Local News Archives

Health officials are urging people to take steps to stop the spread of the flu ahead of holiday gatherings. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services says flu cases are on the rise, and the situation

By Ryan Yuenger ryany@wsjm.com Change is coming to a local police department. The Benton Charter Township Board of Trustees voted 5-2 in favor of naming Sgt. Greg Abrams the new Benton Township chief of police, effective Jan.

A new board chair will be coming to the Lake Michigan College Board of Trustees as Jeff Curry has stepped down. He resigned Tuesday and told us highlights of his time leading the board include honoring the

The Niles and Buchanan Chambers will host a business development town hall Wednesday. Greater Niles Chamber of Commerce Director Ryan Boeskool tells us they’ve teamed up with a firm called enFocus, which opened a Niles office this

Rotarians in South Haven will be ringing the bell for the Salvation Army this weekend. The South Haven Rotary’s Griffin Graham tells us it’s been a tradition in the community since the 1980s. Last year, the Rotarians

Whirlpool and the Southwest Michigan Community Action Agency are preparing for their seventh-annual Holiday Food Sharing Program. The two work with the city of Benton Harbor and the PGA to help those in need during the holidays.

There are big plans to improve Hall Park in Benton Harbor. University of Michigan architecture professor Craig Borum told Benton Harbor City Commissioners Monday a series of public meetings was held this year and a survey went

Improvements to a local park are on the way thanks to new grant funds. The St. Joseph Charter Township board on Monday accepted a $200,000 Great Lakes Fishery Grant to be used for improvements to Carronde Park,

The South Haven City Council is considering banning golf carts from towing trailers, passenger carts or other items and will hold a public hearing on the changes on December 19. City Manager Kate Hosier says they are

South Haven will have a social district in place next year after a 4-2 city council vote Monday night. Assistant City Manager Griffin Graham posed the question to the council about the area. “My suggestion for all

Former Medic 1 Ambulance executive director Jack Fisher will be paid nearly $58,000 in a settlement with the company’s board. Fisher had been on paid leave since late September and board members were concerned about that because

There’s been plenty of work to the water system in Benton Harbor in the past year as efforts to replace lead service lines are nearly complete. However, there’s still more water system work to come. Speaking to

A local municipality has set its parks plan for the next few years. After sending out a community survey earlier this year and a public hearing Monday, the St. Joseph Charter Township Board of  Trustees approved a

Carol’s Hope in St. Joseph will give everyone a chance to meet Santa this month. The recovery center’s Heather Button tells us they’ll host Santa and the community on December 16 from 3 to 6 p.m. Everyone’s

Carol’s Hope in St. Joseph will give everyone a chance to meet Santa this month. The recovery center’s Heather Button tells us they’ll host Santa and the community on December 16 from 3 to 6 p.m. Everyone’s

This is National Influenza Vaccination Week, when everyone is encouraged to get a flu shot to protect themselves and others this holiday season. Terri Adams with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services tells us the

The Berrien County Health Department will host a veteran food basket giveaway this week. It says staff will distribute 150 food baskets to veterans on Wednesday at the department’s Benton Harbor office. Berrien County Veterans Services Director

Pfizer has announced a $750 million dollar expansion of its Kalamazoo facility. Governor Gretchen Whitmer says the expansion will allow Pfizer to make more life saving vaccines and treatments in its largest plant worldwide, but says it’s

The frenzy of the Southwest Michigan local housing market has slowed for ten consecutive months in 2022. The Southwestern Michigan Association of Realtors says potential homebuyers have faced significant increases in selling prices for the limited availability

Blossomtime Pageants are getting underway for the 2023 season, and winners are being crowned across southwest Michigan. Here are the results from the Bangor, Berrien Springs, Bridgman, and Hartford held their events over the weekend: Miss Bangor

One southwest Michigan community brought in a colorful cast of characters over the weekend, and raised some money for a local cause along the way. The Stay Dowagiac collective of short-term rental properties hosted Dowagiac’s first Drag

Are you ready for a road trip in an electric vehicle? Many drivers still suffer from “range anxiety,” worried about running out of juice before they can find a charging station. But Michigan’s Chief Mobility Officer Trevor

Holiday preparations and end of the year work tasks are things that are leading to American workers being burned out, according to new research by Robert Half Staffing. Recruiting manager Shannon Edlinger says 76% of those surveyed

For the second year in a row, the Michigan Wolverines are in the college football playoffs. Second-seeded Michigan will play the third-ranked TCU Horned Frogs at the Fiesta Bowl in Arizona on New Years Eve. The winner

State lawmakers are expected to debate legislation this week that will be affecting restaurant owners and some workers. Northern Michigan Senator Wayne Schmidt has introduced a bill that could stop a potential big jump in the minimum