The Michigan Public Service Commission has met to consider a request from Consumers Energy to pay $184 million for a plan to get out of its contract to buy power from the Palisades nuclear power plant. At a Friday hearing,
Set for Saturday is the Berrien RESA Festival of Families. RESA spokesperson Karen Heath tells WSJM News the fifth annual event will feature information on all of the services offered to kids around Berrien County. On hand
Berrien County is planning a household chemical and electronics recycling event for this weekend. On Saturday, you can stop by Silver Beach County Park between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. to drop off items sitting around in
An Indiana man who pleaded guilty to killing his cousin in 1977 in southwest Michigan has been sentenced to 12 to 18 years in prison. Cass Circuit Judge Mark Herman sentenced 58-year-old Raymond Richmond on Friday after
With the Mackinac Republican Leadership Conference underway on Mackinac Island, speculation is ramping up about the future for several southwest Michigan members of the GOP. There are now multiple reports that Congressman Fred Upton is seriously weighing
New polling results have been released regarding the race for governor. If the Republican primary were held today, MRG Polling Firm says Bill Schuette would garner 33% of the vote, others significantly less. Michigan News Network Lansing
The clock is ticking on Congress to approve a replacement for DACA, or the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. It’s enabled nearly 800,000 illegal immigrants brought into this country as children to work and avoid the
From the Associated Press — A relative says the baby born of a Michigan woman who chose to forego chemotherapy to give birth to the child has died. Sonya Nelson says her niece, Life Lynn DeKlyen, died Wednesday
With Michigan lawmakers back at work, state Representative Kim LaSata is waiting to see her first pieces of legislation pass the Senate. First, she has a plan to close a loophole allowing vacation homeowners in Michigan to
The Michigan Board of State Canvassers is green-lighting a ballot initiative that would raise the state’s minimum wage to $12 per hour by 2022. Alicia Renee Farris is the Michigan Campaign chair for the group One Fair
The Michigan Senate Judiciary Committee has unanimously approved legislation from state Senator John Proos to let some low-level juvenile offenders get their records cleared. Proos tells WSJM News they would have to complete the 17.5 month Youth
Now available is the fall land auction book from the Berrien County Treasurer’s office. Treasurer Bret Witkowski tells WSJM News it lists all of the properties that will be available for auction next month. There are about
A 24-year-old Elkhart, Indiana man is in the Cass County Jail after speeding off from a traffic stop in Penn Township. The sheriff’s department says he was pulled over for going 96-miles-an-hour on Decatur Road near Kelsey
The Michigan appeals court won’t review a judge’s decision about evidence in the case of a man charged with killing six people in the Kalamazoo area. Jason Dalton’s attorney had asked the court to look at a
From the Associated Press — The American Civil Liberties Union says Michigan is illegally allowing faith-based groups to reject gay couples who want to adopt kids or become foster parents. Michigan pays groups such as Catholic Charities and
Lake Michigan College is seeking the lease for the Western Michigan University building on its Napier Avenue campus. The board of trustees Wednesday voted to move forward on a request to transfer a long-term lease agreement with
The Cass County Sheriff’s Department is looking for a home invasion suspect who managed to get away from them on Wednesday morning. Officers were called out to a home on Daily Road near Pokagon Highway in LaGrange
All throughout the month of October, the seven branches of the Van Buren District Library will be working to prevent bullying. It’s part of a national effort, and the library’s Kay McAdams tells WSJM News there will
A new scholarship for low-income students has been announced by the Berrien Community Foundation. President Lisa Cripps-Downey closed out Wednesday’s annual meeting by unveiling the Trefz Family Scholarship, based on a $500,000 endowment. Cripps-Downey told WSJM News
State Senator Tonya Schuitmaker is confident she has the qualifications to serve as Michigan’s next attorney general. She tells WSJM News she has a background as an attorney taking on deadbeat dads and advocating for the vulnerable.
South Haven Area Emergency Services has received a brand new truck. A 75-foot ladder truck made by Spencer Manufacturing of South Haven was delivered this week. It replaces the department’s 50-foot ladder truck that’s 31 years old.
The spirit of the fall is being celebrated this weekend in St. Joseph. It’s time for the annual Fall Festival downtown on Friday and Saturday. St. Joe Today’s Amy Zapal tells WSJM News there will be family
A Michigan panel is prohibiting 35,000 state employees from bargaining on seniority and other provisions related to the handling of layoffs, transfers and overtime. The Civil Service Commission’s move Wednesday is being condemned by unions as another
From the Associated Press — Rick Snyder has quickly signed into law contentious regulations for independent expenditure committees whose footprint in elections has grown since U.S. Supreme Court decisions seven years ago. Democrats and campaign-finance watchdogs opposed the
A Detroit-area doctor charged with performing genital mutilation on girls in a Muslim sect will be released from jail as she awaits trial. A judge on Tuesday was persuaded to grant bond to Dr. Jumana Nagarwala after
This morning, we gave an update to a story we had last week regarding a motorcycle crash in Hagar Township that badly injured Alan Hatten of Watervliet. In that story, we erroneously reported that Mr. Hatten had
From the Associated Press — The Michigan Civil Rights Commission is holding off for now on deciding whether to declare that discrimination against LGBT people in employment, housing and public accommodations is already unlawful under state law. The
One southwest Michigan organization that’s helping to raise money for hurricane relief here is the Four Winds Casino. The casino’s Torie Winchester tells WSJM News it’s set up a fund for employees to make donations. The casino
State Representative Beth Griffin is praising legislation that would create a curriculum for Michigan schools to teach kids about opioids. The Mattawan Republican tells us it’s important to make sure kids know about the dangers of prescription
What every business needs to be successful. That was the focus of financial guru Dave Ramsey’s address to the Economic Club of Southwestern Michigan Tuesday night. Dave’s five principles — have good leadership, care about people, follow sound financial
