Legislation that would reimburse licensing fees for businesses that continued paying them while forced to be closed by the state because of COVID has been approved by the Michigan House. State Representative Pauline Wendzel sponsored the package.
From the Associated Press — Gyms, movie theaters and other businesses hurt by the coronavirus pandemic would receive state grants under a $185 million spending bill that has won initial legislative approval. The 96-6 vote in the
From the Associated Press — Several groups will sue to challenge Michigan’s new state House map, alleging it’s biased toward Republicans and should be redrawn to be fairer to Democrats. The lawsuit will be the third seeking
Three Berrien County school districts are named in a lawsuit that seeks to lift their mask mandates. The suit was filed January 21 by attorney James A. Thomas on behalf of five students and their parents. It
InterCare Community Health Network is hosting a family health fair and blood lead testing event on Saturday, Jan. 29, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. for City of Benton Harbor residents, announced the Michigan Department of Health and
Two elementary school principal jobs are opening in St. Joseph Public Schools. Lincoln Elementary principal Craig Hubble is retiring at the end of the school year, and superintendent Jenny Fee is promoting Brown Elementary principal Kristen Bawks
Groups advocating for seniors are applauding Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s plans to prioritize repealing the pension tax and placing a cap on out-of-pocket costs for insulin. During the State of the State address this week, Whitmer focused on
YouthBuild Benton Harbor is planning an open house for anyone age 16 to 24 interested in earning money while working toward their high school diploma or GED. YouthBuild is a program partly funded by the U.S. Department
The Van Buren County Road Commission is preparing to get to work on a drain project in Hartford Township that will affect traffic. It says construction is scheduled to begin in March on County Road 687 south
The new legislative districts recently approved by the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission are causing some concern for Berrien County Clerk Sharon Tyler. She was asked about the districts this week by the Berrien County Board of
Things are looking better at Berrien Bus since the Berrien County Board of Commissioners made some changes to it last year. Berrien County Community Development Director Dan Fette told the board Thursday the service is operating at
The Benton Township Police Department is investigating an armed robbery outside the Marathon station at 1690 M-139 Thursday. It says the victim was a 39-year-old Benton Harbor man who was not injured. He told officers he was
Whirlpool Corporation has released its 2021 full year financial report, and Q4 quarterly numbers, ahead of tomorrow’s ‘conference call’ with Wall Street reporters and analysts. Here are the highlights, according to the company’s official statement: — Full-year
Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is distributing 10 million free KN95 masks to ensure Michiganders can protect themselves from COVID-19 as the state continues to face the Omicron variant. Free KN95 masks provided by MDHHS will be distributed by
From the Associated Press — Michigan’s attorney general says she sought court approval to investigate Eli Lilly and Co., accusing the drug maker of charging excessive prices for insulin medications used to treat diabetes. Dana Nessel’s filings,
General Motors CEO Mary Barra joined a group of CEOs who were at the White House Wednesday to discuss the Build Back Better plan with President Biden. While meeting with reporters, Barra reiterated how GM remains committed
Western Michigan University’s spring semester enrollment is down 8.6% compared to last year. Provost Jennifer Bott says they are in the same boat as all other colleges, as the state is expected to see an 11% decline
Following her State of the State address, Governor Gretchen Whitmer is reiterating core messages from her speech. As the COVID-19 pandemic lingers schools are still facing challenges with in-person learning but Whitmer says children need to physically
State Senator Aric Nesbitt says Governor Gretchen Whitmer missed the mark with the State of the State address. While the governor proposed several tax changes in the speech, Nesbitt says he just introduced a major tax package
The YMCA of Greater Michiana is holding some COVID-19 vaccination clinics in February. It says there will be clinics at both its Niles and St. Joseph locations. The clinics being held in partnership with the Michigan Department
Legislation approved by the Michigan House this week to reduce distracted driving has the backing of AAA of Michigan. Spokesperson Adrienne Woodland tells WSJM News the plan bans using handheld mobile devices while behind the wheel. She
Governor Gretchen Whitmer is calling for a variety of tax adjustments in 2022 to help the working class. In her State of the State address Wednesday night, Whitmer proposed a repeal of what she called the retirement
Congressman Fred Upton is backing legislation intended to help local police departments improve their equipment and training. The Invest to Protect Act of 2022 is focused on police departments in smaller communities. Upton tells WSJM News the
With more than 2,200 available jobs in southwest Michigan, Michigan Works of Berrien, Cass, Van Buren is holding some virtual hiring events over the next month. There will be hiring events on February 1, 7, 8, and
The Michigan House Appropriations Subcommittee on the Department of Health and Human Services Wednesday discussed housing options for the victims of human trafficking. Chair state Representative Mary Whiteford says when someone is able to escape a human
Bronson Healthcare is planning a virtual vigil for next month to honor and remember all of those who have died as a result of COVID-19. Bronson says the Healing Steps Forward Virtual Vigil will be February 15
The Michigan Restaurant and Lodging Association says 86% of restaurants have seen a decline in customers in recent weeks because of the Omicron variant. It’s calling on Congress to put more money into the Restaurant Revitalization Fund.
Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson sent a letter today to the U.S. House Select Committee and United States Attorney General Merrick Garland, providing information about coordination between the former president and people in Michigan to overturn the
From the Associated Press — General Motors says it wants to add more than 8,000 technical workers this year. The Detroit automaker is looking for software, computer, mechanical and electrical engineers, as well as battery engineers, cybersecurity
From the Associated Press — Deaths exceeded births in Michigan in 2020. It was a rare result influenced by COVID-19. Slightly more than 117,000 people died, while there were 104,000 births in Michigan, according to the state
