Local News Archives

The online auction for the Orchards Mall is over. The winning bid in an online auction came in at $2.1 million after the close of the auction was extended several times during the noon hour. Steve Silverman

A double murderer will be sentenced to between 40 and 60 years in prison next month. A plea deal was struck allowing 26-year-old Alex Perez to plead no contest but mentally ill to two charges of second

A Gobles man has died in a motorcycle crash this week in Pine Grove Township. The Van Buren County Sheriff’s Department tells WSJM News the 52-year-old crashed around 9:20 Monday night in the 27-thousand block of 12th

Congressman Fred Upton is encouraged by President Trump’s meeting this week with North Korean leader Kim Jung Un. Upton tells WSJM News at least something is happening on the North Korea front. “For a lot of administrations

The American Red Cross has launched a new summer blood collection campaign aimed at drawing attention to the need for different blood types. Red Cross spokesperson Tod Kulman tells WSJM News the Missing Types campaign will partner

From the Asscoiated Press — Rick Snyder’s proposal to better prepare Michigan’s workforce has passed the state Legislature. The House on Tuesday voted 105-4 to fund the initiative with $100 million this upcoming fiscal year. The bills

There is no swimming being allowed in Lake Michigan at Lions Park Beach. The city of St. Joseph has closed the beach due to high levels of bacteria. Exactly what bacteria is elevated has not been revealed.

The Benton Harbor Area Schools Board of Education is pursuing legal action against former football coach Elliot Uzelac and former Superintendent Shelly Walker. At a Tuesday meeting, the board unanimously approved a resolution stating Uzelac has made

This Saturday, about 700 people are expected to gather at the University of Michigan in Flint for the annual Michigan Progressive Summit. The theme this year is “The Persistence of the Resistance: Voices, Values and Votes.” Organizer

Berrien County Treasurer Bret Witkowski is seeing an increase in the amount of property taxes his office can collect since the closure of a loophole last year. Witkowski tells WSJM News the loophole closed by legislation from

Farmers in southwest Michigan are welcoming in people for U-Pick strawberry season. Steve Lecklider is the manager of Lehman’s Orchards in Niles and spoke to our partners at WNDU NewsCenter 16 about the start of the season,

Congressman Fred Upton spoke on the U.S. House floor Tuesday as the chamber passed his legislation intended to fight the opioid epidemic. He tells WSJM News his bill in the legislative package focuses on developing alternatives to

The Coloma/St. Joseph KOA Campground is getting a boost from Hagar Township. The township board this week approved a Commercial Rehabilitation Exemption Certificate for upgrades at the campground. The move freezes the taxable value of the property

Progress is being made in the battle by the city of St. Joseph against Japanese knotweed, but it’s slow. Public Works director Tom MacDonald says when he goes into the ravine at this time of year, he

Changes could be coming soon to auto insurance laws in Michigan. The state Senate last week approved a pair of bills, one of which would let people 65 and older opt out of getting a policy that

The Benton Harbor Area Schools Board of Education has responded to allegations made by former football coach Elliot Uzelac since his resignation last week. At a Monday hearing, three complaints from board members were read against Uzelac.

Residents who live below the bluff in St. Joseph aren’t happy with how the summer has started out with tourists and events. Jack Sanderson of the Below-the-Bluff Neighborhood Association spoke to city commissioners Monday night about traffic

From the Associated Press — A Michigan man who was under the influence of drugs when he plowed into bicyclists, killing five, has been sentenced to at least 40 years in prison. Charles Pickett Jr. apologized Monday and

Ford Motor Company is buying a 105-year-old, unused train station in Detroit. Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford sent out a message to employees Monday, saying the purchase of Michigan Central Train Station is a big move for

A southwest Michigan man is hoping to raise money and awareness in the fight against childhood cancer with a bike ride along the entire length of Route 66 this summer. Mark Linder of Paw Paw tells WSJM

This Saturday will bring the 100th anniversary celebration for the Rotary Club of St. Joseph-Benton Harbor. Local Rotarians will gather at the Mendel Center in Benton Township for a reception featuring Rotary International President Ian Riseley, who’s

The wins are adding up for patrons of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians’ Four Winds Casinos in southwest Michigan and South Bend. So far this year, the tribe tells us over $73.4 million in jackpots have

There are still some roads in Cass County that are closed due to this weekend’s flash flooding. The sheriff’s department tells WSJM News parts of the county got deluged with over six inches of rain in a

The Benton Harbor Area Schools Board of Education has called a special meeting tonight at 6 p.m. with just one agenda item, “public complaint.” Presumably it’s to discuss the accusations in the resignation letter of former Benton

Elliot Uzelac has had enough with the turmoil in Benton Harbor schools. He resigned as head football coach Friday with a terse letter to the school board. Uzelac cited the forced resignation of athletic director Tray Crusciel,

The Krasl Art Center has installed a new sculpture in Benton Harbor’s Arts District this week as part of the center’s Biennial Sculpture Invitational. Krasl Deputy Director Tami Miller tells WSJM News “Eve’s Awareness” by Terry Hewlett

If you’re an amateur photographer, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is inviting you to enter a photography contest it’s holding. Corps Ranger Michelle Briggs of the Detroit District tells WSJM News they’ll soon take entries for

The focus of the operations of the Andrews University Farm is changing. The Board of Trustees voted this week to close down the farm’s dairy operations by the summer of 2019. Senior vice president for financial administration

City leaders in St. Joseph are hoping the north pier will be a little safer now that 12 life rings to help prevent drownings have been installed. City Manager John Hodgson tells WSJM News the rings come

The Berrien County Sheriff’s Department is the recipient of a couple of awards from Assisted Patrol, a company that makes police equipment. Chief Deputy Robert Boyce tells us the sheriff’s department submitted some ideas for a contest