Work will begin next year on setting up a new countywide transit system in Berrien County. Community Development Director Dan Fette tells WSJM News the county currently has four separate bus systems, which a recent study found has created a fragmented and confusing transit network for folks to navigate. The board of commissioners this week authorized moving forward with a new authority that would handle a consolidated bus service.... [Read Full Story]
The Detroit Lions have named Benton Harbor High School Football Coach Elliot Uzelac the 2016 Detroit Lions-Farm Bureau High School Football Coach of the Year. Uzelac has led the Benton Harbor Tigers for two seasons now. In 2016, the Tigers were undefeated in the regular season, and made it to the playoffs for the first time. For comparison, the Tigers 4 and 50 in the six years prior to his arrival. Benton Harbor’s last winning season had been in 1989 before Uzelac showed up. Since he’s been with the team, the Tigers are 16 and 6. Uzelac is now in his 47th year of coaching.... [Read Full Story]
Researchers who played a critical role in the discovery of lead in Flint, Michigan, drinking water say tests reveal another rise in water quality.
Virginia Tech says lead wasn’t detected in 57% of 154 Flint homes tested in November — up from 44% in July. Flint has a lead problem because it used water from the Flint River for 18 months without treating it to prevent pipe corrosion. As a result, the water caused lead to leach from old pipes and into homes. But since fall 2015, the city has been tapped into a regional water system that uses corrosion controls. That’s why the testing results have improved. Nevertheless, researcher Marc Edwards emphasized again that residents still should keep a lead filter on their kitchen taps.... [Read Full Story]
Michigan State Police will be out in force on I-94 starting Monday as they look to keep the highway safe for the holiday season. MSP Inspector Pat Morris tells WSJM News they’re specifically focusing on that road because it’s where a lot of crashes happen this time of year.... [Read Full Story]
The community of Hartford is gearing up to celebrate Christmas with its 15th annual Christmas in Hartford event. It’ll be next Saturday downtown. Organizer Pete Sinclair tells WSJM News they’ll start with a chili cook off, followed by the parade at 6 p.m. It takes off from the middle school, and winds up at the community center.... [Read Full Story]
You can consider this the start for a push of legalized marijuana use in Michigan via the 2018 ballot. More than 300 people will be at the Lansing Radisson on Sunday for the “Capital Conference.” Organizer Rick Thompson says the first order of business is to help medical marijuana businesses navigate the latest rules changes at the state and local levels.... [Read Full Story]
With only 23 days left until Christmas, the North American Aerospace Defense Command — or NORAD — is already prepping for its 61st annual yuletide tradition. That’s according to NORAD Spokesman Michael Kucharek.... [Read Full Story]
Death threats. That’s what an Electoral College voter from Metro-Detroit says he’s been receiving ever since last month’s election. Michael Banerian is a student at Oakland University and youth vice chairman of the Michigan Republican party, who says he’s not letting it get to him.... [Read Full Story]
The Berrien County Board of Commissioners has taken the first step toward setting up a countywide bus system. The board this week authorized moving forward with the formation of an authority that could consolidate various transit services. Community Development Director Dan Fette tells WSJM News that’s after an exhaustive study on the area’s needs.... [Read Full Story]
Downtown St. Joseph is going to the dogs. On Saturday, the 18th annual Reindog Parade will be held downtown. That’s when folks dress up their canine friends and march down State Street with Santa as the head of the procession. St. Joseph Today’s Daniele Crevier tells WSJM News it’s a lot of fun to see the dressed up pooches.... [Read Full Story]
Children in the foster care system around Michigan will have a better Christmas this year, thanks to Operation Good Cheer. The gift collection drive is held each year by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and Child and Family Services to make sure each foster kid gets a present. That’s according to Spokesperson Bob Wheaton.... [Read Full Story]
The bluff has been lit. Hundreds gathered in downtown St. Joseph Friday night for the annual Light the Bluff celebration to kick off the holiday season. After a few words from St. Joe Mayor Mike Garey and a song from the high school choir, up went the lights on the community Christmas tree. Moments later, everyone counted down the lighting of the rest of the bluff. More than one million lights will illuminate the area throughout the winter. After the lighting ceremony, folks wandered the downtown area to check out live mannequins in store windows.... [Read Full Story]
The nation’s jobless rate fell to 4.6% in November. That’s a nine-year low. However, coupled with weak pay increases in 2016, it suggests longer-term challenges for the US economy. Employers added 178,000 jobs last month. Michigan News Network Business Editor Murray Feldman explains where the jobs are right now.... [Read Full Story]
Ford is recalling more than 680,000 midsize sedans mainly in North America because the front seat belts may not hold people in a crash.
