There will not be a Blossomtime Grand Floral Parade this year. The annual event in St. Joseph and Benton Harbor is being canceled due to the coronavirus outbreak, and had been scheduled for May 2nd. The Blossomtime
From the Associated Press — Ford, General Motors, Fiat Chrysler, Honda and Toyota confirm they will temporarily shut down all of their North American factories due to the coronavirus threat. Ford said its plants will close after
A rash of car break-ins has been seen in Hartford lately. The Hartford Police Department put out word on Wednesday it’s handled 16 larceny from vehicle cases in the past five days. 13 of them were in
To help reduce the spread of COVID-19, Governor Gretchen Whitmer has issued an executive order allowing public bodies to meet remotely. Her office has issued the following statement: Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed Executive Order 2020-15 to
Tax foreclosures in Michigan are now being delayed until May 29 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Governor Whitmer made the announcement Wednesday afternoon in the latest in a series of executive orders over the past week. “There
The Berrien County Health Department is investigating a case of possible COVID-19 exposure at a concert at Andrews University in Berrien Springs. The concert artist, singer Sandi Patty, announced on her Facebook page on Tuesday she had
Many churches have gone to online-only services due to the coronavirus outbreak, and now there’s word from Bishop Paul Bradley suspending all public Masses for Catholic churches in the Diocese of Kalamazoo through Palm Sunday, April 5.
The coronavirus pandemic is causing plenty of anxiety and worry for public health, but it’s also bringing out the best in many people. One example of that is the Southwest Michigan Regional Chamber’s new Buy Local Berrien
Martin’s Super Markets and Roger’s Foodland in St. Joseph have reserved time for seniors only to grocery shop. Roger’s tells us its store will switch to new hours, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday, and the
Northside Municipal Marina in South Haven will be closed for the 2020 boating season. The city says the closure is to make needed electrical upgrades, as high water has compromised the shore power electric system. That could
The number of positive cases of COVID-19 in Michigan is up to 80. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services says 15 new cases have been confirmed as of 2 p.m. Wednesday, and all of the
Congressman Fred Upton is expecting the U.S. Senate to get to work on an economic stimulus package this week. He tells WSJM News it will likely be around $1 trillion to carry the country through the coronavirus.
As the coronavirus outbreak continues, the PGA of America is considering its options when it comes to the 2020 Senior PGA Championship, which is still set for May 19 through May 24 in Benton Harbor. A statement
Benton Harbor city officials are doing what they can to protect residents during the COVID-19 outbreak. At a Tuesday press conference, Mayor Marcus Muhammad noted the city is suspending water shutoffs and reconnecting those who already had
Governor Gretchen Whitmer has issued another executive order, this time intended to increase operational capacity and efficiency in Michigan hospitals. Her office has issued the following statement: “Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed Executive Order 2020-13, to temporarily
Benton Harbor Area Schools Superintendent Andrae Townsel says staff are working to disinfect the school buildings with classes shut down for three weeks. During his portion of a community update at Benton Harbor City Hall on Tuesday,
With the governor limiting the size of gatherings in Michigan as part of COVID-19 response, many churches are improvising. Overflow Church Pastor Brian Bennett tells WSJM News they went into Sunday thinking services would be normal, but
The Berrien County Health Department is in contact with nearly 250 local organizations as it responds to the COVID-19 outbreak. At a briefing in Benton Harbor on Tuesday, county health officer Nicki Britten said there will be
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has issued a consumer alert about scams seeking to take advantage of the coronavirus. Her office has issued the following statement: “Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel today issued a consumer alert reminding Michigan residents
The Van Buren County Trial Court is closing all courts through April 5 in response to COVID-19. The court has released the following statement: “After collaboration with Van Buren County officials, Chief Judge Kathleen M. Brickley, acting
Berrien County Public Transportation has announced it’s reducing some bus routes. The county has released the following statement: “Effective Wednesday, March 18th Berrien County Public Transportation (Berrien Bus) will be suspending all scheduled flex route services until
Michigan State Police out of the Niles post are working to spread the word about where southwest Michigan students can get free meals with classes cancelled. Michigan State Police released the following statement. “Many schools are still
Commencement for Lake Michigan College is being moved from May to August along with the Honors Convocation. LMC has issued a reminder to students that classes will resume online only on Monday, as the campus will be
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan is urging people to fill out their census form. “In 2010, Detroit had the lowest return rate in America,” said Duggan. “We probably lost $300 million over the past decade. How much would
Michigan now has 65 positive cases of coronavirus, up from 54 on Monday. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services says there are two new cases in the city of Detroit, three in Macomb County, two
The Michigan Department of Education has released a map showing locations where meals are being provided to students while schools are closed. The department has released the following statement: “The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) is pleased
Saying these are “unprecedented times” calling for “unprecedented measures,” the Lake Michigan Shore Wine Trail is canceling this year’s annual wine festival. It’s normally held the third Saturday in June, but the coronavirus pandemic has organizers deciding
St. Joseph City Manager John Hodgson says contrary to a published report, he’s not sick and had no exposure to coronavirus while on vacation, but is self-quarantined out of an abundance of caution. Mayor Mike Garey addressed
Over 2,700 Red Cross blood drives nationwide have been canceled because of the coronavirus. “We schedule a lot of blood drives at high schools and colleges and that represents about 20% of our donor base,” said Lansing-based
All elective surgeries and procedures are being canceled by Bronson Healthcare starting Wednesday. Patients are being notified. The move is among the latest responses to the coronavirus pandemic. The hospital system says the decision will reduce the
