Local News Archives

Flood Damage Loans Available

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Congressman Fred Upton is pleased the federal government is putting up some of its resources to help those affected by floods this year in Berrien County. This month, the Small Business Administration announced it will offer low-interest

Plans Continue For Napier Avenue

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The Southwest Michigan Planning Commission would like to hear more from the public about what is wanted for Napier Avenue as it drafts a report ahead of the road’s repaving starting next year. Planner Ryan Fellows tells

Presentation On Jean Klock Park

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A presentation set for this coming week at the Heritage Museum and Cultural Center in St. Joseph will focus on the history of Jean Klock Park in Benton Harbor. Heritage Museum Curator Tracy Gierada tells WSJM News

LMC Tuition Going Up

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The Lake Michigan College Board of Trustees has approved a tuition hike. LMC President Trevor Kubatzke tells us the board voted Tuesday to increase tuition for both in-district and out of district students, keeping the rate as

Possible Plan For Vacant Site

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Benton Harbor City Commissioners have to decide what they want done with the vacant Alreco Metals property, and now they have solid information on one of their options. At Monday’s meeting they learned the Berrien County Land

Department Marks Health Week

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Health agencies around the country are hoping everyone will take some time this week to think about how much of a difference their efforts have made. Berrien County Health Department spokesperson Gillian Conrad tells WSJM News it

Foreclosures Down

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Berrien County Treasurer Bret Witkowski has tallied up the totals, and he tells us about 185 property owners will be foreclosed this year for failure to pay their 2015 taxes. The deadline was Monday, and Witkowski tells

Special Trains For Tulip Time

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Holland’s Tulip Time Festival this year will run May 5 through the May 13, and it’s expected to draw more than 500,000 thisyear. If you don’t want fight traffic and hunt for a parking space, Amtrak can

IRS Issues Paycheck Calculator

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With new tax laws now in place, the Internal Revenue Service wants to make sure everyone is paying the right amount in taxes from their paychecks. Spokesperson Alejandra Castro Nunez tells WSJM News they have an online

BH, Hartford Kids Compete In Lansing

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A Kinexus program that works with at-risk young people to make sure they graduate high school headed to Lansing last week to have some of its kids show off the skills they’ve learned. Youth Solutions, Incorporated Director

Sheriff Warns About School Threats

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As threats shut down schools across southwest Michigan following last month’s Parkland, Florida shootings, police want the culprits to know they’re making a big mistake. Berrien County Sheriff Paul Bailey tells WSJM News someone who threatens a

New Features At PGA Championship

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Benton Harbor City Commissioners have gotten an update on plans for this year’s KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship at Harbor Shores. At this past Monday’s city commission meeting, the PGA’s Ryan Ogle told commissioners the event will attract

WSJM Sports Director Saluted

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WSJM Sports Director Phil McDonald celebrated his 30th anniversary with Mid-West Family Broadcasting this week. As congratulations came in for WSJM’s hardest-working sports guy, state Representative Kim LaSata stopped by Phil’s morning show Friday to present him

Successful United Way Book Drive

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A recent book drive undertaken by the United Way of Southwestern Michigan collected more than 10,800 books for kids from kindergarten all the way through the 12th grade in Berrien and Cass counties. The United Way’s Julee

Police Crack Down On Distracted Driving

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The Berrien County Sheriff’s Department is teaming up with other law enforcement agencies around southwest Michigan to crack down on distracted driving this month. Starting Monday and running through April 21, police officers will be keeping their

Senator Visits Benton Harbor

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U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow paid a visit to southwest Michigan on Friday, stopping by the Berrien County Health Department to talk with veterans. She tells WSJM News she wanted to hear what local veterans had to say

South Haven Speaker Series Plans

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The Speakers Series of South Haven will have its opening presentation of 2018 at Lake Michigan College’s South Haven Campus on Thursday, April 19th. The featured speaker will be Professor Fred Johnson of Hope College. “While Black

Part-Time Legislature Effort Stalls

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The ballot initiative for a part-time legislature in Michigan has stalled because of a lack of petition signatures. The petition drive was started last year by Lieutenent Governor Brian Calley, who is now running for governor. Calley

Lawmaker Calls For Smart Road Repairs

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Across the state, debate on ways to improve Michigan’s roads is ongoing. State Representative John Bizon says technology needs to be a priority in future infrastructure upgrades. He told Michigan News Network the possibilities are endless. “I

Waterfronts Symposium Next Month

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The fifth National Working Waterfronts and Waterways Symposium will be held in Grand Rapids May 14th through the 17th. The purpose of the symposium is to connect and unite stakeholders from around the country to showcase and

Board Accepts Superintendent’s Resignation

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The Benton Harbor Area Schools Board of Education has accepted the resignation of Superintendent Shelly Walker. The vote was unanimous at a Thursday night special meeting. “The board of education accepts Dr. Shelly Walker’s resignation effective April

House Finishes Nassar Investigation

From the Associated Press — Michigan lawmakers say they plan to introduce more proposals stemming from the fallout of the Larry Nassar scandal. House members announced Thursday they finished their investigation into the Nassar case. They say a bipartisan

Senior Political Forum Next Week

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Set for this coming Monday is a legislative forum for seniors in St. Joseph. The Area Agency on Aging’s Christine Vanlandingham tells WSJM News the 11th annual Older Michiganians Day Legislative Forum will held at the agency’s

Cook Plant Siren Test Saturday

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Don’t be alarmed this Saturday when the Cook nuclear power plant sounds its alarms for three straight minutes. Cook plant spokesperson Ashlie Guyberson tells WSJM News they’re doing an extra long siren blast at 1 p.m. Saturday.

Berrien Foreclosures Down This Year

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Berrien County Treasurer Bret Witkowski has tallied up the totals, and he tells us about 185 property owners will be foreclosed this year for failure to pay their 2015 taxes. The deadline was Monday, and Witkowski tells

Heugel Running For County Commission

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A familiar face in the St. Joseph community is now running for the Berrien County Board of Commissioners. Chris Heugel, the Cornerstone Chamber of Commerce president and a former St. Joseph city commissioner, has announced he’s seeking