Lake Michigan College has released the names of its four finalists for president. The LMC Board of Trustees plans to bring in the four for in-person interviews next month. In no order, the first candidate is Dr. Trevor Kubatzke, Vice President of Milwaukee Area Technical College. Up next is Dr. Jon Mandrell, VP of Academic Services at Sauk Valley Community College in Dixon, Illinois. Next is Dr. Orinthia Montague, VP of Student Affairs at Normandale Community College in Bloomington, Minnesota, and finally, there’s Dr. Dr. Rebekah Woods, Provost of Jackson College in Jackson, Michigan. The board of trustees hopes to have the new president on board in March. In the meantime, Dr. Bob Harrison continues to serve as interim president.... [Read Full Story]
Entergy is hoping to show southwest Michigan it still cares about the community, even though the Palisades plant is shutting down. The company had volunteers on site this week for the ribbon cutting on a Habitat for Humanity home the plant supported, says spokesperson Val Gent.... [Read Full Story]
Michigan Democrats are expressing their reservations about Exon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson becoming the next secretary of state. Flint Democratic Congressman Dan Kildee tells us Tillerson has questionable ties to Russia. Kildee also worries about Trump’s EPA choice, Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt.... [Read Full Story]
The Benton Harbor Board of Education has picked Marletta Seats to fill a vacant trustee position. Seats, who is a Berrien County Commissioner, was voted in Tuesday night, three to two. She told us she wants to help make education work for all of the students.... [Read Full Story]
Police could use your help in finding the Grinch who stole a Toys for Tots donation jar from a gas station in Dowagiac. The department of public safety tells our newsroom it happened at the Shell Mart on North Front Street late Sunday. Police have released photos of the suspect, who’s a white man wearing a dark coat. He was driving a white car. Anyone who can identify the man is asked to call Dowagiac Public Safety. You can see surveillance pictures below.... [Read Full Story]
The average American will spend $936 on holiday gifts this year. That the second highest amount on record, according to the National Retail Federation. Kathryn Greiner, with University of Michigan Credit Union, tells us the pressure to provide this time of year can lead people to take extreme measures, including turning to payday lenders.... [Read Full Story]
The Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund will be awarding money to four recreation projects in Berrien County next year. State Senator John Proos tells WSJM News the biggest one is the Indiana-Michigan River Valley Trail along the St. Joseph River in Niles. The city and township will get a total of $520,000 for the project.... [Read Full Story]
The 21st Century Cures Act is now signed into law. After more than two years of work, Congressman Fred Upton stood by Tuesday to watch President Obama give the package final approval. Obama praised Congress for pulling together to support the legislation in a bipartisan way.... [Read Full Story]
Light snow this morning will lead to colder air moving in over the next couple days. WNUD Meteorologist David Harker says a large mass of arctic air will be coming our way.... [Read Full Story]
Pharmacists across Michigan could dispense, without a prescription, a drug that reverses the effects of an overdose under legislation going to Governor Rick Snyder. The state House unanimously approved the bill Tuesday. The sponsor, Republican Representative Anthony Forlini of Harrison Township, says the measure would help stem rising opioid overdose deaths. He says the bill would put the antidote in the hands of more people who might be present when someone overdoses.... [Read Full Story]
A Benton Harbor man has pleaded guilty for the death of an eight-month-old boy. The Berrien County Prosecutor’s office tells us Brandon Beshires pleaded guilty Monday to first degree premeditated murder in the death of Carter Donovan back in February. Beshires was supposed to be caring for the boy while his mother was at an appointment, but instead, the baby died from trauma to the head. Prosecutor Michael Sepic says Beshires was in court for an evidence hearing Monday, but instead entered the plea. A charge of child abuse and a charge of felony murder have been dropped in the case, but it won’t make any difference at sentencing. Beshires will be sentenced to life in prison on January 30. Also that day, the baby’s mother, Autumn Atchley, will be sentenced for being an accessory after the fact in the case.... [Read Full Story]
Now that snow is piling up around southwest Michigan, it’s important to make sure it doesn’t create a carbon monoxide risk in your home. Lisa Prunty, with Michigan Gas Utilities, tells WSJM News you should check your heating, hot water, and dryer vents to make sure they’re not blocked.... [Read Full Story]
With Congress poised to repeal the Affordable Care Act, about 887,000 people in Michigan stand to lose their health insurance. That’s according to a report from the Urban Institute. Joan Alker, with the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families, tells us the folks who lose out aren’t just low income.... [Read Full Story]
A new feature is coming to Lions Park Beach next year. To celebrate the 100th birthday of the Lions Club International, the local chapter is installing a five foot statue of a lion there. The Lions Club’s Hank Richmond tells us it’ll be made out of fiberglass and safe for the kids.... [Read Full Story]
Thanks to GPS and other technology, the Michigan Department of Transportation is able to better coordinate and supply its snow plows this winter. Spokesperson Nick Schirripa tell us they put automatic vehicle location devices in all the plows in 2013, and drivers can also check in on where plows are located.... [Read Full Story]
Cornerstone Alliance has completed its five year plan for the economic development of Berrien County. President Rob Cleveland tells WSJM News it comes after six months of working with businesses and communities to find out what Cornerstone can improve. One thing it calls for is telling the southwest Michigan story.... [Read Full Story]
Southwest Michigan’s newest elected officials are being sworn in over the next week. A ceremony is planned for this Thursday at the Berrien County Courthouse to swear in state Representative-election Kim LaSata. Her husband, Judge Charles LaSata, will preside as she takes the oath. The ceremony will be Thursday at 4 p.m. Meanwhile, there’s a swearing in ceremony planned for next week in Van Buren County for a variety of elected officials there. On Monday, the county commission, clerk, treasurer, drain commissioner, state rep, and anyone else you can name will be sworn in at the courthouse. It’ll be at 4 p.m. with special guest Congressman Fred Upton on hand.... [Read Full Story]
