Local News Archives

A Lawton man was taken to a hospital in critical condition after being struck by a vehicle on Friday. The Van Buren County Sheriff’s Department tells WSJM News sheriff’s deputies were called to M-40 just south of

From the Associated Press — A television station has found that Michigan officials didn’t immediately inform residents about unsafe levels of chemicals in fish. WOOD-TV reports that the state began testing fish from Freska Lake in September after

It’s possible Congress will approve some gun control measures following the nation’s most recent mass shooting, this time at a high school in Florida on Valentine’s Day. That’s the thought of Congressman Fred Upton, who tells us

From the Associated Press — A Michigan lawmaker charged with putting a no-show employee on the public payroll has pleaded guilty, resigned from office and faces up to a year in prison. Senator Bert Johnson, a Democrat from

Southwest Michigan residents are proving to be caring when it comes to their neighbors. The United Way of Southwest Michigan tells WSJM News the disaster relief fund it set up last week to help out folks affected

Kinexus is getting ready for a jobs fair next month at Lake Michigan College, and this one is focused specifically on one industry. Spokesperson Mary Morphey tells WSJM News it’s the fastest growing sector of the southwest

Among the businesses in southwest Michigan that have stepped forward to help flood victims is United Federal Credit Union. UFCU announced on Tuesday a $5,000 donation to United Way of Southwest Michigan and the Berrien Community Foundation’s

The Safe Shelter for Domestic Violence in Benton Harbor has launched a social media campaign to get regular people thinking about whether someone they know could be a victim of abuse. Safe Shelter’s Tiffany Griffin tells WSJM

Congress ended out the week having failed to approve a replacement program for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals — or, DACA — program. Congressman Fred Upton tells WSJM News lawmakers in Washington had a shortened week.

This weekend will bring an opportunity to snag some sweet deals, thanks to the Lake Michigan College Foundation’s 28th annual Winners Circle Benefit Auction. LMC Foundation Director Mary Clem tells WSJM News the Saturday auction raises money

The United Way of Southwest Michigan is running a children’s book drive all throughout this month. The organization’s Julee Laurent tells WSJM News they’ve got book drive stations in businesses and other locations all over Berrien and

From the Associated Press — Police say they’re starting to escort students and staff from buildings at Central Michigan University while they continue to search for a young man accused of killing two people. School President George Ross

New legislation from state Representative Kim LaSata is designed to make it easier for people suffering from a terminal illness to get the pain medications they need. With all kinds of new restrictions in place for opioids,

An Elkhart, Indiana man has pleaded guilty to murder in the death of his father. The Cass County Prosecutor’s office tells us 33-year-old Joseph Craigo pleads to second degree murder as a habitual offender in the stabbing

Police are investigating a fatal hit and run crash in Benton Township early Friday morning. The Benton Township Police Department tells WSJM News it happened around 1:20 a.m. in the 1,100 block of Paw Paw Avenue. Security

As floodwaters recede throughout southwest Michigan, there comes the risk of people trying to scam flood victims. The Better Business Bureau of West Michigan’s Phil Catlett tells us the bogus contractors can be very persuasive and slick,

Benton Harbor Area Schools placed three of its buildings on lockdown Friday morning. Acting Superintendent Patricia Robinson tells WSJM News police notified the district that one of its students had made a threat of violence against a

Two people have been killed in a shooting in a dorm on the campus of Central Michigan University. According to campus officials, neither are students. CMU has canceled all classes for today, and the campus is on

Michigan State Police are confirming that two people have been shot on the Central Michigan University campus in Mount Pleasant today. The suspect is still at large, and the campus is on lockdown. According to the city

The Central Michigan University campus is on lockdown and classes are canceled due to shots being fired on campus. Campus police say shots were reportedly fired inside a residence hall, and CMLife says no arrests have been

From the Associated Press — Rick Snyder has signed into law a plan to forgive outstanding extra fees owed by drivers for certain traffic infractions and to speed up the elimination of newly assessed fees. Newly assessed fees

Few details have been released, but Van Buren County sheriff’s deputies are investigating the shooting death of a man in a mobile home park outside of South Haven. They were dispatched to the scene of the homicide

Three new endowments have been created for the South Haven area to enhance the community culturally well into the future. The South Haven Community Foundation tells us it’s teaming up with the Al-Van Humane Society, the Historical

As an accounting firm moves in to take over the job of serving as the district’s finance director, the Benton Harbor Area Schools Board of Education has voted to break up one job into two. At a

The Michigan House this week approved a package of five bills intended to improve mental health treatment in the state, and one of them was from state Representative Mary Whiteford of Casco Township to create a psychiatric

Berrien County Animal Control has been busy the last couple of weeks due to the flooding. It’s been Animal Control’s job to round up pets in evacuated areas and then hold on to them until their owners

The Berrien County Sheriff’s Department’s initial estimate for flood damages is about $3.5 million, but the number will go up as some roads in Royalton Township still can’t be accessed. Several agencies responding to floods gave the

The Michigan House has approved a bill from state Representative Beth Griffin intended to expand access to broadband internet in rural areas. The Mattawan Republican tells WSJM News her plan, approved Wednesday, would put a cap on

State Senator John Proos is putting the word out to young people in southwest Michigan about the Michigan Attorney General’s OK2Say tip line. Proos tells WSJM News it’s an anonymous way someone can report a potentially-dangerous situation

Invasive species and you. That’s what the Van Buren Conservation District has been talking about this week as the spring approaches. The district’s Eleanor Serocki tells WSJM News this is Invasive Species Awareness Week and she hopes