Local News Archives

Flooding Closes Main St. In Benton Harbor At Riverview Drive

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Main Street is closed once again in Benton Harbor at Riverview Drive, right in front of Whirlpool’s Riverview campus due to flooding. The Michigan Department of Transportation’s Nick Schirripa says the problem is still the high water level of Lake Michigan and the St. Joseph River, as the water is currently higher than the road. He says that stretch of the I-94 Business Loop and Main Street will likely be closed for a few days this time around.. ...Read Full Story

Upton Hails Passage Of Fentanyl Legislation

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President Trump has signed legislation intended to keep a dangerous class of opioids off the streets. Congressman Fred Upton tells WSJM News the House and Senate acted in recent weeks to re-approve a ban on fentanyl analogues. Upton says fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid that’s 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine.. ...Read Full Story

School Board Looks To Fill Vacancy

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The Benton Harbor Area Schools Board of Education is taking applications from those interested in filling a vacancy. That’s after former Trustee Patricia Rush resigned late last month. Board President Joseph Taylor tells WSJM News he’s hoping to find someone who is diligent and dedicated.. ...Read Full Story

Michigan’s Alcohol Breath Test Devices Are Back Amid Probe

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From the Associated Press — All 203 of Michigan’s alcohol breath testing devices are back in service amid a fraud investigation of the company that supplies the equipment. The Michigan State Police a criminal investigation last month into contract employees with Intoximeters Inc. and suspended its contract after evidence suggested the company falsified records and misrepresented the devices’
accuracy.The Detroit Free Press reports that state police had announced all Datamaster DMT devices had been sidelined until the agency could verify that each was properly calibrated. Nearly 40 devices were back online a few days later.. ...Read Full Story

Sheriff’s Department, Treasurer Help Woman Resolve Title Problems

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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

SMC Promotes Civic Engagement Among Students

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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

Upton Praises Great Lakes Funding

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Congressman Fred Upton is glad President Trump has changed his mind about funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. The president’s budget proposal for 2021 includes full funding for the program, at $320 million. In previous years, the Trump administration attempted to slash the program, which Upton tells WSJM News provides for water quality testing and helps to fight invasive species.. ...Read Full Story

Police Investigating Animal Abuse Complaint In Allegan County

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Police in Allegan County are looking for a man and a woman who have been accused of throwing dogs out of their moving vehicle last week. The Allegan County Sheriff’s Department says deputies were called out to the 400 block of 124th Avenue in Wayland Township this week on the animal abuse complaint from last Thursday. They were told a Silver Honda Odyssey van had been seen driving along 124th with the people inside tossing six Chihuahuas out the window. Five of the dogs died at the scene, while one survived. That dog has been named Lucky Lu Lu. The suspects seen tossing the dogs are described as a thin white woman in her 20s or 30s with blonde hair, and a thin white male in his 20s or 30s with dark, longer hair. Both are reported as missing teeth. Anyone with information on the identities of the suspects is asked to contact the Allegan County Sheriff’s Department.. ...Read Full Story

AG, State Police, Health Officials Warn Of New Phone Scam

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There’s a new telephone scam targeting Michigan residents. Attorney General Dana Nessel is joining forces with Michigan Department of Health and Human Services director Robert Gordon and Michigan State Police to get the word out about this one, in which callers pretend to be state health employees. They’re spoofing the DHHS phone numbers in Kalamazoo County to make the call look like it’s coming from an official, and they trying to get personal information that could be used to steal identities. Nessel says if you get a call like that, don’t give out any information and hang up immediately. She adds the next step is to report the call to police or her office.. ...Read Full Story

Bills Advance To Ensure Exonerees Can Sue For Compensation

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From the Associated Press — Michigan lawmakers have advanced bills to ensure wrongfully convicted prisoners can sue for compensation after some exonerees’ cases were dismissed due to a conflict over how long they had to file a claim. A 2016 law awards innocent inmates $50,000 for each year spent in a state prison. It gave those who had been exonerated before the act’s effective date 18 months to sue. Several former prisoners, however, saw their claims tossed after the state Court of Claims – where such lawsuits must be brought – ruled that a separate law with a six-month window took precedence.. ...Read Full Story

State Robocall Crackdown Team Attracts More Than 1,700 Members

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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

Report Ranks Elementary, Middle Schools

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The Mackinac Center for Public Policy has released its 2019 Michigan Context and Performance Report Card. It ranks elementary and middle schools around the state based on their test scores while factoring in what percentage of a school’s students are receiving free lunches. Mackinac Center Education Policy Director Ben DeGrow tells WSJM News the goal is to grade the schools on a curve so more affluent schools don’t automatically fare better.. ...Read Full Story

