The Berrien County Health Department is urging women over the age of 40 to get screened for breast cancer this October, with it being Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Spokesperson Gillian Conrad tells us one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer.. ...Read Full Story
Opening soon in Stevensville will be a dog park. Village Treasurer Barbi Hoge tells WSJM News the Hickory Creek Bark Park is opening in part of the existing Hickory Creek Park.. ...Read Full Story
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is recognizing 164 schools around the state that have earned the MI HEARTSafe School designation for the 2018-2019 academic year. Department spokesperson Lynn Sutfin tells WSJM News the HEARTSafe program was created six years ago to help schools be sure they’re prepared to help someone experiencing sudden cardiac arrest. They have to meet certain guidelines.. ...Read Full Story
From the Associated Press — Governor Gretchen Whitmer has ordered U.S. and Michigan flags lowered at all state buildings and grounds in honor of late Governor William G. Milliken. Milliken was Michigan’s longest-serving governor. He died Friday at age 97.
Whitmer said Saturday the flags should be displayed at half-staff on all state buildings, grounds and facilities through November 1. They’re being lowered for 14 days to honor each year Milliken served as Michigan’s chief executive. Whitmer, a Democrat, called Milliken “a true statesman who led our state with integrity and honor.” The Republican was promoted to governor from lieutenant governor in 1969 when Governor George Romney resigned to join President Richard Nixon’s administration. Milliken subsequently won three elections but didn’t run again in 1982, retiring from politics after 14 years as Michigan’s governor.. ...Read Full Story
The Benton Township Police Department is looking for a suspect after a 16-year-old was shot on Saturday afternoon. Officers were called to Spectrum Health Lakeland on a report of a gunshot victim. When they arrived, they were told the victim and two friends had been walking south on Agard Street near McKann Street around 1:15 p.m. when a black Jeep Cherokee approached them. A backseat passenger brandished a handgun through the window and fired three shots. The victim was hit in the cheek. The Cherokee then took off south on Agard, turning onto McKann and going out of view. The victim’s friends took him to the emergency room, where he was being treated for non life threatening injuries. Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to contact the Benton Township Police Department.. ...Read Full Story
The 2020 tax season isn’t far away, and free income tax filing programs are looking for Michiganders willing to give their time to help others. The Consumers Energy Foundation has provided a $200,000 dollar grant to support the Community Economic Development Association of Michigan’s tax assistance work, which includes hiring and training tax-prep volunteers. Brian Wheeler with Consumers Energy says their interest is helping the people they serve in Michigan communities.. ...Read Full Story
The Heritage Museum and Cultural Center in St. Joseph will hold a fall celebration with an international twist just after Halloween this year. Director Brian Carroll tells WSJM News it’s the second annual Day of the Dead Celebration in partnership with the Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra. He says the two team up to have a celebration all about the Mexican Dia de los Muertos.. ...Read Full Story
There will be a statewide drug takeback event this month. The Drug Enforcement Agency is teaming up with Michigan State Police and others to collect unneeded prescription medications. If you have any sitting in your cabinet, you’re encouraged to stop by a state police post on Saturday, October 26 to drop them off. Police say getting opioids out of homes and destroyed can help to combat the ongoing opioid crisis. All 30 Michigan State Police posts will take part in the takeback event, which will run on the 26th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. During a takeback event in April, state police posts collected more than 1,100 pounds of medications.. ...Read Full Story
This coming week is National Teen Driver Safety Week, when parents are urged to talk with their fledgling teen drivers about the importance of caution behind the wheel. The Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning’s Kari Arend tells WSJM News teens and young adults accounted for 7.6% of traffic deaths in Michigan last year.. ...Read Full Story
Firefighters from Dowagiac and Wayne Township were able to contain a blaze at a barn just outside of Dowagiac on Thursday morning, but the structure was a total loss. The Dowagiac Police Department says the fire was reported in the barn behind an unoccupied house in the 56,000 block of M-51 near Pokagon Street around 5 a.m. Firefighters arrived quickly, but the place was already fully engulfed. They believe the fire had been going for some time before anyone saw it. The building was under renovations and it was insured. The cause of the blaze remains under investigation.. ...Read Full Story
