Local News Archives

The call is going out again this week for southwest Michigan residents to become Partners in Hope with our radio stations and St. Jude Children’s Hospital. From 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 97.5 Y-Country

With the final results of the Iowa Democratic caucuses from Monday still not official, the Michigan Secretary of State’s office says the same sort of problems can’t happen in the Great Lakes State. Communications director Jake Rollow

The Bridgman case featured on the TV show “In Pursuit with John Walsh” has resulted in the capture of 53-year-old fugitive William Stanson in Mexico. Michigan State Police say Stanson was arrested yesterday and has already been

From the Associated Press — Michigan State University officials say its performing arts center has removed a gift shop display featuring dolls depicting prominent black figures that were hanging from a tree-like rack. School spokeswoman Emily Gerkin

Benton Harbor Area Schools Board of Education President Joseph Taylor has fired back against statements made by former Trustee Patricia Rush in her resignation letter. In her letter dated January 14, Rush said she was stepping down

The organizers of a new anti-climate change lobbying group in St. Joseph are hoping to strike a chord with residents and attract a robust membership. On Saturday, the first advocacy training event was held for the Citizens’

From the Associated Press — An immigrant who worked for the Roman Catholic Church in Kalamazoo has been sentenced to 33  months in federal prison for stealing fees from other immigrants. The government says Monica Mazei concealed

The Berrien County Health Department is working to assure local residents that it’s on top of the unfolding situation with novel coronavirus, and that there is no need to worry. Spokesperson Gillian Conrad tells WSJM News as

Spectrum Health Lakeland has a new staff member, but this one is a little different. Hiro is a two-year-old German shepherd from Slovakia who is the second K9 working at the hospital. He’s paired with handler Chris

While Michigan’s economy is improving, a new report finds the state could be doing more to help its residents who are living paycheck to paycheck. Holden Weisman, the associate director of policy at Prosperity Now, says Michigan’s

The city of South Haven is looking at some expensive repairs that need to be addressed soon due to erosion from, and high water levels on, Lake Michigan. The city council heard several reports this week, and

From the Associated Press — Democrats are putting Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer on the national stage Tuesday to rebut President Donald Trump’s State of the Union message. By elevating a fresh face and casting an election-year spotlight

The Benton Harbor City Commission has approved a tax abatement for a developer seeking to turn the building at the corner of Riverview Drive and Empire Avenue into an events center. The action at a Monday meeting

A citizens lobbying group to advocate for policies to reduce climate change has been formed in St. Joseph. Citizens’ Climate Lobby officially opened its St. Joe chapter on Saturday. CCL volunteers lobby Congress in support of the

The Pokagon Fund has announced the hiring of its new director. Dan Petersen started on Monday. The 38-year-old Petersen was previously the president of EightCAP, Incorporated, a community action agency in Ionia County. WSJM News asked him

Michigan State University advertising and public relations professors give the win for Super Bowl 54 ads to Cool Ranch Doritos. Robert Kolt leads the critique among his MSU peers every year. “We had a lot of good

A Niles manufacturing company is celebrating the completion of an 85,000 square foot expansion. Niles Steel Tank has added that space for Alloy Works, which makes stainless steel products for several industries including hydronics, chemical and petrochemical,

Trial will start in October for former Stamp Farms owner Michael Stamp. MLive reports he has withdrawn his guilty plea from April 2019 to charges of conspiracy to commit crop insurance fraud and conspiracy to commit bank

The Berrien Community Foundation is now taking applications for this year’s scholarships. Program Director Susan Matheny tells WSJM News the Berrien Community Foundation administers 43 scholarships, all started by individuals or organizations that wanted to make a

Set for this month at the Michigan Maritime Museum in South Haven is a lecture about the St. Joseph North Pier Lighthouses. The museum’s Ashley Deming tells WSJM News they’ll have Heritage Museum and Cultural Center Community

Congressman Fred Upton is urging leaders in Washington to discuss ways that wildfires can be prevented. He addressed a meeting of the House Energy Subcommittee this past week, telling members better forest management and electrical infrastructure improvements

The Disability Network of Southwest Michigan will continue its Winter Movie and Discussion series this month with a screening of a documentary called Far From the Tree. The network’s Miranda Grunwell tells WSJM News the film, based

Anyone interested in learning something about their ancestry is invited to attend a workshop at the Van Buren District Library’s Decatur branch this month. Local History Clerk Karen Jenson tells WSJM News the library can let visitors

Berrien RESA this week filed a waiver with the Michigan Department of Education to ask if school districts in the county may start their school years before Labor Day for the next few years. RESA Superintendent Kevin

An online auction starts today to raise money for Lakeshore Public Schools. Lakeshore Excellence Foundation Chair J.C. Anderson tells WSJM News up for bids will be items including Disney passes, high-end Whirlpool appliances, spa treatments, gym memberships,

State Representative Beth Griffin of Mattawan is working with other west Michigan lawmakers to help address shoreline erosion issues along Lake Michigan. She tells WSJM News she took part in a round table discussion last week with

The Southwest Michigan Planning Commission has received some recognition for a couple of websites it created to educate the public on local resources and how they can be protected. The Association of Marketing and Communications Professionals has

The Greater South Haven Area Community Foundation has passed the $10,000 mark in its effort to raise funds for the new splash pad being constructed near South Beach in South Haven. Foundation board member Roger Beglin tells