News

Gregg K. Woodward, 39 of Coloma passed away unexpectedly on October 3, 2022 in Benton Harbor.... ...Read Full Story

A home invasion at the Briarwood Apartments in Benton Township late last night has resulted in one fatality. According to the Benton Township police department, just before 11:30 pm, two 2 men wearing masks forced their way into one of the apartments armed with a handgun. The two then ordered the occupants of the living room to get down. Another resident who was in one of the bedrooms overheard what was going on and grabbed a rifle. That’s when gun fire was exchanged. The masked men tried to flee, while still firing. After police arrived they found one of the masked men lying on the pavement with a gunshot wound to the chest. The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene, while police were unable to find the 2nd suspect, even bringing a K-9 to try to track him down. Police were able to identify the suspect that died on the pavement, but have not released his identity. They have not ID’d the second suspect. The four adults in the home and 3 children were not harmed. Police are asking anybody with information to contact the Benton Township Police department at 925-1135 or call Crimestoppers at 574-288-STOP.... ...Read Full Story

A one car crash, just before midnight last night, sends a woman to the hospital with critical injuries. Around 11:45 Saturday night, officers were dispatched to a one car accident on Maudlin Rd near Behner Rd in New Buffalo Township.  When they arrived, they found that a vehicle driven by 57-year-old Reba Waterson of Dowagiac had failed to negotiate a curve in the roadway which caused her to lose control and run off of the road striking a large cement structure in a front yard.  Waterson was taken to St. Anthony’s Hospital in Michigan City with critical injuries.  Authorities believe alcohol was not a factor in the crash  It remains under investigation by the Berrien County Sheriff’s Department.... ...Read Full Story

There is some movement in the case against former Benton Harbor Area Schools Superintendent Dr. Leonard Seawood. School board president Joseph Taylor says they’ve been informed charges are coming.... ...Read Full Story

Disgraced former state Representative Cindy Gamrat of Plainwell is alleging wiretapping, stalking and defamation in a lawsuit against the Michigan House, former House Speaker Kevin Cotter and her soon-to-be former husband. The defendants include Cotter and his chief of staff and general counsel, ex-staffers Keith Allard and Ben Graham, Joe Gamrat and many others. Fellow Republican and former lover Todd Courser previously filed a suit with a similar list of defendants, but later filed a motion to dismiss over failing health. Both conservative Christians were accused of using taxpayer resources to cover up their affair. That scandal led to Courser tendering his resignation in September 2015. Gamrat was thrown out of office an hour after Courser stepped down.... ...Read Full Story

The Waterfront Film Festival will not be returning to South Haven. The festival left South Haven in 2013 for Saugatuck and was canceled in 2015 due to a partnership with ArtPrize in Grand Rapids for a film competition. Organizers now say they have a permanent home being set up in Holland that will give them a year-round facility for screening films and for education and other purposes. A matching grant from the Michigan Council for Arts & Cultural Affairs helped to make the permanent home possible. Ticket information for the grand opening on June 22 will be announced next month.... ...Read Full Story

A 78-year-old Harbert man is being treated at Lakeland Hospital in St. Joseph for back, head, and neck injuries after a rollover crash in Bridgman. Police were called to the scene around 11:20 a.m. Tuesday on Lake Street near Pine Street and found the man trapped inside the car. Investigators believe he suffered a medical incident prior to the crash, causing him to cross into the oncoming lanes and then into a brick planter. The crash is still being looked into, and the man’s name has not been released.... ...Read Full Story

A woman remains in the hospital after being hit by a car while riding her bicycle. The incident happened around 11:30 yesterday (Monday) morning on County Road 354 in Porter Township. 67-year-old rider was riding southbound when a car, driven by a 35-year-old man hit her from behind. Sheriff’s Deputies report the driver appeared to be under the influence of drugs and was arrested. He is being held in the Van Buren County Jail for possession of Marijuana and operating a motor vehicle with the presence of drugs. The bicyclist was transported to Bronson Hospital in Kalamazoo and is listed in stable condition. Their names have not been released.... ...Read Full Story

The St. Joseph Department of Public Safety will have a new vehicle designed to patrol area beaches this summer. On Monday, city commissioners approved spending about $20,000 for the four-person side-by-side ATV. Public Safety Director Brian Uridge tells WSJM News it allows for all kinds of enforcement and aid.... ...Read Full Story

