U.S. employers ramped up hiring last month and more Americans began looking for work, a sign President Donald Trump has inherited a robust job market. Michigan News Network Business Editor Murray Feldman tells us that’s despite an unemployment rate that’s slightly up.... [Read Full Story]
341,000 Nissan Altimas are being recalled because the doors can open when a rear window is lowered. Michigan News Network AutoBeat Reporter Jeff Gilbert tells us it has to do with bad wiring.... [Read Full Story]
Set for tomorrow is the 21st annual Ice Time Festival in Dowagiac. The event will feature ice artists from all over. Festival Chair Chris Soenen tells WSJM News they’ll compete starting at 3 p.m.... [Read Full Story]
The South Haven Police Department says it was able to catch a man who skipped out on his parole after a brief standoff this week. The department tells WSJM News officers on Thursday spotted Tilano Terry Taylor driving near Blue Star Highway and Phoenix Road. Before they could stop him, Taylor pulled into the Briar Hills apartment complex and went inside. Officers spoke with a passenger in Taylor’s vehicle, and a search turned up marijuana, a loaded handgun, and a box of ammunition. When officers went to speak with Taylor at the apartment, he wouldn’t come out. So, they got a warrant, and Taylor finally surrendered after about two hours. Police say Taylor has a violent history that includes firearm and drug crimes. He’s now in the Van Buren County Jail on a parole hold. Police are also seeking gun and drug charges.... [Read Full Story]
Van Buren County state Representative Beth Griffin has introduced a bill that would waive the state’s personal property tax on the purchase of new broadband equipment by businesses. Griffin, who is from Mattawan, tells WSJM News she’s heard from many in her district who have asked for broadband to be expanded into rural areas.... [Read Full Story]
It looks like billionaire Betsy DeVos will get a confirmation vote in the U.S. Senate next week to be the next education secretary. That’s after the Senate this week voted to limit debate. Democratic Senator Debbie Stabenow tells us she voted no on cloture, and she’s going to vote no on the DeVos nomination.... [Read Full Story]
A Dowagiac man is facing charges following a meth bust on Tuesday. The Cass County Drug Enforcement Team tells us it raided a home in the 400 block of West High Street in Dowagiac to find the remnants of meth and paraphernalia. A 38-year-old parolee found in the home was arrested on charges of obstructing justice, destruction of evidence, and possession of methamphetamine. He’s now in the Cass County Jail. Anyone with information on drug activity in the area is asked to contact the police.... [Read Full Story]
$5.2 million dollars for 30 seconds. That’s how much it cost advertisers buy air-time for this year’s Super Bowl. However, University of Detroit Mercy Marketing Professor Dr. Mike Bernacchi tells Michigan News Network something is a bit different this time around.... [Read Full Story]
Kalamazoo Public Schools parents and administrators are fighting to keep a pair of schools open. Like in Benton Harbor, the Michigan School Reform Office is considering closing schools in that district. KPS Superintendent Michael Rice tells Michigan News Network parents can take their battle right to the SRO.... [Read Full Story]
From the Associated Press — A federal judge in Detroit says U.S. green-card holders shouldn’t be affected by President Donald Trump’s order temporarily banning refugees and immigrants from seven mostly Muslim countries. The Arab-American Civil Rights League argued in the suit filed this week in Detroit’s U.S. District Court that the executive action is unconstitutional and targets immigrant communities. It represents about a half-dozen legal, permanent residents, some of whom have been turned away from U.S.-bound planes. The restraining order released Friday from U.S. District Judge Victoria Roberts covers legal permanent residents, not some others that also are part of the lawsuit. She says lawyers for the government clarified to her that the ban doesn’t apply to “lawful” permanent residents. Trump says the ban is about safety, not religion. It faces numerous legal challenges.... [Read Full Story]
From the Associated Press — Free one-on-one counseling is available for Michigan residents who are delinquent on their federal student loans.