If you want to see some beautiful fall color in Michigan, Travel Michigan’s Dave Lorenz says you should head north. He says he’s seeing a lot of out-of-state visitors to Michigan.. ...Read Full Story
Southwest Michigan women small business owners met with state Senator Kim LaSata on Friday as she held a roundtable discussion with them to learn about their priorities and concerns. LaSata presented the group with a copy of her Senate Resolution 86, which recognizes October 2019 as Women’s Small Business Month and encourages residents to support women-owned small businesses. LaSata notes there are more than 29,000 women business owners in Michigan providing more than a quarter million jobs. On Tuesday, the Michigan Senate unanimously adopted LaSata’s Senate Resolution 86.. ...Read Full Story
Set for this Saturday at Western Michigan University is Congressman Fred Upton’s next Academy Day. He tells WSJM News it’s a chance for young people interested in attending a U.S. service academy to speak with representatives of them.. ...Read Full Story
An injunction this month put on hold Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s ban on flavored vaping products, which are now back on store shelves. However, the Berrien County Health Department’s Gillian Conrad tells us the risks posed to young people by those e-cigarettes remain. She says there are simply too many unknowns about vaping products to say with any certainty they’re safe. She says just as teen cigarette use went down, teen e-cigarette use went up.. ...Read Full Story
More than 100 animals have been seized from a home in Edwardsburg by the Cass County Sheriff’s Office and Cass County Animal Control. Sheriff Richard Behnke’s office tells us they raided the home in the 24-thousand block of May Street back on October 8 after getting animal cruelty tips. The animals were in “varying states of health living in deplorable conditions” according to the sheriff’s office. The names of the suspects are not yet being released, as no arrests have been made. The investigation is ongoing. The sheriff’s office has not said what animals were taken in.. ...Read Full Story
The economic impact of the UAW’s strike against General Motors goes a lot deeper than you may think. Automotive analyst John McElroy says the more than month-long work stoppage has a huge trickle-down effect.. ...Read Full Story
Detectives from the Michigan State Police Fifth District Special Investigation Section are investigating the shooting death of a man by Indiana police in Michigan. Just after 12:30 Friday morning, police in Bristol, Indiana began chasing a vehicle that then crossed the border into White Pigeon. The suspect rammed the patrol vehicle during the chase, prompting the Bristol officer to open fire. The shots killed 46-year-old David Sanders, a white man from Three Rivers. During the investigation, officers learned Sanders was not armed. The Bristol officer suffered minor injuries and has been put on administrative leave. That officer’s name has not been released.. ...Read Full Story
A warning is going out from Van Buren County Sheriff Dan Abbott about a phone scam. He says callers are asking for donations to the sheriff’s office for an oldies music event, which isn’t happening. Abbott says he called the number given to him by a potential victim and says no one answered and it’s an “obvious spoofing.” He is offering a list of tips to avoid being victimized, with adding your number to the National Do Not Call Registry at the top. Other suggestions include being cautious of caller ID because scammers can change the number that shows up, which is what spoofing is, and never say “yes” at the start of the call if asked if you can hear the other person. That’s because your “yes” answer could be recorded and then used as proof you agreed to make a purchase or have your credit card charged.. ...Read Full Story
There will be a new location in a few weeks for the latest Whirlpool Appliance Sale that will benefit the United Way of Southwest Michigan. Previously held at a now-former Whirlpool property on Hilltop Road in St. Joseph, the sale will be held in the Orchards Mall on November 2 and 3 in the old Carson’s location. The sale is held twice a year to raise money for the Whirlpool Employee United Way Campaign.. ...Read Full Story
The 2020 tax season isn’t far away, and free income tax filing programs are looking for Michiganders willing to give their time to help others. The Consumers Energy Foundation has provided a $200,000 dollar grant to support the Community Economic Development Association of Michigan’s tax assistance work, which includes hiring and training tax-prep volunteers. Brian Wheeler with Consumers Energy says their interest is helping the people they serve in Michigan communities.. ...Read Full Story
