Tonight’s Mega Millions drawing will give lottery players a shot at the 10th largest jackpot in U.S. history. Because no one has won a Mega Millions jackpot since March 8, the prize has steadily grown to an estimated $415 million. That makes it the largest jackpot since a $430 million Powerball prize won by a New Jersey family May 7.... [Read Full Story]
An investigation is underway to determine what caused a big fire at a recycling center near Grand Rapids overnight. Walker Fire Chief Robert Walker says flames shot nearly 100 feet in the air from the fire at PADNOS Iron and Metal in a scrap of old cars and refrigerators. He says the company’s practices of keeping recyclable material separated helped their efforts.... [Read Full Story]
One man is dead in a fatal crash in Lincoln Township. The Lincoln Charter Township Police Department report the crash was at the intersection of Cleveland Avenue and Linco Road around 11:15 Thursday morning. When they arrived, they determined that a car being operated by Albert Schroeder of Saint Joseph pulled into the path of a car being driven by Michael Foulk of Rogers Arkansas. Schroeder was pronounced dead by Lakeland Hospital staff a few hours later. His wife, Lean Schroeder remains in critical condition. Foulk was transported to the hospital with what appeared to be non-life threating injuries. Both drivers and a front seat passenger in the Schroeder vehicle were injured in the crash and had to be removed by the Lincoln Township Fire Department using the jaws equipment. All three were transported to Lakeland Medical Center in St. Joseph. All persons involved were wearing seatbelts and vehicle airbags were deployed. Speed and alcohol are not believed to be factors in this incident. The crash remains under investigation.... [Read Full Story]
Governor Rick Snyder has signed legislation rescinding an annual tax break worth up to $80 million that was inadvertently given to auto insurers four years ago. His signature Friday had been expected as part of a state budget deal. The bill was sponsored by Representative Al Pscholka of Stevensville.... [Read Full Story]
The city of Benton Harbor is now officially free from state oversight after six years. The Department of Treasury has released the city from receivership following the vote Thursday by the Receivership Transition Advisory Board to disband and return local control. Benton Harbor is once again governed by its city charter, which means city commission resolutions and ordinances no longer need approval of the RTAB. Governor Snyder called it “an important day for the citizens of Benton Harbor, the mayor, and city council who have all worked diligently to move the city from a financial hardship to a place of stability.” The RTAB noted key accomplishments for the city in recent years, including making payments of 110% of its annual required contribution to the Municipal Employees Retirement Systems to reach an 80% funding level, and increasing the General Fund balance by over $750,000 between 2014 and 2015.... [Read Full Story]
Guilty of second degree murder. A Berrien County jury has convicted Roy Thompson of Benton Harbor on the most serious charge he faced in the shooting death in December of David Krieger. The 53-year-old was killed during a confrontation with Thompson about a dog the suspect was kicking near Krieger’s family business, Michiana Supply, in Benton Township. The victim’s brother, Stephen Krieger, testified in December that Thompson fired a single shot into David’s chest. Stephen Krieger and Thompson exchanged fire as well, but neither was hit by bullets. Sentencing is set for August 1, and the penalty could be as severe as life in prison.... [Read Full Story]
Rainfall in some parts of Michigan is less than half of what we normally see in June — so how will it affect crops? MSU professor and State Climatologist Jeff Andresen says Michigan’s apple crops should be okay.... [Read Full Story]
The government is urging owners of older Hondas and Acuras to stop driving them and get them repaired after tests found that their Takata air bag inflators are extremely dangerous. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says it has new data showing that chances are as high as 50 percent that the inflators can explode in a crash.... [Read Full Story]
The annual Queen’s Cup yacht race gets underway Friday morning in Milwaukee and will end in St. Joseph Saturday. The event is one of the oldest cups in world yachting that is still open for competiton every year. St. Joseph River Yacht Club member Dr. Stuart Boekeloo says the race across Lake Michigan spans generations of sailors.... [Read Full Story]
Pending the approval of Governor Snyder, the city of Benton Harbor is no longer under any state oversight. With a unanimous vote, the Receivership Transition Advisory Board voted Thursday to terminate the city’s receivership and move it back to local control. City Manager Darwin Watson says it’s a win for the city, but they’re not yet out of the woods financially and the biggest challenge remains being fiscally responsible.... [Read Full Story]
There will be more police patrolling Silver Beach on the Fourth of July to try to avoid a repeat of a melee last year. Berrien County Sheriff Paul Bailey says his department will have at least 10 officers on patrol along with public safety officers from the city of St. Joseph.... [Read Full Story]
The OutCenter in Benton Harbor is calling it a missed opportunity for Governor Snyder to meet with the gay rights organization about expanding Michigan’s Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act. Executive director Mary Jo Schnell says the law needs to be modified.... [Read Full Story]