It’s time to start picking up Easter candy. As it turns out, Americans quite a lot on it each year. University of Detroit-Mercy marketing Professor Mike Bernacchi spoke with Michigan News Network.... ...Read Full Story

Congressman Fred Upton will be in St. Joseph Tuesday to honor a veteran. He’s presenting 11 overdue service medals to Lewis Bolman, of St. Joseph. Bolman served in the United States Army during Operation Desert Shield and Storm. Among the honors Bolman is getting are the Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster, Army Good Conduct Medal, Southwest Asia Service Medal with three Bronze Service Stars, Army Service Ribbon, and the Overseas Service Ribbon. Upton will hand over the medals to Bolman at his office on Main Street in St. Joseph at 4 p.m.... ...Read Full Story

The Michigan Department of Transportation will soon begin a couple of big repaving projects in Van Buren County. Spokesperson Nick Schirripa tells WSJM News work on I-196 near South Haven will begin next Monday.... ...Read Full Story

Some big water system improvements could soon be coming to the city of St. Joseph. On Monday, commissioners approved moving forward with a wide-ranging effort to update infrastructure, including pipes and the water plant. It’ll be paid for with two bonds in 2018 and 2020, totaling about $14.6 million. City Commissioner Mary Goff tells WSJM News the project is needed.... ...Read Full Story

We’re down to the final four in state Senator John Proos’ Southwest Michigan Spirit Tournament. Proos holds the contest each year to find out which community has the most pride in its schools, taking photo submissions through his Facebook and Twitter accounts. Folks just need to show how they’re proud. Proos announced Monday the final four this time around are Michigan Lutheran versus Watervliet, and Centreville versus Marcellus. The schools that enter Proos’ contest each year are all in his district. You can find out more at SenatorJohnProos.com.... ...Read Full Story

Deputies with the Berrien County Sheriff’s Department have received some extra training on how to spot cases of animal cruelty. They spent Monday with Michael Gabrielson, of the Humane Society of the United States. He told WSJM News police officers often need a little extra info on what animal cruelty looks like in its various forms.... ...Read Full Story

If you’ve got a bunch of junk piled up in your basement or garage and you’d like to have it recycled, this is your week. Berrien County Environmental Property Manager Jill Adams tells WSJM News the county is doing a Reduce, Reuse, Recycle event on Wednesday at Lake Michigan College. Lots of people always show up.... ...Read Full Story

Two children are recovering after they were attacked by a dog in Cass County on Sunday. The sheriff’s department tells our newsroom the two-year-old and seven-year-old were saved by a 44-year-old woman who was also hurt. The attack happened about 5:40 p.m. in the 63,000 block of Crooked Creek in Calvin Township. Sheriff’s deputies were able to get the dog into custody, and it’s being kept in quarantine for ten days before they decide what to do with it. The two-year-old is now in an Indianapolis hospital after being airlifted to South Bend due to severe head trauma. The seven-year-old was treated at Lakeland in Niles, along with the woman who helped them. Police say criminal charges could be pursued in the case against the dog’s owner.... ...Read Full Story

From the Associated Press — A former Michigan lawmaker kicked out of the House because of a sex scandal says she was illegally expelled and deserves back pay. Cindy Gamrat, a Republican from Allegan County, says House leaders violated her rights in 2015. She filed a new lawsuit last week in federal court in Grand Rapids. Gamrat is seeking back pay as well as money for distress and humiliation. She says she had struck a deal to be censured, not removed from office. Attorney Sarah Riley Howard, a lawyer representing two former House aides, says the lawsuit “has no merit.” Gamrat’s former husband is also named in the lawsuit. He’s accused of using listening devices to try to catch Gamrat and Todd Courser, a Lapeer County Republican, in their affair. Courser quit the House.... ...Read Full Story

The Associated Press erroneously reported this weekend that Consumers Energy planned to buy the Palisades Nuclear Plant and convert it to Natural Gas. That is not happening, and the AP has since issued a correction. The real story is that Consumers Energy is shopping around for an existing gas powered facility that can provide the megawatts they will be losing when the Covert reactor shuts down in the summer of 2018. The Michigan Public Service Commission says it may not approve the closure of the plant without the assurance that Consumers has the juice it needs to cover peak loads. They are planning a pair of public hearings on the issue on May 8th.... ...Read Full Story