An effort to relieve medical debt for struggling residents of Berrien, Cass, and Van Buren counties is now well underway thanks to Harbor Country Mission, Lake Street Community Church, and the I CAN Cafe. They announced at Thursday’s meeting of the Berrien County Board of Commissioners they have raised the $15,000 that will be the seed money for New York Charity “RIP Medical Debt” to buy up debt from collectors. Harbor Country Mission’s David Heyn told WSJM News more about the program.. ...Read Full Story
Ann Cardon is out at Traverse City Area Public Schools. The school board held a special meeting Thursday where it was announced Cardon has resigned. She’d been on the job for a little more than two months after leaving St. Joseph Public Schools. UpNorthLive reports the school board president in Traverse City “announced the mutual agreement and resignation of Superintendent Ann Cardon” following public comment at Thursday’s meeting. It was reported last week board members were at odds with Cardon over school funding and how often the board should meet. They held a special meeting last Friday where nearly 30 people spoke, all of them in favor of Cardon. No action on Cardon was taken by the board at that meeting. The public comments in favor of Cardon continued at Thursday’s meeting. Cardon just started as superintendent at Traverse City Area Public Schools in August after being chosen unanimously by the school board.. ...Read Full Story
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is recognizing 164 schools around the state that have earned the MI HEARTSafe School designation for the 2018-2019 academic year. Department spokesperson Lynn Sutfin tells WSJM News the HEARTSafe program was created six years ago to help schools be sure they’re prepared to help someone experiencing sudden cardiac arrest. They have to meet certain guidelines.. ...Read Full Story
Berrien County Sheriff Paul Bailey is warning residents about a rash of thefts from vehicles — and vehicle thefts — that have been occurring all around the county. He tells WSJM News neighborhoods in Royalton and St. Joseph townships have been hit especially hard.. ...Read Full Story
There will be a statewide drug takeback event this month. The Drug Enforcement Agency is teaming up with Michigan State Police and others to collect unneeded prescription medications. If you have any sitting in your cabinet, you’re encouraged to stop by a state police post on Saturday, October 26 to drop them off. Police say getting opioids out of homes and destroyed can help to combat the ongoing opioid crisis. All 30 Michigan State Police posts will take part in the takeback event, which will run on the 26th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. During a takeback event in April, state police posts collected more than 1,100 pounds of medications.. ...Read Full Story
Democrats in the U.S. Senate are calling on their Republican colleagues to “let the facts come out” and hold off on any judgments regarding the impeachment inquiry into President Trump by the U.S. House. At the Capitol, Senator Debbie Stabenow of Michigan says the administration needs to be upfront with what happened regarding Ukraine.. ...Read Full Story
Police in Covert are looking for two men who dropped off an Illinois man at South Haven Hospital’s emergency room last week. That man, 36-year-old Jayson Piper of Brookfield, was pronounced dead at the hospital. His death is under investigation as a possible drug overdose, but autopsy results are still pending. Police have released surveillance photos from the entrance of the emergency department of the two men who brought in Piper on October 12 at 6:30 p.m. They are not calling the men suspects, and say they think the two might have information about what led to Piper’s death. Police believe the man had been at a party in the Covert or South Haven area right before being brought to the hospital.. ...Read Full Story
Automakers could see new regulations requiring passive alcohol detection systems in all vehicles by 2024. Congresswoman Debbie Dingell says the support is there for this technology that could keep drunk drivers off the road.. ...Read Full Story
As the winter approaches, the Van Buren County Road Commission is asking homeowners to secure their mailboxes. It says you can prepare your mailbox for winter by tightening screws and ensuring the post and box are secure enough to endure large amounts of thrown snow. The road department’s policy states the agency will only replace mailboxes or posts if it is determined its own equipment made direct contact with the mailbox, and not when the box is knocked over by snow or slush that is thrown by the plow. Therefore, it’s urging everyone to shake their mailbox this October to avoid a bigger headache later on.. ...Read Full Story
