Local News Archives

A new minimum wage takes effect in Michigan in one month. Come January 1, the state’s minimum wage goes up to $9.25 per hour from $8.90 per hour. This is the final scheduled increase provided for in

There are some new Michigan State Police troopers coming to southwest Michigan. State Police graduated their 133rd Trooper Recruit School this week, announcing the locations to which all 127 graduates will be sent. Paw Paw-based Michigan State

If you happened to notice a convoy of police, electric crews, and a huge flatbed truck moving through your town this week, it was likely some equipment headed to the Palisades nuclear power plant in Covert Township.

Lieutenant Governor Brian Calley has kicked off his campaign for governor. Speaking with WSJM’s Pat Moody this week, Calley said he wants to move up to the governor’s office because he’d like to continue the policies of

The Niles Scream Park has ended another season by giving out more than $110,000 to non-profits all over the region. The attraction itself is a non-profit, and the more then 400 volunteers who worked there this Halloween

A Watervliet woman is dead following a crash with a semi in Hartford Township Friday morning. Michigan State Police tells us it happened around 7:30 a.m. on County Road 687 at 66th Avenue. 68-year-old Deborah Baier of

A Benton Harbor man has been charged in the April shooting death of another Benton Harbor man. The Berrien County Prosecutor’s office tells WSJM News 30-year-old John Conyers was killed on April 7 of this year when

It’s not all fun and games when it comes to children’s toys, as the annual Trouble in Toyland report from the U.S. Public Interest Research Group points out. There are concerns over lead content, inaccurate or misleading

From the Associated Press — Legislation that has advanced another step in Michigan would let hunters kill frogs year round and lift a ban against spearing frogs by using an artificial light. The House passed the bill 69-39

Tonight is the night. They’ll light up the bluff starting at 6 p.m. You’ll hear the St. Joseph High School Choir -sing for about a half hour, and then the city says one million lights will be

From the Associated Press — General Motors expects to have autonomous vehicles working commercially in big cities sometime in 2019. The company made the prediction Thursday in slides posted on its website ahead of an investor presentation. The

A crash between a passenger vehicle and a semi has killed one adult and injured two kids in Van Buren County. It happened around 7:30 a.m. near the intersection of County Road 678 and 66th Avenue in

A new focus at the OutCenter in Benton Harbor — moms. OutCenter Director Mary Jo Schnell tells WSJM News the last presidential election brought a lot of mothers through the OutCenter’s doors, concerned about trends they were

The FBI and the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Department are looking for answers in an arson in Decatur that killed a 31-year-old woman. Sheriff Dan Abbott says the victim is believed to be the woman who was

The latest economic outlook report for west Michigan from the Upjohn Institute for Employment Research shows the region’s economy was mostly flat in the second quarter. Upjohn Regional Analyst Brian Pittelko tells WSJM News Berrien County saw

A plastic injection mold company in Stevensville has announced a major expansion. Dura Mold, which also produces die casts, is investing $1.4 million in an 8,000 square foot addition. It’s expected to create 7 new jobs. The

Michigan State Police have announced an art contest for fifth graders all across the state. They’re looking for designs for the 2018 National Missing Children’s Day Poster. MSP’s Jolene Hardesty tells WSJM News Missing Children’s Day is

Coming up this month will be a couple of workshops organized by Cornerstone Alliance to get business owners up to speed on how to handle Benton Harbor’s new city income tax. The tax approved by voters in

U.S. Representative John Conyers, who is facing allegations of sexual misconduct, was hospitalized Wednesday night. Attorney Arnold Reed spoke with reporters. “Congressman Conyers was walking around in his home, he felt lightheaded, and they rushed him to the hospital,” Reed

Kinexus is receiving $1.2 million in state funding this year to help provide local employers with more training opportunities for their workers. Kinexus Business Director Jeff Hannan tells WSJM News it all comes from the state’s Skilled

Michigan State Police are investigating a farming death in Bainbridge Township. Troopers say first responders were sent to a cut cornfield in the 9,400 block of Territorial Road around 7:20 p.m. on Wednesday and found the body of

Holiday shopping time is now, and police say you need to keep your guard up to avoid thieves. Berrien County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Kelly Laesch tells WSJM News you should have a plan if you get separated

Michigan’s firearm deer season ends today. Chad Stewart, the Deer Management Specialist for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, says as they start to look at numbers, it appears to have been a good season. “All indications

The Van Buren County Sheriff’s Department is investigating a crash between a car and a pedestrian in Arlington Township. It happened around 5:30 last night in the 57-thousand block of 48th Avenue when a Kalamazoo woman was

University of Michigan President Mark Schlissel has said his administration has not made a decision yet about whether to allow white supremacist Richard Spencer to speak on campus. Schlissel did say he would meet with Spencer’s group,

The Michigan Attorney General’s office is reminding everyone to be careful about where they give their charitable donations this Christmas season. The AG’s office tells us it has released its annual Giving Wisely brochure, a resource that

The city of South Haven has its eye on a new recreational development. The city manager’s office tells us the South Haven Area Recreation Authority Board has settled on a new location for the long-proposed South Haven

Millions of dollars in grant money coming to Michigan will be used to help help the state develop talent and companies to fill thousand of jobs. The Skilled Trades Training Fund ensures residents have continued access to