If you’re looking for some good gifts for friends or loved ones this month, maybe you should consider the gift of preparedness. That’s a suggestion from the Michigan State Police Emergency Management division. 2nd Lieutenant Gabriel Covey tells WSJM News a great gift for someone is an emergency kit.... [Read Full Story]
Cyber retailers have started out the week with some big gains. Monday is Green Monday, a term coined by EBay in 2007 to describe its best sales day in December, traditionally the second Monday of the month. About $2 billion were were expected to be spent online Monday, compared to nearly $3.5 billion for Cyber Monday. Dr. Patricia Huddleston, a retail professor at Michigan State University, says mobile sales will only add to online purchases in the coming years.... [Read Full Story]
A crash on Sunday has resulted in the closure of one lane of the westbound in I-94 bridge over Red Arrow Highway in Stevensville. Michigan State Police say a car and a semi crashed into each other, resulting in damage to the bridge wall. Although no one was injured in the crash, the bridge had to be shut down for several hours while it was inspected. Although the bridge itself has been deemed safe for vehicles, the wall needs to be repaired. The left lane of the bridge will be closed until that happens.... [Read Full Story]
Police say a man whose body was found in the snow in Benton Harbor over the weekend had been shot several times. According to the Benton Harbor Department of Public Safety, the victim is 28-year-old Joshua Deairest Hutchinson. He was found in the 800 block of Superior Street Sunday. The investigation into Hutchinson’s death is underway, and police are offering a $1,000 reward to anyone who comes forward with information leading to the arrest of whoever’s responsible. You can reach Benton Harbor Public Safety at 927-0293.... [Read Full Story]
Colder air will be moving in, on the heals of the area’s latest heavy snow. WNDU Meteorologist David Harker says we’ll see a steady decline in temperatures the rest of the week.... [Read Full Story]
A 24-year employee of the South Haven Police Department is now the new Chief of Police. Natalie Thompson was selected from a field of thirty-three other candidates who applied for the Police Chief position. The recommendation comes from a ten-person selection committee, made up of representatives from the faith-based community, South Haven Public Schools, South Haven Charter Township, South Haven City Council, South Haven Area Emergency Services, Michigan State Police and South Haven Police Department. During her tenure, Thompson has worked as a patrol officer and undercover detective in the Michigan State Police’s Southwest Enforcement Team. She was promoted to Sergeant in 2008 and then to Deputy Chief in 2013. Since February of this year, Thompson has served the City of South Haven as the Police Department’s Acting Chief.... [Read Full Story]
Avoiding alcohol and distractions behind the wheel aren’t the only things you should be doing to help keep the roads safe. AAA has released a new report finding drowsy driving is a huge threat to driver safety, with just one or two hours of missed sleep doubling your crash risk. That’s according to spokesperson Susan Hiltz.... [Read Full Story]
More families and children than ever will have a happier holiday thanks to the Berrien County Sheriff’s Office Reserve Division by providing assistance to the community through the “Shop with a Cop” program. The event was held Saturday by the Berrien County Sheriff’s Office Reserve Division who partnered up with the Berrien County Sheriff’s Office Chaplain’s, the Berrien Springs-Oronoko Township Police Department, the Fraternal Order of Police Explorers Program, the Berrien County Sheriff’s Office Sworn Deputies, and the Saint Joseph City Department of Public Safety. The Berrien County Sheriff’s Office Reserve Division along with the partner agencies and organizations assisted 11 families and 40 children by allowing the children to shop for Christmas gifts for themselves, their family members, and their friends. The families and children were from the Watervliet, Niles, Berrien Springs, and Eau Claire area. Following the “shopping”, the children and their families were taken to Michiana Christian Embassy in Niles for lunch and gift wrapping with Mrs. Claus and members of Michiana Christian Embassy. The Berrien County Sheriff’s Office Reserve Division also provided food baskets to all 11 families, thus allowing them to have a wonderful holiday dinner and food for the holiday season.... [Read Full Story]
State Representative Aric Nesbitt has sent a letter to Consumers Energy, Entergy Corporation, and the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, imploring them not to shutter the Palisades nuclear power plant in Covert Township. Nesbitt tells us Entergy and Consumers Energy abandoning their electric contract is a raw deal.... [Read Full Story]
Benton Harbor police are investigating after a body was found in the snow on Sunday morning. The department of public safety says the young man was discovered in the 800 block of Superior Street, and describe the death as suspicious in nature. The victim’s name has not been released pending notification of family. Anyone with information is asked to call the Benton Harbor Department of Public Safety at 927-0293.... [Read Full Story]
The search for a new president at Lake Michigan College is entering the home stretch. LMC Board of Trustees Chair Mary Jo Tomasini tells WSJM News the board has narrowed down the applicants to 4 semifinalists. She’s been happy with the response to the search.... [Read Full Story]
Kinexus is being awarded a state grant of $180,000 to help provide training to manufacturing workers throughout Berrien, Cass, and Van Buren Counties. The money comes from the state’s Skilled Trades Training Fund, and Kinexus Business Director Alex Grumbine tells WSJM News the agency will work with nine companies.... [Read Full Story]
With this week’s announcement that the Palisades nuclear power plant is shutting down, we wondered if this means anything for the Cook plant near Bridgman. Cook spokesperson Bill Schalk tells WSJM News shifting market trends have hurt smaller, single unit nuclear plants, but the two-unit Cook plant remains a big asset for its owner, Indiana Michigan Power. He points out I&M is investing big in Cook.... [Read Full Story]