Using setbacks as opportunities was a theme of Wednesday night’s presentation of the Economic Club of Southwestern Michigan as retired U.S. fighter pilot Nicole Malachowski spoke in Benton Township. Malachowski served in the U.S. Air Force for 21 years, becoming the first woman Thunderbird and rising to the rating of command pilot. She served as a White House Fellow and advised First Lady Michelle Obama on issues related to service members.. ...Read Full Story
Congressman Fred Upton has teamed up with several of his Michigan colleagues to send a letter to Governor Gretchen Whitmer asking her to reconsider some line item vetoes she put into the most recent state budget. Upton tells WSJM News Whitmer cut funding to several important programs.. ...Read Full Story
The Berrien Community Foundation is working to get the word out about the importance of taking part in the next U.S. Census. President Lisa Cripps-Downey tells WSJM News count day will be April 1 of next year. She says critical state and federal funding for communities is calculated based off population numbers obtained through the census.. ...Read Full Story
A Cass County man faces up to 30 years in prison after being convicted in a meth case on Wednesday. The Cass County Prosecutor’s office says Richard Williams was found guilty by a jury of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to deliver, of conspiring with girlfriend Ashley Friske to do the same, and of maintaining a drug house. Police say they raided the Calvin Township home of Williams in May and found meth along with items used in the use and sale of meth. Friske pleaded guilty in September to possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine, conspiring with Williams to possess with intent to deliver methamphetamine, and maintaining a drug house. Williams will be sentenced on December 13 as a habitual offender.. ...Read Full Story
From the Associated Press — The administrator of a plan that covers the medical expenses of uninsured non-drivers who are injured in car crashes sued a top Michigan regulator, alleging that her recent orders conflict with an auto insurance overhaul. The lawsuit was filed Monday in the Court of Claims by the Michigan Automobile Insurance Placement Facility. The organization is run by insurers and administers the Michigan Assigned Claims Plan, which provides medical benefits for passengers and pedestrians who are injured in accidents and have no auto insurance. The suit accuses the state Department of Insurance and Financial Services and its director, Anita Fox, of forcing the plan to violate the law by not implementing a new $250,000 cap on benefits until July 2020. The suit says the limit took immediate effect this past June.. ...Read Full Story
A Michigan City man is recovering after he was in a brief chase with police on Tuesday night as a result of a medical issue he was having. The Berrien County Sheriff’s Department says a call came in around 7:45 p.m. about a vehicle driving erratically on U.S. 12 in New Buffalo Township. A sheriff’s deputy found the vehicle and tried to pull it over, but it kept going at a rate of 25 to 30 miles per hour erratically. The vehicle eventually crashed into a New Buffalo Police Department vehicle at the intersection of US-12 near Whittaker Street in New Buffalo. Officers learned the man behind the wheel was suffering from low blood sugar. He was taken by ambulance to Spectrum Health Lakeland in St Joseph for treatment. No arrest was made in the incident. The sheriff’s department will forward its report to the Berrien County Prosecutor’s office for review.. ...Read Full Story
A two-car crash on M-43 in Arlington Township about four miles east of Bangor has claimed the life of one of the drivers. The Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office says 54-year-old Santiago Gallegos-Saucedo of Bangor was killed in the crash, which happened Wednesday morning a little after 7. Deputies say he ignored a stop sign while heading north on County Road 673 at the intersection with M-43 and his Saturn sedan was hit by a GMC pickup. Both vehicles rolled, and both drivers had to be pulled from the wreckage. The GMC driver suffered minor injuries and was buckled up. She had her 10 and seven-year-old kids in the car, and they were not hurt. Gallegos-Saucedo, however, was not wearing a seat belt. He died at Bronson Hospital in Kalamazoo.. ...Read Full Story
Strong wind gusts of up to 50 miles an hour and waves up to 15 feet Wednesday caused some issues along the Lake Michigan shoreline all up the coast. South Haven Harbormaster and Assistant City Manager Kate Hosier says they have no reports of property damage, but there’s a lot of water.. ...Read Full Story
