The Orchards Mall narrowly avoided being shut down this week when its owner paid a water bill to Benton Township in the eleventh hour. Benton Township Treasurer Debbie Boothby tells WSJM News the mall as of Tuesday
Berrien RESA has filed a waiver with the Michigan Department of Education to ask if school districts in the county may start their school years before Labor Day for the next few years. RESA Superintendent Kevin Ivers
Set for next month at the Michigan Maritime Museum in South Haven is a lecture about the St. Joseph North Pier Lighthouses. The museum’s Ashley Deming tells WSJM News they’ll have Heritage Museum and Cultural Center Community
Michigan will create a statewide mental health hotline under legislation signed by Governor Whitmer. The telephone referral system will be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and refer people experiencing a mental health crisis
Life Saving Award presentations by police can sometimes get emotional. That’s just what happened Monday night at the St. Joseph City Commission meeting when Deputy Public Safety Director Steve Neubecker honored Vedette Cordes for saving the life
An online survey is being offered for the public to help review and update Michigan’s Top 10 in 10 strategic education plan. Michigan Department of Education spokesman Bill Disessa says the goal is to get the state
Enrollment looks to be on the increase at Southwestern Michigan College. SMC president Dr. Joe Odenwald made the announcement during his first President’s Report to the college’s Board of Trustees, noting enrollment contact hours are up eight-tenths
A murder investigation is underway in Dowagiac, with both suspects in custody. Police say a 40-year-old Dowagiac man was found dead from a shooting just before 2 a.m. Monday at a home in the 700 block of
From the Associated Press — The Michigan Supreme Court is interested in a dispute about whether people who were wrongly convicted of crimes should be paid for time spent in custody before trial. The court said Friday
Three people now have Life Saving Awards from the St. Joseph Department of Public Safety. Deputy Director Steve Neubecker on Monday presented the first two to Mayor Mike Garey and Christopher Martin for their response when they
Anyone interested in learning something about their ancestry is invited to attend a workshop at the Van Buren District Library’s Decatur branch next month. Local History Clerk Karen Jenson tells WSJM News the library can let visitors
The Berrien Community Foundation is now taking applications for this year’s scholarships. Program Director Susan Matheny tells WSJM News the Berrien Community Foundation administers 43 scholarships, all started by individuals or organizations that wanted to make a
The first three people in Michigan under investigation for possible coronavirus have been cleared by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services says two were in Washtenaw County
An online auction will start this weekend to raise money for Lakeshore Public Schools. Lakeshore Excellence Foundation Chair J.C. Anderson tells WSJM News up for bids will be items including Disney passes, high-end Whirlpool appliances, spa treatments,
From the Associated Press — President Donald Trump will visit a Michigan factory to out a new North American trade agreement. He will tour and give remarks at the Dana Inc. facility in the Detroit suburb of
Robust and record setting are a couple of terms to use to describe the housing market in southwest Michigan for 2019. The average sales price for the year rose nearly $7,000 from 2018 to set a new
A Coloma priest will spend 58 days in jail, be on probation for five years, and has to register as a sex offender for 15 years for an assault on a teenage boy in 2013 at St.
The Michigan Department of Treasury says you can begin to file your state income tax returns today. Department spokesperson Ron Leix says there’s a good reason to file tax returns earlier rather than later. “If you’re a
Countryside Academy in Benton Harbor is hosting a new program this year for its FFA students. FFA adviser Steve Rigoni tells WSJM News the kids in the past have taken care of sheep and pigs, but this
The sudden resignation of Ann Cardon as superintendent of Traverse City Area Public Schools in October is prompting a lawsuit. Cardon took the Traverse City job last summer after serving as the St. Joseph Public Schools superintendent
State Representative Beth Griffin of Mattawan has introduced legislation that would require women to be notified of a way to reverse the effects of what is commonly known as the abortion pill when they have taken one.
Some awards to recognize those who have worked to improve infrastructure in the past year around southwest Michigan have been announced by the Southwest Michigan Planning Commission. Associate planner Kris Martin tells WSJM News the group’s board
We reported this month that Michigan State Police are working with the trucking industry to help stop human trafficking. Another industry that is responding to the crime is hospitality. Michigan Restaurant and Lodging Association President Justin Winslow
The Southwest Michigan Regional Chamber of Commerce and Cornerstone Alliance have announced the keynote speaker for their 2020 Combined Business Recognition Breakfast and award ceremony. The gathering will be Thursday, February 13 at the Lake Michigan College
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has awarded 51 Michigan water systems with its Water Fluoridation Quality Award for the year. Michigan Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson Lynn Sutfin tells WSJM News most
The Van Buren County Board of Commissioners has approved a resolution asking the Michigan Legislature and the governor to declare the Great Lakes shoreline a disaster area. Van Buren County Administrator John Faul tells WSJM News the
The Michigan Department of Transportation unveiled five pedestrian bridges being built as part of the new Gordie Howe International Bridge to Canada in Detroit this month. Speaking on the MDOT podcast, Talking Transportation, the governor’s point man
Lawton Village Manager Daniel Bishop will be the next managing director of the Van Buren County Road Commission. The Board of County Road Commissioners of Van Buren County announced his hiring this week. Bishop has more than
Several southwest Michigan wineries have gained some recognition on the national wine circuit as winners in recent contests. Lake Michigan Shore Wine Trail Director Kathy Sturm tells WSJM News local wines were included in the San Francisco
Your electric rate is about to go up. Indiana Michigan Power says it’s reached a settlement with the Michigan Public Service Commission regarding the utility’s request to raise rates by 19% to earn it another $58.5 million
