Local News Archives

The Berrien County Sheriff’s Department says a 24-year-old Berrien County man is dead following a chase with police that ended in a crash. Deputies tell us it started around 5:30 p.m. Friday when a report came in

Michigan State Police are investigating a fatal crash in Almena Township. Troopers say it happened on M-43 near  22nd Street shortly after midnight on Sunday. They tell us the driver of a westbound passenger vehicle lost control and swerved

Even the strongest swimmers and most experienced boaters will be in big trouble if they fall into fast-moving river water. That’s a lesson to learn after a Kalamazoo kayaker was found dead in the St. Joseph River

Standard and Poor’s has increased Michigan’s credit rating. Michigan Department of Treasury spokesperson Ron Leix tells WSJM News this is the first credit rating increase for the state in the past ten years. S&P has moved Michigan

The 167th annual Cass County Fair gets underway this week. Fair Board President Gail Peterson tells WSJM News the animal competitions and displays started Friday, and the opening day for the events is today, featuring the parade

The Michigan Department of Transportation has released its next five-year plan and is taking the public’s comments. MDOT spokesperson Nick Schirripa tells WSJM News the biggest projects tend to be in the large metro areas, although there

Governor Rick Snyder is pleased to see his Good Jobs for Michigan tax incentive being used for the first time in the expansion of Pfizer that was announced this week. The drug maker is investing in its

City officials in St. Joseph are remaining tight-lipped about the sudden resignation on Friday of Public Safety Director Brian Uridge after a little less than two years on the job. City Manager John Hodgson wouldn’t address rumors

The American Red Cross has set up a temporary shelter for those who were displaced by a motel fire in Sodus Township early Saturday morning. Six people were killed in the blaze at the Cosmo Extended Living

The city of Buchanan has opened its first dog park. City Manager Bill Marx tells WSJM News the Field of Dreams Dog Park, located at the south end of Clark Street and is part of the McCoy Recreation

Whirlpool stock took a hit after the release of second quarter earnings this week. The appliance maker reported a loss in the quarter of $657 million, and fell short of Wall Street expectations with just $3.20 earnings

Six members of one family have been killed in an overnight fire at the Cosmo Extended Living Hotel in Sodus Township. The fire started just before 2 a.m. Saturday, firefighters and other first responders immediately began to

The city of South Haven isn’t the only municipality having to deal with the short-term rental issue. Casco Township has seen a rising number of homes being acquired by investors to rent out as short-term vacation homes.

The winner of this year’s United Way of Southwest Michigan Margaret B. Upton Volunteer Leadership Award is Jerry Flenar of Buchanan. He was among those honored for their community service at the United Way’s annual Volunteer Recognition

Chikaming Open Lands is looking to set up a new nature preserve, and it’s raising money to make that happen. Executive Director Ryan Postema tells WSJM News the conservation group wants to purchase 49 acres in Chikaming

The summer Berrien County Land Auction is Tuesday. Berrien County Treasurer Bret Witkowski tells WSJM News it’s a chance for anyone to bid on recently-foreclosed properties. Although the number of available properties is down, Witkowski says the

Bottled water was handed out Friday in the city of Parchment and Cooper Township in Kalamazoo County following contamination of the water supply by the chemical PFAS. Parchment Mayor Robert Britigan spoke with Michigan News Network about

A former officer for the Benton Harbor Department of Public Safety is heading to trial for running a man down with his squad car during a chase in May. The Berrien County Prosecutor’s office tells us 51-year-old

Berrien County could be lending a hand to Cass County when it comes to managing transportation services. This week, the Berrien County Board of Commissioners tabled a proposal to have the county’s transportation planner and coordinator work

The St. Joseph Lighthouse has a new claim to fame, now appearing on some limited-edition cans of Vernors ginger ale. Working with Pure Michigan, Vernors is featuring historic Michigan lighthouses on its cans. They are the St.

If you live in a city in Michigan, chances are you have good internet service at a fairly decent price. But that’s not the case for rural parts of the state, and Representative Mary Whiteford of the

From the Associated Press — The Michigan Supreme Court says schools can ban visitors from carrying guns. Under state law, local governments must defer to the Legislature on gun policy. But in a 4-3 decision Friday, the court said the

From the Associated Press — Michigan State University has halted payments from a $10 million fund it set up for counseling services for victims of now-imprisoned former sports doctor Larry Nassar amid concerns about possible fraudulent claims. The

As the August 7th primary approaches, Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Gretchen Whitmer is releasing her plan to fight urban poverty. It includes her support for regional transit, the effort to cut auto insurance rates, and expand affordable housing.

Don’t try to boil it or filter it. Health officials in Kalamazoo County are telling residents of the city of Parchment and Cooper Township to not drink the water. Officials are advising residents to immediately stop using

The South Haven Planning Commission will hold a special meeting on Friday to discuss and fine tune two proposals regarding short-term rentals. One of the proposals to be discussed is possibly to prohibit short-term rentals in newly-constructed

The Southwest Michigan Association of Realtors has helped to improve another park in the region. This time it’s the playground area next to Milton Township Hall in Cass County. The realtor’s association provided the township with a

There will be some new faces on the Benton Harbor Area Schools Board of Education next year. That’s because four trustees who could have run in November have opted not to file. Trustees Joseph Taylor, Martha Momany,

Berrien County Judge Donna Howard has a new appointment. On Thursday, Governor Rick Snyder appointed Howard to serve as the new judge of the 2nd Circuit Court in Berrien County. The governor’s office says Howard was elected

The Berrien County Treasurer’s office has been receiving inquiries from residents who would like to chip in to help those in need of property tax assistance. Treasurer Bret Witkowski tells WSJM News since an article published this