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
Indiana Michigan Power is launching a new program for the owners of electric cars to save money on charging them. It says those customers can now get lower rates by charging their vehicles during off-peak hours using
For the third straight year, President Trump’s proposed budget includes steep cuts to the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. The funding was zeroed out in his first two budgets, only to be restored by Michigan’s congressional delegation. Senator
The Cass County Sheriff’s Department is investigating the crash of a semi in Newberg Township. Deputies say the driver, 50-year-old Katherine Aris of Ypsilanti, fell asleep behind the wheel just before 6 Sunday morning on M-60 and
A non-discrimination ordinance with specific protections for the LGBTQ community is on the agenda for final approval tonight by the St. Joseph City Commission. Slight changes have been made since the first reading of the NDO two
A three-bill legislative package has been introduced in the Michigan House aimed at allowing high school students more flexibility to pursue career and technical training. State Representative Beth Griffin of Mattawan tells WSJM News her piece of the
Benton Harbor City Commissioners have agreed to grant easements to the Berrien County Drain Commissioner for city-owned properties along Ox Creek. At Monday’s meeting, Mayor Pro Tem Duane Seats said the move was the first step toward
More than 500,000 elderly Americans experience abuse each year, and that’s why Michigan State Police are reminding everyone of the warning signs. MSP Trooper Holly Higgs of the Niles post tells WSJM News the abuse isn’t always
The Berrien County Health Department says it will continue to provide water filters to residents of Benton Harbor as the city works to rid itself of lead issues. Health Department spokesperson Gillian Conrad tells WSJM News they’ve
Former state Senator John Proos is ready to talk about what he’s doing next. Proos left office last year after 14 years in Michigan government. He told WSJM News on Monday he’s started a consulting firm intended
The Insurance Alliance of Michigan says now is the time for auto insurance reform. Director Tricia Kinley tells us the issue has attracted support from state lawmakers of both parties, and she’s optimistic this time. Kinley says
A citizen-led initiative has meant the donation of 22 kits for treating serious bleeding emergencies to South Haven Area Emergency Services and the South Haven Police Department. South Haven Area Emergency Services tells us the kits will
Plans are underway in South Haven for the city’s sesquicentennial. It was 150 years ago in 1869 that South Haven became a village. Groups of community leaders have been meeting in recent months to discuss celebration possibilities.
A Dowagiac man has been honored by the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Elders Council for his efforts to help the community. Brian Antisdel, a Pokagon citizen, received an eagle feather at a recent ceremony led by a
