Louise Wrege

Saint Joseph

I'm a reporter with The Herald-Palladium, a newspaper in Southwest Michigan. I cover the Benton Harbor city and schools beats.

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Articles

Agency on Aging Legislative Forum focuses on funding, staying at home

2 weeks ago | harborcountry-news.com | Louise Wrege

ST. JOSEPH — Most older adults want to stay in their homes as they age rather than go to a nursing home, and it costs less to help them do so. One program that helps people stay in their homes is the MI Choice Waiver program, which provides Medicaid-covered support in a home setting for people who qualify for nursing home-level care, said Christine Vanlandingham, CEO for Region IV Area Agency on Aging, during the agency’s 18th annual Legislative Forum on Monday, April 28, in St. Joseph.
Marquette Greenway welcomed in New Buffalo

2 weeks ago | harborcountry-news.com | Louise Wrege |David Johnson

NEW BUFFALO — After years of planning, a 60-mile non-motorized trail from Chicago and New Buffalo is one step closer to reality. “What started years ago as a bold idea is now hitting the pavement – literally,” said Gary Wood, president of Friends of Berrien Country Trails. “Today, we celebrate Michigan’s first stretch of the Marquette Greenway Trail.”Wood spoke Friday, April 25, during the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the trailhead at Smith and Mechanic streets in New Buffalo.
National Day of Prayer returns to Berrien County

4 weeks ago | heraldpalladium.com | Louise Wrege

BENTON TOWNSHIP — Prayer is powerful and can change lives, especially for Carson Barnes, a fourth-grade student at Trinity Lutheran School in St. Joseph. “I want to spread the goodness of God,” said Carson, 10, of Benton Township. kAm%9:D H:== 36 E96 7@FCE9 J62C E92E r2CD@? 92D AC2J65 7@C =2H 6?7@C46>6?E 5FC:?8 E96 }2E:@?2= s2J @7 !C2J6C[ H9:49 :D |2J `]k^AmkAm“r2CD@?
Nessel, Andrews talk Trump, boundaries of the law at town hall

4 weeks ago | harborcountry-news.com | Louise Wrege

BENTON HARBOR — President Donald Trump’s election gives him great authority to advance his agenda, but he must do it while following the U.S. Constitution and the nation’s laws, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel told a crowd of more than 300 in Benton Harbor on April 10. “Therein lies the problem because a lot of the things that he has been doing, he has been doing outside the boundaries of the law,” Nessel said during a town hall meeting at the Joel E.
Lakeshore schools sees decline in enrollment

1 month ago | heraldpalladium.com | Louise Wrege

LINCOLN TOWNSHIP — Money is growing tighter for Lakeshore Public Schools as the number of students attending the district continues to decline. On Monday, Lakeshore Chief Financial Officer Tracy Althouse told school board trustees this year’s student count dropped from last year by 36 to 2,633 students. kAm%92E’D 5@H? 7C@> a[feh DEF56?ED `_ J62CD 28@]k^AmkAm“p3@FE g_ A6C46?E @7 ]]] EC25:E:@?2= |:49:82?
Benton Harbor library director search near its end

1 month ago | heraldpalladium.com | Louise Wrege

BENTON HARBOR — A new library director is expected to be named next week by the Benton Harbor Public Library Board of Directors. Mamie Yarbrough, chair of the board, said they recently interviewed Kayleigh Matheson, a librarian in Texas, and Father Reynaldo Frias-Santana, a Franciscan monk in Philadelphia.
Benton Harbor schools look to cut $5 million by July

1 month ago | heraldpalladium.com | Louise Wrege

BENTON HARBOR — The Benton Harbor school district needs to cut $5 million from its 2025-26 budget, which starts July 1, Superintendent Kelvin Butts to the school board this week. To help reach that goal, Butts told school board trustees on Tuesday that he gave them access to a document on staff cost reductions so they could preview it for the next work session. He said it was not for discussion Tuesday. kAm%96 5@4F>6?E H2D @?
Judge dismisses lawsuit against state troopers for Benton Harbor traffic stop

1 month ago | heraldpalladium.com | Louise Wrege

BENTON HARBOR — A federal judge has dismissed the civil case Dakarai Larriett brought against the Michigan State Police concerning a traffic stop in Benton Harbor one year ago. In the lawsuit filed last fall in the U.S. District Court, Western District of Michigan, Larriett alleged his constitutional rights were violated on April 10, 2024, by two state troopers, who accused him of driving while impaired by drugs or alcohol, which test results later showed not to be true.
City of Hope puts a focus on dreams for Benton Harbor students

1 month ago | heraldpalladium.com | Louise Wrege

BENTON TOWNSHIP — Live in your dreams. That was the message given to Benton Harbor elementary school students Thursday at Lake Michigan College’s Mendel Center in Benton Township. kAm“*@F 5@?’E 6G6C[ 6G6C H2?E E@ 8:G6 FA @? H92E :E :D E92E J@F H2?E E@ 5@ H:E9 J@FC =:76[” D2:5 s2? |4v:??:D[ q6?E@? w2C3@C 5:C64E@C @7 AF3=:4 D276EJ 2?5 E96 ?6H 9625 G2CD:EJ 7@@E32== 4@249 2E q6?E@? w2C3@C w:89 $49@@=]k^AmkAm|4v:??:D DA@<6 36EH66? A6C7@C>2?46D AFE @? 3J DEF56?ED 7C@> u2:C !=2:?
Nessel, Andrews talk Trump, lawsuits at Benton Harbor town hall

1 month ago | heraldpalladium.com | Louise Wrege

BENTON HARBOR — President Donald Trump's election gives him great authority to advance his agenda, but he must do it while following the U.S. Constitution and the nation’s laws, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel told a crowd of more than 300 in Benton Harbor on Thursday. “Therein lies the problem because a lot of the things that he has been doing, he has been doing outside the boundaries of the law,” Nessel said during a town hall meeting at the Joel E.