakeland hospital in St. Joseph. Police say the driver faces several charges, including fleeing and eluding and driving on a suspended license.. ...Read Full Story

Attorney General Working To Fight Robocalls

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There has been plenty of interest in Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel’s new Robocall Crackdown Team. Nessel’s office says since the outfit was created in November, more than 1,700 people have signed up for it. During that time, more than 1,800 robocall complaints have been submitted. Attorney General spokesperson Ryan Jarvi tells WSJM News the team is providing the state with specific information about the calls members have been receiving.. ...Read Full Story

Treasurer, Police Help Woman Clear Up Title Issues

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The Berrien County Sheriff’s Department has been able to help a Galien woman avoid losing her home as a result of possible title fraud. Deputy Kelly Laesch tells WSJM News the situation involving Joy came to her attention thanks to Berrien County Treasurer Bret Witkowski. Witkowski had spoken to Joy at a show cause hearing this year as she was in danger of foreclosure due to unpaid property taxes. Laesch says Joy had been in a land contract with the 91-year-old owner of the property in question when Joy met the contract’s terms and paid the place off in 2016.. ...Read Full Story

Experts Offer To Help Tax Filers Apply For Credits

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Filing tax returns can be tricky, and community organizations across the state are working to ensure Michigan taxpayers don’t lose out on the refunds they may be due. Ross Yednock with the Community Economic Development Association of Michigan encourages anyone seeking assistance with their income tax returns to ensure their preparer is qualified. He explains that in Michigan, like many other states, there are no requirements or regulations for paid tax preparers.. ...Read Full Story

American Woman Wanted For 2002 Murder Arrested In Rome

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From the Associated Press — An American woman wanted in the 2002 death of her husband has been arrested in Rome after a multinational search. Rome police say they arrested Beverly McCallum after she checked in at a hotel. Italian hotels must register
guests in an online system linked to a police database. Police say that database flagged an Interpolarrest warrant. U.S. authorities had been seeking to extradite McCallum from Pakistan, where she was believed to be living. Robert Caraballo was beaten and suffocated in 2002. His body was dumped and burned in a blueberry patch in Grand Haven Township. His remains weren’t identified for more than a decade. Murder charges were filed last year.. ...Read Full Story

Upton Backing Recreational Harbor Bill

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Congressman Fred Upton is pushing legislation to help ensure the Army Corps of Engineers gives consideration to recreational harbor maintenance projects when it conducts cost-benefit analysis procedures each year. Upton says the Safer Harbors for Our Recreational Economy Act, or SHORE ACT, would direct the Army Corps to make sure the economic benefits of recreational boating are considered as part of the project authorization process. He says the United States outdoor recreation economy generates $778 billion in economic growth each year. However, due to rising water levels in the Great Lakes, recreational boating is under threat. Upton says the SHORE Act is “needed to prioritize recreational infrastructure projects that serve an important role in the economy here in southwest Michigan and across the region.” He notes recreational harbors in New Buffalo, South Haven, and Saugatuck stand to benefit if the Army Corps puts more emphasis on protecting recreational boating. The SHORE Act was introduced by Representatives John Katko of New York and Anthony Brindisi of New York. It was originally co-sponsored by Upton.. ...Read Full Story

Indianapolis Murder Suspect Caught In Edwardsburg

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An Indianapolis-area man is in the Cass County Jail, accused of an October murder inside a bar in Indianapolis. Curtis Baker was arrested in Edwardsburg at a gas station this week. Indianapolis Metropolitan Police say Baker shot and killed 37-year-old Al Hayes Jr. on October 3. IMPD says Hayes was defending a woman who was being pushed by a man inside Connor’s Pub in the Broad Ripple neighborhood of Indy. The victim was a single father of four. Baker is being held on a homicide charge.. ...Read Full Story

