Local News Archives

The bluff has been lit. Hundreds gathered in downtown St. Joseph Friday night for the annual Light the Bluff celebration to kick off the holiday season. After a few words from St. Joe Mayor Mike Garey and

The nation’s jobless rate fell to 4.6% in November. That’s a nine-year low. However, coupled with weak pay increases in 2016, it suggests longer-term challenges for the US economy. Employers added 178,000 jobs last month. Michigan News

Ford is recalling more than 680,000 midsize sedans mainly in North America because the front seat belts may not hold people in a crash. The recall covers certain 2013 to 2016 Ford Fusion, 2013 to 2015 Lincoln

The U.S. Senate could give final approval to the 21st Century Cures legislation next week. The plan, heavily pushed by Congressman Fred Upton, would speed up the approval of new drugs and medical device while setting aside

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder has ordered flags to be lowered to honor a Detroit police officer killed in the line of duty. The governor’s office says in a release that U.S. and Michigan flags will be lowered to

Bond has been set at $500,000 for the man charged in a Wednesday fatal shooting in Benton Township. The Berrien County Prosecutor’s office says 20-year-old Anthony Sanders was arraigned Friday on charges of felony murder, open murder,

Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette has filed a lawsuit to stop Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein’s request to recount Michigan’s 4.8 million presidential ballots. It comes on the same day canvassers are meeting in Lansing to discuss

You’ll see more state police on I-94 in Michigan, Ohio and Indiana next week. The three states are combining on a commercial vehicle enforcement to cut down on crashes called “Eyes on 94.” The focus by motor

A new report finds it’s rare for a juvenile serving a life sentence in the U.S. to get paroled, even though the Supreme Court has ruled they can be. The ACLU’s “False Hope” report also shows few

It’s time once again for Bears in the Air. That’s an annual collection drive done by South Bend International Airport. They take teddy bears to be given to kids in hospitals all over the region. Airport Director

Congressman Fred Upton’s 21st Century Cures legislation has been approved by the U.S. House. Upton has spent the past few years backing the package designed to speed up the approval process for new drugs and medical devices.

There will be plenty of fun in downtown St. Joseph Friday night as the community gathers to light up the bluff. St. Joe Today’s Brian Smith tells WSJM News it’s a winter tradition. “Promptly at 6:30, after

A suspect has been arrested in a Wednesday night fatal shooting in Benton Township. Police say 20-year-old Anthony Sanders, of Benton Township, is facing charges of open murder and armed robbery after the killing of 43-year-old Kenneth

A new honor for Benton Harbor High School Football Coach Eliot Uzelac. The Detroit Lions announced on Thursday he’s their High School Football Coach of the Year. Uzelac has gotten national attention since taking charge of the

A new report from the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning finds 41% of young adult drivers will admit to texting while driving. T?he office’s Kendal Wingrove tells us the best way for the police to to

Observers representing Democrat Hillary Clinton, Republican Donald Trump and Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein are spread out throughout Wisconsin to watch as ballots are recounted. Trump’s Wisconsin campaign director Pete Meachum was in Madison on Thursday for

Black Friday deals were expected to pull November U.S. auto sales out of their recent slump. General Motors’ sales jumped 10 percent over last November, while Toyota’s sales were up 4 percent. Nissan’s sales rose 7.5%. Total sales of

Michigan Republicans are considering new legislation to change the procedure for voters who don’t show a photo ID at their polling place. A bill up for a potential vote Thursday in the House Elections Committee would require

Efforts to rid Michigan communities of plastic shopping bags would be banned under legislation headed to Governor Rick Snyder. The Republican-controlled House approved the bill on a mostly party-line 62-46 vote Thursday. The measure won Senate passage in

Benton Township Police Department is asking for your help in finding a suspect in the shooting death of a man who was killed Wednesday night. Police were called to the 1900 block of East Empire Avenue around

There’s been some back and forth the past month between the Mackinac Center for Public Policy and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation about whether the Pure Michigan tourism ad campaign really works, and now the Mackinac Center

It looks like a recount of this year’s presidential election is happening in Michigan, and county clerks across the state are preparing. Van Buren County Clerk Tina Leary tells WSJM News it’s going to be a hand

With violent incidents now seeming to happen on a regular basis at college campuses around the U.S. you may be wondering if local institutions have taken steps to be prepared. Lake Michigan College President Dr. Bob Harrison

A big donation this week to the Berrien County Sheriff’s Department, thanks to the Berrien Community Foundation and folks like you. The community foundation’s Lisa Cripps Downey on Wednesday presented Sheriff Paul Bailey with a check for

You can expect prices at the pump to go up come January, as OPEC on Wednesday announced it’s cutting production by 1.2 million barrels a day. AAA’s Susan Hiltz tells WSJM News that’ll make crude oil prices

The United Way of Southwest Michigan is hoping to edge closer to its fundraising goal for the year with an online auction that’s open right now. The United Way’s Josh Kirshman tells WSJM News this is the first online

Recounting nearly 4.8 million votes across all 83 counties in Michigan would cost more than the originally estimated amount. State Republican party chair Ronna Romney McDaniel says officials and county clerks have done the math. “The estimate

A legislative committee has voted to close the pension system to newly hired school employees in Michigan and instead provide them solely a 401(k) in retirement. The Republican-controlled Senate could pass the legislation later Wednesday and send it

Michigan officials say able-bodied adults without dependents in four counties must meet work requirements to continue receiving food assistance after January 1. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services said Wednesday it’s notifying about 14,000 people in

Michigan Governor Rick Snyder has signed legislation to limit the number of state-sponsored license plates used to raise money for groups and causes. Wednesday’s signing came after legislation was approved Tuesday by the Senate and House to cap