Local News Archives

From the Associated Press — The mother of a Battle Creek woman who died from overdosing on heroin has created an obituary for her daughter that discussed drug overdose. The Battle Creek Enquirer reports 33-year-old Erin Carey lived

The Van Buren County Conservation District is gearing up to hold its annual Farming for the Future Conference next month. The district’s Colleen Forestieri tells WSJM News the focus this year is mostly on cost savings, as

Coming soon to Lake Michigan College in South Haven will be training on how to survive an active shooter situation. The Van Buren County Sheriff’s Department will handle the class, which is being offered to anyone free

Next Tuesday, or Valentine’s Day, has been declared Organ Donor Registry Day by the Michigan Senate. It’s intended to make the day serve as a reminder to everyone of the importance of signing up to be an

State Senator Tonya Schuitmaker has signed on to some legislation designed to make it easier for authorities to prosecute sexual assault cases while better serving the victims of such crimes. She’s co-sponsored bills that would allow courts

The Michigan Department of Transportation has put weight restriction into effect on several west Michigan highways. Spokesperson Dan Weingarten tells WSJM News the restrictions are placed on large trucks, ensuring they don’t exceed certain weights and cause major

Leaders at Benton Harbor Area Schools say they have already budgeted for tax chargebacks the district is expected to face this year. A chargeback happens when a business successfully appeals its local tax assessment to the state

Set for this summer is the replacement of a collapsed culvert on Territorial Road in Bainbridge Township. The culvert, located on Territorial over Blue Creek near Millburg, fell apart in April of last year, and the road

The next president of Lake Michigan College says he hopes to be settled in and ready to get to work in April. On Friday, the LMC Board of Trustees selected Dr. Trevor Kubatzke, the current Vice President

The winners of state Representative Kim LaSata’s Berrien County photography contest have been announced. LaSata started the contest to get some pictures of the area she represents to hang in her Lansing office. The top prize is

Beginning Monday, Celebration Cinema in Benton Harbor will start adding  new luxury seats. Theater chain spokesperson Steve VanWagoner tells WSJM News every single seat in the place is going to be replaced with a powered recliner. “They’re

More than two dozen recruits have graduated from the Michigan State Police Trooper Recruit School. The 28 new troopers were given their oaths Friday during a ceremony at the state police training academy in Lansing. The’re expected

We now know who will be the next president of Lake Michigan College. The LMC Board of Trustees voted on Friday to hire Dr. Trevor Kubatzke to replace the retiring Dr. Bob Harrison. Kubatzke is currently the

A Benton Harbor man is in the Berrien County Jail on charges of assault with intent to murder, home invasion and more. Police say Lamarcus Crayton is accused of shooting a 21-year-old man in the head late

Two men are jailed and charges are being sought against a woman following a drug bust at a Van Buren County motel. Deputies were called to Red Arrow Motel in Paw Paw around 1 a.m. Friday for

Charges are pending against a man who led police on a high-speed chase in Niles and South Bend. Our partners at WNDU Newscenter 16 report it started when police learned of alleged threats the man had made,

A Central Michigan University Republican student group is apologizing for a Valentine’s Day card that mocks Jews who died in the Holocaust. The College Republicans group handed out gift bags to students Wednesday night, including one with

State Senator John Proos says the legislature can now begin to draft a final spending plan for the next fiscal year, since Governor Rick Snyder released his budget proposal on Wednesday. Proos tells WSJM News he liked some

The Michigan Bureau of Elections has conducted a review of 136 Detroit voting precincts to find out why there’s a discrepancy between the total number of recorded voters in November’s election and the number of ballots cast.

A South Haven man will be receiving Rotary International’s highest award. Dr. Martin “Marty” Graber will be presented with the Rotary’s Service Above Self Award on May 13 at a district conference in Battle Creek. The award

Increased funding for K-12 schools in Michigan is a staple of Governor Rick Snyder’s new budget proposal, which he laid out for lawmakers on Wednesday. That’s good news to local school officials. Niles Community Schools Finance Director

There may be rumors that Congressman Fred Upton is looking at a possible U.S. Senate bid, but he’s remaining mum about it. Last week, MIRS News reported Upton could run against Senator Debbie Stabenow in 2018, but

Cornerstone Alliance and Cornerstone Chamber of Commerce have held their annual Business Recognition Breakfast. The ceremony took place Thursday at Lake Michigan College with special guest speaker Governor Rick Snyder on hand. Snyder told WSJM News he sees

From the Associated Press — The University of Michigan says someone sent racist and anti-Semitic emails to students under the name of a professor who has raised concerns about the integrity of the voting system in some

We don’t yet have any details, but police are investigating an overnight shooting in Benton Harbor. According to Berrien County dispatchers, one person was shot in the 700 block of McAlister shortly before 1 a.m. We will

The Paw Paw School Board has voted to keep the Redskins name and image as their mascot. The board voted 4-3 late Wednesday to keep the mascot, which has been a source of controversy for decades. Board

From the Associated Press — A judge has rejected constitutional challenges to how Michigan sentences teens convicted of first-degree murder, ending seven years of litigation. Since 2010, federal Judge John Corbett O’Meara has made a series of decisions,

Governor Rick Snyder’s latest budget proposal is getting positive marks from a Michigan group that represents urban school districts. Middle Cities Education Association spokesperson TJ Bucholz tells WSJM News the governor has proposed setting aside $150 million for intervention