Local News Archives

The city of Niles is thanking everyone who helped to clean up flood damage over the weekend. The city administrator’s office tells us on Friday and Saturday, nearly 150 volunteers between the ages of ten and 70

A $100,000 grant has been awarded to the River Valley Senior Center by the Pokagon Fund to help pay for an ongoing renovation project. The center’s Tim Hawkins tells WSJM News the Pokagon Fund money will help

The Michigan Department of Transportation has released its 2018 construction map. Spokesperson Jeff Cranson tells WSJM News the map can help drivers plan their routes ahead of the busy construction season to avoid being stuck in work

Former state Representative Al Pscholka has found a new job. He’s working at Kinexus as the Vice President of Public Relations and Government Affairs. That role will have the Stevensville-based Pscholka working with government leaders relating to

From the Associated Press — Organs from people who died from opioid overdose helped fuel an increase in organ donations in Michigan last year. The Detroit News reports that overdose victims are often younger than typical donors and

Authorities in Van Buren County are looking for suspects in a murder last Thursday night in Geneva Township. The sheriff’s department says the victim was 47-year-old Shaun Gill, who was a long-time resident of the Ports of

The Cass County Sheriff’s Department is looking for the driver of a vehicle that slammed into a tree around 9 p.m. last night in LaGrange Township, injuring one passenger. The injured man has been identified as 34-year-old

Classes are back in session today in Berrien Springs, meaning the flood shelter set up by the American Red Cross has had to move. The organization had been using Berrien Springs Middle School, but moved displaced residents

Many Michiganders are experiencing a bit of sticker shock as they open their energy bills after a bitter cold few months, but assistance is available to help keep the light and heat on this year. The state

A plan to prevent the sexual abuse of young athletes was introduced in Lansing this week in response to the Larry Nassar scandal, and it’s already headed toward approval. On hand for a press conference Monday to

Last week’s mass shooting at a high school in Florida has many parents around the country nervous about sending their kids to class each day, but school leaders in southwest Michigan say they do all they can

A new report from the Upjohn Institute for Employment Research takes a look at west Michigan’s economy now versus at the start of the Great Recession. Upjohn economist Brian Pittelko tells WSJM News they looked at data

Democrats in the state House are making their agenda for this coming election known. At the top of their list is fixing Michigan roads. State Representative Jeremy Moss of Southfield told Michigan News Network this week the

The Berrien County Treasurer’s office says the Orchards Mall in Benton Township is once again facing foreclosure. Treasurer Bret Witkowski tells WSJM News the mall’s owners owe $275,000 in property taxes from 2015, and if it’s not

Three bids have come into the Berrien County Land Bank for the vacant Alreco Metals property in Benton Harbor. Berrien County Treasurer Bret Witkowski tells WSJM News two of the three met the county’s requirements for consideration.

Invasive species and you. That’s what the Van Buren Conservation District has been talking about this past week as the spring approaches. The district’s Eleanor Serocki tells WSJM News this is Invasive Species Awareness Week and she

The Michigan Department of Treasury is reminding all state residents of the Earned Income Tax Credit. Spokesperson Ron Leix tells WSJM News the federal earned income tax credit can help families to the tune of thousands of

The American Red Cross says its shelter in Berrien Springs for residents displaced by flooding will move to a new location on Sunday. In a sign of the community’s continuing recovery, the shelter at Berrien Springs Middle

A whole lot of bridge work is about to get started in Berrien County. Michigan Department of Transportation spokesperson Nick Schirripa tells WSJM News MDOT will be doing repairs on the bridges going over I-94 at M-239,

State and federal leaders from southwest Michigan are waiting for Governor Rick Snyder to accept Berrien County’s disaster declaration following this month’s floods. State Senator John Proos tells WSJM News he toured Berrien Springs and Niles this

The Better Business Bureau of West Michigan has issued list of what you should and shouldn’t do if you’re a flood victim to avoid scammers. Phil Catlett of the BBB says floods and natural disasters tend to

Unit 2 of the Cook nuclear power plant is now undergoing another refueling outage. Cook plant spokesperson Bill Schalk tells WSJM News Unit 1 just wrapped up a refueling outage late last year. Unit 2 shut down

It’s almost moving day for the Humane Society of Southwestern Michigan. Director Jill Svoboda tells WSJM News the new shelter in Royalton Township is pretty much ready, and they’re just waiting for a green light from the

From the Associated Press — A 19-year-old Central Michigan University student suspected of killing his parents at a campus dormitory on Friday has been apprehended. He was found early Saturday following a search that included more than

A Lawton man was taken to a hospital in critical condition after being struck by a vehicle on Friday. The Van Buren County Sheriff’s Department tells WSJM News sheriff’s deputies were called to M-40 just south of

From the Associated Press — A television station has found that Michigan officials didn’t immediately inform residents about unsafe levels of chemicals in fish. WOOD-TV reports that the state began testing fish from Freska Lake in September after

It’s possible Congress will approve some gun control measures following the nation’s most recent mass shooting, this time at a high school in Florida on Valentine’s Day. That’s the thought of Congressman Fred Upton, who tells us

From the Associated Press — A Michigan lawmaker charged with putting a no-show employee on the public payroll has pleaded guilty, resigned from office and faces up to a year in prison. Senator Bert Johnson, a Democrat from

Southwest Michigan residents are proving to be caring when it comes to their neighbors. The United Way of Southwest Michigan tells WSJM News the disaster relief fund it set up last week to help out folks affected

Congress ended out the week having failed to approve a replacement program for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals — or, DACA — program. Congressman Fred Upton tells WSJM News lawmakers in Washington had a shortened week.