The recall covers certain 2013 to 2016 Ford Fusion, 2013 to 2015 Lincoln MKZ and 2015 and 2016 Ford Mondeo cars. Ford says heat generated when the seat belt pre-tensioners deploy can cause cables to break. If that happens the belts may not hold people. Ford says it knows of two injuries related to the problem. Pre-tensioners tighten seat belts when they sense that cars are stopping. Dealers will inject insulation into the pre-tensioners to protect the cables from heat at no cost to owners. The recall is expected to begin on January 16. Most of the cars are in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.... [Read Full Story]
The U.S. Senate could give final approval to the 21st Century Cures legislation next week. The plan, heavily pushed by Congressman Fred Upton, would speed up the approval of new drugs and medical device while setting aside $6.3 billion for disease research.... [Read Full Story]
Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder has ordered flags to be lowered to honor a Detroit police officer killed in the line of duty. The governor’s office says in a release that U.S. and Michigan flags will be lowered to half-staff Friday on all state buildings and within the state Capitol complex for Wayne State University Police Officer Collin Rose. He was shot November 22 as he tried to arrest DeAngelo Davis and died the next day. Davis faces murder and gun charges. A funeral Mass was celebrated Thursday in suburban Detroit. Visitation was held Wednesday at Ford Field, home of the Detroit Lions. Snyder says Rose, a canine officer, “dedicated his life to protecting” people and “was well-respected by his colleagues and the communities he served.”... [Read Full Story]
Bond has been set at $500,000 for the man charged in a Wednesday fatal shooting in Benton Township. The Berrien County Prosecutor’s office says 20-year-old Anthony Sanders was arraigned Friday on charges of felony murder, open murder, armed robbery, and felony firearm. Police say Sanders walked up to 43-year-old Kenneth Martin, Jr. on Wednesday night as Martin walked along Empire Avenue and shot him in the upper torso. Sanders then allegedly ran off, but thanks to a tip, police found him Thursday. The prosecutor’s office tells us Sanders is due back in court on December 9, and he remains in the Berrien County Jail.... [Read Full Story]
Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette has filed a lawsuit to stop Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein’s request to recount Michigan’s 4.8 million presidential ballots. It comes on the same day canvassers are meeting in Lansing to discuss a similar demand to stop the recount made on behalf of president-elect Donald Trump. In a press release, Schuette says it’s “inexcusable for Stein to put Michigan voters at risk of paying millions and potentially losing their voice in the Electoral College in the process.” As required, Stein’s lawyers sent the state a $973,250 check for the recount earlier this week — that’s $125 for each precinct. Secretary of State Ruth Johnson has estimated the actual cost of the recount could eclipse $2 million.... [Read Full Story]
You’ll see more state police on I-94 in Michigan, Ohio and Indiana next week. The three states are combining on a commercial vehicle enforcement to cut down on crashes called “Eyes on 94.” The focus by motor carrier officers will be on violations by truck drivers that are most likely to cause a crash. Those include speeding, not passing properly, driving distracted, improper lane use, and tailgating. The enforcement is a part of the national traffic safety campaign “Toward Zero Deaths.” You’ll remember that massive crash involving multiple semi trucks near the Kalamazoo-Calhoun county line just a few winters ago that was caused, in part, by semi drivers and passenger vehicle drivers going too fast for conditions.... [Read Full Story]
A new report finds it’s rare for a juvenile serving a life sentence in the U.S. to get paroled, even though the Supreme Court has ruled they can be. The ACLU’s “False Hope” report also shows few parole boards consider the convict’s age at the time of the original crime. Report author Sarah Mehta tells many people “age out” of criminal activity. She adds for people sentenced as teenagers, that can mean decades behind bars, even those considered model prisoners.... [Read Full Story]
It’s time once again for Bears in the Air. That’s an annual collection drive done by South Bend International Airport. They take teddy bears to be given to kids in hospitals all over the region. Airport Director Mike Daigle tells WSJM News they’ve given out more than 3,500 bears in the past several years.... [Read Full Story]
Congressman Fred Upton’s 21st Century Cures legislation has been approved by the U.S. House. Upton has spent the past few years backing the package designed to speed up the approval process for new drugs and medical devices. The legislation also provides a big boost in funding to the National Institutes of Health. The House gave it the green light Wednesday, voting 392 to 26. The plan is still one vote shy of what it needs to pass in the Senate, but it has the backing of Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, as well as support from President Obama. Upton hopes to see it on Obama’s desk by the end of the year.... [Read Full Story]
