Legislation from 78th District state Representative Brad Paquette aims to address a shortage of substitute teachers in Michigan by loosening the requirements someone has to meet in order to be a sub. Paquette tells WSJM News, right
One of the winners of a NASA contest seeking ideas for how to recycle in space is a St. Joseph native. Derek McFall now lives in the Detroit area and works as an engineer at Troy-based SRG
The Berrien County Parks Department will be holding a Reduce, Reuse, Recycle day at Lake Michigan College next week. County Environmental Property Manager Jill Adams tells WSJM News this gives Berrien County residents a chance to drop
(Detroit, MI – AP) – The Michigan Supreme Court says people who were wrongly accused of defrauding the unemployment program can sue the state, a decision that could cover thousands of victims. The court says victims qualify
From the Associated Press — Michigan State University is selling pieces of Spartan Stadium. The school says the turf is being replaced after the spring football game on April 13. Sections of grass are being sold for
Following the measles outbreak in metro Detroit, there is now at least one confirmed case in northern Indiana. It is unrelated to the southeast Michigan cases. The Indiana State Department of Health is consulting with health officials
A man convicted of killing three people when he was a teenager says he was “rotten from the beginning” and is skipping a chance to possibly get a new sentence from a judge in suburban Detroit. Michael
Benton Harbor Mayor Marcus Muhammad is running for reelection. In a Twitter post Friday, he made the official announcement, noting unfinished business in a hashtag. Muhammad was first elected mayor in 2015, defeating incumbent James Hightower by
The next National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day is coming up at the end of this month. In Berrien County, the Voice, Change, Hope Alliance is partnering with police and Spectrum Health Lakeland to accept unwanted and unused
The Berrien County Board of Commissioners has approved a resolution in support of broadband internet access for residents. Following Thursday’s vote, Commissioner Ezra Scott told WSJM News he wanted the resolution so the county could pursue a
April is Alcohol Awareness Month, and the Berrien County Health Department is urging parents to keep an open dialogue with their kids about the dangers of underage alcohol abuse. Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist Lisa Peeples-Hurst tells WSJM
The U.S. House voted on Thursday to approve the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act, renewing the landmark 1994 law designed to help protect the survivors of domestic violence and to prevent the crime. Congressman Fred Upton voted
The Cook nuclear power plant will be running extended tests of Berrien County’s emergency sirens this weekend. The sirens are sounded for one minute the first Saturday of each month at 1 p.m. and this Saturday’s test
Michigan is making an effort to keep foster kids in family settings, with a 9% improvement over a 10 year period, according to a new report. Michigan is home to almost 12,000 foster children, and researchers from
The Kent County Prosecutor’s office will decide if charges will be filed against a 19-year-old man for defacing the grave of former President Gerald R. Ford. Chris Johnson tells the “Grand Rapids Press” he took the letter
Michigan State Police are handling the investigation into an officer-involved shooting in Kalamazoo. Inspector Dale Hinz tells WSJM News police were trying to arrest a parole absconder around 10 a.m. Thursday on East G Avenue in the
A Berrien County man is a half-million dollar richer thanks to a Michigan Lottery scratch off game. He won the top prize on the 777 instant game, purchasing the ticket at the Meijer on Pipestone in Benton
Set for April 20 is the Humane Society of Southwestern Michigan’s third annual Village Charcuterie Festival in Stevensville. Humane Society Director Jill Svoboda tells WSJM News the event is a fundraiser that comes in the form of
It was a packed house at Benton Harbor High School Wednesday night for a town hall regarding the future of Benton Harbor Area Schools. On hand were members of the State Board of Education, and local residents
The Hartford Public Library is now ready to move forward with plans for a new home thanks to a $400,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Library Director Stephanie Daniels tells WSJM News the goal
Residents of Benton Harbor and people who work in Benton Harbor take note — the new city income tax will be due this month. City Manager Darwin Watson updated everyone at this week’s city commission meeting. “Income
The spring kick-off of this year’s Adopt a Beach cleanup events will be this month. Alliance for the Great Lakes spokesperson Jennifer Caddick tells WSJM News from April 13 to April 29, clean-ups will be held along
The Allegan County Sheriff’s Department is mourning the loss of K9 Medo. The dog had been with the department since 2011, and lived with the family of Deputy Ben Haas. The department says it received Medo as
The Michigan Department of Transportation has projects underway along Interstate 196 in Berrien and Van Buren counties to remove trees and create a larger vehicle safety area when cars and trucks unexpectedly leave the highway. MDOT’s Nick
The University of Michigan is among six colleges competing to host a presidential debate during next year’s election season. Spokesman Rick Fitzgerald says there’s a chance students could even question the candidates if the university if chosen.
Illegal dumping has become a serious concern across the state, as we’ve seen in Benton Harbor with a renewed effort to crack down on the problem. State Representative Cynthia Johnson of Detroit has submitted two bills to
An investigation is underway into vandalism on the graves of President Gerald R. Ford and First Lady Betty Ford. Grand Rapids police have released surveillance images of two people seen defacing the graves on the property of
The death of a 59-year-old Lawton man who drove his Hyundai into Cedar Lake in Marcellus is under investigation. The Van Buren County Sheriff’s Department has identified him as John Catalino, who was found shortly before 5
Two area nonprofits are being recognized for being among the best such organizations to work for in the country. Kinexus Group is 29th on the list put out by “The NonProfit Times,” and the United Way of
From the Associated Press — Automobile sales in the U.S. fell 2% in the first quarter, another sign the nation’s economy is starting to slow. Automakers sold just over 4 million vehicles from January through March. Industry
