Local News Archives

A Van Buren County woman has died before her murder case went to trial. Attorney Gary Stewart told the court in a filing yesterday that Frances Collins has died and did not say when. She had been

The Allegan County Sheriff’s Department is getting a new K9 officer thanks to a donation. The Holland Michigan Kennel Club and President Kim Caines presented Sheriff Frank Baker with a check for $13,500 last week to be

The Buchanan Area Senior Center is offering free tax preparation services in its area. Director Adam Burck tells WSJM News the center teams up with the AARP for the program each year. “We partner with the AARP

Michigan State Police troopers, Van Buren County Sheriff’s deputies, and officers with the Paw Paw Police Department will take part in a Coffee with a Cop event in Paw Paw this month. The state police post in

Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra Director Sue Kellogg is retiring. The symphony says she’ll step down effective May 31 after 16 years as the director and 22 years total with the organization. Kellogg said she feels the timing

Police are investigating after a suspicious death was discovered in Benton Harbor on Monday. The Benton Harbor Department of Public Safety says officers were called to the 1100 block of Ogden around 9 a.m. on a report

Repairs will be done at the River Terrace high rise in Benton Harbor after the building suffered smoke and water damage during a fire on Sunday. The Benton Harbor Department of Public Safety says officers were called

The deadlines are approaching for the quarter one grants being offered by the Berrien Community Foundation. Program Director Susan Matheny tells WSJM News the first quarter means hundreds of thousands of dollars going to non-profits and others

The merger of Spectrum Health and Beaumont Health will be official as of Tuesday. The two announced an integration last year and held an announcement event Monday. Beaumont Health Board Chair Julie Fream will now be the

Free bottled water continues to be provided by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and distributed by local, paid residents of the City of Benton Harbor. Residents are being encouraged to use bottled water for

Governor Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) today announced a partnership with The Rockefeller Foundation to ship 250,000 free tests to 50,000 households to help get COVID-19 at-home tests into the hands of vulnerable Michiganders.  “Testing is critical to helping Michiganders protect themselves

From the Associated Press — Cruise ships will visit Muskegon again this summer, after stops were canceled for two years due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Muskegon Chronicle reports 17 stops are planned for this summer, and

From the Associated Press — Michigan businessman, military veteran and two-time Republican Senate candidate John James says he will run for an open House seat in the Detroit area. The 10th District, newly created through redistricting, considered

The Borre family, longtime owner and operator of Ace Hardware stores in St. Joseph and Stevensville, is growing their company. They are purchasing Watervliet Hardware, an independent store in downtown Watervliet, and will add the Ace flag

Two people from Illinois are hospitalized after being hurt in an Allegan County crash Saturday evening. They were in an SUV headed north on M-40 when a pickup on 102nd Avenue did not yield and the two

The Michigan House Appropriations Subcommittee on the Department of Health and Human Services Wednesday discussed housing options for the victims of human trafficking. Chair state Representative Mary Whiteford says when someone is able to escape a human

The artists have been selected for the Unified Civic Monuments Project in Benton Harbor and St. Joseph. After a national search, the team of Harold Woodridge and David Alan Clark have been selected to design and install

The St. Joseph Public Schools Foundation has announced its scholarships for 2022, and there are a couple of new ones this year. Foundation Director Sue Riemland tells WSJM News the organization has been awarding $5,000 scholarships to

The Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund has recommended a $230,000 grant be awarded to the South Haven Area Recreation Authority for a project to install a kayak and canoe launch along the Black River on Phoenix Road

Bronson Healthcare is planning a virtual vigil for next month to honor and remember all of those who have died as a result of COVID-19. Bronson says the Healing Steps Forward Virtual Vigil will be February 15

Michigan is facing a shortage of EMTs and paramedics, and the Michigan Association of Ambulance Services is asking the state for an aid package to help recruit and train about 1,000 new professionals. Jack Fisher is director

Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images (NEW YORK) — Tens of millions of Americans across more than a dozen states are under winter weather alerts Saturday morning from South Carolina to Maine. Snowfall rates upwards of 2 inches per hour

Berrien RESA is launching a new campaign to draw attention to the hard work of teachers in Berrien County. Superintendent Eric Hoppstock tells WSJM News with the Learn by Heart campaign, RESA is going to collect stories

It’s going to be a busy year at the Cook nuclear power plant in Bridgman as American Electric Power is planning two complete refueling outages in 2022. Site Vice President Shane Lies told St. Joseph Rotarians Monday

The Boys and Girls Clubs of Benton Harbor have named their St. Joseph Youth of the Year. It’s 18-year-old St. Joseph High School senior Myla Jackson. Boys and Girls Club Director of Operations Liji Hanny tells WSJM

The Van Buren Conservation District is planning a weeklong virtual symposium to help southwest Michigan residents better understand how to manage their yards and gardens. Van Buren Conservation District Deputy Administrator Emilly Hickmott tells WSJM News the

Legislation that would reimburse licensing fees for businesses that continued paying them while forced to be closed by the state because of COVID has been approved by the Michigan House. State Representative Pauline Wendzel sponsored the package.

From the Associated Press — Gyms, movie theaters and other businesses hurt by the coronavirus pandemic would receive state grants under a $185 million spending bill that has won initial legislative approval. The 96-6 vote in the

From the Associated Press — Several groups will sue to challenge Michigan’s new state House map, alleging it’s biased toward Republicans and should be redrawn to be fairer to Democrats. The lawsuit will be the third seeking