The Herald-Palladium from Benton Harbor, Michigan • A1

Index Business B7 Classifieds B8 Comics B4 Features B5 Local A3 Obituaries A7 Opinion A6 Puzzles B5 Religion A5 Sports B1 Television B5 Weather A8 Weather High Today 81 Low Tonight 66 To subscribe or report delivery problems, call 429-1396 The Newspaper for Southwest Michigan KAL-HAVEN ON THE TRAIL OF HISTORY Local, A3 SATURDAY, JULY 6, 2019 HeraldPalladium As low as witha paid subscription Passing along the Love BERRIEN CENTER There is plenty of love flowing around Berrien Love Creek Park love of nature. something that its natural- ists, Kip Miller and Pat Under- wood, shared with the public and each other for more than 30 years. And now something they are passing along to their succes- sors, Derek Pelc and Lamanda Hilty, upon their retirements. Miller stepped down as chief naturalist after 37 years earlier this year, and Underwood, who came to the park in 1985, will leave his position as naturalist on July 20. Pelc, who came to Love Creek about five months ago, took over position, and Hilty start- ed last week as assistant natural- ist.

The three naturalists, along with Miller, share a lifelong love of the outdoors and animals, and something they want to pass along to park visitors. want to get people outside and get them said Pelc, a Nebraska native. Hilty, a Niles native who still resides there, had previous expe- rience at Love Creek as a sum- mer employee. After earning a degree in environmental biology she worked at Fernwood Center and watched another employee conduct a school group and thought would be a really cool thing to She called the position at Love Creek dream and she is looking forward to more stu- dents coming, starting in the fall. Underwood was also bit by the naturalist bug early on by watch- ing a colleague share his knowl- edge with visitors at Yellowstone, where he worked after attending Western Michigan University.

By JOHN MATUSZAK HP Staff Writer Veteran naturalists hand off baton to next generation Photos by Alexandra Newman HP staff People back up trucks to the entrance to J.C. Penney at the Orchards Mall on Friday on the final day of sales at the department store. The only things left for sale Friday were store fixtures, like display racks, tables and mannequins. Anchors away BENTON TOWNSHIP been 94 years since Southwest Michigan had a J.C. Pen- ney store.

That became the reality again Friday when J.C. Penney in the Orchards Mall closed after 40 years, and almost 95 in Benton Harbor when counting the old downtown store. The closure also took away the last anchor store at the mall. official closing was a melancholy affair. Dodging omnipresent seagulls, people trickled in and out of the store looking for last minute deals.

Some left empty-handed, while some backed up trucks to the store entrances to load up dis- play racks and shelves. An employee of the store, Kristine of Benton Harbor (who chose not to share her last name) was picking up some tables that had been used for displays. been here a long time. been a really good place to she said. Kristine said the employees were offered the chance to trans- fer stores, though she chose not to take it.

She said some of the em- ployees have transferred. very sad. like a fam- ily in she said. that comes in seems to be sad Rose Thomas was one of those sad customers. She stopped by the mall Friday with her daughter when they saw the large closing sign on the building.

just wanted to go in and take a she said. was sad. When I came up to the door I wanted to cry because J.C. Pen- ney has been with us a long time. really sad to see it Thomas called one of Benton finest stores.

By ALEXANDRA NEWMAN HP Staff Writer Plenty of nostalgia to go around as J.C. Penney closes its doors at Orchards Mall Signs posted across all the windows of the entrance to J.C. Penney at The Orchards Mall on Friday boast that every- thing must go. And go it did, with Friday being the final day for the store. Police say security gunshot warning caused stampede at Chicago fireworks show CHICAGO (AP) A stampede at a Fourth of July fireworks display that injured more than a dozen people at Navy Pier started when a private security officer shouted for bystanders to take cover, police said Friday.

Chicago police spokes- woman Kellie Bartoli said people who fell or were trampled during the ruckus were hos- pitalized with minor inju- ries. The rush of people oc- curred shortly after a brawl that resulted in at least two stabbings. The incidents happened just after 10 p.m. as thou- sands crowded Navy Pier on Lake shore- line. Police said they were searching Friday for two male suspects in the stab- bings.

Authorities speculate that shortly after the stab- bings, someone exploded a firecracker near a group of people, prompting shouts of or Chief of Patrol Fred Waller told a news conference Fri- day that the ensuring panic was fueled by warnings to bystanders to take cover shouted by a member of a private security firm em- ployed by Navy Pier. Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson said that despite the fracas, the of- warning was appro- priate. Government plans to pursue citizenship question on census WASHINGTON The Justice Department said Friday it will press its search for legal grounds to force the inclusion of a citizenship question on the 2020 Census, hours after President Donald Trump said he is considering an executive order to get the question on the form. Trump said his adminis- tration is exploring a num- ber of legal options, but the Justice Department did not say exactly what options re- main now that the Supreme Court has barred the ques- tion at least temporarily. The government has al- ready begun the process of printing the census ques- tionnaire without that question.

The fo- cus on asking broadly about citizenship for the first time since 1950 reflects the enor- mous political stakes and potential costs in the once- a-decade population count that determines the alloca- tion of seats in the House By MARK SHERMAN and JILL COLVIN Associated Press Amr Alfiky AP Thousands of people gather at Navy Pier to cel- ebrate and watch the Fourth of July fireworks on Thursday. Police said a false report of gunfire set off a stampede that trampled more than a dozen people at annual July 4 fireworks display Thursday at Navy Pier, where thousands of revelers had crowded the Lake Michigan shore. See CHICAGO, page A8See CENSUS, page A8 See J.C. PENNEY, page A8 See LOVE CREEK, page A8 www.govision.com 2603 Niles Ave St Joseph Call or Text 269-408-8762 Caring Doctors, Comprehensive Exams, Cutting Edge Technology.