Local News Archives

Calvin Lowrey of Paw Paw is one happy man thanks to taking part in the Michigan Lottery’s The Big Spin show. Lottery officials say he walked away with a $300,000 win in a recent episode. After the

Police agencies around Michigan and the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning are working to reduce vehicle-pedestrian crashes. Office of Highway Safety Planning spokesperson Jon Ross tells WSJM News more drivers and pedestrians alike need to be

In an effort to fight the opioid epidemic and overdose deaths in the state, Michigan State Police have announced the creation of a task force charged with investigating medical professionals suspected of illegally distributing controlled substances. MSP

Berrien County Sheriff Paul Bailey is seeking another term. Bailey has served as sheriff since 2001, first elected in 2000. He tells WSJM News he’s worked to improve the sheriff’s department over the past 18 years, and

After a few delays in the vote, the Benton Harbor City Commission has opted the city out of allowing recreational marijuana business to wait for the state to get rules and regulations in place. City Clerk Kimberly

Benton Township Supervisor Kevin White has died as a result of injuries he suffered on the job for the Michigan Department of Transportation. The Berrien County Sheriff’s Department says White was working along the side of I-94

A fugitive with a nationwide warrant out of Kentucky is in the Van Buren County Jail after Bangor police found the suspect in an apartment with an underage runaway. Both were hiding in a bedroom when officers

The eleventh annual Two Rivers Coalition annual meeting will be next month in Lawrence. Two Rivers Coalition President Kevin Haight tells WSJM News the group works to protect the Black River and Paw Paw River watersheds. Its

2019 has been a strong year for the Berrien County recycling programs. Berrien County Environmental Property Manager Jill Adams tells WSJM News residents brought in 117,000 pounds of hazardous waste and 82,000 pounds of electronics at recyling

The next president of Southwestern Michigan College is busy preparing to take on the new role starting in January. Dr. Joseph Odenwald was selected by the SMC Board of Trustees this week to replace Dr. David Mathews

10-22-19 WSJM Afternoon News

The Van Buren County Road Commission has launched a new app to allow residents to report non-emergency road problems. With SeeClickFix, people will be able to take a photo of a road issue, like a pothole, give

A team of scientists from Allegan-based Perrigo has made a stab at a world record. On Saturday, the group was at the Kelly Family Sports Center at Grand Valley State University to put together the world’s largest

Meetings are being held all over Michigan over the next few weeks to help those who are on the Healthy Michigan Plan to keep coverage next year when new work requirements go into effect. “We want to

A new report has been released showing that nearly all K-12 students in the U.S. now have access to high-speed internet and the future of digital learning in is bright in Michigan. Governor Gretchen Whitmer says there’s

Military veterans and active duty service personnel are being invited by Berrien County Veterans Services to take a nine-week course to get their financial house in order. Lee Lull is the county’s Veterans Services director and says

There’s a petition being circulated around Breedsville to disincorporate the village and become part of Columbia Township. The petition states in part that the local government doesn’t have the money to maintain the village and do needed

The red-hot housing market in southwest Michigan is showing signs of cooling down. Sales of existing homes in September were down by 12% from August and off by 3% compared to a year ago. For 2019 to

U.S. Senator Gary Peters is trying to increase the funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. He is filing an amendment to a government funding bill to increase the amount from the current proposed $301 million to

From the Associated Press — Authorities say a “well-organized machine” of thieves appears to be behind the theft of tons of apples and pumpkins from orchards and farms in Michigan and Indiana. An estimated 7,000 pounds (3,175

The street repairs being paid for with the city of Benton Harbor’s new income tax are almost complete for the year. At Monday’s Benton Harbor City Commission meeting, City Manager Ellis Mitchell reported the 2019 work is

A new president for Southwestern Michigan College has been selected by the SMC Board of Trustees. The board on Monday voted unanimously to hire Dr. Joseph L. Odenwald to succeed Dr. David Mathews. Odenwald has served as

The city of St. Joseph is holding a trunk or treat event this weekend. Trunk or Treat events are designed to be like trick or treating, but safer because they’re held in one location with kids not

The Community Engagement and Advisory Committee for Benton Harbor Area Schools has been established by the board of education. Board President Joseph Taylor tells us the body held a retreat Saturday and signed off on the state-proposed

The South Haven Police Department is warning residents about utility scams. It says many businesses in South Haven have been affected by scam attempts. A caller will pretend to represent a utility company and say electric or

High winds are causing more than shoreline erosion around southwest Michigan today. Indiana Michigan Power is dealing with more than 13,000 outages in Michigan as of late afternoon. Many are smaller and scattered around Berrien County, but

Countryside Academy’s board of directors is on the record opposed to the line-item veto in the budget by Governor Whitmer of a funding increase for charter schools. The veto stripped the $240 per-pupil increase that had been

Former Benton Harbor Area Schools superintendent Dr. Leonard Seawood isn’t getting his conviction overturned. The state appeals court has ruled Seawood violated his contract with the district by being paid $46,000 for 110 unused vacation days because