January is School Board Recognition Month, and Berrien RESA Superintendent Kevin Ivers is calling on everyone to salute their school board. Ivers tells WSJM News school board members put in countless hours of work attending meetings and
The Michigan Senate has unanimously approved a resolution declaring January 11 as Human Trafficking Awareness Day. State Senator Tonya Schuitmaker of Lawton proposed the resolution. She tells WSJM News the intent is to get Michiganders thinking about
State Representative Dave Pagel is applauding a Michigan Department of Natural Resources grant that’s been announced for Chikaming Township. He tells us Harbert Park will get some work thanks to the $56,000 Recreation Passport from the DNR.
Congressman Fred Upton is expecting quick approval of a plan to fund the Children’s Health Insurance Program — or, CHIP — for five more years. Congress went home for the holidays without extending the life of the
The Van Buren County Trial Court is set to graduate eight enrollees from the Swift and Sure Sanctions Probation Program this Thursday. Van Buren County Specialty Courts Administrator Rachel Lindley tells WSJM News Swift and Sure is
State Budget Director Al Pscholka is resigning next month and will be replaced by Governor Rick Snyder’s strategy director. The Republican governor announced the change Friday, effective February 28. Pscholka, a former state representative from Berrien County
Road commissions around Michigan are dealing with a fresh round of potholes. Van Buren County Road Commission Engineer Manager Larry Hummel tells WSJM News when the snow melts, like it did this past week, his crews can
From the ASsociated Press — The Michigan Legislature is mandating more frequent sexual harassment training amid the national reckoning with sexual misconduct. Until now, lawmakers were required to receive anti-harassment training after they were first elected to the
From the Associated Press — The Michigan attorney general’s office has asked a judge to sentence a disgraced Michigan sports doctor to 40 to 125 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting seven girls. The
The U.S. Coast Guard once again reminding everyone to avoid going out on ice this winter. Petty Officer Lazaro Lopez with the St. Joseph station tells WSJM News if you do wind up on the ice for
This is the month to talk about the vaccine for Human papillomavirus, or HPV. Berrien County Health Department spokesperson Gillian Conrad tells WSJM News January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, and the vaccine for HPV will help
The Michigan House has approved legislation from state Representative Kim LaSata to re-name part of Red Arrow Highway in Berrien County after a fallen state police trooper. She tells us under her bill, Red Arrow between Glenlord
There is a wave this year of members of the U.S. House and Senate deciding they will not seek re-election. Congressman Fred Upton had weighed running for the Senate instead of the House, but recently decided to
How many elk are in Michigan? That’s what the Michigan DNR is attempting to find out with an elk count over the next week in northeast northern Michigan. 2018 is also the 100th anniversary of elk in
The Michigan League for Public Policy is calling for several changes to the state’s unemployment insurance system. League Policy Analyst Peter Ruark tells WSJM News the maximum benefit hasn’t been raised since 2002, low-income workers don’t even
The Niles Scream Park has announced a new memorial scholarship. Scream Park Manager Matt Herm tells WSJM News the Niles-area attraction gives out thousands of dollars in scholarships each year as part of its mission to support
From the Associated Press — A group pushing to repeal Michigan’s law that requires higher “prevailing” wages on state-financed construction projects may be short signatures – again. The state elections bureau said Tuesday that of 535 signatures sampled,
Two Indiana men are in the Cass County Jail awaiting breaking and entering charges. The sheriff’s department tells WSJM News they were called out to help Silver Creek Township police for a possible burglary in progress in
Tourism professionals testified in front of the Senate Commerce Committee in Lansing on Wednesday. The focus was on how to expand tourism and the benefits of the Pure Michigan campaign. The Executive Director of the Sault Ste
A man is hospitalized after falling on the ice under the Bi-Centennial Bridge on Main Street overnight between St. Joseph and Benton Harbor. The U.S. Coast Guard had to go into the water in cold water ice
Michigan is one of the top states in the country for craft breweries, and brewers are meeting in Kalamazoo this week for the Michigan Brewers Guild Annual Conference. Guild Executive Director Scott Graham spoke with Michigan News
From the Associated Press — Officials plan to divide $25,000 into small grants to support local river, stream and creek cleanups in Michigan. The state Department of Environmental Quality and Great Lakes Commission are offering the grants to
Applications for the Heart of Cook grants are now available. The Berrien Community Foundation tells us Heart of Cook is a program funded by Indiana Michigan Power’s Cook nuclear plant to help non-profit programs in southwest Michigan
Don’t drive a snowmobile on ice. That’s the advice of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Law Enforcement Division Lieutenant Tom Wanless spoke with WSJM News about snowmobile safety. “There’s never really a great time to operate
A replacement for the federal DACA program could be coming by the end of the month. That’s according to Congressman Fred Upton, who tells WSJM News a meeting this week on immigration reform with President Trump was
Drivers on I-94 and I-196 are having an easier time seeing Michigan Department of Transportation plows this winter. In addition to the flashing yellow lights, flashing green lights have been added to the trucks. MDOT’s Jeff Cranson
Lake Michigan College is planning a week filled with activities to mark Martin Luther King Day starting next Monday. LMC Diversity Consultant Danny Sledge tells WSJM News it is important for an institution of learning like LMC
St. Joseph City Commissioners are considering ways they can get the public more involved in local committees and boards. At this week’s meeting, Commissioner Peggy Getty said she would like to see different city boards receive attention
Federal tax reform has eliminated the personal exemption at the state level, and Michigan Governor Rick Snyder and Lieutenant Governor Brian Calley have developed a proposal to restore the exemption. Calley spoke with Michigan News Network about
The Michigan Department of Transportation and Michigan State Police are teaming up to reduce the number of people who drive onto the wrong ramp and cause high speed head-on crashes that usually result in fatalities. MDOT Traffic
