Local News Archives

State Representative Kim LaSata is planning to hold a town hall forum later this month on opioids. She will convene the meeting at Kinexus in Benton Harbor and be joined by members of the Berrien County Sheriff’s

Hunting season is here, and the Van Buren County Conservation District is reminding both hunters and campers what they can do to help reduce the spread of invasive species. It says you should never move firewood, and

From the Associated Press — Michigan residents could register to vote online under bills nearing Governor Rick Snyder’s desk. The state House approved the legislation unanimously Wednesday. The measures previously passed the Senate and are expected to

The Berrien County Sheriff’s Department is helping to provide extra security at Benton Harbor High School as the district looks to reduce fights and increase order. Sheriff Paul Bailey tells WSJM News two deputies are stationed at

Additional testing will be done on a two-month old infant found dead in Coloma Township this week after an autopsy performed on Wednesday was inconclusive. The Berrien County Sheriff’s Department tells us the case remains under investigation,

The proposal to legalize the recreational marijuana in Michigan could mean more than $130 million per year for state coffers. Josh Hovey with the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol tells WSJM News the proposal specifies how

A new website has been launched by the Michigan Department of Treasury for residents to search for unclaimed property. Treasury’s Terry Stanton tells us the department receives unclaimed properties like dormant bank accounts, life insurance policies, stocks

The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality has begun using a drone to help identify the sources of PFAS contamination. Randy Rothe is with the DEQ’s Gaylord office where they’re using the device equipped with an infrared camera

Hartford Public Schools officials are addressing a drug issue at the high school. Superintendent Andrew Hubbard has sent a letter to parents and posted it on the district’s website and Facebook page saying they are working with

The Berrien County Sheriff’s Department is investigating the death of an infant in Coloma Township. It tells us officers were sent to a home in the 5,100 block of Little Paw Paw Lake Road shortly before 10

A tunnel will be built in the bedrock under the Straits of Mackinac to house a new pipeline to replace Enbridge Energy’s 65-year-old Line 5 pipelines. Governor Snyder’s office announced the agreement with the Canadian firm, saying

With the weather turning colder and furnaces firing up, this is Fire Prevention Month in Michigan. State Fire Marshal Kevin Sehlmeyer tells WSJM News there have been 91 fire deaths in the state this year, many because

Congressman Fred Upton is hailing last week’s passage of legislation designed to help in the fight against opioid addiction. He tells WSJM News the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act goes back about a year, and is

The percentage of uninsured adults in rural Michigan dropped by 22 points since the state expanded Medicaid, according to a recent study by Georgetown University and the University of North Carolina. The state Legislature passed a bill

  One of the highest profile murder cases in Berrien County history will get underway on January 29. Antwan Mims has been ordered held on $5 million bond after a preliminary hearing Tuesday before Judge Arthur Cotter.

The old Michigan State Police Post in South Haven is owned by the city and they lease out the building. The property around the building, however, is still owned by the state and they want the city

From the Associated Press — A U.S. House candidate is among 18 people arrested for disorderly conduct during a protest in Detroit for a higher minimum wage and the right to form unions. Democrat Rashida Tlaib was taken

Congress hasn’t made a significant investment in to upgrade and fix the National Park system in more than 50 years, but that could soon change. A vote in the U.S. Senate this week could advance legislation to

A feasibility study into the development of a restaurant and ballroom at Jean Klock Park in Benton Harbor is about to get underway. Don and Barbara Meeks received the approval this week of the city commission to

From the Associated Press — Organizers of a Michigan ballot initiative to legalize marijuana for recreational use say it would generate up to $134 million a year in taxes for state and local governments. The Coalition to Regulate

Benton Harbor City Manager Darwin Watson has a contract proposal from the city commission on his desk, with some changes from the most recent contract that expired in February. The new proposal does not have a specified

128 prospective Michigan State Police troopers are now taking part in a training academy in Lansing. MSP Captain Monica Yesh tells WSJM News the recruits go through 26 weeks of all-day study that covers topics including traffic

An opioid overdose prevention training event is set for this month in Benton Harbor. This time organized between the Berrien County Suicide Prevention Coalition and the Voice Change Hope Alliance, it will be offered in the afternoon

Lakeland Health is now officially a division of Grand Rapids-based Spectrum Health. The board for each entity has signed the deal and finalized it. Spectrum Health Lakeland President Loren Hamel tells WSJM News Lakeland’s 4,000 employees have

A Dowagiac man is dead following a motorcycle crash in Cass County on Monday. The sheriff’s department tells us it happened just before 3 p.m. near the intersection of M-51 south and Pokagon Street in Pokagon Township.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has awarded 211 schools with the MI HeartSafe School designation for the current year. Spokesperson Lynn Sutfin tells WSJM News the HeartSafe program was created five years ago to

From the Associated Press — Former President Barack Obama is endorsing Gretchen Whitmer for governor, Garlin Gilchrist for lieutenant governor and 19 other Michigan Democrats running for Congress or the Legislature. The twenty-one candidates in the state are

Van Buren Coffee Company in Paw Paw is helping a 12-year-old Kalamazoo area boy, Samuel VerHage, raise money to buy blankets for the homeless. Josh Gettig is co-owner of the company and they’ve come up with a

We reported in September that there will not be any debates in the state House and Senate races in Berrien County this fall, as the Republican candidates have decided against the traditional events held by the League

Expect longer waits at the Secretary of State branch offices in Benton Harbor, Niles, and Dowagiac over the next few days. That’s because the unpopular driver responsibility fees are now off the books, and people who have