Local News Archives

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

MI Doctor Speaking At Opioid Summit

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The war against opiod and heroin abuse needs to move to a new front. That’s the message from Dr Chad Brummett, a University of Michigan professor who delivered an address at the National Drug Abuse and Heroin

Boys And Girls Club 20th Anniversary

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The Boys and Girls Club of Benton Harbor is preparing to celebrate its 20th anniversary. CEO Brian Saxton tells WSJM News next Monday will kick off a year-long celebration focused on the kids and everyone who has

Coast Guard Responding To Great Lakes Spill

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The Coast Guard has established what’s called the Unified Command to oversee the pollution response to the coolant fluid that spilled into the Straits of Mackinac. The leak came from a transmission cable that carries electricity under

Spirit Tournament Down To Final Two

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We’re down to the final two in the 2018 Southwest Michigan Spirit Tournament. The competition is held each year by state Senator John Proos to identify which school in his district has the most spirit. They’re encouraged

Crime Victims Right Week

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Next week is Crime Victim Victims’ Rights Week, and law enforcement throughout Michigan will hold events to remind everyone of the need to keep the people hurt by crime in their minds. Berrien County Prosecutor Michael Sepic

Kinexus Ranked As Top Employer

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Kinexus in Benton Harbor is a great place to work. So says The Nonprofit Times, a trade group representing non-profit organizations around the country. It’s selected Kinexus as one of its top 50 non-profits when it comes

Workshop On Service Animals This Month

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Coming up this month at the Disability Network Southwest Michigan will be a presentation on the dos and don’ts of service animals. The network tells us the free workshop is being offered to address confusion about what

M-62 Repaving Starts Next Week

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A road project is about to get started in Cass County likely to affect many drivers on their daily commute. Michigan Department of Transportation spokesperson Nick Schirripa tells WSJM News MDOT is repaving part of M-62. “We

Upton Holding Out Hope For DACA

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Congressman Fred Upton is still hoping something can be done to salvage the federal DACA program. DACA — or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals — is the program created by President Barack Obama that enables illegal immigrants

Autonomous Car Facility Opens

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From the Associated Press — Michigan’s 500-acre center for autonomous vehicle research is officially open and will partner with technology giant Microsoft. Governor Rick Snyder trekked to the Ypsilanti-based American Center for Mobility for Wednesday’s grand opening. Last

Amtrak Offering Tulip Time Trains

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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

Planning Commission Taking Napier Input

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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

City Gets State Grants

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The city of Benton Harbor is receiving a couple of state grants for water system improvements and public safety. This week, city commissioners approved the acceptance of Financially Distressed Cities Grants for the installation of new water

Coolant Spill Into Great Lakes

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From the Associated Press — Officials say hundreds of gallons of potentially toxic coolant fluid have leaked from two electric power cables in the waterway that links Lake Huron and Lake Michigan. American Transmission Company says the fluid

It’s National Public 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

Upton Praises SBA Help

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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. Last week, the Small Business Administration announced it will offer low-interest

Former Rep Running For Senate

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Now in the running for Michigan Senate in the 26th District is former state Representative and Michigan Lottery Commissioner Aric Nesbitt. The Lawton Republican tells us he’s throwing his hat in the ring because he wants to

Commission Gets PGA Update

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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 Monday’s meeting, the PGA’s Ryan Ogle told them the event will attract thousands to the area.

Federal Funds For Lamprey Barrier

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From the Associated Press — Federal funding is expected to help with the construction of a proposed river barrier aimed at controlling sea lamprey access into a western Michigan waterway. The Great Lakes Fishery Commission expects a $7

Ice Breaking Continues In U.P.

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Ice breaking operations are continuing on the St. Mary’s River in the eastern Upper Peninsula. That’s because of an ice jam at Rock Cut. Lieutenant Sean Murphy is with the Coast Guard Sector Sault Ste. Marie. He