Niles Green Lights Repairs To Island Park Pedestrian Bridge

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The floods that devastated parts of southwest Michigan two years ago are still being felt in some parts of Berrien County. The city of Niles has not yet been able to reopen Island Park because of damage done to the Island Park Pedestrian Bridge, but the hope is that will soon change. On Monday, the city council gave the green light to repair the bridge according to our newsgathering partners at WSBT-22. The fix will cost the city roughly $80,000. It’s not yet known, however, when the park will be open again.. ...Read Full Story

Secretary Of State Mobile Branch Office To Visit South Haven

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The Michigan Secretary of State’s Mobile Branch Office will be in South Haven this week registering people to vote in the March 10 primary election. The office offers most of the services available at a regular branch office. Therefore, 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 South Haven Memorial Library on Thursday from 11 a.m. to 3 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

State House Panel Takes Testimony From Rep. Paquette On CPL Bill

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A bill from state Representative Brad Paquette aimed at making it easier for people to afford to have a concealed pistol license is pending in a House committee. The Military, Veterans and Homeland Security Committee held a hearing on Paquette’s legislation Tuesday, which would eliminate the renewal fee of $115 paid every five years for a CPL. The freshman Republican from Niles called the renewal fees “financially burdensome” on people’s right to self-defense, saying when added to the costs of the CPL training course, initial licensing fees, and the cost of a firearm, people are paying too much “for the ability to defend themselves.” The committee did not take action on the bill after the hearing. The bill is available at this link.. ...Read Full Story

Economists: Detroit Jobs, Household Income Forecast To Rise

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From the Associated Press — Economists are forecasting that household income and employment for Detroit residents will increase over the next four years. Researchers with the University Economic Analysis partnership said Monday that Detroit’s unemployment rate will drop to just under 8% by 2023 and 2024. About 6,700 more residents are expected to find jobs, mostly in the service sector. Total resident income is forecast to rise 4% to 4.7% per year through 2024. University of Michigan economist Donald Grimes says Fiat Chrysler’s new $2.5 billion assembly plant and the $4.4 billion Gordie Howe International Bridge project between Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, Canada, should provide new job opportunities.. ...Read Full Story

RESA Schedules Public Hearing Regarding Start Date For School Year

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A public hearing will be held this month regarding a proposal to have several Berrien County school districts start their academic years before Labor Day for the next few years. Berrien RESA has submitted a request for a waiver on a state law requiring a post-Labor Day start date to the Michigan Department of Education. It’s due to where in the calendar Labor Day will fall for the next three years. RESA says if school doesn’t start until after the holiday, the school year will extend well into June. Its hearing on the matter will be on Tuesday, February 25 at 5 p.m. at the Berrien RESA Administrative Conference Center in Oronoko Township. On hand will be local superintendents who will explain why they’re seeking the later start. A representative of the Michigan Department of Education will also be available by phone.. ...Read Full Story

SMC Promoting Civic Engagement Among Students

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A campaign underway at Southwestern Michigan College aims to promote civic engagement among students. SMC Votes is being run in order to get more students voting in the March 10 presidential primary. The college says it will feature a series of non-partisan events. So far, SMC welcomed some representatives of the Dowagiac City Council to come and discuss their experiences and accomplishments last week. SMC Votes will continue with a presentation called “The Art of Politics,” focused on campaign posters, buttons, and shirts, on February 18. The college also plans a primary information night on March 3. In 2019, SMC received national recognition for excellence in student voter engagement from the non-partisan ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge.. ...Read Full Story

RESA Board Selects 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 on Monday 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

United Way Pop Up Giving Event This Month

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Set for February 20 is the next Pop Up Giving event of the United Way of Southwest Michigan. Marketing manager Jennifer Tomshack tells WSJM News Pop Up Giving is a way for non-profits to make Shark Tank-like pitches for projects to benefit the community. This time, the non-profits will all be education-related.. ...Read Full Story

State Launches Effort To Inform Drivers About Changing Coming To Insurance Policies

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The Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services has launched a website to explain how the state’s auto insurance system is going to change this year. Due to reforms signed into law last year, unlimited personal injury protections will no longer be required with all auto insurance policies in Michigan come July 1. DIFS Director Anita Fox tells WSJM News this opens up options for people.. ...Read Full Story

President Trump’s Proposed FY2021 Budget Fully Funds Great Lakes Restoration Initiative

