If you’re a Berrien County resident interested in meeting your local Michigan House representative, you’ll have a few chances in the next month or so. Both state Representatives Kim LaSata and Dave Pagel are planning local office hours. LaSata, of the 79th District, has several sessions planned in St. Joseph, Benton Harbor, Watervliet, Bridgman, and Coloma. You can find the schedule below. Pagel, of the 78th District, also has a coffee hour planned for Saturday, February 25 at the Union Coffee House in Buchanan from 10 to 11:30 a.m. No appointment is needed to go to either’s event to chat with the representatives. Anyone looking for more information can call their offices.... [Read Full Story]
This Friday is the final day for the 2017 Y Country Radio St. Jude Children’s Hospital Radiothon at Silver Beach Center in St. Joseph. Y Country’s Matt Malone has been out there broadcasting live since Thursday, raising money for the hospital that treats kids with cancer free of charge. Malone tells WSJM News St. Jude doesn’t only treat the children, though. It’s also a premier researcher, always looking for a cure.... [Read Full Story]
Bangor Public Schools has been notified by the state it’s taking a hit in its monthly aid payment for February. Michigan Department of Education spokesperson Bill Disessa tells WSJM News they’ve been penalized $42,000 because a review late last year found former Superintendent Dennis Paquette and former high school assistant principal Mary Spade weren’t certified as administrators.... [Read Full Story]
Michigan House Republicans have unveiled their action plan for 2017. State Representative Beth Griffin, of Mattawan, tells WSJM News she’s excited some of her pet issues are included in the plan.... [Read Full Story]
From the Associated Press — A pilot project has been started to reduce student absenteeism in two western Michigan school districts. Kent County’s 17th Circuit Court in Grand Rapids says Thursday that its Truancy Court will provide up to 20 lawyers to work with students in Wyoming and Godwin Heights schools. The lawyers are providing their legal services free of charge. Students and their families also will have access to community services through the court’s crisis intervention program. The goal is to get students services they need to overcome attendance barriers and get them back in school. The project is based on a truancy court in Ingham County.... [Read Full Story]
From the Associated Press — A Republican legislative leader is defending a quick vote to gradually eliminate Michigan’s income tax after Governor Rick Snyder criticized the move. Speaker Tom Leonard said Thursday the measure isn’t a “difficult bill to understand” and it’s well known cutting taxes is a priority for the House GOP. When a committee advanced the tax cut Wednesday, the Republican governor – who
has concerns about the budget implications of a cut – issued a rare rebuke of lawmakers by questioning the vote after one 90-minute hearing.
Leonard says he’s “disappointed” by Snyder’s criticism. He says both sides of the legislation had their say in the “deliberative” meeting.
Leonard spoke after the House majority outlined guiding principles for the two-year term. Priorities include tackling auto insurance premiums and public employee retirement costs.... [Read Full Story]
Secretary of State Ruth Johnson has sent Vice President Mike Pence a list of recommendations to strengthen the elections system. She tells Michigan News Network one thing would be to make Social Security information available to clear dead voters from the voter rolls. She done some of that in her own office.... [Read Full Story]
(Lansing, MI – AP) – Michigan regulators say all power providers met or exceeded a requirement to supply 10% of their electricity from renewable sources in 2015. The standard will increase to 12.5% in 2019 and to 15% in 2021. The Michigan Public Service Commission says the 10 percent standard has led to the development of more than 1,670 megawatts of new renewable energy projects, mostly wind farms. Chairwoman Sally Talberg said Wednesday the average price of renewable power is considerably less than was forecast in initial plans.... [Read Full Story]
Michigan lawmakers looking to phase out the state’s income tax over time without a plan to replace it won’t find much support from their constituents, according to a new survey. The poll, commissioned by the Michigan League for Public Policy, found that nearly three-quarters of those surveyed oppose the plan – introduced in both the Michigan House and Senate – that would leave up to a $9 billion hole in the state’s general fund.... [Read Full Story]
