Local News Archives

The proposition that women ought to make the same amount of money as men for the same job is back in the U.S. House of Representatives. The Paycheck Fairness Act was reintroduced on Wednesday and is backed

Students don’t have to worry about this week’s blast of severe weather pushing their school year into the summer. The Michigan Department of Education told districts this week they will get an extra three days of snow

The National Human Rights Campaign for Equity is once again this year ranking Michigan low on their State Equity Index because it is still legal to discriminate against someone based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.

From the Associated Press — More than 250 Michigan communities have banned marijuana businesses just two months after the state became the first in the Midwest to legalize the drug for recreational use. MLive reports that some cities

The Southwest Michigan Human Trafficking Task Force is hoping to see communities around Berrien, Cass, and Van Buren counties take a page from South Bend and approve their own anti-human trafficking resolutions. Task Force founder Cathy Knauf

Michigan State Police say they responded to 183 traffic crashes across southwest Michigan this week. Thanks to the severe weather, the highways were the scene of crashes throughout the region. In addition to responding to all of

With the weather expected to quickly warm up this weekend and into next week, FEMA is advising everyone to watch their homes for signs of possible flooding. Region V Administrator James Joseph tells WSJM News low-lying areas

South Haven isn’t the only southwest Michigan community with an ice fest this weekend. Saturday will bring the 23rd Ice-Time Festival in Dowagiac. There will be ice carving all over the downtown area starting at 8 a.m.

One of South Haven’s largest annual events is happening this weekend. It’s the 26th annual Ice Breaker Festival running Friday through Sunday. With the weather forecast calling for a warm up, organizers say the conditions should be

Consumers Energy CEO Patti Poppe is thanking all natural gas heating customers statewide for cutting back their usage Wednesday night and throughout the day and night today following a fire that knocked a large storage and compression

A new scholarship is being offered by the Berrien Community Foundation to those interested in pursuing an education in nursing. The scholarship fund set up by Mark and Jean Penwell will cover two $1,500 nursing scholarships each

Everyone wants the roads fixed, but nobody wants to pay for it. Governor Whitmer was elected on a promise to get the roads fixed and is expected to unveil her plans for that in March. To that

Consumers Energy officials say the plea to everyone across the state to dial back their thermostat to 65 degrees to cut down on natural gas usage is working. It was the result of a fire at their

(Mackinac Island, MI – AP) – Mackinac Island is challenging a state agency’s decision to let the pipeline company Enbridge install anchor supports for its Line 5 oil pipes in the Straits of Mackinac, which links Lakes

Flags around the state will be lowered to half-staff Saturday to honor Army Corporal Cole Wixom. The 24-year-old from Bloomingdale was killed January 22 in a training accident in New Mexico. Wixom graduated from Bloomingdale High School

Michigan Fire Marshal Kevin Sehlmeyer is urging fire safety for all Michiganders during this week’s frigid weather. Sehlmeyer says seniors, in particular, need to be careful. He tells us 63% of the 136 fire fatalities in Michigan

Consumers Energy is calling on all customers to voluntarily reduce their natural gas usage as a result of an unexpected gas incident in Southeast Michigan. Consumers tells us there was a problem at a gas compressor station

From the Associated Press — Michigan health officials say a child from Alpena County is the second in the state to die from the flu this season. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services confirmed this

Legislation to prevent additional government shutdowns could be coming soon in Congress. Congressman Fred Upton tells WSJM News the bill being worked on now would allow for automatic funding renewals even when members of Congress can’t agree

Heating bills across southwest Michigan will likely go up as a result of the frigid weather we’re having this week, and state Representative Brad Paquette of Berrien Springs wants to remind everyone help is available. He tells

A brand new radio station has been launched in Benton Harbor-St. Joseph. Quality Rock 95.7 The Lake went on the air at noon Wednesday. Director of Programming and Content Bill Gamble tells WSJM News it’s all about

Work is underway in Congress to address the issue of PFAS contamination in water. Congressman Dan Kildee told CSPAN this week, first, the new PFAS Task Force wants to ask the EPA to evaluate the standards for

The city of South Haven is closing all non-essential government services on Thursday. It tells us the South Haven Police Department and emergency services will continue to be open and operational. City crews will continue snow removal

All Michigan state government offices, including the Legislature, will remain closed again Thursday. Governor Whitmer says shutting things down due to the weather isn’t an easy decision but felt it was important to do so early enough

The CEO of Sturgis Hospital, who executed dramatic cutbacks including the elimination of their birthing and hospice centers, has now also gotten the ax. The hospital board relieved CEO Rob LaBarge of his duties when they met

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is putting propane dealers on notice regarding potential price gouging due to the extreme cold. She is asking propane customers to report any sharp increases in price during the state of emergency

Cass County Sheriff Richard Behnke is stopping short of issuing a travel ban, but is telling people to stay home and off the roads if at all possible today. The county is experiencing near-blizzard conditions with frequent

The League of Women Voters of Berrien and Cass Counties will host a forum on Berrien County transportation problems next month. League President Marilyn Klawiter tells WSJM News public transportation is sorely lacking in the area. “It’s

Congressman Fred Upton is hopeful another government shutdown can be averted. The deal last week that re-opened the federal government following its more than 30-day partial shutdown was intended to give Congress and the president three weeks

Bridgman Public Schools has gotten in on the craze of turning snow days into viral celebrations. F.C. Reed Middle School Principal John Truesdell passed along a video to us this week featuring a Bridgman Bee mascot engaging