The Southwestern Michigan Association of Realtors has announced a $2,400 Placemaking Grant to the city of New Buffalo for a program intended to make the downtown area more vibrant. It says the city will use the funds
Following the destruction of an apartment building in Berrien Springs over the weekend, Andrews University is collecting funds to help some of the people who were displaced. Andrews put out a statement on Facebook Sunday saying the
A warrant has been issued in a weekend shooting in Niles. The Niles Police Department says it’s looking for 21-year-old Dayshawn Lavell Smith of Niles. It says the shooting happened around 7:50 p.m. Saturday in the 600
The Chikaming Township Police Department is investigating a Friday armed robbery in Union Pier. It says officers were sent to the Whistle Stop Store on Red Arrow Highway just before 8 a.m. and learned a suspect had
Michigan’s U.S. senators are seeking more federal funding to continue a wide-ranging Great Lakes cleanup program. Democrats Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters have announced bipartisan legislation to renew and expand the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. The bill
A good apple crop is expected in Michigan this year. Michigan Apple Committee executive director Diane Smith says 25.25 million bushels are expected in Michigan, a top apple producing state. “We’re in third place (with production), but
State Senator Aric Nesbitt of Lawton is trying again to get a change made to how state Supreme Court justices are chosen in the event of a vacancy mid-term. As it stands now, the governor would appoint
Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson is seeking some college students to serve on her office’s new Collegiate Student Advisory Task Force. The force is intended to make recommendations for improving voter engagement among college students. Benson
Berrien County property owners are being reminded their summer tax bills are due soon. Berrien County Treasurer Bret Witkowski tells WSJM News all but two taxing units in the county have a due date of September 16
A Berrien Springs apartment building has been destroyed by fire. It happened Saturday night at Park Manor Apartments on Rosehill Road. The entire building, consisting of 20 units, was wrecked. Our partners at WSBT report crews had
The demand for lighthouse tours in St. Joseph has been up this year. In fact, the Heritage Museum and Cultural Center says there has been a record number of tours. The museum’s Kate Ulrey tells WSJM News
Southwestern Michigan College needs a new president, and it’s going to start by looking within. At a meeting this past week of the SMC Board of Trustees, the vote was six to one to do an internal
A new campaign to educate the public about marijuana has been launched by the Berrien County Health Department. Spokesperson Gillian Conrad tells WSJM News The Dirt on Weed features a new website, billboards, radio ads, social media
A survey has been put online by Benton Harbor Area Schools asking the community for feedback regarding the state’s latest proposal to improve the district. This is following a presentation last week by the Michigan Department of
Set for September 7 is a 5K run in Benton Township to benefit two Berrien County non-profits. Marianne Groth with the SWMI RACERS tells WSJM News it’s the third annual Run for Hope and Recovery. “The main
Coming up on September 7 will be event for paddlers of all kinds to help fight invasive species in southwest Michigan. Michigan State University Extension Sea Grant educator Mary Bohling tells WSJM News kayakers and others are
Preserve the Dunes and Chikaming Open Lands are inviting everyone who wants to learn about protecting the region’s environment to come out to a guided tour at Warren Dunes State Park next month. Set for September 14,
A rare form of gonorrhea has shown up in southwest Michigan. Michigan Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson Lynn Sutfin tells WSJM News there have been four confirmed cases in Kalamazoo County, and one in St.
Whirlpool is celebrating the opening of a new child care facility at its Lakeview campus. Project leader Erin Schroeder tells WSJM News the Eddy, as it’s being called, will serve the families who work for the appliance
A joint meeting of the city of South Haven, South Haven Township, and the South Haven Housing Commission will be held next month as the three work on developing more affordable housing in the area. South Haven
Set for Tuesday is the Berrien County Health Department’s annual Back to School Bash. Spokesperson Gillian Conrad tells WSJM News the event is a way for parents to take care of several of the things ahead of
Western Michigan University is getting a $1.35 million federal grant to fight the opioid epidemic, and it’s partly thanks to the help of Congressman Fred Upton. He tells WSJM News the funds from the Health Resources and
What some people thought might be an algae bloom spotted in Lake Michigan off St. Joseph this week has turned out to be a harmless mass of duck weed. The Berrien County Health Department was contacted this
He’d rather talk about anything else, but the superintendent of a west Michigan school district says their new high school, now under construction, is designed to protect against an active shooter. Bob Szymoniak, superintendent of Fruitport Community
From the Associated Press — The Michigan Republican Party and other Republicans have filed a lawsuit challenging the formation of a redistricting commission to draw congressional and legislative lines. Thursday’s suit is the second one brought in
State Representative Beth Griffin of Mattawan is relieved to see the results of the Michigan PFAS Action Response Team’s PFAS testing around Michigan. MPART, as it’s commonly known, released its screening results late last week, showing 90%
Some asphalt resurfacing is coming to Napier Avenue in Berrien County. At this week’s meeting of the Berrien County Board of Commissioners, the work in two areas was approved. First will be Napier from the Bainbridge and
The rising cost of prescription drug prices continues to make headlines, and Michiganders are encouraged to help find solutions. AARP Michigan is hosting two upcoming Prescription Drug Community Conversations next Monday. AARP Associate State Director for Communications
If you’ve ever wondered where the money you pay for a speeding ticket goes, Cass County Treasurer Hope Anderson has the answer. She says county treasurers distribute the money collected to public libraries. This year, her office
A Coloma priest is facing serious charges that would require him to be a registered sex offender if found guilty. Attorney General Dana Nessel is charging 57-year-old Father Brian Stanley with false imprisonment for allegedly holding a