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Michigan lawmakers are cheering President Trump’s proposed Fiscal Year 2021 budget for fully funding the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative at $320 million. The Trump administration had tried to wipe out funding for the GLRI every year he’s been in office thus far, with bipartisan efforts from Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and New York winning out to keep the money available. Nearly a year ago, Michigan Congressmen Bill Huizenga, Jack Bergman, and John Moolenaar met with the President in west Michigan to inform him of the importance of the Obama-era program and the critical role it plays in strengthening the economy and ecology of the Great Lakes. Following that, Trump announced in Grand Rapids that last year’s budget was going to be updated to include full funding for the GLRI. The U.S. House last week passed a bill supported by Congressman Fred Upton to reauthorize the program through 2026, and increase the funding by $25 million a year up to $475 million.. ...Read Full Story

Mason Jar Cafe Seeking Rezoning For Expansion

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A popular restaurant in the Arts District of Benton Harbor is looking to expand. The Mason Jar Cafe is requesting a zoning change for vacant lots at the corner of Fifth and Park streets in Benton Harbor from light industrial to central business in order to put up a new building. The City of Benton Harbor Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on the request next month on March 3 at 5:30 pm in City Hall. The Planning Commission will consider the request the same night after the public hearing. The Mason Jar Cafe opened in 2014 and specializes in using as many local and organic ingredients as possible in the menu.. ...Read Full Story

New Director Starts At Pokagon Fund

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The Pokagon Fund has announced the hiring of its new director. Dan Petersen started on Monday. The 38-year-old Petersen was previously the president of EightCAP, Incorporated, a community action agency in Ionia County. WSJM News asked him what attracted him to the Pokagon Fund.. ...Read Full Story

Register Of Deeds Planning Speaking Engagements

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Berrien County Register of Deeds Lora Freehling will spend part of this year going around the county speaking at senior centers. She says her talks will focus on the role of the Register of Deeds and the importance of a properly-worded deed. Freehling says making sure your document is correct before filing it with the Register of Deeds can save a lot of time and money. She will first speak at the Buchanan Area Senior Center on March 4 at 11 a.m. After that, she’ll be at the Benton Harbor Senior Center on March 5 at 10:30, the North Berrien Senior Center on March 11 at 1, the Niles Senior Center on March 19 at 1, and the St. Joseph-Lincoln Senior Center on April 2 at 10 a.m. Anyone with questions can contact the Berrien County Register of Deeds.. ...Read Full Story

Volunteers Removing Invasive Plants From Warren Dunes State Park

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The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is planning several volunteer stewardship days at Warren Dunes State Park throughout February. It says you don’t need experience when it comes to helping remove invasive plants from the park. This Sunday, volunteers are invited out to Warren Dunes from 1 to 4 p.m. for a match up against invasives. There will also be volunteer days on 16 and 23. The volunteers get training beforehand, and on various days they’ll be removing common privet, Japanese barberry, non-native honeysuckle, and other misfit plants. You can find out more about the volunteer opportunities right here.. ...Read Full Story

RESA board Interviewing Superintendent CandidatesMonday

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The search for a new superintendent at Berrien RESA has been narrowed down to two. The RESA Board of Education says it will interview the candidates this coming week. They are Berrien RESA Assistant Superintendent Eric Hoppstock and Lapeer Community Schools Superintendent Matthew Wandrie. The next interviews with the candidates will be on Monday, February 10 at 1:30 p.m. following the regularly-scheduled RESA Board of Education meeting. The candidates will each present a proposal outlining their first 90 days in office. The interviews will be held at the Berrien RESA Administrative Conference Center in Oronoko Township. They will be open to the public.. ...Read Full Story

Planning Commission Honored For Websites, Promotion Materials

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The Southwest Michigan Planning Commission has received some recognition for a couple of websites it created to educate the public on local resources and how they can be protected. The Association of Marketing and Communications Professionals has honored the commission with a Gold Award for production of a website for BetterBeachesSWMI.org. It also gave the association a Gold Award for an animated video on the site. Southwest Michigan Planning Commission Senior Planner Marcy Hamilton tells WSJM News  BetterBeachesSWMI.org was launched to educate the public about how runoff contaminates local beaches.. ...Read Full Story

LMC Financial Aid Event Coming Up

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Lake Michigan College will hold a FAFSA Assistance Night this month. LMC staff will be available to answer questions and help students apply for financial aid. Students of all ages who plan to attend college in the next academic year are encouraged to attend, even if they’re undecided or planning to attend a school other than LMC. LMC Director of Admissions Jeremy Schaeffer tells WSJM News understanding assistance options is an important part of enrolling in college.. ...Read Full Story