There will be plenty of fun in downtown St. Joseph Friday night as the community gathers to light up the bluff. St. Joe Today’s Brian Smith tells WSJM News it’s a winter tradition.... [Read Full Story]
A suspect has been arrested in a Wednesday night fatal shooting in Benton Township. Police say 20-year-old Anthony Sanders, of Benton Township, is facing charges of open murder and armed robbery after the killing of 43-year-old Kenneth Martin, Jr. Martin was shot as he walked along Empire Avenue shortly before 9:30 p.m. He’d been walking toward the Ravines mobile home park with a friend. She’s been identified as 43-year old Cynthia Sorrels, and she wasn’t hurt. Police say the two were approached by Sanders, who was planning to rob them, when Martin was shot before having a chance to respond. The suspect ran off, and detectives were able to identify and track him down on Thursday. He’s now at the Berrien County Jail.... [Read Full Story]
A new honor for Benton Harbor High School Football Coach Elliot Uzelac. The Detroit Lions announced on Thursday he’s their High School Football Coach of the Year. Uzelac has gotten national attention since taking charge of the Tigers two seasons ago. The team was 4 and 50 in the six years prior to his arrival, and they’ve been 16 and 6 since Uzelac came around. They were also undefeated this past season. Uzelac has been a coach for 47 years, and has previously held coaching positions at colleges including Michigan, Ohio State, Colorado, Kentucky, Minnesota, and Maryland. Uzelac was also leader of the St. Joe Bears for five years.... [Read Full Story]
A new report from the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning finds 41% of young adult drivers will admit to texting while driving. T?he office’s Kendal Wingrove tells us the best way for the police to to fight the problem is education and enforcement.... [Read Full Story]
Observers representing Democrat Hillary Clinton, Republican Donald Trump and Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein are spread out throughout Wisconsin to watch as ballots are recounted. Trump’s Wisconsin campaign director Pete Meachum was in Madison on Thursday
for the start of the recount. Meachum says the campaign had people in every major county across the state. Trump won Wisconsin by about 22,000 votes, or less than a percentage point. Stein has raised questions about the integrity of votes cast in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan without presenting any proof of wrongdoing. Stein said in a statement that “verifying the vote through this recount is the only way to confirm that every vote has been counted securely and accurately and is not compromised by machine or human error, or by tampering or hacking.”... [Read Full Story]
Black Friday deals were expected to pull November U.S. auto sales out of their recent slump. General Motors’ sales jumped 10 percent over last November, while Toyota’s sales were up 4 percent. Nissan’s sales rose 7.5%. Total sales of new cars and trucks were expected to rise 4 percent for the month to 1.37 million units, according to Kelley Blue Book. That would be the highest November on record, beating the previous record of 1.32 million set in 2001. Higher incentives enticed buyers who sat out much of the fall. July was the last month that sales increased year-over-year.Barclay’s analyst Brian Johnson said incentives were averaging 12% of the price paid for new vehicles, which is one of the highest percentages in recent years.... [Read Full Story]
Michigan Republicans are considering new legislation to change the procedure for voters who don’t show a photo ID at their polling place.
A bill up for a potential vote Thursday in the House Elections Committee would require those casting a provisional ballot to visit their clerk’s office no later than 10 days after the election to ensure it’s counted. They would have to present a photo ID with their current address or other documentation establishing their residency. Under current law, voters without a photo ID must sign a brief affidavit before voting. A hearing on the legislation was held Wednesday. The liberal advocacy group Progress Michigan says it’s a “voter suppression” bill. The sponsor, Republican Representative Lisa Posthumus Lyons, of Alto, says the measure would protect the integrity of elections.... [Read Full Story]
Efforts to rid Michigan communities of plastic shopping bags would be banned under legislation headed to Governor Rick Snyder. The Republican-controlled House approved the bill on a mostly party-line 62-46 vote Thursday. The measure won Senate passage in May. The bill would prohibit local governments from regulating, prohibiting or imposing a fee on the use or sale of “auxiliary containers’,’ which are
defined as reusable or single-use bags, cups, bottles or other packaging from stores and restaurants. More than 150 municipalities across the country have banned the environmentally unfriendly plastic bags or charged a fee. None are in Michigan, though at least two counties — Washtenaw and Muskegon — have considered whether to limit the bags. Democrats said the state should not strip local communities of decision-making.... [Read Full Story]
