“Ugly and inhumane.” That’s how Congressman Fred Upton describes the separation of undocumented parents and their kids at the U.S. and Mexico border. The Trump administration has been under fire for the practice of keeping the children
He’s already serving life in prison without parole for one murder, and now 48-year-old Jeffrey Willis of Muskegon has a second identical sentence. That was handed down Monday in a Muskegon County courtroom for the death of
Not one, but two area schools have state titles to celebrate. Coloma won the District 3 girls softball championship in Saturday with a 7-6 win over Millington for their first ever state championship in the sport and
Members of the Rotary Club of St. Joseph-Benton Harbor are celebrating the local chapter’s 100th anniversary this year, and got a treat over the weekend. Rotary International President Ian Riseley was the keynote speaker at the centennial
A southwest Michigan man is raising money and awareness in the fight against childhood cancer with a bike ride along the entire length of Route 66 this summer. Mark Linder of Paw Paw tells WSJM News he
A Freedom of Information Act request has been filed with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission by a coalition of environmental groups seeking more information on a possible bailout for aging nuclear and coal power plants. Terry Lodge, attorney
The Coloma/St. Joseph KOA Campground is getting a boost from Hagar Township. The township board this week approved a Commercial Rehabilitation Exemption Certificate for upgrades at the campground. The move freezes the taxable value of the property
Farmers in southwest Michigan are welcoming in people for U-Pick strawberry season. Steve Lecklider is the manager of Lehman’s Orchards in Niles and spoke to our partners at WNDU NewsCenter 16 about the start of the season,
Congressman Fred Upton is hailing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Fiscal Year 2018 Work Plan because it includes money to dredge recreational harbors in southwest Michigan. He tells WSJM News the weather this year has left
The American Red Cross has launched a new summer blood collection campaign aimed at drawing attention to the need for different blood types. Red Cross spokesperson Tod Kulman tells WSJM News the Missing Types campaign will partner
State Senator John Proos is pleased with the budget approved by Michigan lawmakers on Tuesday. The $57 billion spending plan for the 2019 fiscal year includes boosts in funding for education, courts, and roads. Proos tells us
Progress is being made in the battle by the city of St. Joseph against Japanese knotweed, but it’s slow. Public Works director Tom MacDonald says when he goes into the ravine at this time of year, he
The senior population is the United States is growing rapidly and funding for senior services has not kept up. That’s why one organization is seeking a millage increase this summer. Senior Services of Van Buren County Director
Congressman Fred Upton spoke on the U.S. House floor Tuesday as the chamber passed his legislation intended to fight the opioid epidemic. He tells WSJM News his bill in the legislative package focuses on developing alternatives to
Berrien County Treasurer Bret Witkowski is seeing an increase in the amount of property taxes his office can collect since the closure of a loophole last year. Witkowski tells WSJM News the loophole closed by legislation from
The first half of the year is done for state lawmakers, and they’re taking a few months off for the summer as is tradition in election years to campaign. WSJM News talked with Representative Dave Pagel of
33 southwest Michigan non-profit organizations have been selected for Heart of Cook grants this year. The Berrien Community Foundation tells us more than $53,000 is included in the 2018 plan. The Heart of Cook is a corporate-advised
Starting Monday, kids 18 and under will still be able to get nutritious meals this summer with school being out. The Boys & Girls Club of Benton Harbor is continuing its Summer Food Service Program for all
Albemarle Corporation of South Haven has made a $15,000 donation to the Al-Van Humane Society for critical medical care and life saving emergencies for animals and to finish work on the new adoption center on Blue Star
Overall, state Representative Dave Pagel says the Fiscal Year 2019 budget that’s been sent to Governor Snyder this week is good. He tells WSJM News that there’s always something that someone can find in the plan they’re
From the Associated Press — Vice President Mike Pence came to Michigan to raise money for Bill Schuette’s gubernatorial campaign and to highlight the effect of federal tax cuts on businesses and workers. Pence first attended a fundraiser
State Senator David Knezek, a Democrat from Dearborn Heights, wants to lower Michigan’s voting age to 16. He spoke with Michigan News Network about the idea. “Compromise is not a four-letter word here in my view of
Officials with the Van Buren County Road Commission are spending a big part of this summer trying to educate the public about the need for additional road funding in the hope of getting a new millage approved
A group of Chikaming Township residents is working to raise enough money to purchase a parcel of land next to Cherry Beach so they can keep it pristine. Cherry Beach Committee Co-Chair Susan Phelan tells WSJM News
The Berrien County Health Department is putting the word out to residents about how they can tell if the water at local beaches is healthy to swim in this summer. Spokesperson Gillian Conrad tells WSJM News the
There will be a special guest riding in the Three Oaks Flag Day Parade this Sunday. It’s seven-year-old Kennedy Arney of St. Joseph, and she’ll be decked out in a police uniform and sworn in for the
From the Associated Press — Interim Michigan State University President John Engler is not caving to calls from board trustees and legislators for him to resign. After two trustees said Friday that Engler was unfit to lead the
A 12-year-old southwest Michigan girl spending the summer in Chicago has been shot and killed just hours after attending a cousin’s eighth-grade graduation. Family members at the hospital identified the girl as She’nyah O’Flynn of Covert. She
The Benton Harbor Area Schools board of education may have acted prematurely in announcing the selection of Dr. Robert Herrera, the superintendent of South Haven Public Schools, as the district’s new CEO. Herrera has issued a statement
From the Associated Press — Michigan now has the country’s strictest drinking water rules for lead. The plan filed Thursday will eventually result in the replacement of all 500,000 lead service pipes statewide in the wake of the
