The Van Buren County Board of Commissioners has approved a resolution asking the Michigan Legislature and the governor to declare the Great Lakes shoreline a disaster area. Van Buren County Administrator John Faul tells WSJM News the
The reconstruction project on Center Street in downtown South Haven has been able to continue this week thanks to cooperative weather. South Haven Downtown Development Authority Director Deb Davidson tells WSJM News the project normally would be
Suggestions are being heard in Lansing on how to reduce jail populations. The 21-member Jail and Pretrial Incarceration Task Force was created by Governor Gretchen Whitmer and has support from Republican legislative leaders, like Speaker of the
We reported this month that Michigan State Police are working with the trucking industry to help stop human trafficking. Another industry that is responding to the crime is hospitality. Michigan Restaurant and Lodging Association President Justin Winslow
Congressman Fred Upton is hailing House passage last week of the PFAS Action Act. He tells us the legislation would designate the substances under the EPA’s Superfund program to accelerate the clean-up process at military facilities and
From the Associated Press — A Lake Michigan community has voted to spend $20,000 to kill as many as 30 deer at two parks in western Michigan. The unanimous vote by the Muskegon City Commission is an
Southwest Michigan farmers will gather at Lake Michigan College next month for the annual Southwest Michigan Horticultural Days conference. MSU Extension pest management educator Mike Reinke tells WSJM News the event is a trade show for those
The cost of a Michigan state parks Recreation Passport is about to go up. Michigan Department of Natural Resources Parks and Recreation Chief Ron Olson tells WSJM News the price will go up by $1 in March,
The Michigan Department of Transportation unveiled five pedestrian bridges being built as part of the new Gordie Howe International Bridge to Canada in Detroit last week. Speaking on the MDOT podcast, Talking Transportation, the governor’s point man
Nobo of Michigan, LLC has been granted the permits it needs to move forward with opening a medical marijuana production and processing facility in Benton Harbor. The Benton Harbor City Commission, after much discussion, granted permits to
Set for this coming Monday is the 25th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast Celebration at Lake Michigan College. LMC President Trevor Kubatzke tells WSJM News they’re expecting more than 600 people, one of the biggest groups
Benton Harbor Public Safety Director Dan McGinnis hopes to help bring about a change of attitudes in the community as he works to reduce gun violence. He tells WSJM News gun crimes have been increasing in recent
The South Haven Harbor Commission is thinking about how to handle increased water levels in Lake Michigan. It’s held a meeting to discuss the problem as Harbor Master Kate Hozier tells WSJM News city leaders want to
Congressman Fred Upton has met with representatives of FEMA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to discuss shoreline erosion and high water levels in the Great Lakes. He tells WSJM News he and two other Michigan
This week, as part of the investigation of the Enbridge Line 5 pipeline, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources sent a letter to Enbridge, Incorporated requesting documents dating back to 1953. State Senator Ed McBroom, an Upper
Michigan is one step closer to granting municipalities the right to tax residents when spraying for mosquitoes. The bills have passed the House Local Government and Municipal Finance Committee. Brian Ellison of the Michigan Libertarian Party is
The Soo Locks have been closed for routine maintenance and repairs. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will use the shutdown period, which runs through March 25, to work on the gates and electronics, and also to
From the Associated Press — A Michigan lawmaker has apologized after telling a young female reporter that a group of high school boys could “have a lot of fun” with her. State Senator Pete Lucido, a Republican
From the Associated Press — A task force says Michigan should reclassify many traffic offenses as civil infractions, release more defendants before trial without requiring them to pay money and take other steps to reduce jail populations
From the Associated Press — Michigan would lift its ban on stun guns under legislation advanced by lawmakers. The bill would allow the sale, possession and “reasonable use” of a stun device by those 18 and older.
Benton Harbor Area Schools Board of Education Trustee Patricia Rush is resigning. At Tuesday’s school board meeting, Rush said she ran for the board in 2018 because of her commitment to social justice, and upon being seated,
The Benton Harbor Area Schools Board of Education has received a report on last week’s incident involving district cheerleaders as they left a basketball game in Battle Creek. Following the Tiger victory over Battle Creek Central, the
State Representative Beth Griffin says she’s fighting to restore a $200,000 downtown facade improvement grant for the village of Paw Paw. She says the funds from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation were cut off when the governor
From the Associated Press — Graduates of public and private high schools in Grand Rapids can attend a local community college for free. The Grand Rapids Promise Zone scholarship was announced Monday. It covers tuition for 60
The 16th annual Hunter Ice Festival is set for this week in Niles. You might not think the weather is appropriate, but the winter celebration will feature thousands of pounds of ice blocks being carved into art.
There’s hope yet that the Pure Michigan tourism campaign could be funded this year. Pure Michigan’s Dave Lorenz expects a bill to be introduced by state Representative Jack O’Malley of northern Michigan to fund it in the
No one is hurt after a vehicle crashed into the Cracker Barrel restaurant in Stevensville on Tuesday. The Lincoln Township Police Department says it happened at 9:45 a.m. A 93-year-old man was backing out of a parking
More shoreline protection will be going in along the coast south of Silver Beach County Park in St. Joseph. City engineer Tim Zebell says rock revetments will be put in at the end of 3rd, 2nd, and
There’s a good chance this will be brought up at tonight’s Benton Harbor Area Schools Board of Education meeting. High school cheerleading coach Ronnella Booker says her squad was attacked by Battle Creek Central High School fans
Michigan State Police are investigating a crash in Decatur that killed a pedestrian. It happened shortly after 10 Monday night on 39th Street near Burgess Road. Troopers say 33-year-old Devin Mattis was hit by a northbound vehicle
