Local News Archives

A special celebrity guest is coming to the Niles Scream Park. The park’s Kellie Welch tells WSJM News Tony Moran, the man behind the mask in the horror classic Halloween will be at the attraction from October

  A skilled trades training program hailed by state Senator John Proos will be permanent in Michigan now that the governor has signed legislation Proos co-sponsored. Proos tells WSJM News the Going Pro Talent Program awards grants

The Al-Van Humane Society in South Haven is a non-profit animal welfare organization dedicated to providing emergency food and shelter for homeless pets. Providing public education is an important part of Al-Van’s efforts to reduce the number

The man wanted for calling in a phony threat about someone with a gun at Eau Claire High School earlier this month is now in the Berrien County Jail. Police arrested 32-year-old Justin Bashore of Niles during

More than 150 stalled road projects across Michigan will resume because road builders have agreed to end a lockout of a union of heavy equipment operators. Governor Snyder announced the end of the labor impasse Thursday. He

A major federal spending bill will be considered by the U.S. House this week to avoid a government shutdown at the end of the month, and among its supporters is Congressman Fred Upton. He tells us the

A death from the West Nile virus has been announced in Allegan County. West Nile, a mosquito-borne illness, can lead to serious neurological complications, especially in the elderly or people with diabetes or hypertension. The Allegan County

The public has had a chance to review a possible Red Arrow Highway trail project being planned in Berrien County. At an open house on Wednesday, Berrien County Parks Director Brian Bailey told WSJM News the master

Life expectancy and health is tied directly to race and your Zip code. In Berrien County and across America racism literally kills. Dr. David Ansell, Vice President Of Community Health at Rush University Medical Center, will speak

Home sales in southwest Michigan dropped a bit during August. The Southwestern Michigan Association of Realtors tells us in August the number of houses sold dropped 7% from August of 2017. Also, the average and median selling

The South Haven City Planning Commission is having a workshop session on Thursday evening to continue discussions on Phase 2 amendments to the Short-Term Rental Ordinance. Assistant City Manager Kate Hosier spoke with WSJM News about the

A 39-year-old Kalamazoo man is headed to prison for more than 19 years for his part in a meth ring in Kalamazoo and Van Buren counties that operated from July 2016 until last December. Michael Neeley was

Cass County has a new treasurer. Hope Anderson of Cassopolis has been named by the Treasurer Appointment Committee as the successor to Linda Pruett, who died this summer. Anderson will serve through the end of Pruett’s term

A new report looks at the outcomes of kids who are born to young parents. Researchers from the Annie E. Casey Foundation found 9% of all 18 to 24-year-olds in Michigan — or about 85,000 people —

Officials at Benton Harbor Area Schools are planning a new push to promote literacy. Communications Director Amy Nichols tells WSJM News “We Welcome Literacy” is a community event set for October 8 at the high school. On

From the Associated Press — A 22-year-old woman has been sentenced to 11/2 to 15 years behind bars for a crash into an icy southwestern Michigan lake that killed her boyfriend, who was a passenger in the

Two candidate forums featuring the Republican and Democratic candidates for the Michigan Senate in the 21st District are set for next month. State Representative Kim LaSata has announced she’ll be at a Berrien RESA Candidate Forum on

A partnership that allows the Berrien County Treasurer’s Office help its counterparts in Van Buren County catch fraudulent homestead claims will continue for another three years. Berrien County Treasurer Bret Witkowski tells WSJM News his office lends

An overwhelming number of residents of Great Lakes state support immediate action to build structural protections to keep Asian carp out of the lakes. The survey commissioned by the Great Lakes Partnership to Block Asian Carp asked

There is still no solution to the now three-week-long lockout of union heavy equipment operators by the Michigan Infrastructure and Transportation Association. Governor Snyder gave an update on the labor impasse today after his first face-to-face talks

This week is Rail Safety Week in Michigan when everyone is reminded to follow the rules of railroad tracks. Sam Crowl with Michigan Operation Lifesaver tells WSJM News they’re holding events all week following a proclamation by

A Dowagiac man is recovering from injuries sustained on Monday afternoon when he crashed his car into a tree in Cass County. The sheriff’s department tells us the crash happened around 2:20 on Brownville Street west of

Two suspects are in custody following the robbery of a cell phone store in Benton Harbor on Monday. The Benton Harbor Department of Public Safety tells us it responded to the armed robbery at the Boost Mobile

The St. Joseph Department of Public Safety says no one is hurt following an incident involving a possible threat in the 2,800 block of Willa Drive Monday evening. It tells us officers were called to the area

From the Associated Press — A conference at the University of Michigan is bringing together experts to share ideas on dealing with a warming climate in the Great Lakes region. The biennial Great Lakes Adaptation Forum runs from

The public has had a chance to offer input on plans to repave part of Napier Avenue in St. Joseph and Benton townships starting next year. At a Monday forum, the Southwest Michigan Planning Commission talked about

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is expecting the deer hunting season this year to be a strong one. DNR deer biologist Ashley Autenrieth tells WSJM News the 2018 forecast notes a robust herd this year due

The prosecution of disgraced former Michigan State University sports doctor Larry Nassar is now an issue in the gubernatorial campaign. Attorney General and Republican nominee Bill Schuette brought charges against Nassar for sexually abusing hundreds of patients

We started off the week paying a little less for gas, but it didn’t last long. Prices shot up around noon to as high as $3.09 in the Benton Harbor and St. Joseph area after Triple-A Michigan