Coming up soon is the 44th annual Tree-Mendus Fruit Farm’s International Cherry Pit Spitting competition. The event allows anyone to come and test their mettle at the art of spitting a cherry pit, says the farm’s Monica
A Montana man is in the Berrien County Jail after being caught with a large amount of crystal meth in Lake Township. The Baroda-Lake Township Police Department tells WSJM News an officer stopped a van for a
From the Associated Press — Governor Rick Snyder says a major automotive supplier could expand its operations in Michigan and an Italian biotech company is considering Michigan as a place to which to locate in the U.S. Snyder
Legislation has been introduced by state Senator John Proos to help young people get themselves back on track after they’ve become caughtup in the criminal justice system. He tells WSJM News the plan would let juvenile offenders
Kinexus is launching a new program for at-risk young people. Youth Solutions, Incorporated is a non-profit intended to guide young people to services that could help them graduate and find career training. Youth Solutions Director Kristin Harrington tells
Berrien County Sheriff’s Deputy Kelly Laesch has been honored with the 2017 Elder Justice Good Neighbor Award. She got the accolade Wednesday at the annual Elder Justice and At-Risk Adult Resource Project’s summit in Mount Pleasant. Laesch
A more than $100,000 grant from T-Mobile is going to Bangor Public Schools to help the district buy 500 Chromebooks. District Director of Community Education Lyn Johnson tells us the plan is to use modern technology for
State Representative Kim LaSata tells WSJM News the new state budget, approved by lawmakers this week, puts Michigan in a good position for the future. She says it pays down debt while reducing long-term obligations. LaSata adds it
Police are looking for a suspect who led them on a highway chase in Berrien County Thursday morning. The Berrien County Sheriff’s Department tells WSJM News a Baroda-Lake Township officer tried to pull over a vehicle on
More information has been released on a child who was killed Wednesday in a Cass County farming accident. The sheriff’s department tells us it happened at a farm in the 19,000 block of Dewey Lake Street in
Do you think security should be stepped up at US airports in light of Thursday’s terrorism attack in Flint? Michigan’s junior US Senator Gary Peters is on the Homeland Security Committee and tells Michigan News Network stepping up security
From the Associated Press — A $56.7 billion state budget is headed toward Governor Rick Snyder’s desk after the Republican-led Senate gave it final approval on mostly party-line votes. The bills approved Thursday include more money for K-12
Governor Snyder now has the Fiscal Year 2018 budget on his desk with final passage of the spending plan today by the Michigan Senate. State Budget Director Al Pscholka says it marks seven straight years the budget
Seven children and five adults have been injured in a multi-vehicle crash in Kalamazoo County. The sheriff’s department says says a vehicle driven by an 18-year-old Kalamazoo man crossed the median on U.S. 131 in Kalamazoo Township
A 50-year-old Canadian man is in federal custody in Flint after what the FBI is calling a terrorist attack on a police officer at Bishop International Airport in Flint. Amor Ftouhi of Montreal is accused of stabbing
A whole lot of food for local pantries has been collected thanks to the United Way of Southwest Michigan and some local businesses. They all got together Wednesday for the Christmas in June drive. On hand was
The man convicted of assaulting a Michigan State Police trooper along the side of US-31 near Buchanan back in February has been sentenced to a minimum of 14 years in prison for the incident. 21-year-old Michael Barber
You can once again take in the sights and sounds of downtown St. Joseph from the comfort of a horse-drawn trolley. St. Joseph Today’s Amy Zapal tells WSJM News the rides are now available for free Wednesdays, Saturdays,
Two men who helped out a Michigan State Police trooper who was under attack by a couple of criminal suspects back in February have received special state accolades. Jerry Burnham, of Berrien Springs, and Keith Pepple, of Plainwell,
Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette has terminated a contract with a firm the state had hired to conduct a risk analysis of Enbridge’s Line 5 in the Straits of Mackinac. Spokesperson Andrea Bitely tells WSJM News there
A Cass County rape trial has been ended early after the suspect confessed and pleaded guilty Wednesday morning. The Cass County Prosecutor’s office tells WSJM News 21-year-old Markal Leneal Jackson, of Benton Harbor, halted the proceedings just as
A child is dead following a farming accident in Cass County. The sheriff’s department tells WSJM News it happened around 3:30 p.m. Wednesday in the 19,000 block of Dewey Lake Street in Volinia Township. The child was
Congressman Fred Upton is still waiting to learn details of the Senate healthcare plan being hammered out by Republicans. He tells WSJM News he’s been trying to learn what’s in it. “I’ve not talked to any senators
From the Associated Press — Michigan’s elections board has declined to vote on the form of Lieutenant Governor Brian Calley’s part-time Legislature ballot drive petition because he said a member has a conflict of interest and he
Everything’s back to normal at Leco Corporation in St. Joseph following an investigation of suspicious activity Wednesday. Around 1:30 p.m. police issued a lockdown order for the area around Leco, saying a suspect who was possibly armed
Last week’s shooting of Louisiana Congressman Steve Scalise has got Congressman Fred Upton concerned about divisive political rhetoric. He tells WSJM News people have been allowing themselves to be whipped into fear and hate. “The blogs, some
The Michigan Legislature has given approval to a plan to overhaul the state’s teacher pension program. Republicans say the bill would help reduce the $29 billion debt in the current teacher pension system. Michigan News Network Lansing
Volunteers from the United Way of Southwest Michigan are spending Wednesday helping eleven local food pantries stock up for the summer. The United Way’s Charlotte Rogers tells WSJM News it’s Christmas in June as they aim to
An effort will be made around southwest Michigan early next month to fight invasive species. The Southwest by Southwest Corner Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area, or CISMA, is staging a public education blitz. The Van Buren Conservation
There’s a new interim director in charge at the Berrien County Road Commission. Road Commission Board Chair August Zielke tells WSJM News they’ve picked current accounts payable specialist Lindie Delk to take over the leadership role. Zielke