A third Bangor teacher is out of a job this week. The latest to resign is a chemistry teacher who was recorded on video by a student duct taping another student in class. She claims his arm movements were distracting and added it was meant to be a joke. Images were posted online of the incident, and the 16-year-old student felt humiliated by what happened. The student that took the photo also showed it to police, and the Van Buren County Prosecutor’s Office is looking into the situation.... [Read Full Story]
Home sales are expected to be strong around the country this year. That’s according to ReMax Vice President Jeannette Schneider, who tells us despite the increased interest rates, many first-time buyers would still be better served to get their own home instead of renting.... [Read Full Story]
Congressman Fred Upton has met with Vice President Mike Pence to talk about how the Affordable Care Act will be repealed. Upton tells WSJM News there’s a movement to proceed with the repeal in a cautious manner.... [Read Full Story]
Benton Harbor Area Schools has found a buyer for another one of its vacant buildings. On Tuesday, the board of education approved a plan to sell the former Boynton school building on Britain Avenue to Tri County Head Start. The program has been leasing space from the school district for years, but has grown enough to the point where it wants its own facility. It’s offered Benton Harbor Schools $50,000 for Boynton. The building’s estimated value is about $70,000. The district has to sell off some of its vacant properties under its consent agreement with the state. Board Trustee Elnora Gavin voted against proceeding with the sale at this week’s meeting, while the rest voted yes, although Trustee Lisa Gulley was not present.... [Read Full Story]
CSX Railroad is planning to send an engineer to St. Joseph next month to talk with local officials about a section of the bluff that some fear is in danger of collapsing. Part of the bluff near 2405 Old Lakeshore looks like it could cave in, and St. Joe City Manager John Hodgson tells WSJM News he, the mayor, and representatives of Congressman Fred Upton met with CSX this month to talk about it.... [Read Full Story]
A new AAA study shows young millennials top the list of worst behaved drivers. Spokeswoman Susan Hiltz tells us, according to the report, 88% of drivers between 19 and 24 are engaging in at least one risky behavior behind the wheel.... [Read Full Story]
A man who was a witness for prosecutors and had immunity for his testimony about a 1988 southwestern Michigan slaying has been acquitted of murder in the case. A jury this week returned the verdict in the case of Guy Carl Simpson in Van Buren County Circuit Court. He was charged last year in the slaying of 22-year-old Charles Paul Miller, of Bangor. Authorities say Simpson was one of three men who lured Miller into a marijuana field in Allegan County’s Lee Township, shot him in the back of the head because of a drug debt, and buried his body. Arrests first were made in the case in 2000. The Kalamazoo Gazette reports another defendant, Junior Fred Backston, is awaiting sentencing February 22 after a plea agreement.... [Read Full Story]
From the Associated Press — A Republican-led House panel has voted to cut Michigan’s income tax and eliminate it over a number of decades despite “serious concerns” lodged by Governor Rick Snyder. Supporters say the bill approved 7-4 Wednesday would fulfill a nearly
decade-old promise to reduce the 4.25% tax to 3.9% after it was raised to balance the budget. Opponents say the tax cut would cost the state
$680 million next budget year and $1.1 billion in the first full year at a time general funds are tightening. State Treasurer Nick Khouri, citing “serious concerns” with the bill, said business and other taxes have dropped $2.8 billion since the Republican governor took office. However, House Republicans countered average residents have not seen much relief and a tax cut would spur economic growth.... [Read Full Story]
From the Associated Press — A Michigan county’s practice of Christian-only prayers at public meetings has been declared unconstitutional by a federal appeals court. In a 2-1 decision Wednesday, the court ruled in favor of a Jackson County resident who was offended after he began attending county commissioner meetings in 2013 to discuss environmental issues. Peter Bormuth said he felt compelled to stand and participate in religion in order to speak to public officials. At one meeting, a commissioner turned his chair around when Bormuth complained about prayer.
