A recent project to increase energy efficiency at Benton Harbor Area Schools has resulted in a rebate of just under $5,000 being awarded to the district by Indiana Michigan Power. At this week’s district CEO meeting, I&M’s
The alerts in the middle of the night likely woke up thousands of Michiganders regarding an AMBER Alert in the Upper Peninsula town of Paradise. There is a happy ending to that situation. Michigan State Police canceled
From the Associated Press — Governors of five states oppose President Donald Trump’s call for a 90 percent spending cut for a Great Lakes cleanup program. The president’s 2020 budget offers $30 million for the Great Lakes
The Michigan Department of Talent and Economic Development is highlighting an early college program in Allegan County as a model for how more students could receive a college education, and for free. The Early College Allegan County
Benton Harbor Area Schools was a topic of discussion this week for the Michigan State Board of Education. At a Tuesday meeting, Interim State Superintendent Sheila Alles said the School Reform Office has heard back from the
The city of South Haven and three nearby townships have extended for 25 years the agreement that created South Haven Area Emergency Services. SHAES Director Ron Wise tells WSJM News South Haven, South Haven Township, Casco Township,
President Trump is seeking more than $75 million for work on the new Soo Lock project in Sault Ste. Marie. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says the money would be used to start construction of the
It’s legal, but the Humane Society of the United States says testing being done on 36 beagles in Mattawan at Charles River Labs is abhorrent and immoral. The nonprofit released video footage shot undercover at what used
Benton Township police are looking for suspects after a 30-year-old man was shot twice in the leg early Sunday morning. The department says the man told police from his bed at Spectrum Health Lakeland’s emergency room that
Preparations are underway for the fifth annual Southwest Michigan Mini Maker Faire, and organizers are looking for makers to take part. Berrien RESA’s Joe Rommel tells WSJM News the fair is a chance for anyone with a
Benton Harbor Area Schools CEO Robert Herrera has spoken with the Michigan Department of Treasury about the possibility of the district going charter. At Tuesday’s CEO meeting, Herrera said the state came to him about the idea,
Of 138 seniors at Benton Harbor High School this year, only 38 are currently on track to graduate. That was one of many things Benton Harbor Area Schools CEO Robert Herrera told the community at a Tuesday
The charitable arm of drug maker Perrigo is donating $130,000 to a non-profit that provides food to kids in need in Allegan County. Kids’ Food Basket will receive the first ceremonial check this week in Holland. Perrigo
It’s time for another Southwest Michigan Spirit Tournament. State Senator Kim LaSata announced in a Facebook video this week her office is keeping the tradition alive, offering schools throughout her district a chance to prove they have
Public input is being sought by the Berrien County Parks Department for the next parks master plan. Berrien County Parks Director Brian Bailey tells WSJM News the plan is needed to qualify for state grants. It outlines
Police are asking for help in finding two brothers who may have been present at the time of a fatal shooting in Benton Harbor last summer. The Benton Harbor Department of Public Safety tells us officers responded
From the Associated Press — The state of Michigan has added cerebral palsy to a list conditions for which people can register to use medical marijuana. The Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs announced its decision Monday.
Despite a few objections, the show will go on. The St. Joseph city commission this week unanimously approved the request of St. Joseph Today to hold the BBQ Blues & Bluegrass Festival on Saturday, May 18. June
A Kalamazoo Public Safety officer is hospitalized after being shot responding to a report of a shooting at a plasma donation center. The officer’s injuries are not believed to be life-threatening. A former employee of the Biomat
Vail Rubber’s expansion into Royalton Township is moving ahead. The township board has approved the creation of an Industrial Development District and granted the St. Joseph company a 12-year tax abatement for its new building that will
A River Valley High School science teacher is on administrative leave while Michigan State Police investigate allegations he had an inappropriate relationship with a 16-year-old student. MSP Niles Post Assistant Commander Melinda Logan confirms to WSJM News
A judge has ruled that a Michigan panel’s approval of an oil pipeline tunnel beneath the Straits of Mackinac should stay intact even though a state law set unconstitutionally long terms for the authority’s members. Court of
With Michigan’s budget process kicking into high gear, some policy groups are praising Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s proposals to improve the lives of state residents. Whitmer’s first executive budget recommendation totals $60.2 for Fiscal Year 2020, more than
South Haven High School’s Olivia Ellis is this year’s Miss Blossomtime, crowned at the Mendel Center on the Lake Michigan College campus Monday night. Ellis plans to attend Manchester University in Indiana to play softball and study
A non-discrimination ordinance will take effect next Thursday in St. Joseph to specifically protect the civil rights of the LGBTQ community. The city commission unanimously passed the change on Monday after a few months of discussion. Mayor
A $275,000 renovation project is underway at the historic Chapin Mansion in Niles. Niles History Center Director Christina Arseneau tells WSJM News a crowdfunding effort to secure a state matching grant for part of the work has
State Representative Beth Griffin says there’s zero chance the Michigan House will approve the 45 cent gas tax increase proposed by Governor Gretchen Whitmer. We asked the Republican lawmaker from Mattawan what should be done to raise
Registrations are now being taken for Skywarn training in Berrien County. The Berrien County Office of Emergency Management says Skywarn is a program that teaches anyone how to spot signs of severe weather. The volunteers then become
From the Associated Press — A newspaper reports the Michigan State Police’s Statewide Network of Agency Photos has grown to nearly 50 million facial images. The Detroit Free Press reports the Secretary of State’s Office has been
From the Associated Press — Hundreds of thousands of Michigan residents potentially affected by a health care data breach are being urged to take extra precautions about their personal information. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel and Department