Dowagiac Hunters Rendezvous Today

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Set for today is one of the biggest events for lovers of the outdoors held in southwest Michigan each year. It’s the 23rd annual Dowagiac Conservation Club’s Hunter’s Rendezvous at the club grounds in Dowagiac. Club Vice President Craig Lyons tells us the event is a fundraiser for the youth programs the organization runs. Everyone is welcome to come and display trophies.. ...Read Full Story

Taxpayers Urged Not To Miss Out On 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

Discovery Channel Show To Study Lake Michigan Plane Crash

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A plane crash into Lake Michigan nearly 70 years ago will be the subject of the Discovery Channel’s Expedition Unknown show this coming Wednesday. Northwest Airlines Flight 2501 disappeared somewhere over the lake on June 23, 1950. The Michigan Shipwreck Research Association’s Valerie van Heest tells WSJM News material from the crash started washing up from Benton Harbor to Glenn.. ...Read Full Story

Market Van Buren Holds Local Government Summit

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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 Thursday. 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

Whitmer Addresses Detroit Economic Club

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With her proposed Fiscal Year 2021 budget now in the hands of state lawmakers, Governor Gretchen Whitmer spent some of her Friday in Detroit, speaking to the Detroit Economic Club at the TCF Center. The nearly $62 billion budget proposal increases education spending, puts more money into making sure all Michigan residents have healthcare, and spends money on road fixes.. ...Read Full Story

Secchia Memo: Political Donations At Risk Without Action On Erosion

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A major figure in the Michigan Republican Party has suggested that political donations will diminish unless GOP lawmakers do something to help property owners being impacted by Lake Michigan erosion. Former Ambassador Peter Secchia sent a letter in November to Republican leaders in the Legislature noting a $6 million property loss in Ottawa County due to high lake levels. At the time, he said there seemed to be “little interest” among lawmakers and added donations would “diminish” as property values fall. He told “The Detroit News” that he isn’t threatening anybody. Secchia is a Grand Rapids businessman who has been a Republican donor and
activist for decades.. ...Read Full Story

Ford Shaking Up Management After Poor Fourth Quarter Performance

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Ford Motor Company is shaking up its management after a poor fourth-quarter financial performance and the botched launch of the Explorer SUV. The company says automotive President Joe Hinrichs will retire. Jim Farley, president of new business and strategy, will become chief operating officer in charge of global markets and automotive operations. In addition, product development chief Hau Thai-Tang will take on an expanded role for products, services and customer experiences. Ford’s full-year profit plunged by more than $3.6 billion last year, and it lost $1.7 billion in the fourth quarter. Quarterly revenue fell 5% to $39.7 billion.. ...Read Full Story

Michigan House Approves Wendzel Package Updating Commercial Fishing Regulations

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Bipartisan legislation to update the state’s commercial fishing laws and regulations is headed to the Michigan Senate. Representative Pauline Wendzel of Watervliet sponsored one of the bills in the package, and says this would be the first update in 60 years to the laws regarding commercial fishing operations. When the bills had a hearing in June before the House Natural Resources Committee, Wendzel testified they would create a list of all the species of fish available for commercial harvest.. ...Read Full Story

Upton Pushes For Civility, Bipartisanship

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With the impeachment of President Trump now over, Congressman Fred Upton is hoping to get to work on issues the public cares about. He tells WSJM News he continues his tour with Democratic Congresswoman Debbie Dingell talking about civility and bipartisanship. Last week, the two took part in a forum called “A More Perfect Union” hosted by The Hill. Upton says they have a message.. ...Read Full Story

County Commission Hears Plenty About Second Amendment Resolution

It was a packed house Thursday morning as the Berrien County Board of Commissioners heard from residents both opposed to and in support of a resolution declaring Berrien a Second Amendment sanctuary county. The resolution was proposed by local gun rights advocates last month. At Thursday’s meeting, dozens of speakers appealed to the board. Jack Straszewski of Niles told WSJM News if the Second Amendment can prevent violence, then he favors respecting it.. ...Read Full Story

Remains Found In Michigan Might Be Missing Girl From 1989

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From the Associated Press — Investigators in western Michigan might have discovered the remains of a teenager who’s been missing since 1989. Aundria Bowman’s adoptive father was recently charged in an unrelated 1980 homicide in Virginia. Authorities say skeletal remains were found in a shallow grave under cement Wednesday in Allegan County’s Monterey Township. It could take weeks to get an identification. Undersheriff Mike Larsen says the search for Aundria gained momentum after the November arrest of her adoptive father, Dennis Bowman. He’s charged with killing the wife of a U.S. Navy pilot in Norfolk, Virginia, in 1980.. ...Read Full Story