A 21-year-old Benton Harbor man is in jail, accused of an armed robbery at the Subway restaurant on Main Street across from Whirlpool’s Riverview Campus. Public safety officers were nearby when the robbery happened just before 9 p.m. Tuesday and caught the suspect quickly. A pistol was also found during the arrest along with the money taken from the register. No one was hurt in the robbery, and the Subway opened at its normal time today. The suspect’s name is being withheld until he’s arraigned.. ...Read Full Story
General Motors and the United Auto Workers union have reached tentative deal that could end month-long strike by more than 49,000 workers. The deal comes a day before local union presidents are to meet with United Auto Workers union leaders in Detroit and follows yesterday’s bargaining session that included CEO Mary Barra for a second time in a week. GM has lost over $1 billion since the strike began in mid-September.. ...Read Full Story
Grants totaling nearly $1.6 million have been announced for the specialty courts in Van Buren County. The county court administrator says the money comes in three grants. First, a State Court Administrative Office grant of $716,000 for the Van Buren County Drug Treatment Court, the Family Reunification Court, the Swift and Sure Sanctions Probation Program, the Adult and Family Recovery Courts, and the Sobriety Court. Second is a $750,000 enhancement grant from the Office of Justice Programs for the Adult Recovery Court. Lastly, the State Community Corrections Board has awarded the Van Buren Office of Community Corrections $128,000 to support pretrial supervisions. Meanwhile, the Berrien County Trial Court also announced this week it’s received a $433,000 grant for its specialty courts through the State Court Administrator’s Office. Those specialty court programs in both counties aim to reduce the rate of re-offences by giving offenders special attention and help.. ...Read Full Story
There’s been another slight delay in the creation of a new Community Engagement and Advisory Committee for Benton Harbor Area Schools. The board of education was scheduled to approve a memorandum of understanding for the body at a Tuesday meeting, but it was pulled from the agenda. Board President Joseph Taylor told us the reason is that State Superintendent Michael Rice wants to be included in the memorandum, but he has yet to read it.. ...Read Full Story
From the Associated Press — Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer says she will appeal a judge’s decision to block enforcement of the state’s new ban on flavored electronic cigarettes. The Democrat issued a statement Tuesday calling the ruling “wrong” and saying
it “sets a dangerous precedent” of a court second-guessing the expert judgment of public health officials. Whitmer last month ordered the issuance of emergency rules after her chief medical executive found that youth vaping is a public health emergency. Court of Claims Judge Cynthia Stephens ruled Tuesday that vaping shops that sued are likely to prevail on their contention that the rules are procedurally invalid. Whitmer wants the Michigan Supreme Court to issue a “quick and final” ruling on the dispute.. ...Read Full Story
Former Benton Harbor City Manager Darwin Watson is the newest member of the Benton Harbor Area Schools Board of Education. At a Tuesday meeting, the board selected Watson to fill a vacancy created by the death of Stephen Mitchell last month. Board President Joseph Taylor told us Watson seemed to have the qualities the school board needs.. ...Read Full Story
Congressman Fred Upton is disturbed to see what’s been happening in northern Syria since President Trump ordered the removal of American troops stationed there. Upton told us last week pulling U.S. troops out of Syria would result in Turkey attacking Kurdish allies of the U.S. That is just what has happened. Upton says this undoes a great deal of progress.. ...Read Full Story
Coming soon to the city of South Haven will be a splash pad near South Beach. City Manager Brian Dissette tells WSJM News it’s taken a four year effort to collect the $612,000 needed for the attraction, which will be similar to the Whirlpool Centennial Fountain in St. Joseph.. ...Read Full Story
The historic Scott Club building in South Haven is now a bit safer thanks to the local Rotary club. The Rotary Club of South Haven has funded the installation of a fire detection system at the attraction. Constructed in 1893, the Queen Anne-style Scott Club building is a Michigan historic site. The Rotary says the new fire detection system is wired directly to the local fire department and will notify them immediately if a fire is detected. This is the second installation of a fire detection system in a historically important building funded by the Rotarians. The first was at the Historical Association of South Haven, formerly the Hartman School, in 2017.. ...Read Full Story
From the Associated Press — The state of Michigan’s retirement systems have ended a contract with an investment company that managed more than $600 million in pension funds after the CEO made “completely unacceptable” comments at a conference.
