Local News Archives

The city of Benton Harbor has to make some improvements to its water plant as part of a new agreement with the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. At this week’s city commission meeting, the relocation of an

The United Way of Southwest Michigan is now working to help local residents affected by the partial government shutdown. UWSM President Anna Murphy tells WSJM News they’ve set up a fund to provide financial aid to government

Right now, kids are not required to attend school in Michigan until they turn six. State Representative Bill Sowerby says that should change. He has proposed legislation which would require 5-year-olds to go to Kindergarten as long

Michigan drivers pay a 6% sales tax on gas, but none of that money goes to road repairs. Instead, it goes to school districts, local governments and mass transit. However, Governor Gretchen Whitmer may be ready to

The wife of murdered Army Sergeant Tyrone Hassel III is due back in court in Berrien County next week following a pre-exam hearing yesterday. Kemia Hassel is facing a murder charge for allegedly plotting her husband’s killing

A Democrat and Republican in Michigan’s congressional delegation are proposing legislation to let states provide unemployment benefits to federal employees working without pay during the partial government shutdown. Those workers currently cannot collect the benefits, under guidance

Michigan State Police are warning everyone about a rental property scam. Troopers out of the Paw Paw post say they’ve learned of a case where someone found information online about a property supposedly for rent and requested

As St. Joseph Today prepares to hold the first March Mannequins event downtown, it’s asking residents to submit photos that could be displayed in storefronts that day. St. Joe Today tells us the theme for this year’s

The city of Benton Harbor’s income tax is now being implemented. City Manager Darwin Watson tells us businesses located within the city have been withholding the tax for affected workers, while those who will need to submit

From the Associated Press — Conservation officers are conducting snowmobile patrols in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula to promote safety and enforce state laws. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources says weekend patrols started January 11 along the state-managed

Legislation designed to ensure the clean-up of PFAS is being pushed by Congressman Fred Upton. Upton has introduced the plan to require the EPA to report releases into the environment and clean up tainted PFAS sites with

A town hall meeting will be held in Benton Harbor this Thursday for residents to hear more about the ongoing effort to eliminate lead in the water. In October, the city announced lead levels exceeding the federal

From the Associated Press — Michigan’s new secretary of state is calling into question the constitutionality of a Republican-enacted law that makes it harder to initiate ballot drives. Jocelyn Benson, a Democrat, sought a formal opinion Tuesday from

Despite claims from some that under former Governor Rick Snyder the state was putting more money than ever into education, a newly-released study finds no other state tightened its education spending more than Michigan did over a

If you live in the city of South Haven and think you’re going to have trouble paying your 2019 property tax or a special assessment, help is available. City Manager Brian Dissette tells us the city council

The U.S. will likely have its first openly gay candidate for President in 2020. South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg has released a video launching his exploratory committee for the Democratic nomination. “We can’t look for greatness in

One person is dead and two others are hospitalized in South Bend after a head-on crash County’s Milton Township. According to the sheriff’s department, 52-year-old Joseph Johnson of Niles died at the scene. He was a passenger

By Doug Cunningham An environmental coalition opposed to shipping radioactive waste through Michigan to a proposed new interim dump in New Mexico says it is a harebrained idea while a catastrophe is waiting to happen in waste

Set for next week is a breakfast intended to acquaint members of the Cornerstone Chamber of Commerce with their representatives in Lansing and Washington. The “Meet Your Elected Officials” breakfast will be Monday at The Hilton Garden

The city of Benton Harbor has received a clean, unmodified audit for the most recent fiscal year. At Tuesday’s meeting, city commissioners were told the latest audit carries the highest possible rating and that no deficiencies or

A new treatment center for people struggling with an addition is open in southwest Michigan. Carol’s Hope is a non-profit operated by the Community Healing Center. It’s a free resource for those in need to get access

As the partial federal government shutdown continues, there’s concern among the 1.2 million Michigan residents who get food assistance about what’s going to happen next month. The state started loading Bridge cards on Saturday for early payments

Congressman Fred Upton is back in Washington as the U.S. House tries to organize for its new session. He tells WSJM News the ongoing partial government shutdown negotiations have somewhat thrown a wrench into normal business. However,

The Federal Aviation Administration has authorized Andrews University’s aviation program to reduce the number of training hours required of students seeking an Airline Transport Pilot Certificate. The Berrien Springs university tells us it got word late last

A Benton Harbor man is facing charges following a two-vehicle head-on crash in Van Buren County on January 12 that killed a 6-year-old girl and a 73-year-old woman. The Van Buren County Sheriff’s Department tells us the

From the Associated Press — A new effort is being made in Congress to designate the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore along Lake Michigan as a national park. A bill for the designation has been filed by Indiana

Paycheck or not, the US Coast Guard station in St. Joseph remains operational. Chief Petty Officer Grant Heffner is in charge of the station and says nothing really changes for them despite the partial shutdown of the

The fifth president of Grand Valley State University has been named. The board of trustees unanimously voted for its first female president, Philomena Mantella. She now serves as the senior vice president and chief executive officer of

Michigan State Police are warning drivers to use extra caution today. There have been a variety of crashes and slide-offs on the highways around southwest Michigan due to icy conditions. State police say drivers should plan alternate

South Haven’s former finance director will be facing criminal and civil charges after a forensic audit turned up a variety of issues. City Manager Brian Dissette says there were at least three years of fraudulent charges on