State Cites Problems With Police Database Under Construction

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From the Associated Press — Michigan officials ordered a private contractor to halt work on a multimillion-dollar state police database because it isn’t working. The contractor, Information Builders, was told to stop by February 10 due to the “inoperable data hub.” The letter was obtained by the Detroit Free Press. Separately, the attorney general’s office disputed a $2.6 million bill from
Information Builders. There was no immediate comment from the company. The $12.2 million contract covers a database with criminal records, traffic crashes and other incidents.. ...Read Full Story

MI Senate Rejects Governor Appointment To Hunting Panel

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From the Associated Press — Michigan Senate Republicans have blocked Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s appointee to a commission that regulates hunting and fishing. Democrats say Thursday’s mostly party-line vote rejecting Anna Mitterling of
Mason to the Natural Resources Commission was done because the GOP opposes a different nominee to the commission who supports gun control. It marks the first time in nearly a decade that a governor’s nominee was rejected by the Senate. Whitmer named Mitterling, a Lansing Community College adjunct biology professor, to the commission in December. Whitmer says the vote was “sexist” and “partisan.” Republicans say Mitterling did not do well in interviews.. ...Read Full Story

Secretary Of State Mobile Office To Visit Lawrence This Month

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The Michigan Secretary of State’s Mobile Branch Office will return to Van Buren County later this month when it visits Lawrence. The mobile office offers most of the services available at a regular branch office. In addition to registering to vote, visitors can renew or replace their license plate, renew their driver’s license or state ID, change their address, and sign up on the Michigan Organ Donor Registry, among other things. The Mobile Branch Office will be parked outside of the Van Buren District Library’s Lawrence branch on 212 North Paw Paw Street on Monday, February 24 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Those who stop by the mobile office can also learn about REAL IDs and how to sign up for one. Starting October 1 of this year, you will need a REAL ID to fly within the United States and enter certain federal facilities, military bases, and nuclear power plants.. ...Read Full Story

$9.5 Million Grant Announced For WMU

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Congressman Fred Upton is hailing news of a federal grant for Western Michigan University. He tells WSJM News he sent a letter to the Department of Energy in November in support of a Western project called “Enabling Advanced Electrode Architecture through Printing Technique.” It’s an effort of WMU to develop a manufacturing process to produce fast charging batteries with high energy and longer life cycles. Upton says the university has been approved for nearly $9.6 million.. ...Read Full Story

BH High School Band Accepts Grant

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The Benton Harbor Tiger Marching Band has received a grant from the school district’s food service provider. At Tuesday’s meeting of the Benton Harbor Area Schools Board of Education, Sudexo representative Peju Makinde announced the grant was for Benton Harbor High School’s participation in the Healthy High School Challenge.. ...Read Full Story

Berrien County Corporate Counsel James McGovern Resigns

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Berrien County is in need of a new corporate counsel. James McGovern is leaving the job effective March 15 after five years as the county’s lawyer. In a statement, McGovern says he has a duty as an attorney to “advocate for my client’s interests while upholding the duty to honor my profession’s code of ethics; additionally, and most important, I have a duty to protect and uphold the public trust.” He goes on to say when circumstances arise creating conflicts between “any and all of those duties, it is not an option to sacrifice one for the benefit of another.” McGovern says that’s the reason for his resignation, though exact details on what the conflict or conflicts are is not clear as yet.. ...Read Full Story

Two Arrested In Separate Cass County Drug Busts

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If you’re on parole, it’s probably a good idea to keep your home free from illegal drugs. Two men in Cass County have learned that the hard way, as the Cass County Drug Enforcement Team arrested them in Dowagiac and Lagrange Township on Wednesday after finding meth in their homes during parole checks. There was enough meth found at the Dowagiac home in the 200 block of King Street to result in charges of possession with intent to distribute and maintaining a drug house against a 37-year-old man. In the Lagrange Township arrest, a 46-yer-old man is facing a charge for possession of meth. Their names have not been released, and both are in the Cass County Jail waiting to be arraigned.. ...Read Full Story