The Michigan Department of Treasury’s Bureau of Investments fired Fisher Investments last week. The decision came two days after the Camas, Washington-based company’s founder and CEO Ken Fisher spoke at the Tiburon CEO Summit in San Francisco.
CNBC obtained audio of Fisher referencing genitalia. The Washington Post reported that he spoke of doing acid and his belief that charities are immoral. The retirement system’s chief investment officer, Jon Braeutigam, notified Michigan’s investment board of the move Thursday. He said, “There is no excuse to not treat everyone with dignity and respect.” Michigan’s retirement systems have more than $70 billion in assets.. ...Read Full Story
From the Associated Press — A Michigan judge is blocking the state’s two-week-old ban on flavored e-cigarettes. Court of Claims Judge Cynthia Stephens issued a preliminary injunction Tuesday. She says Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s administration’s delay in implementing the ban undercut its position that emergency rules were needed. Stephens also says there is evidence that if flavored vaping products are prohibited, adults will return to using more harmful combustible tobacco products. The lawsuit was filed by vaping businesses that say they will go out of business due to the ban. Whitmer has said the ban is necessary to combat an epidemic of teens vaping.. ...Read Full Story
Four people are hospitalized after a crash in Cass County. The sheriff’s department says 18-year-old Daquan Brown of Elkhart blew through a stop sign at Dailey Road and M-60 in Jefferson Township just after 5 Monday evening and hit two other cars. The other four who were hurt were the drivers and one passenger each in the two cars involved in the wreck. Deputies say it does not appear alcohol or drugs played roles in the crash, and everyone was buckled up. The extent of the injuries has not been disclosed.. ...Read Full Story
The St. Joseph City Commission has an expensive decision to make by the end of November as to if it wants to purchase the former lighthouse keeper’s dwelling from the federal government. City Manager John Hodgson updated the city commission this week that they’ve received the asking price from Washington for the building and the land. He says restoring the building would cost around $1 million.. ...Read Full Story
To get into the spirit of the fall, Fernwood Botanical Garden and Nature Preserve in Niles has constructed a house made of pumpkins. It says the life-sized garden attraction will provide a good backdrop for photos this season. The pumpkin house was made possible by funding from the Michigan Gateway Community Foundation, which says Fernwood’s educational and preservation efforts fit nicely into the organization’s mission. Support was also received from The Whirlpool Foundation. Fernwood says anyone who visits Tuesdays through Sundays now through Thanksgiving can check out the pumpkin house.. ...Read Full Story
A fifth person has died in Michigan from Eastern Equine Encephalitis. While the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has not released details other than the victim was a Cass County resident, family members have told WOOD-TV in Grand Rapids he was 72-year-old Henry Hess. He fell ill before the area was sprayed for mosquitoes over the past several weeks. So far, there have been 10 human cases of Triple-E in the state, and half of them have died, with two deaths in Cass County. Typically, health officials say a third of those who contract it will die, and survivors are often left with mental and physical disabilities. This is the worst outbreak of Triple-E in the state in over a decade. Health officials say the number of animals with the disease has risen to 40 with the confirmation of a horse in Allegan County this month, and that animal was showing symptoms before the state sprayed parts of that county on October 3 and 6.. ...Read Full Story
The tours are over for the year of the St. Joseph Lighthouses, with revenue approaching $20,000 for 2019. Kate Ulrey of the Heritage Museum and Cultural Center says there were 7,064 tho took the tour this summer and into the fall before they wrapped up last Thursday.. ...Read Full Story
There will be a special meeting of the Benton Harbor Area Schools Board of Education this Tuesday, and they will be interviewing the candidates for an open seat on the body. Among the names in the running are a couple you may know. Former Benton Harbor City Manager Darwin Watson and former school board trustee Elnora Gavin are on the list. Also on the list are Nicholas Morgan Magee and Shaquille Turner. The board must appoint someone to fill a vacancy created by the passing of Stephen Mitchell last month. Also on the agenda is consideration of the new advisory committee to work on a plan for a district turnaround. The committee was proposed by the Michigan Department of Treasury as school leaders work to avoid the potential closure of Benton Harbor High School.. ...Read Full Story
