Southwest Michigan has closed out 2016 with an improved employment picture as the tourism industry continued to expand. The latest economic outlook report from the Upjohn Institute for Employment Research shows hospitality jobs in the region jumped
The Mid America Cowgirls Rodeo Drill Team is about to experience its big moment. The horseback team from Three Oaks is slated to take part in the presidential inaugural parade Friday afternoon in Washington, D.C. Captain Debbie Dunphy
The Thrill on the Hill in Buchanan has been cancelled. The annual sledding event had been slated for next Friday and Saturday, but warm weather has prompted city officials to call it off. They say the long-term
State Senator John Proos has honored a southwest Michigan veteran of World War II, the Korean War, and Vietnam War with a special presentation in Lansing. On Wednesday, Proos welcomed Arthur Hawkins, of Riverside, to the Capitol.
The recent warm weather isn’t likely to damage southwest Michigan crops. Mark Longstroth, with the MSU Extension office in Paw Paw, tells WSJM News the crops went dormant in November or December, and the warm temperatures haven’t returned
Inaugural festivities are getting underway in Washington, D.C. for President-elect Donald Trump, who will take the oath of office on Friday. Michigan Secretary of State Ruth Johnson will be among the Michigan delegation attending. She told the
It’s official. The Benton Harbor-St. Joseph YMCA and the Niles-Buchanan YMCA are merging. The two have been exploring the possibility since March when they started forming a management agreement. They’ve been sharing services since June, and tell
From the Associated Press — Organizers say about 50,000 people are expected to attend a women’s march in Chicago the day after Donald Trump’s inauguration. The Women’s March on Chicago is scheduled to begin with a rally
Legislation to repeal Michigan’s prevailing wage law has been introduced in Lansing. Senate Majority Leader Arlan Meekhof says the prevailing wage laws are an unnecessary burden on schools and local communities and taxpayers should not have to
A hit-and-run accident is under investigation in Cass County. Michigan State Police say a pedestrian was hit in Howard Township Tuesday night around 6 in the 1000 block of Huntly Road. Police haven’t yet determined what kind
Flint Congressman Dan Kildee is not impressed with Governor Rick Snyder’s State of the State address. Kildee tells WKZO Snyder only devoted about two minutes to the Flint water situation Tuesday night, adding there are better ways
If you’re looking for a job, Speedway needs about 1,000 people. The gas station-convenience store chain announced Wednesday it’s about to hire that many workers across nine states, including Michigan. They’ll be doing open interviews at every
Autonomous vehicles are about to take over the world, and road agencies in Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania want to be prepared. That’s why the new Smart Belt Coalition is being formed. Matt Smith, with the Michigan Department
We now know who’s going to lead St. Joseph Today. Its board has announced Amy Zapal, the current director of the Heritage Museum and Cultural Center in St. Joe, will be the tourism and business group’s next
With as many as 1,200 Berrien County properties in danger of going into foreclosure this coming March, a show cause hearing is planned for next week to offer their owners one last way of getting into a
Roads around Michigan have been hammed by the weather this winter. The Van Buren County Road Commission’s Larry Hummel tells WSJM News frequent thaws and freezes mean more potholes that are difficult to patch. “If we get
Students at Buchanan Schools will have a chance to learn all about a new local scholarship program Thursday night. The Buchanan Promise will provide college help to any local student starting with the class of 2017. That’s
From the Associated press — A Battle Creek community college is being sued by a student and two others who say they were arrested while peacefully distributing the U.S. Constitution last fall. Michelle Gregoire says she was told
The St. Joseph Today Board of Directors has announced the hiring of Amy Zapal, of St. Joseph, as the organization’s new executive director. Zapal comes to St. Joe Today from the Heritage Museum and Cultural Center in St. Joseph,
From the Associated Press — Research shows septic systems are polluting waters across Michigan. The Detroit Free Press reports more than 1 million of the individual waste disposal systems that don’t connect to a city sewer line still
From the Associated Press — Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette says state law doesn’t allow for net-like commercial fishing enclosures in the Great Lakes. In an opinion released Tuesday, Schuette said net-pen aquaculture operators would have to register
State Representative Mary Whiteford, of Casco Township, is happy part of Tuesday night’s State of the State address focused on mental health issues. She tells our newsroom helping folks get treatment is certainly a priority for her. “My daughter
The city of Benton Harbor is on strong financial ground. On Tuesday, commissioners heard the latest audit presentation, with Paul Matz, of the CPA firm Rehman Robson, telling them they added $413,000 to the fund balance this
State Senator John Proos tells us he was overall satisfied with Governor Rick Snyder’s State of the State address Tuesday night. However, he would have liked to hear a renewed call to get the cost of auto insurance
The Michigan League for Public Policy would like to hear more from Governor Rick Snyder about how the state can help its poorest residents. CEO Gilda Jacobs tells WSJM News she thinks he could have talked about programs
From the Associated Press — Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette has joined Flint residents in a lawsuit that seeks home delivery of bottled water if lead filters haven’t been properly installed. In a court filing Tuesday, Schuette urged
The Van Buren Conservation District is preparing to expand its efforts to stop the spread of invasive species. A new grant from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources is allowing its cooperative invasive species management team to
Lakeland Health has announced $90,000 in grants for four local organizations. The money comes from Lakeland’s Community Wellness Endowment, which was created in 2014 to sponsor groups that promote healthy living. The recipients for 2017 are the
Congressman Fred Upton is promising the Affordable Care Act will not be fully repealed until congressional Republicans have come up with its replacement plan. He told WKZO this week constituents are concerned about what’s going to happen, but
A teenager who ran away from Goshen City, Indiana is back with his family after being found in Cass County Monday. The sheriff’s department says deputies were called out in the early evening to Newberg Township on
