Local News Archives

It was a packed house as Steve Martin chatted with the crowd at the Mendel Center in Benton Township Tuesday night. Martin was the closing guest for the season of the Economic Club of Southwestern Michigan. “A

St. Joseph City Commissioners and the public have been updated by Public Safety Director Brian Uridge on plans to better police the community this summer. Last summer, St. Joe Public Safety changed traffic patterns to reduce congestion

The reward for information leading to the arrest of Benton Harbor murder suspect Antwan “Tank” Mims has been doubled from $10,000 to $20,000. At a press conference Tuesday, Benton Harbor Department of Public Safety Director Dan McGinnis

There will be another vendor selling hot dogs at a St. Joseph summer attraction this year. On Monday, the St. Joseph City Commission gave its thumbs up to Myles Hambley to have a hot dog cart at

There are school elections in a few areas of southwest Michigan today. In Van Buren County, school millage requests are on the ballot in Coloma, Dowagiac, South Haven, and Watervliet, while the city of Bangor is also

The Orchards Mall is up for sale. WSJM News has learned the owner of the mall is auctioning it off through a Farmington Hills-based company, with a starting bid of $750,000. The auction is scheduled to be

Michigan State Superintendent Brian Whiston has died at the age of 56 from cancer. Whiston had begun a long-term medical leave from the Michigan Department of Education on Friday on the advice of his doctors, and had

From the Associated Press — Federal environmental officials are resuming an investigation into contamination at a former tannery in western Michigan five years after the Environmental Protection Agency left the site under state control. The Grand Rapids Press

This is National Nurses Week. It’s a time to celebrate and honor those who give so much on the job. Many nurses like Beaumont Hospital orthopedic nurse Maureen Cooper tells Michigan News Network it’s not so much

From the Associated Press — A man has been sentenced to life in prison without the chance of parole for the beating death of his girlfriend’s 4-year-old daughter, who was found wrapped in blankets and duct tape

Residents of St. Joseph will be paying a bit more in taxes under a plan given its first reading by city commissioners Monday night. After a lengthy discussion, the commission gave its initial green light to a

This Wednesday is Bike to School Day, and thousands of students around Michigan are expected to take part. Organized by the Michigan Fitness Foundation and the Safe Routes to School program, Bike to School Day is designed

Set for this month is the first ever Niles Renaissance Faire. Niles History Center Director Christina Arseneau tells WSJM News the city decided to hold a renaissance faire because the events are increasingly popular in the region,

Michigan residents are being reminded of the state’s standing order on anti-overdose drug naloxone. Michigan Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson Lynn Sutfin tells WSJM News the order was issued in May of last year, making

A Niles man is recovering from serious injuries after he was struck by a vehicle while riding a bicycle on Sunday evening. The Berrien County Sheriff’s Department tells us 18-year-old Justin Copper was headed west on Bell

A $10,000 reward is now being offered for information that leads to the arrest of a murder suspect in Benton Harbor. The Benton Harbor Department of Public Safety tells us 40-year-old Antwan “Tank” Mims is the main

From the Associated Press — Illinois says it will work with federal officials and other states on a strategy for fortifying a Chicago-area lock and dam to keep Asian carp out of Lake Michigan. Governor Bruce Rauner has

KitchenAid is gearing up for its role as the title sponsor of the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship at Harbor Shores later this month by hitting the road with a food truck serving cookies and prizes. Deb O’Connor

Gas prices are mostly unchanged around the state compared to last week. According to the latest survey from Triple-A Michigan, the statewide average is the same as a week ago at $2.85. Prices in Benton Harbor and

Several people are recovering from injuries suffered in a pair of crashes in Cass County over the weekend. 75-year-old Gerald Keesler of Dowagiac had to be airlifted to Bronson Hospital in Kalamazoo after he was tossed from

A Bloomingdale-based company is planning to invest $12 million in the expansion of broadband internet in Van Buren County over the next few years. Bloomingdale Communications General Manager Steve Shults tells WSJM News the company is rolling

Lieutenant Governor Brian Calley has announced the launch of a new website to draw attention to issues with the Soo Locks. The locks, located between Lake Huron and Lake Superior, allow ships to travel between Lake Superior

A Berrien County substitute teacher is getting some recognition for her entry into a video contest. Lauren Mott teaches grades K through 12 at Bridgman and River Valley Schools. She tells us she came to the area

Visitors to some of Berrien County’s most popular parks will soon be able to use credit cards to gain entrance. Berrien County Parks Director Brian Bailey tells WSJM News Wi-Fi technology will be installed at the entrances

There’s an effort in Lansing to boost the funding in the fight against a contagious and fatal central-nervous-system disease found in deer, elk, and moose. State Representative Beau LaFave told Michigan News Network more. “Chronic wasting disease

The Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning says alcohol and drug-related crashes remain a significant problem in the state, even though a new report shows overall traffic deaths decreased 3% last year. MSP spokesperson Kendall Wingrove tells

While police in southwest Michigan work to educate the public about the dangers of opioids and also collect unneeded opioid prescriptions, Congressman Fred Upton is thinking federal legislation. He tells WSJM News he’s hoping for quick passage

The Cass County Sheriff’s Department is investigating a Saturday rollover crash that resulted in three people being ejected from their vehicle. Police tell us it happened just before 2 p.m. on Quaker Street near Savage Road in in

Set for this month is the grand opening of the new Pilgrim Haven Natural Area near South Haven. Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy President Peter Ter Louw tells WSJM News the 27 acre parcel of land along Lake