Local News Archives

One of the highlights of summer in Michigan’s Great Southwest is the South Haven Art Fair, and it’s coming up soon. This year marks the 60th anniversary of the Art Fair which brings a blend of talent

High marks for Lake Michigan College President Trevor Kubatzke. At a Tuesday meeting, the LMC Board of Trustees gave Kubatzke a positive performance evaluation. President Michael Lindley told WSJM News since Kubatzke came on in April of

The St. Joseph High School football team is going to team up to fight cancer this year, and there are ways you can help. The Team Up Against Cancer campaign’s Regina Ciaravino tells WSJM News the Bears

Police have caught a murder suspect out of Van Buren County who had been on the run since last week. The Van Buren County Sheriff’s Department tells us 38-year-old Troy Lee Taylor was arrested Tuesday afternoon. Investigators

How big of a problem is gerrymandering in Michigan? According to a new report from the Citizen’s Research Council of Michigan, it’s a significant one. “Quantifying The Level of Gerrymandering In Michigan” finds the practice goes back

When kids age out of foster care in Michigan, what do they do if they want to go to college? Fundraising efforts have been underway for the past several years through Fostering Futures to raise scholarship money

The re-sentencing of a man convicted of second degree murder in Berrien County nearly 40 years ago is being appealed by Berrien County Prosecutor Michael Sepic. Michael Johnson was 17 when he pleaded guilty to the murder charge

From the Associated Press — It’s summer, but don’t be fooled — the Great Lakes are still dangerously cold. The U.S. Coast Guard says water temperatures below 77 degrees can quickly cause hypothermia for someone who falls from

Reaction is pouring in to the US Supreme Court’s decision to uphold President Trump’s travel ban targeting mostly Muslim nations. Bill O’Keefe with Catholic Relief Services in Baltimore tells the Michigan News Network the decision is a

A word of warning if you’ve got a tight household budget. Gas prices are going to be going up in the next 24 to 48 hours according to GasBuddy analyst Patrick DeHaan due to an announcement by

Paul Clements will not be on the primary ballot next month when voters choose which Democrat will face Congressman Fred Upton in November. Clements has lost his legal challenges to state elections officials ruling he was nine

A photo contest is being held by the West Michigan Tourist Association as it prepares to put together its 2019 West Michigan Carefree Travel Guide. The association tells us it wants photos that depict the beauty of

The new Michigan Apprenticeships Experience Sooner campaign kicked off Monday in Kalamazoo. Stephanie Beckhorn is the director of the Michigan Workforce Development Agency. She tells us the program is a collaboration between the state, education institutions, and

A second local governmental unit is on record opposing a bill from state Senator John Proos to exempt utilities from paying personal property taxes on new equipment, including transmission lines and power generation devices like solar farms

A K9 with the Allegan County Sheriff’s Department has received a donation of body armor thanks to a non-profit group. Vested Interest Incorporated, which works to provide bullet and stab protective vests to police dogs across the

St. Joseph Public School Trustees are pleased with district Superintendent Ann Cardon. At a Monday meeting, the board of education approved Cardon’s annual performance evaluation and extended her contract through June 30, 2021. Board President Amy Porritt

Love Creek County Park in Berrien Center is expanding. At their most recent meeting, the Berrien County Board of Commissioners approved putting up a match for a Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund grant approved by the governor

$185,000 in scholarships will be handed out by the Berrien Community Foundation in the 2018-2019 academic year. The foundation announced the scholarship recipients at a reception last week. Foundation Program Manager Susan Matheny tells WSJM News the

From the Associated Press — Lawyers for 330 migrant workers and a western Michigan blueberry farm have agreed to settle a lawsuit over pay. A federal judge is holding a hearing Wednesday. Each worker is likely to get

It could be a record summer travel season in west Michigan through the Gerald R. Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids. That’s after it was the busiest May ever with travel up 11.5%. Spokesperson  Tara Hernandez spoke

Three women are safely back on land after a water rescue in the Dowagiac Creek by the Berrien County Sheriff’s Office. They were not in life jackets when their inner tube flipped over as they were floating

AAA Michigan says average gas prices statewide have fallen about 13¢ in the past week to about $2.90 per gallon. The auto club says the average price for self-serve regular unleaded gasoline is about 53¢ more than

Police in Van Buren County are continuing to hunt for a murder suspect. There’s been no sign of 38-year-old Troy Taylor since he allegedly shot and killed 40-year-old Timothy Henley of Kalamazoo last Thursday night, except for

South Bend police say a 37-year-old Benton Harbor man was killed this weekend near Notre Dame’s McConnell Family Boathouse. Our newsgathering partners at WNDU NewsCenter 16 report Eric Phillips was shot several times between 3:30 and 3:45

The South Haven City Council is reviewing an Abonmarche study regarding waves on the Black River. High lake levels and winds are causing damage to boats docked at some marinas on the Black River. Harbormaster Kate Hosier

School districts around the country will soon be able to apply for federal grants to conduct facility reviews. Congressman Fred Upton tells WSJM News the U.S. Justice Department is now taking applications for the grants due to

A 24-year-old man is recovering after being hit from behind on his bicycle in Cass County’s Volinia Township over the weekend. The sheriff’s department tells us Jason Howard of Decatur is expected to make a full recovery

Benton Harbor City Commissioners this week approved the 2018-2019 budget, sending the city into the next fiscal year with a surplus of about $22,000. At the commission’s regular meeting, City Manager Darwin Watson said the spending plan

Another Amazon fulfillment center is coming to Michigan. The company will locate its fourth center in the state in Gaines Township, south of Grand Rapids. Spokesperson Shevaun Brown says the when open, the facility will bring hundreds

More than $250 million in back child support has been collected by the Michigan Attorney General’s office since it opened the Child Support Division in 2003. State Attorney General Bill Schuette tells us the focus of the