The appeals court says prayer at public meetings can be legal. But in Jackson County, the court says only commissioners offered a prayer, not audience members, and the prayer was always Christian, not from other faiths. There was no immediate comment from the board chairman.... [Read Full Story]
Governor Rick Snyder is sticking by a decision to end state-funded credits on customers’ water bills in Flint. He says he and Flint Mayor Karen Weaver had a “constructive” meeting Tuesday, but he reaffirmed that the credits will last through February because the water’s lead level is no longer above a federal limit. Residents are still using filters.... [Read Full Story]
Make it three times for Kate Upton. The St. Joseph native is once again gracing the cover of the annual “Sports Illustrated” swimsuit issue, becoming only the fourth woman to do so three times. This year, she’s making the splash with three different covers. She’s previously been on the cover in 2012 and 2013, and she made the announcement Tuesday night on ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live.” Other women who did the cover three times include Tyra Banks, Heidi Klum and Christie Brinkley, who also is featured in this year’s edition with her two daughters. Elle Macpherson holds the record with five cover appearances. Other notables in this year’s edition include former cover girl Chrissy Teigen, an expectant mother and athletes including tennis champ Serena Williams and Olympic gold medal gymnast Simone Biles.... [Read Full Story]
From the Associated Press — An Indiana measure that would allow some epileptic people to be treated with oil derived from cannabis plants has cleared the state Senate. Indiana is among the last states to forbid even the issue of marijuana extracts that are low in THC and high in cannabidiol, or CBD, the compound that studies suggest may help reduce epileptic seizures. The measure creates a registry for some physicians, nurses, individuals and caregivers to treat intractable epilepsy with cannabidiol and permits pharmacies to dispense it. The Senate has sent it to the House for consideration. An amendment to the bill replaced references to “hemp oil” with cannabidiol. The measure defines cannabidiol as a plant extract or mixture containing less than 0.3 percent THC, at least 5 percent CBD and no other controlled substance.... [Read Full Story]
Benton Harbor Area Schools Superintendent Dr. Shelly Walker says last week’s visit by the Michigan School Reform office to the district went well. The SRO was in town to examine three schools targeted for closure this year, and Walker tells WSJM News she’s heard glowing things about what happened.... [Read Full Story]
A gun that was stolen about 40 years ago has finally been returned to its rightful owner in Grand Haven. The Grand Haven Tribune reports Dan Wiebenga and his brother were deer hunting the day his Ithaca 20-gauge pump shotgun was stolen from their pickup truck in 1977. Wiebenga eventually received a check from his insurance company after filing a police report, with which he bought a new gun. Grand Haven Department of Public Safety Lieutenant Joe Boyle says the Williamson County Sheriff’s Department in Texas called him in June 2016 to say they recovered the stolen gun during a traffic stop. Boyle says the young man who was stopped and his teenage step-brother were not charged because it was unlikely they knew it was a stolen gun. Wiebenga says the gun is still in good condition.... [Read Full Story]
Within the next few weeks, the Benton Harbor Area Schools Board of Education could approve a resolution expressing its opposition to the possible closure of three district buildings by the state. Board President Joseph Taylor tells WSJM News the sticking point is whether the resolution should express support for a proposed state Senate bill to repeal Michigan’s school reform law, eliminating the School Reform Office.... [Read Full Story]
Coming up this week is Y Country Radio’s annual Country Cares for Kids St. Jude Radiothon. Our sister station’s two-day broadcast from Silver Beach Center in St. Joseph will be to raise money for one of the world’s biggest cancer researchers. Y Country’s Matt Malone tells WSJM News St. Jude teats kids with cancer for free.... [Read Full Story]
Michigan Democratic leaders plan to introduce legislation to help the thousands of workers who were wrongly accused of fraud by the state Unemployment Insurance Agency. House Democratic Leader Sam Singh made the announcement Tuesday.... [Read Full Story]
The Michigan School Reform Office has 38 schools across the state targeted for possible closure at the end of this school year, but it doesn’t appear likely all will shut down. Rich Baird, a top aide to Governor Rick Snyder, says there is “no way 38 schools in the state will close.” He was at Detroit City Hall Monday for a town hall meeting on the issue. Sixteen of the schools are in Detroit. Three schools in Benton Harbor are also on the list. The SRO will decide by the end of the month which schools on its list will be shut down.... [Read Full Story]
Monday is the big day at St. Joseph High School. That’s when the Chicago Cubs will bring their World Series Trophy by for the public to see. Congressman Fred Upton, a Cubs fan, tells WSJM News he helped the owners of the team find a place to display the trophy.... [Read Full Story]
Michigan Secretary of State Ruth Johnson has issued a list of five recommendations that she says could be made to prevent voter fraud in elections. She sent the list to Vice President Mike Pence this week, as Pence is expected to head a special commission to investigate election issues.... [Read Full Story]
From the Associated Press — The mayor of Flint is meeting with Michigan’s governor to discuss the state’s decision to no longer fund residential water bill credits or help the beleaguered city pay for water from a Detroit-area system. Flint Mayor Karen Weaver is expected to meet with Governor Rick Snyder in Lansing Tuesday. State officials announced January 24 that the financial assistance will stop at the end of February because the level of lead in Flint’s water no longer exceeds the federal limit. Michigan has partially covered customers’ bills dating back to April 2014. Snyder’s office estimates the state will have spent $41 million on that by the end of February. Snyder’s spokeswoman Anne Heaton said Monday that the elimination of credits and other payments isn’t a sign of Michigan abandoning Flint.... [Read Full Story]