The Michigan Department of Transportation is working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as an effort is underway to build a new Soo Lock. Congress this year approved more than $75 million for the initial construction and design of a lock to complement the Poe Lock. MDOT contract manager Ryan Mitchell, speaking on the latest MDOT “Talking Michigan Transportation” podcast, says it is important to have a second lock in case the Poe Lock fails.. ...Read Full Story
A team of scientists from Allegan-based Perrigo is going to attempt a world record this coming weekend. The drug maker says they’re constructing the world’s largest periodic table to inspire kids to pursue the science, technology, engineering, and math fields. The event is also in honor of the 150th anniversary of the periodic table. The big periodic table reveal will be 108 yards and will fill the football field at Grand Valley State University. All 118 elements are 18 by 14 feet. The record breaking periodic table will be unveiled on Saturday at the Kelly Family Sports Center at Grand Valley State University’s Allendale Campus. The event will be open to the public. Guinness Book of World Records officials will be in attendance.. ...Read Full Story
A groundbreaking for the new public library in Hartford will be held this week. The Hartford Library has used its current space since 1925, and the new facility will be named the Art and Bonna VanDerlyn Community Center and Hartford Public Library, after the owners of the local Harding’s. Bonna VanDerlyn has pledged big support for the effort to build a new library. The groundbreaking will be this Wednesday at 3 p.m. at the site between East and Church Streets. Bonna Vanderlyn will be attending. Library leaders say they want to show “our sincere appreciation for all that she has done for the Hartford community now and in the past.” The new library will include a 21st century humanities center with areas for literacy and teen involvement, a maker’s space, and a home for the Van Buren Genealogical Society. In addition to the support from Bonna Vanderlyn, the new library project has received a $400,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.. ...Read Full Story
With cooler weather upon us, is southwest Michigan in the clear yet for Eastern Equine Encephalitis? The short answer is probably, but not completely. Gillian Conrad is the spokeswoman for the Berrien County Health Department and says mosquito activity is declining.. ...Read Full Story
Earnings are up for St. Joseph-based United Federal Credit Union. The financial institution says net income for the third quarter was $9.3 million, up 11.2% from the second quarter and a rise of 12.8% from the same time last year. Net income for United through the third quarter is $24.7 million. Total assets rose by 5.3% over year-ago levels to $2.87 billion, and total deposits grew $26.8 million to $2.19 billion compared to the second quarter of 2019. Total loans came in largely unchanged at $2.46 billion, and membership for United grew by 1.8% over the third quarter of last year to 176,100.. ...Read Full Story
The Traverse City Area Public Schools Board of Education says former St. Joseph Public Schools superintendent Ann Cardon remains at the helm of the northern Michigan school district. In a statement released this morning, the board says there “has been much speculation in the community about TCAPS and the future of the Superintendent,” calling the turmoil in the district “unfortunate.” Cardon has been on the job for just over two months in Traverse City and has had a few issues pop up with board members on things like how often she wants them to meet, how to handle the district’s budget, and the fact she’s yet to meet with the teachers’ union. Board member Erica Moon Mohr called out others on the panel on Friday, saying they’ve bullied the superintendent while roughly three dozen people spoke in support of Cardon during a raucous meeting that same day. The board held a closed session for about an hour and a half after taking the public comment, and emerged saying Cardon remained the superintendent. She is not doing any interviews, citing personal issues and asking for privacy.. ...Read Full Story