Michigan’s Treasury Department says it is partnering with a division of the National Student Loan Program on a 1-year pilot effort. Loan recipients will work with counselors to develop a repayment plan, learn how to create a household budget and better understand their credit scores. Individuals must have federal student loans from a public or private nonprofit Michigan higher education institution, currently be delinquent on their student loans and agree to provide their credit score twice during the pilot period to qualify. The pilot program runs until Jan. 1, 2018.... [Read Full Story]
The Benton Harbor Farmers Market will soon get a brand new pavilion. Rich Hensel, with the city’s downtown development authority, tells WSJM News the pavilion will be along the Sixth Street side of Dwight P. Mitchell City Center Park .The city’s already signed off on it.... [Read Full Story]
Congressman Fred Upton is hoping some sort of compromise can be reached when it comes to building the border wall promised by President Donald Trump. A Trump administration official has said they want to have the wall built in two years, but Upton tells WSJM News it may have some trouble getting full support from Congress.... [Read Full Story]
Two men are facing charges after a crack bust in Dowagiac. The Cass County Drug Enforcement Team tells us it raided a home in the 200 block of Grand Boulevard Wednesday and found cocaine and other evidence that crack was being made there. Two 36-year-old men were arrested on charges of possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine and maintaining a drug house. One man was also arrested on an unrelated warrant. They’re now in the Cass County Jail. Police ask anyone with information on drug activity to contact them.... [Read Full Story]
Michigan lawmakers are using Friday to remind everyone to pay attention to their heart health. It’s Wear Red Day at the Capitol, as state Senator Tonya Schuitmaker tells WSJM News women, in particular, should be aware of their risks.... [Read Full Story]
A $240,000 grant has been awarded by the Frederick S. Upton Foundation to Lakeland Health for a renovated education center. Lakeland CEO Loren Hamel tells WSJM News the new Frederick S. Upton Education Center will allow for more uses than the current facility.... [Read Full Story]
The Michigan Senate has approved a sweeping package of legislation designed to reform the state’s criminal justice system. The effort was led by state Senator John Proos, who told lawmakers they can approve policies that strike at the heart of crime and reduce prison costs.... [Read Full Story]
Michigan House members have introduced a public records proposal they say will increase transparency. The package of bills would subject the governor and lawmakers to public records requests. This will be the second attempt to get the bills passed in the Senate after overwhelming approval from the House last year. Kalamazoo County Republican Representative Brandt Iden is among the sponsors.... [Read Full Story]
From the Associated Press — Michigan’s Unemployment Insurance Agency has settled a lawsuit in which it was sued for using an automated computer system that falsely accused thousands of people of fraud. The suit was dismissed Thursday by U.S. District Judge Robert Cleland under an agreement between the state and the plaintiffs. The state says the deal codifies practices put in place after it ceased what’s known as “auto-adjudications” in 2015. The United Auto Workers union, Sugar Law Center and individuals accused of fraud didn’t seek financial damages.
Lawyer David Blanchard says Michigan will implement safeguards to ensure claimants are notified of accusations and can respond. He says the state for too long denied the problem, but his clients are “heartened” by new leadership acknowledging the problem. Another lawsuit seeking financial damages is ongoing in state courts.... [Read Full Story]
From the Associated Press — U.S. auto sales are expected to have fallen in January after ending last year at a record high. General Motors’ sales fell 3.8 percent from last January, while Ford’s sales were down 1 percent. Nissan’s sales rose 6 percent thanks to strong truck and SUV sales. Other automakers report sales later Wednesday. ALG, an automotive forecasting firm, predicts overall sales will be down 1.5
percent from last January to 1.1 million. January is typically the weakest month of the year for U.S. auto sales, as winter weather and holiday debts keep buyers away from car dealerships. This year, the hangover could be even more acute, since a strong December capped off
a record year for the industry. U.S. auto sales totaled 17.55 million last year.... [Read Full Story]
From the Associated Press — A Kalamazoo man originally sentenced to life in prison as a juvenile is now eligible for parole after serving 38 years for a 1979 slaying. MLive reports that in a resentencing Tuesday, a circuit court judge sentenced 55-year-old Anthony Jones to 30 to 60 years and gave him credit for more than 38 years served. Jones was sentenced by the judge in February 2012 to life in prison with the possibility of parole, but changes in state Legislature relating to sentencing juveniles convicted of homicides allowed Jones to have the opportunity to be resentenced.
