Expect to see and hear a lot in the next few weeks as the state launches its largest promotion effort in history to get people to fill out the 2020 Census. Kerry Ebersole Singh is the director
A Van Buren County Sheriff’s deputy had to act very quickly Tuesday evening to save the life of a Paw Paw-area man who was about to jump off the M-40 overpass onto I-94. The deputy was responding
From the Associated Press — The federal government has awarded grants totaling more than $1.8 million for projects designed to reduce nutrient pollution that helps cause harmful algae blooms in the Great Lakes. The U.S. Environmental Protection
The Benton Harbor Area Schools Board of Education has appointed Dashuna Robinson to fill a vacancy on the body. The board interviewed two candidates for the remainder of former Trustee Patricia Rush’s term on Tuesday night. Robinson
Tuition is going up at Southwestern Michigan College for the next academic year. The SMC Board of Trustees met on Monday and agreed to a 1.8% tuition increase for in-district students and a 2% increase for in-state
When voters in Van Buren County head to the polls on March 10 to cast their ballots in the presidential primary, they’ll also be asked to approve a millage renewal for local roads. The Van Buren County
A contest to find a new logo for the Dr. Lawless International Dark-Sky Park is underway in Cass County. The Cass County Parks Department says Lawless Park got the Dark Sky designation from the International Dark Sky
The Trump administration is considering a rule that would allow trains carrying a potentially dangerous substance to travel through Michigan and other states. The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration is reviewing hundreds of public comments about
A stream gage will be put into the St. Joseph River in the city of St. Joseph this year to give officials more accurate data about the water level in the river and the volume of the
A Mattawan woman is facing a felony embezzlement charge as Michigan State Police accuse her of stealing money from the Paw Paw Eagles Club while employed as its secretary. Sixty-nine-year-old Susan Ryan was arraigned Tuesday in district
From the Associated Press — Michigan officials say the state’s 108,000-acre Pigeon River Country State Forest is getting a nearly 600-acre addition. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources recently announced a land deal valued at more than
The city of St. Joseph will look into other options to shoreline revetment plans to protect three homes, two in the 900 block of Lions Park Drive and one in the 200 block of First Street. The
Congressman Fred Upton is seeking reelection. His campaign announced on Monday he’s seeking another term in the November election. Upton issued a statement, saying “There is unfinished business we have to complete – Cures 2.0, fighting the
A plan to create a network of teachers around Michigan that could weigh in on state education policy is in the works thanks to state Representative Brad Paquette. He tells WSJM News he led a brainstorming session
The Benton Harbor Area Schools Board of Education will hold a special meeting on Tuesday to interview the candidates for a vacancy on the body. Dashuna Robinson and Roosevelt Bell have put in applications to fill out
A winter storm watch has been issued for southwest Michigan. National Weather Service forecaster Chris Morris tells WSJM News it takes effect Tuesday evening and will continue through Wednesday night. He says we could be looking at
A Paw Paw family still has their dog with them thanks to quick action by Michigan State Police Trooper Brett Skoczylas. The lab mix named Taya had fallen through the ice in a backyard pond on Saturday,
The Secretary of State is adding more self-service machines at Meijer stores. The stations that are now in 28 Meijer stores allow drivers to renew their vehicle plate and registration. Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson says her
It’s been a seller’s market for a few years in the real estate business in southwest Michigan, and while January’s sales were strong, the Southwestern Michigan Association of Realtors says buyers got a bit of a break
Van Buren County Treasurer Trisha Nesbitt is planning to hold several meetings in early March around the county to help homeowners avoid foreclosure for unpaid 2017 property taxes. Nesbitt will be at the Van Buren District Library
The 8th annual BBQ, Blues and Bluegrass Festival in St. Joseph in May will feature blues singer Shemekia Copeland as the headliner. St. Joseph Today made the announcement Monday, and tickets go on sale next Monday, March
The Van Buren District Library will be marking March Madness this year in its own way. It’s going to pit books up against each other in a bracket-style competition, says spokesperson Kay McAdam. “We’ve got 64 titles,
Congressman Fred Upton is backing legislation to require the Army Corps of Engineers gives consideration to recreational harbor maintenance projects when it plans for projects each year. Upton tells WSJM News the Safer Harbors for Our Recreational
The South Haven City Council is pleased with City Manager Brian Dissette. City Human Resources Director Kim Wise tells us the council filled out Dissette’s annual performance evaluation last month, extending his contract another year. On a
The Michigan Secretary of State’s Mobile Branch Office will return to Van Buren County later this week when it visits Lawrence. The mobile office offers most of the services available at a regular branch office. In addition
Coming up this month will be a one-woman show focused on gun violence at the Ghostlight Theater in Benton Harbor. “The Gun Show” is being brought to the area by Interfaith Action of Southwest Michigan, a group
With tax time here, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is reminding those who are filling out their returns they’ll have a chance to make donations to helpful causes. Spokesperson Bob Wheaton tells WSJM News
Congressman Fred Upton is hailing news of a federal grant for Western Michigan University. He tells WSJM News he sent a letter to the Department of Energy in November in support of a Western project called “Enabling
Going over the border in Indiana for Michigan drivers might bring a change regarding your cellphone in the near future. A proposal to ban drivers from using handheld cellphones on Indiana roads is advancing in that state’s
Congressman Fred Upton is taking submissions for his annual Congressional Art Competition. He tells WSJM News high school students from all over the Sixth District are invited to send in two dimensional art. The Kalamazoo Institute of