Lincoln Township Beach Closed Due To Erosion

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The high water level of Lake Michigan has wiped out Lincoln Township Beach. The township has had to close the park off completely, as the beach has been washed away along with a good chunk of the parking lot. Township Supervisor Dick Stauffer talked to our newsgathering partners at WSBT-22 about the decision to lock up Lincoln Township Beach, maybe forever.. ...Read Full Story

Van Buren Sheriff Finalist For National Sheriff Of The Year

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Van Buren County Sheriff Daniel Abbott is up for the award of 2019 National Sheriff of the Year. That honor will be handed out by the National Sheriff’s Association at its winter conference in Tampa, Florida this weekend. Abbott says in order to be considered, nominees needed to demonstrate accomplishments both in office and with community involvement. He says adding an additional K9 team is one of those, along with bringing in Forgotten Man Ministries into the jail to give inmates skills to succeed once they’re released. Abbott says that program has been “very successful.”. ...Read Full Story

Lake Michigan College To Celebrate Renovations To Hanson Theatre

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Renovations are complete on the Hanson Theatre on the Lake Michigan College campus in Benton Harbor. LMC will host a rededication ceremony next weekend at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, February 16 to celebrate. The Hanson Family Foundation and Merlin and Carolyn Hanson, for whom the theatre is named, helped to fund the over $600,000 in improvements to the facility. Those upgrades include new paint, carpet, seating and curtains along with a variety of acoustic and sound improvements. Work was also done to upgrade the theatre’s electrical and internet infrastructure, install new light and sound boards and new rigging and catwalks. LMC President Dr. Trevor Kubatzke and the LMC Board of Trustees will be joined by the Visual & Performing Arts Department to cut the ribbon on the newly-redone theatre. LMC’s acapella group, Soundwaves, will also perform.. ...Read Full Story

State Budget Proposal Includes Shoreline Protection Money

The Fiscal Year 2021 budget proposal from Governor Whitmer is now in front of lawmakers. State Budget Director Chris Kolb laid out the governor’s spending plans before a joint session of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees. The budget includes $40 million for grants to go for shoreline erosion protection efforts. It also has a new $25 million dollar program to reimburse teachers up to $250 a year for classroom supplies purchased themselves. Additionally, the governor is also asking lawmakers to put money into the improvements in Illinois to the Brandon Road Lock and Dam in Joliet, seen as the last hope to keep Asian carp out of the Great Lakes.. ...Read Full Story

BH Schools Ending Contracts With RESA

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Benton Harbor Area Schools is ending some of its service contracts with Berrien RESA. RESA has handled facilities and operations, accounts payable, and payroll for the district since 2014. At a Tuesday meeting, Benton Harbor Area Schools Board of Education President Joseph Taylor said that’s coming to an end.. ...Read Full Story

LMC Financial Aid Night This Month

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Lake Michigan College will hold a FAFSA Assistance Night this month. LMC staff will be available to answer questions and help students apply for financial aid. Students of all ages who plan to attend college in the next academic year are encouraged to attend, even if they’re undecided or planning to attend a school other than LMC. LMC Director of Admissions Jeremy Schaeffer tells WSJM News understanding assistance options is an important part of enrolling in college.. ...Read Full Story

RESA Narrows Superintendent Search To Two

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The search for a new superintendent at Berrien RESA has been narrowed down to two. The RESA Board of Education says it will interview the candidates next week. They are Berrien RESA Assistant Superintendent Eric Hoppstock and Lapeer Community Schools Superintendent Matthew Wandrie. The next interviews with the candidates will be on Monday, February 10 at 1:30 p.m. following the regularly-scheduled RESA Board of Education meeting. The candidates will each present a proposal outlining their first 90 days in office. The interviews will be held at the Berrien RESA Administrative Conference Center in Oronoko Township. They will be open to the public.. ...Read Full Story

Whitmer Allies Launch TV Ads To Support Road Bonding Plan

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From the Associated Press — Allies of Governor Gretchen Whitmer have launched $750,000 in TV ads to support her plan to borrow $3.5 billion to roughly double construction spending on state-owned roads and bridges over five years. The Road to Michigan’s Future, a social welfare nonprofit, began airing the ads across Michigan on Friday. The group doesn’t have to disclose its donors’ identities. A spokesman says the ads will educate the public about Whitmer’s plan and encourage lawmakers from both parties to tackle Michigan’s road-funding problem. Whitmer says Michigan can afford to issue bonds because payments on old debt will drop substantially in coming years.. ...Read Full Story