Berrien County News

By Scott Aiken, The Herald-Palladium, St. Joseph, Mich. May 27--BENTON HARBOR -- Looking over the rolling green turf of the Harbor Shores golf course provides few clues of what was there before.

Buchanan's historic districts celebrated National Historic Preservation Month in a big way during its Memorial Weekend Un-Sanctioned festivities.

Gerry Welling of Niles seeks the Democratic nomination in the Aug. 7 primary for the 78th District state House of Representatives seat against Jack Arbanas of Buchanan.

Now that it's clear a majority of Michigan's tree fruit was lost to this spring's freezes, efforts are underway to prop up farmers who have likely lost the majority of their income.

Across southwest Michigan's fruit belt, 2012 is shaping up to be the worst year in more than 65 years, state agricultural experts said last week.

May 25, 2012 -- BERRIEN CENTER -- Berrien County commissioners are asking taxpayers to dig a little deeper into their pockets for money to support 911 emergency dispatching services.

Berrien County voters will have a slight increase in the 911 millage on the ballot this fall.

Joseph a Abraham Ortega Jr. of Niles and Lena Padron of Niles a Gary Porter of Benton Harbor and Trudy Wilburn of Benton Harbor a Dustin Pratt of Stevensville and Susan Miller of Tulsa, Okla.

Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians, which owns Four Winds Casinos in New Buffalo and Hartford, pitched its project to Pokagon Township board Thursday night at its Community Center off Dailey Road.

WATERVLIET, May 23, 2012 -- A special Watervliet Township Board meeting will take place next month to consider a switch in police services.

Mark Longstroth, Michigan State University Extension small fruit educator, said the warm winter delivered "two weeks of June in March, with temperatures in the 80s in the daytime and 60 degrees at night.

A judge has found 17-year-old Destiny Coulson competent to stand trial for the murder of her boyfriend, 21-year-old David Quinn Jr., after a night of drinking and arguing in January near Eau Claire.

A fundraiser to bring in money to fight human trafficking over the weekend is being called a success.

Fast Facts: - M-63 will be closed over I-94 from May 29 to July 20. - The $868,000 investment will extend the bridge life by 15 years and improve safety.

A 25-year Berrien County employee succeeds Dan Stice as Veteran's Service Office director when he retires June 8. "He has great qualifications.

All local fourth and fifth graders are invited to attend the 6th annual Berrien County Sheriff Kids Camp from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 20 and 21 and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. June 22.

A Berrien County Animal Control's door-to-door census started Monday and is expected to last all summer.

More than 1,000 people will gather June 9 for the Annual Heartland Alliance Home and Garden Tour.A This event features some of Harbor Country's most beautiful homes and landscapes.

Rural U.S. Postal Service customers are nervous about the potential of reduced hours or closures of post offices in smaller communities.

Three guns and a stolen motorcycle were found in the St. Joseph River in Niles Wednesday during a Berrien County Sheriff Department Dive Team exercise.