Jones both planned and participated in the robbery of a Kalamazoo store January 4, 1979, where he struck the store owner but fled the scene before another teenager fatally shot the man. Jones was originally sentenced to life without parole for felony murder.... [Read Full Story]
Governor Snyder will deliver the keynote address next week at the Business Recognition Breakfast of Cornerstone Alliance and Cornerstone Chamber of Commerce. He is expected to talk about the benefits of doing business in Michigan during his speech. In a statement, Cornerstone Alliance President Rob Cleveland says Michigan has become a top state for attracting and expanding businesses thanks to Snyder, and adds they welcome him to the area “as we celebrate the innovation, growth, and success of Berrien County businesses who produce world-class products and services.... [Read Full Story]
A 29-year-old Niles man is dead after a two-car crash in Cass County’s Howard Township. Michigan State Police say Chad Pond was driving at a high speed on Barron Lake Road around 7 last night when he tried to pass another car. The vehicles made contact, sending Pond’s car out of control and off the road, where it overturned. He was pronounced dead at the scene, and was wearing a seat belt. Troopers say at this point, they don’t know if alcohol or drugs were factors and the crash is still under investigation.... [Read Full Story]
The Super Bowl isn’t just about the football, but the food as well. Janelle Goodwin, with the USDA, tells us you’ve got to be safe with it.... [Read Full Story]
With a new presidential administration comes the possibility that internet service providers will no longer have to provide the same level of service to all the websites that people visit. Net neutrality has only been an FCC policy for two years, and President Donald Trump’s new FCC chair, Ajit Pai, is an opponent. Marty Newell, with the Rural Broadband Policy Group, tells us the nation’s history in treating telephone service as a utility illustrates the importance of regulating common carriers.... [Read Full Story]
If Congress is going to repeal the Affordable Care Act, you can bet they’ll have a clear picture of what the replacement will look like first. That’s according to Congressman Fred Upton, who tells WSJM News one thing that’s going to happen is a round of meetings between congressional leaders and governors.... [Read Full Story]
The Michigan School Reform Office will be visiting Benton Harbor Area Schools next week to review three district buildings for possible closure. At a Wednesday town hall, Superintendent Dr. Shelly Walker told a crowd of about 50 she’s aiming to convince the SRO changes made since she came on board will turn those buildings around. She tells WSJM News if the district loses the 1,200 students affected, mostly elementary kids, then it won’t be able to function.... [Read Full Story]
A law professor with Western Michigan University Cooley Law School says he thinks President Donald Trump’s selection of Neil Gorsuch to be the newest Supreme Court justice was a home run. Devin Schindler tells us Gorsuch is well respected, and also not a pushover. He told WKZO News Gorsuch would rule against the administration in some matters.... [Read Full Story]
Set for this month is a charity ball to raise funds for the Youth Development Company and Police Athletic League in Van Buren County. Youth Development Company is Van Buren County’s largest non-profit, providing services to kids and their families, says Executive Director Brook Blanchard.... [Read Full Story]
Berrien County Treasurer Bret Witkowski is hoping taxpayers who are behind on their bill will come to a meeting this month where they could work out a payment plan. Witkowski’s taking the show on the road with meetings planned in Niles, Coloma, and Benton Harbor. He tells WSJM News taxpayers who owe 2014 or before taxes are invited.... [Read Full Story]
